Ofsted Report
Dear Parents and Carers
On behalf of the staff, pupils and governors, I am delighted to share our latest OFSTED report with you, where we have been graded ‘Outstanding’ in all areas inspected and therefore maintained our overall grade of ‘Outstanding’. The official report will appear on the OFSTED site within 8 working days, but you will have received a paper copy and email copy today.
Due to the limited number of words that can be used, some of the amazing feedback that we received hasn’t been included. I would like to include a few extra comments from the feedback for you to read. I would also like to again let you know how brilliant your children were throughout the inspection. They acted as they normally do, demonstrating our BADGER and LEARNING values throughout. Both inspectors were wowed by them and they were a credit to you and the school. Our proudest moment in the feedback was when an inspector said they wish their son could attend BWIS
- High Ambition for all pupils
- Highly inclusive for all learners with high quality of education for all
- Excellent rigour within the subjects led to success for all
- Consistent high quality of teaching led to clear secure learning, where children were proud of their achievements
- Exceptional outcomes at the end of Year R and KS1 ready for the next stage in their education
- Transition from Year R to Year 1 was excellent, with the strongest model of integration between YR and YR 1 they had seen-highly consistent with no ‘disconnect’
- Our curriculum had breadth and ambition in the ‘truest sense’
- In each of the deep dives (Reading, Maths, Geography and Art), the inspectors praised the subject leaders for their knowledge and passion about the subjects, including their clear understanding of children’s start points.
- All subject leaders share common understanding of consistency, and openness amongst staff develops confidence and competence.
- The curriculum is taught with pace and expectations for behaviours of learning are high
- Our Early Years is highly ambitious, providing a strong start and excellent pedagogy and expertise, within a rich learning environment, strength in teaching and learning and high engagement. The inspectors called it an ‘exceptional offer’.
- There are shared policies, values and practice embedded across the school and 100% of the staff are proud to work in the school. There is expertise in the governors with different layers of rigour across the whole school.
- Strong leadership ensures high quality of education and ambition for all, in an open and transparent culture with wellbeing of staff well led. ‘The school cannot do any more’.
There were many more comments which have been shared with governors and staff. We do not have any actions to work on from this inspection (under ‘what do we need to do better?’). The inspectors said at the end of the governor and leader feedback ‘keep doing what you’re doing’. We recognise, however, that education never stands still and it is timely that we now revisit our school vision and what we need to do to equip our children for the future they will grow up in, and for jobs that haven’t even been invented yet!
I am extremely proud to be the headteacher of BWIS, and the last fourteen and a half years of working with the fantastic, caring, highly skilled staff team, many of whom have been with me from the start, has been a pleasure. I hope you enjoy reading the report, and if you would like to let us know your thoughts about the report via email to adminoffice@bishopswaltham.hants.sch.uk, we would be happy to receive them.
Best wishes
Mrs Riches
