OfSTED finds Watling Park School ‘Good’ in all areas

We’re happy to announce the result of our OfSTED inspection! You can read the full report by following the link at the bottom of this page.

Watling Park School has been successful in its first ever OfSTED inspection, where inspectors found the school to be “Good” in all areas, with “strong leadership” and “a deep curriculum” enabling pupils to “develop their knowledge and understanding”.

The school was established by Bellevue Place Education Trust in September 2015 and moved into their new building in September 2017. Inspectors celebrated the school’s extensive educational offer, stating “The school’s rich curriculum successfully develops pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.” Furthermore, pupils “benefit from a culture of collaboration”, where teachers regularly develop opportunities to learn through crosscurricular work. On more than one occasion, the report praises the “well-planned” class trips and workshops that comprise the school’s “approach to widen pupils’ experiences”, benefitting students by “broadening their life experiences”. Acting Headteacher, who has led the school since September, Sonia Mallick, commented on the positive report:

“This OfSTED report reflects the dedication and commitment of all of the staff, from teachers and assistants who work in the classrooms to all of my other colleagues who provide fantastic support in so many different ways before, during and after school.  The excellent outcome caps off the hard work and dedication by all involved.”

The enjoyment of staff working at the school is evident in the report, with colleagues quoted as describing the school to be “one big happy family”. The school’s governance structure is also praised for its collaborative ethos, with “strong strategic direction” being provided by the multi-academy trust in order to “improve the school further”.

The Chief Executive from Bellevue Place Education Trust, Mark Greatrex also commented on the inspection result:

“This is a very well deserved inspection report and testament to the hard work everyone has put in to opening this new school.  Watling Park School provides a high quality education to the young people we serve, thanks to current and previous staff who have supported Watling Park on the journey to become an OfSTED-rated Good school.  The school is very well led and its pupils, our excellent staff and parents are increasingly working closely together in partnership, which helps children learn.  It was most pleasing when the inspector credited the school on driving up standards while staying firm to our philosophy of providing a broad and balanced education offer for all pupils – a principle from our vision.”

Engagement from parents surrounding the inspection was overwhelmingly positive, with 88% claiming to recommend the school to another parent. All schools operated by Bellevue Place Education Trust seek to establish an environment for pupils to “learn, enjoy and succeed”. Inspectors commented on the regular use of “strong questioning to develop pupils’ thinking further”, acknowledging an atmosphere of regular enquiry that reflects the school’s ‘Thinking Schools’ approach. Crucial to this is the drive for a varied programme of enrichment that extends beyond the classroom, evident in the school’s “well resourced” outdoor learning environment and “broad range” of after-school clubs.

With a new Headteacher appointed and set to start next academic year, the positive OfSTED result is an acknowledgement of the fantastic work done this far in the school’s journey.

A link to the OfSTED report can be found by following the link: Click here