Ofsted praise for north Shropshire primary with 'happy and proud' pupils encouraged to 'reach for the stars'

A north Shropshire primary school has been praised for its warm, nurturing ethos and confident pupils in a new Ofsted report.

Tilstock CE Primary School and Nursery near Whitchurch is celebrating a positive outcome following its first inspection under rigorous new Ofsted framework.

In a report due to be published on Saturday (June 6) inspectors said they found that pupils are “happy and proud to be part of this welcoming school community” and arrive each day “with enthusiasm”, supported by staff who know them well.

“The school’s vision, ‘Shine bright and reach for the stars,’ is understood by pupils and reflected in their positive attitudes, resilience and determination,” the report continued.

The inspectors gave the school ‘strong standard’ marks for personal development and wellbeing, stating that pupils were helped to be “confident, respectful and well prepared” for the next stage of their lives.

Five other areas, including achievement, attendance and behaviour, early years, inclusion and leadership, were found to be at the expected standard.

Inspectors highlighted the school's "comprehensive and thoughtfully sequenced” programme of personal development, and found that children benefit from a rich range of experiences, including educational visits, clubs and visitors.

Leadership opportunities for children were identified as a particular strength, with children taking pride in roles such as house captains, playleaders, journalists and safety guardians.

The school’s “ambitious” curriculum was praised by inspectors, although the school received a ‘needs attention’ judgement for its curriculum and teaching.

Inspectors said the school should work to further strengthen writing skills and ensure learning consistently builds on prior knowledge across the curriculum - something school leaders said was already being addressed.

Executive headteacher Rowena Kaminski welcomed the judgement and said the school was “delighted” with the high praise regarding the school’s approach to personal development and wellbeing.

She said: “For me, achievement is about far more than academic outcomes alone. My ethos has always been that children need strong foundations in personal development; they should feel nurtured, cared for, valued and experience a genuine sense of belonging.

“When children feel safe, confident and supported, they are able to flourish both personally and academically.

“We are committed to ensuring that every child is known as an individual and has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their starting point or circumstances.

“The report reflects the dedication of our staff, governors and families in creating a school where children feel safe, supported and inspired to achieve their very best.

“We also welcome the areas identified for further development. We continue to strengthen writing and ensure that learning across the curriculum consistently deepens children's knowledge, skills and understanding.

“Continuous improvement is central to everything we do, and we remain fully committed to providing the very best education, opportunities and outcomes for every child."

Sarah Finch, CEO of The Marches Academy Trust, added: "We are extremely proud of everyone in the Tilstock community, and the positive outcome achieved through its first inspection under the new Ofsted framework.

“The report reflects the school's commitment to inclusion, wellbeing and high aspirations for all children. It is particularly pleasing to see recognition of the strong relationships, nurturing environment and culture of Achievement Through Caring that underpin life at Tilstock. We congratulate the staff, governors, children and families on this well-deserved outcome."