'Warm' Shropshire primary school with 'happy' pupils praised in latest Ofsted report
A Shrewsbury primary school impressed Ofsted inspectors with its inclusive ethos and strong pastoral support, though they say leaders must now strengthen teaching to ensure pupils make steady progress.
Mount Pleasant Primary School in Shrewsbury has been praised for its strong approach to safeguarding and pupil wellbeing - but Ofsted inspectors say key areas of teaching and achievement still “need attention”.
Inspectors visited in January and found the school provides "warm and positive" relationships and that pupils feel "happy and safe".
They highlighted the school’s “growth curriculum”, daily emotional check-ins and tailored nurture provision as strengths, noting that pupils “develop high levels of emotional intelligence and self-control” and are well prepared for life in modern Britain.
Personal development was judged to be at a strong standard, with inspectors praising the school’s wide range of clubs and inclusive, welcoming ethos.
Behaviour and attendance were judged to meet the expected standard, with classrooms described as “calm, orderly and respectful”.
Early years provision was also found to be effective, with children making a positive start and becoming increasingly confident readers. Staff were praised for developing children’s communication skills from the age of two and involving parents closely in learning.
Inspectors also noted strong work to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, particularly in light of a recent rise in the number of pupils requiring additional support.
Despite these strengths, Ofsted identified inconsistencies in teaching quality and pupil outcomes. Achievement and curriculum delivery were both rated as 'needing attention'.
While many pupils achieve well, inspectors found “variability in how successfully pupils make progress through the curriculum”.
They reported that some pupils had not yet reached expected milestones in phonics and many struggle with “spelling, handwriting” and forming numerals in mathematics.
Ofsted noted that school leaders are "deeply committed" to addressing weaknesses and a number of successful changes had already been made to improve learning outcomes.
The report sets out three priorities for the school: strengthening teaching across all year groups, improving support for pupils who fall behind in phonics, and ensuring pupils secure the essential skills they need in writing and mathematics.
The full inspection report is available to view online at ofsted.gov.uk.
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