Northfield School praised for 'giving children a great start in life'

Northfield School, on Cox’s Lane, continues to be ranked ‘Good’ after its latest inspection, carried out in March.

But Ofsted Dorothy Bathgate told head teacher Jule Jenkins: “You are rightly aspiring to become an outstanding school and are making strides in this direction.

“Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school and hold you in very high regard. One parent, reflecting the views of many, told me: I think this school gives children a great start in life.”

A delighted Mrs Jenkins said: “Everyone in the school works hard, and this report is a real boost for us all. Children, staff and governors all play a vital role in our success We know our strengths and we’re not afraid to tackle any weaknesses. We are determined to improve further.”

Her views were echoed by Neil Woodcock, chairman of the governors, who said: “We all believe Northfield is a great place that does its best for every child in the school. This is a fine achievement, although we will be looking to improve even further.”

Northfield was rated ‘Good’ in all four key areas of overall effectiveness, achievement of pupils, quality of teaching and leadership and management.

The report said pupils and staff “had a clear and shared sense of pride in their school community” and, as a result, the children were “ambitious, enthusiastic and confident learners”.

The inspector praised the attitude and behaviour of pupils. There were few disruptions to lessons and instances of bullying or name-calling were rare and “dealt with promptly and efficiently”.

Pupils were also safe and happy thanks to “strong, enthusiastic and effective leadership” from staff who were well trained and from governors who were “keen and committed”. A ‘pupil parliament’ also contributed to “mature attitudes, high levels of confidence and a sense of responsibility”.

The report added that youngsters excelled in writing and particularly enjoyed music. The only areas where improvements were needed were in reading and in ensuring disadvantaged children made the progress they were capable of.