Ofsted report celebrated by Brighton school
Christmas has come early for staff and pupils at Westdene Primary School in Brighton after they received a good rating from Ofsted following a short inspection by Government inspectors.
Headteacher Debbie Crossingham said she could not be happier about the inspection.
She said the school are delighted that the Ofsted report celebrated the “strengths of the school and achievement of our pupils.”
Westdene Primary School has over 700 hundred pupils and 66 teachers and teaching assistants.
The report praised the “strong and ambitious” leadership at the school and the “culture of high expectations of teaching and pupils’ achievement”.
The report reads: “Pupils achieve well because teaching is strong…
“Outcomes for pupils are consistently above those seen nationally at the end of each key stage. Pupils make good progress from their different starting points.
“In most year groups, disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as other pupils because staff understand and meet their needs well.”
The report highlighted the curriculum at the school, helping it achieve highly in subjects other than maths and English.
The Ofsted report stated: “You rightly take great pride in the varied, exciting curriculum that the school offers for pupils. Pupils talk with great enthusiasm about the many interesting visits and visitors that enhance their learning.
“Trips to such places as Fishbourne Roman palace, Glyndebourne Opera and the RNLI station at Shoreham all bring learning to life.”
Westdene also provides swimming lessons for all pupils in Key Stage 2 every year to help them become strong swimmers by the time they leave school.
The report said: “Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school” and it found that many parents were pleased with their child’s progress at school.
This is not the first time the school has received a good rating. At Westdene’s last inspection back in 2013 the school was rated as good, dropping from its previous rating of outstanding.
By Clare Calder
