A Nottingham school has been graded 'Good' overall by Ofsted during its recent inspection. Despite the disruption caused over the last few years due to Covid-19, the pupils at Nottingham Free School, in Haydn Road in Sherwood, were found to be thriving. The inspection took place on November 8 and November 9 last year.
The report stated that: "Pupils are proud of their school and enjoy the sense of community that it provides. Staff know pupils well. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils’ achievements and behaviour."
Inspectors also noted during their visit that "pupils behave well in lessons" and they feel safe in school.
Read More: Mum putting kids to bed in 'endless layers' after being left with no heating or hot water
"They are polite and show respect for each other, the staff and visitors. All pupils take part in enrichment activities.
"These enable pupils to develop new skills and to appreciate art, music and drama. Pupils learn about different careers and choices they have to continue their education once they finish their GCSE courses."
Head Teacher Dr Jo Simpson said: “The report reflects our commitment to providing transformative learning experiences for the students in our community. I am very proud of our students and our values of hard work and kindness that underpin all that we do at Nottingham Free School.
“This could not have been achieved without the commitment of our parents, staff and governors to work in partnership to help make the school a wonderful place to grow, learn and succeed.” Andy Seymour, executive head teacher, added: “It’s wonderful to see Nottingham Free School receive such a positive Ofsted report.
"This is thoroughly deserved and is testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of the entire school community. Congratulations to everyone involved.”
Regarding what the school could improve on, the report stated: "Some pupils find it difficult to understand all written material that teachers use because their reading skills are not yet developed well enough. Teachers do not always notice when pupils are not able to read materials.
"Some pupils do not ask their teachers for help when they are struggling. This leads to some pupils learning less well than their peers. Leaders recognise that they need to act swiftly to provide support for these pupils so that they can quickly gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become fluent readers."
Ash Rahman, Nova Education Trust chief executive, said: “I am delighted to see formal, positive recognition by Ofsted of all the hard work by the staff and the pupils at Nottingham Free School. This grading provides an excellent foundation as the school continues to go from strength to strength on its journey to provide transformational education — beyond outstanding.” The school maintains its overall Ofsted rating, after it was rated 'Good' overall in its previous inspection, with this report published in July 2017.
Read Next:
