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OVERWHELMING PRIDE AS GREAT OLDBURY PRIMARY ACADEMY ACHIEVES ‘GOOD’ OFSTED RATING
‘Pupils love learning’ one of many stand-out remarks by Ofsted in Great Oldbury’s first inspection since its formation in 2021.
Described as ‘welcoming and friendly, with a positive and vibrant ethos’, years of dedication from the team has led to their ‘Good’ rating from Ofsted. Furthermore, two out of the six areas of inspection; personal development and early years provision, achieved the ‘outstanding’ grade!
'Children in the early years get off to a flying start’. Inspectors recognised that right from the beginning of their school journey at Great Oldbury Primary Academy (GOPA), children are equipped with the academic and social skills they need to thrive; ‘Staff are superb role models. Relationships are warm and staff know children well. Children in the early years demonstrate high levels of concentration and perseverance. They are well prepared for their next stage of learning.’
The visitors praised the teachers and leaders delivery of the curriculum; ‘Pupils, including those in the nursery, benefit from a carefully planned curriculum to support their learning beyond the academic’.
The ability t
o read underpins children’s academic success throughout primary school and beyond. Ofsted recognised that ‘the school prioritises reading’ with ‘pupils’ high outcomes in phonics and the end of Year 2 reflecting this’ as ‘pupils who fall behind quickly receive the help they need to catch up’. Therefore, teachers and leaders at GOPA have encouraged pupils to ‘develop a love of reading’.
The inspectors also highlighted that GOPA is a ‘highly inclusive school’ with SEND and pastoral provision praised; ‘Pupils with SEND are well cared for’ and ‘the school’s high-quality pastoral provision means pupils receive the support they need to be happy, safe and ready to learn’.
Being part of an Academy Trust brings a wealth of benefits to a school. The Gloucestershire Learning Alliance (GLA) were praised during the two-day inspection; ‘staff are overwhelmingly positive about the support that they receive from the trust and school leaders for their workload and well-being’. If this aligns with your values, the school are currently recruiting for a Nursery Practitioner – find out more here
Hayley Hall, GOPA Head Teacher, expressed her pride in her team;
“We are absolutely delighted with the outcome of our first Ofsted. The report reflects the hard work and dedication of all the staff at Great Oldbury. I am very proud of all the staff and children for their achievements. This school is a truly amazing place and it is a pleasure to lead the school every day. The whole school community really does dream big and achieve amazing things!”
Claire Savory, GLA CEO, added;
“As a brand-new free school, I have seen this setting emerge from a muddy field to a thriving successful place of learning. Great Oldbury Primary Academy has been a wonderful privilege to be involved with, to nurture and support as part of our GLA Trust. We are incredibly proud of the team at GOPA for this wonderful first Ofsted report – testament to their vision of ‘dream, believe, achieve’ - a clear and shared ambition for all children.”