Ofsted triumph for King Offa

The school was criticised in an Ofsted report two years ago which said the school had "serious weaknesses." Now, under new head Tony Jones it has been praised.

The report says: "This is a good school. Pupils achieve well as a consequence of good teaching. Governors provide strong leadership and the recently appointed headteacher, and the deputy headteacher, provide very good leadership and management.

"There is a very strong ethos of learning and caring. The needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs (SEN), are met, and the school is providing a good quality of education. Pupils and parents are very happy with the school, which is providing good value for money."

The report says the school's main strengths and weaknesses are:

Very good leadership and management by the headteacher and deputy headteacher have created a very strong staff team in a short period of time and enabled improvement in the quality of teaching and learning.

Pupils' good attitudes and behaviour, relationships and personal development result in their eagerness to learn.

Overall, pupils learn well as a consequence of good teaching, and achieve well.

The school provides well for pupils with SEN and those for whom English is an additional language.

The curriculum is very well enriched by extra-curricular activities.

Standards are rising, but in mathematics and science particularly, they need to rise further.

There is a lack of consistency in the extent to which teachers make use of assessment data and manage pupils' behaviour.

Attendance rates are unsatisfactory.

Outdoor play and physical education activity areas are inadequate for children in Reception and pupils in Years 1 to 6.

It says: "There has been good improvement since the last inspection, at which time the school was said to have serious weaknesses. The improvement in the quality of teaching and pupils' achievement has been most significant, these being the consequence of much improved leadership and management.

"Overall, pupils achieve well.

"Children join Reception with standards that are well below those expected for their age, and achieve well as a consequence of good teaching.

"By the end of Reception their standards have improved to being below expectations overall. In the national tests at the end of Year 2 in 2003, standards were well below average in reading and mathematics and average in writing, although they exceeded the locally-agreed targets.

"They were below the average for similar schools in reading and mathematics and average for similar schools in writing. This represented overall satisfactory achievement. Pupils now in Years 1 and 2 are also achieving satisfactorily, and their standards are below average in reading, writing and mathematics and well below average in science.

"This is because the improvements in the quality of teaching, which is now good, have had too little time to impact significantly on standards, although they have had an effect on learning in individual lessons."

In the national tests for pupils in Year 6 in 2003, standards were average in English, below average in mathematics and well below average in science. In comparison with similar schools they were above average in English, average in mathematics and below average in science.

The Ofsted report says: "This represents overall good achievement. Current pupils in Year 6 are achieving well and their standards are average in English, and just below average in mathematics and science. Standards are as expected in information and communications technology (ICT), religious education and history in Years 2 and 6, and art and design in Year 6."

Pupils' personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, are said to be good. Pupils have good attitudes to learning.

"However, attendance rates are unsatisfactory because a small number of parents make insufficient effort to ensure their children always attend, and others take their children on holiday in term time which adversely affects those pupils' standards and achievement....

"The school provides a good education. The quality of teaching is good overall and pupils learn well. Teachers make lessons interesting and pupils are well motivated. There are high expectations of pupils' behaviour and pupils respond well. Consequently, lessons are calm, with almost all pupils trying their best. However, in a small number of lessons teachers do not manage pupils' behaviour well. Most teachers assess what their pupils know, understand and can do satisfactorily and make overall satisfactory use of this information to adapt their lesson plans to meet individual pupils' needs.

"In English, the collection and use of data are good. Planning is good, enabling pupils to build systematically on their prior learning. Teachers provide a satisfactory curriculum that stimulates learning and matches pupils' interests. This is very well enriched by extra-curricular opportunities."

Very good provision is made for pupils with special educational needs. Parents are said to support their children's education satisfactorily. Good links exist with other schools and the community, which enhance pupils' learning. The inspectors were concerned that "the use of an unfenced public field, with a road running across it, for outdoor physical education lessons poses safety and health problems. The newly established play area for children in Reception has poor access, limiting opportunities for physical development."

The leadership and management of the school are good, contributing well to pupils' achievements. "Governors are well informed, provide good leadership, participate fully in setting the school's direction and carry out all their statutory responsibilities well. The headteacher has been in post for one year and is ably supported by the deputy headteacher and the English, mathematics and science subject leaders. He provides strong leadership and very good management, highlighting and addressing weaknesses, improving the quality of education and driving up standards.

"Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school. They appreciate its achievements in the educational and personal development of their children, and the nature of their relationship with the school. Pupils like the school very much and enjoy their lessons."

The inspectors say the most important things the school should do to improve are:

Further improve standards in mathematics, science, ICT and a range of other subjects by making better use of assessment data to meet individual pupils' needs in every lesson, as planned.

Continue in its efforts to improve attendance rates, as planned.

Seek improved facilities for outdoor play and physical education for children and pupils of all ages.

The headteacher told the Observer: "It is pleasing to see OfSTED recognise the hard work and achievements of the whole community here at King Offa: children, parents, staff, governors and helpers. We are looking forward to continuing to work together for the good of our children and to being part of the family of Bexhill schools working for the good of all Bexhill children."

Governors' chairman the Rev. David Frost, said: "This report is all that we hoped for. Everyone has worked very hard to make the school what it is today, and we are delighted that the progress made over the past two years has been officially recognised. We are proud to be part of the King Offa School community and we look forward to the future with absolute confidence."