Outstanding inspection report for Pond Park Primary School

In the inspection report, the first since Mr Geoffrey Cherry was appointed as Principal three years ago, it was reported that in all areas the quality of education was outstanding and the quality of pastoral care was also outstanding.

Celebrating the success of the report, Principal Mr Cherry said: “Our staff, Governors and parents are thrilled with the ‘outstanding’ grading following an inspection by ETI.”

Mr Cherry continued by saying that he believed the report to be “a very positive affirmation of the day-to-day practice within Pond Park Primary School.”

He expressed his appreciation for the commitment and interest which the Governors display and, in particular, thanked Chair of Governors Rev Andrew Thompson for his personal support.

Mr Cherry was delighted that the report praised the professionalism, skill and expertise of the highly motivated staff and the effective strategies implemented when working with children displaying additional learning needs.

He said the staff are “extremely committed both professionally and personally” and they are “great ambassadors” for the profession.

With regard to ‘Achievements and Standards’, the report noted that “the children are very welcoming, highly motivated, inquisitive learners and their behaviour is exemplary.

“They interact confidently and engage collaboratively with their peers, are able to reflect on their learning in a mature manner and present their work to a very high standard.

They respond very well to the positive learning environment that has been created in all of the classrooms and to the high expectations of their teachers and teaching assistants”.

The report continued to praise the children’s achievements in a wide range of sport and musical events.

It said: “The fostering of the children’s musical and sporting talents is a significant feature of the school’s provision and contributes significantly to their personal development.”

The report continued: “The teachers are enthusiastic and fully committed to meeting the academic and pastoral needs of all of the children.”

It continued: “The outstanding quality of planning is reflected in the very high standard of lessons observed.”

The report added: “The holistic integration of Literacy and Numeracy across the curriculum is a key strength of the provision.”

“The provision for children who require additional support with their learning is outstanding”, as is “the communication between class teachers, the learning support staff and external agencies,” said inspectors.