Weeke Primary School praised following Ofsted inspection (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Weeke Primary School praised following Ofsted inspection

5:56pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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A PROUD Winchester school is toasting a report that rated it as having “outstanding features, with a strong culture of improvement”.

Ofsted inspectors agreed with pupils at Weeke Primary School that it was a “lovely place to work, grow and learn”.

The education watchdog said its head and staff went “the extra mile” and that the behaviour of pupils was “outstanding”.

But it gave head teacher, Maggie Hastie, less than a month to turn around the school’s council, which it said was thwarting pupils’ ambitions and “rather staid and teacherled”.

The school was also told to broaden its national and international links, something it says is already on its agenda.

Mrs Hastie said: “We have just started discussing future topics with schools in Wales and Denmark and we are very excited about the cultural differences we will discover.”

The latest report is a far cry from the damning verdict inspectors delivered around a decade ago when serious weaknesses in the progress and achievements of pupils were identified.

But, after Mrs Hastie’s arrival in 2001, the school’s fortunes began to change. It now has to turn away children each September, many from outside its catchment area.

“The way the school cares for and nurtures its pupils is outstanding,”

said Ofsted inspector, John Carnaghan.

“It is very welcoming and often exemplary in the way it guides and supports those who face particular challenges.

“Pupils’ relationships towards one another and their teachers are excellent. They love school life and are keen to participate in everything. With a number of new staff and strengthened leadership and management, the school is developing rapidly.

“Staff closely identify with the school’s ethos of optimism and continuing improvement and, as pupils attest, this makes Weeke Primary a ‘lovely place to work, grow and learn’.”

Mrs Hastie said: “Pupils, parents, staff and governors all work together at Weeke to make a happy and dynamic school and I am thrilled that our outstanding teamwork has been recognised in the Ofsted report.”

Sheila Alderson, who is chairman of the school’s governors, said that she had “no doubt”

pupils would become more involved in the school council: “Our school building plans are well advanced as Weeke is a growing and popular school, with a wonderfully positive ethos of which we are all very proud,” she added.