Ofsted success for King Offa and their new headteacher

Pupils and staff at King Offa Primary Academy and Nursery are celebrating after receiving positive feedback from its recent Ofsted inspection. The report praised the school for its inclusive community, positive culture and academic and extra-curricular opportunities that enable pupils to thrive.

Continuing to be rated ‘Good’ in all areas, the school, part of Aurora Academies Trust, was also commended for its “well-considered curriculum” which helps pupils “develop an increasingly secure body of knowledge and skills”.

The inspection coincided with the start of the new Headteacher, James Towner, who joined King Offa shortly before the inspection took place. James, who gained extensive experience through his previous leadership roles over the last decade, led the team through the inspection.

Mr Towner, said “I am delighted to be the Headteacher of a school with such a passion for learning and high standards. It’s clear that pupils at King Offa love learning and are expertly supported by the dedicated staff team. I am so grateful for the warm welcome I’ve received from staff, pupils and their families. This excellent inspection outcome is a great way for me to start my role as Headteacher. I am very proud to be leading the school  to build on this success and look forward to the many exciting things we have happening over the remainder of the academic year.”

Additionally, inspectors noted that leaders at King Offa and the Trust have worked effectively together since the previous inspection, to ensure the positive trajectory, which the school has been on since first becoming part of the Trust, continues, and that “leaders at all levels share high ambitions for where the school can continue to develop further”.

Behaviour and attendance at the school were also highlighted, with inspectors commenting that “significant improvements” in these areas “have been evident over the past year”. This demonstrates the school’s commitment to high behavioural standards which has been supported through an “increasing range of opportunities to develop pupils’ leadership skills and responsibilities” at school and in the wider community, including the school’s recent Acts of Kindness project.

Other strengths celebrated include:

• “Pupils are happy to be part of this inclusive school community”.
• Pupils “work hard in lessons, rising to meeting the high expectations of staff” and “as a result, they achieve well”.
• Pupils are well-supported to develop academically and “as people” with one pupil commenting that “opportunities must be taken ‘so that we learn to get out of our comfort zone and become confident to try new things’”.
• “Behaviour around the school is calm, and pupils play well together”.
• The school offers an “enhanced range of opportunities for pupils to take on leadership roles”, for example, on the school council or in ambassador roles.
• “Phonics is taught especially well by staff with expertise. If pupils need more support, the school provides well-placed interventions to develop pupils’ confidence and fluency.”
• “Staff have benefited from adept training to support their understanding of pupils’ needs, which are identified and well understood. In lessons, effective adaptations to learning now ensure that pupils can access their learning effectively and achieve well.”

Laylee Pocock, Director of School Improvement at Aurora said, “King Offa really is a school that is at the heart of its community. It’s wonderful to have the hard work of the pupils and staff recognised by Ofsted. King Offa’s positive culture is rooted in mutual respect, high aspirations and a deep sense of belonging, and so we take great pride in nurturing not only academic excellence but also socially responsible young people who understand their role in the wider world."