Birstall school - where ‘positive relationships are at the centre of its work’ - celebrates upcoming move to new building with ‘Good’ Ofsted verdict

Inspectors visited St Peter’s C of E (VA) Junior, Infant and Early Years School, on Fieldhead Lane, in November, describing it as a place where pupils “feel safe and are happy.”

The report, which was published last week, said:

“The school has high expectations for what pupils should learn and experience. These expectations are realised.

“Positive relationships are at the centre of the school’s work. Adults provide excellent role models for pupils. Staff build a caring ethos of school through strong pastoral support and day-to-day interactions.

“The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils behave well. If behaviour falls below these expectations, adults help pupils to reflect so that they can make better choices moving forward. Pupils say that bullying rarely happens, but that if it does, adults always sort it out.”

On the curriculum, inspectors wrote:

“Opportunities are woven into all curriculum areas to broaden pupils’ learning experiences. These include visits to a wildlife park. The school ensures that learning is given clear purpose and builds pupils’ awareness of careers.

“Leaders have accessed curriculum training from external experts. They have used this to create a curriculum that is well sequenced and purposeful. Pupils get the opportunity to make links in their learning. They reflect on prior learning and have discussions related to what they learn. This supports pupils to embed their understanding.

“The curriculum is inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.”

The positive report, in addition to a brand new “fabulous” school building on the site of the current playing fields which is set for completion by the summer of next year, means St Peter’s is set for an “exciting” future.

Lesley Evans, who has been headteacher for 12 years, said:

“We are really, really proud that we have maintained our Good rating. Our vision of high expectations, ‘a brighter future together’ and that we are all uniquely special, has been realised. We don’t do these things for Ofsted – we do them because that’s what we’re like.

“Our vision isn’t just words, we are living and breathing it, and that’s what you experience when you visit our school.

“The team is amazing. A lot of the staff have worked here for many years because we get on extremely well. We are an open and honest group with really positive relationships, we all work very hard and everyone feels valued and respected.

“You want a team to be perfect and I believe that’s what my staff are. To have everybody on board, children and parents, and to have children say they feel happy and safe, you think, ‘Yes, that’s good’.

“Families trust us to take really good care of their children. We look after them and we treat them like our own. We’re not a big school - we’re a one form entry with 234 pupils - so we know every pupil and we know their families well too.”

She added: “I came to the school in 2002 so I will be sad when the old building gets knocked down. We have lots of special memories here.

“But with the brand new building, we know that we are in a really strong position. We’re moving into a fabulous new facility with a really good team around us.

“It’s really exciting.”