PUPILS, teachers and parents at a village school near Malmesbury are celebrating after being rated good in a recent Ofsted report.

Somerfords’ Walter Powell C of E Academy - which is located in Dauntsey Road, Great Somerford - received a positive report after a visit from an Ofsted inspector on Tuesday, April 16 and Wednesday, April 17.

The school - which was previously rated requires improvement in 2020 - was awarded good ratings in every single category assessed. 

Pupils were described as polite and courteous and the inspector said the school itself was a 'happy place' which encompasses a 'caring and nurturing ethos'. 

The inspector also praised the school's leadership team for taking 'effective action' to address the areas which were identified in the previous inspection as needing improvement.

The report states: "Expectations for what all pupils can achieve have been raised. 

"The curriculum, which is adapted to meet the needs of pupils, has been designed well.

"It makes clear the precise knowledge that pupils need to know and when they need to know it."

Furthermore, the inspector commended staff for supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities by making appropriate adaptations to learning. 

In addition, the arrangements for safeguarding were rated as effective.

However, in order to improve, the school was advised to conduct more regular checks on pupils’ knowledge. 

The report states: "The checks on pupils’ knowledge and understanding across the curriculum are not fully effective.

"As a result, some pupils struggle to recall previous learning and do not build on their knowledge well.

"The trust needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively so that pupils learn and remember the curriculum successfully in all subjects."

Headteacher Ms Christina Brugger said: "The report recognises that Somerfords’ Walter Powell has successfully addressed previous areas of improvement, elevating expectations for pupil achievement across the board.

"Together, the Somerfords’ Walter Powell community looks forward to building upon this success and shaping a bright future for all its pupils.

"Celebrating this achievement, the school acknowledges the importance of effective assessment to ensure that pupils grasp and retain the curriculum across all subjects and has already put measures in place to address this."

To read the full report visit shorturl.at/gCUY4