Willowdown Primary School in Bridgwater is celebrating a highly successful Ofsted report.
The inspection team that visited in January judged that the school met all the expected standards, with significant strengths in inclusion and leadership.
The inspection team that visited in January judged that the school met all the expected standards, with significant strengths in inclusion and leadership.
The verdict is a milestone in the school’s journey of improvement, marking excellent progress since the last inspection in 2023.
The Ofsted report described Willowdown as a “caring, inclusive environment in which pupils feel supported and able to thrive”.
The inspectors praised the support from Futura Learning Partnership, which they said had led to notable improvements.
Willowdown was one of the first schools to be inspected under the new Ofsted framework, which rates schools in a number of categories. It was judged to be strong for inclusion and for leadership and governance and to have reached the expected standard for achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, personal development and wellbeing, and early years. Safeguarding standards were also met.
The report said: “After a period of leadership and staffing instability, the school, the governing board and trust leaders have made significant and rapid improvements in many aspects of the school’s work.
“Leaders are ambitious for every pupil. They make appropriate adaptations to ensure pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities can succeed.
“Well‐considered decisions that place pupils’ needs at the centre, have significantly improved pupils’ wellbeing and behaviour.”
The inspectors were impressed by the trusting relationships with families and the way the school knows every pupil as an individual.
“A culture of nurture and respect permeates the school,” their report said.
Ofsted found that school leaders were relentless in their drive to improve levels of attendance, using a collaborative approach with families that was having “a clear and positive impact”.
The inspectors said children had a smooth start to school life, thanks to a well-organised, engaging early years environment that helped children feel secure. Staff were said to be ambitious for children and to help them develop a love of books, stories and rhymes.
On teaching and learning, they said that gaps caused by previous weaknesses were beginning to close and achievement levels were now broadly close to national expectations.
“Pupils benefit from a well-designed curriculum and a comprehensive programme of interventions,” the report noted.
Ofsted also praised the effective support for pupils’ personal development, enabling children to develop a clear sense of right and wrong. Extra-curricular opportunities for children to become mini police or eco councillors, look after the school’s chickens or learn Spanish were highlighted.
Head teacher Katie Sharp said: “This report celebrates the dedication and commitment of the whole school community at Willowdown. I am hugely proud of our children, staff, leaders, families and governors; together we will build on the strengths highlighted by the inspectors to ensure our children continue to flourish.”
Gary Schlick, chief executive officer of Futura Learning Partnership, said: “Willowdown has made significant and rapid progress thanks to a real team effort involving many colleagues across Futura. This is an example of the support that is given to schools in the trust. I am pleased that Ofsted has recognised the school is in a great position is well placed to get even better.”
