As we head into half term, join me in celebrating and congratulating a school that is outstanding across the board against the odds, and utterly deserves recognition as such:
Beth Dyer and the brilliant team at Nine Acres Primary School.
The context
- High free schools meals eligibility (29.1% vs average 25.9%).
- Higher SEN with ECHP (3.3% vs 2.5%).
- Higher SEN support. (14.9% vs 13.5%).
- Lower pupils whose first language is not English (6.3% vs 22.0%).
As an educator you will know what kind of context this school is in.
The results
- 70% achieving age expected (vs LA 53%, National 60%).
- 70% achieving above age expected (vs LA 4%, National 8%).
The history
- Good
- Good
- Requires Improvement
- Good
The last time a school was awarded an outstanding judgement in the local area was in 2011.
SInce then, no schools have been graded as outstanding.
To say that Nine Acres Primary School is a jewel in the centre of the Isle of Wight is an understatement.
I’ve known the incredible Headteacher Beth and the school for a long time and the Ofsted report captures how great the school is. Actually, it gets as close as you can in words, as nothing beats the magic of being in Nine Acres.
Pupils blossom at Nine Acres. They are inspired and enthusiastic learners. They
thrive in this exceptional school where disadvantaged pupils flourish. The ambitious
curriculum is intertwined with an extensive personal development offer. The school’s
aspirational values underpin everything. The school expects its pupils to be
‘articulate’, ‘passionate’, ‘persuasive’ and ‘positively influencing the world around us’.
Pupils unquestionably rise to meet these high expectations. They are keen to explain
the ways that they uphold these values in how they act and speak.
And all this, right at the end of the summer term, when the team were transitioning the children into their new classes. Wow!
Finding, celebrating, learning and being inspired by schools like Beth’s school, Nine Acres Primary, help us all see that:
It can be done.
Schools can be outstanding against the odds.
Spotlight Resource
As we head into half-term, the resource I want to highlight is…
You.
You are the best resource at your disposal, so focus on making sure you are in the best possible shape for the second half of term.
So take a moment to
- reflect on what’s gone well in the first half of term,
- think about what you want to do better in the second half (jot down some ideas on how to make that happen) and then
- make sure you have some time to rest and recharge in whatever ways work best for you.
Well done this term. Let’s make the next half term even better 🙂