School aiming high after Ofsted criticism

Following a visit to Alverthorpe St Paul’s, the findings published found it ‘required improvement’ in three key ares, including leadership and management, quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes.

But Lee Swift, who only took over as headteacher last year says he was aware of the issues and is working hard to put them right. Ofsted recognised that he was working with urgency to resolve matters.

He told the Express: “I am confident that we will see the impact of everything that has been implemented by the end of the academic year and that outcomes will improve in areas that recently have not been strong enough.

“The outcome to the inspection was not a surprise and was a fair judgement on where the school was at that moment in time.”

“I started as headteacher in September 2018 and quickly realised that there were key areas that needed developing. Because of this, a number of changes were quickly implemented.

“The staff are embracing the changes and are motivated to move the school forward.”

The teaching was a staple part of Ofsted’s focus, which they found teachers lacked subject knowledge, expectations of some were too low and that some pupils had not developed basic skills.

But the St Paul’s Drive primary school was found to be good in terms of pupils’ development, welfare and behaviour, its early-years provision, its provision for special needs and Key Stage 2 outcomes.

Mr Swift added: “There are a number of areas that we should celebrate as a school.”