School out of special measures – thanks to community's hard work

THE head of an Orchard Park primary school has praised the community for helping lift it out of special measures.

Inspectors gave Hall Road Primary School a grade of "inadequate" – the lowest that can be awarded – in 2009.

But following an inspection in March, the 221-pupil school has moved up a level and is now deemed "satisfactory". It marks a fantastic turnaround for the school that now boasts "good" and occasionally "outstanding" teaching.

Head teacher Caroline Holliday, who has been at the helm since September 2008, said: "We are overjoyed and relieved. It really has been a community effort.

"But there was never a time when we thought we could not lift out of special measures. Not once did we waiver."

A team of three inspectors from the Government's education watchdog, Ofsted, watched ten lessons and eight teachers over a two-day period.

Mrs Holliday said: "We have made a real effort to make sure parents and the wider community know we want them on board."

Mrs Holliday said the school has reaped the benefits of staging small, but important, events to build relationships with the close- knit Orchard Park community.

She said: "Barriers between the school and the community are disappearing fast.

"We have had singing lessons on the green, family picnics and even snowman- building when we had all that bad weather last winter."

Mrs Holliday said, as a result, parents are now becoming much more involved in their children's education.

She said: "We hold a parents' assembly once a week. Not that long ago, we would maybe have had three or four parents.

"Now we can get up to 30 parents turning up."

Inspectors gave the school "good" grades in almost every area, including pupils' behaviour and their contribution to the school and community.

The report states: "The pupils are delightful. They are cheerful, friendly and inquisitive."

However, attendance and pupils' attainment, based on previous SATs results require improvement. Inspectors said both these areas were "satisfactory".

Mrs Holliday said: "We are well on track. I am sure we can improve further and gain an overall 'good' rating at the next inspection."

"Our governors have been extremely supportive.

"In January, new governors joined us and they are constantly helping us improve."

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