Official: Kentish Town Primary School is 'outstanding'
Wednesday February 24, 2010
By JOSIE HINTON
PUPILS at a Kentish Town primary school are instilled with “a sense of purpose,” “self belief” and "above all a joy of learning,” according to Ofsted inspectors.
Teachers and pupils at Kentish Town Church of England Primary School are feeling jubilant after receiving the top rating of “outstanding” in their latest Ofsted report.
Inspectors who visited the Islip Street school last month heaped praise on teachers for “driving up pupils' academic performance” and “sustaining outstanding practice in supporting their personal development.”
The glowing report follows the introduction of a new framework for assessing schools which is expected to reduce the number of schools rated as “outstanding” from around 13 per cent of schools, down to about seven per cent.
Mr Henry said: “This means a lot to the whole school community, particularly given the new, more rigorous framework. To have the work we are doing validated by Ofsted means that we are the best we possibly can be. This is down to our dedicated and passionate staff, our outstanding governing board and most importantly our wonderfully responsive, hard working and, we hope, happy children.”
The report praised the school for the extent to which it has adopted the healthy lifestyles programme, with projects devoted to growing fruit and vegetables and recycling commended.
Inspectors also praised the school's environment. They said: “Classrooms are delightful, rich, both indoors and out, with imaginative activities and vibrant displays.” The behaviour of “polite, thoughtful and considerate” children, who “get on extremely well together and are keen to engage in the many opportunities to take on responsibilities,” also received praise.