The headteacher of a smaller than average primary school knows her school inside out and does not accept excuses Ofsted found.
The conclusion was reached at Wolverham Primary and Nursery School on Milton Road, Wolverham by HMI Joanne Olsson.
The inspector visited the rapidly growing school as Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw was said to be concerned about falling standards at the end of Key Stage 2 and the weaker progress made by disadvantaged pupils in reading.
During her visit the inspector met headteacher Tracy Webb, school leaders and members of the teaching staff.
She spoke to governors’ chairman Paul Jenkins and chatted to a small group of pupils to gain their views on teaching, learning and behaviour.
With the head the inspector visited every classroom at least once to talk to pupils, observe them at work and look at their books.
The visits concentrated on pupils’ learning in reading, writing and letters and the sounds they make.
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She also scrutinised documents, improvement plans and the school’s provisional results for 2015 and took account of views put forward by almost 60 parents.
There have been a number of changes at Wolverham since the previous inspection in October 2012 says the inspector with three new teachers joining along with an assistant headteacher.
Three additional classrooms have been built and the early years has been extended to include two-year-old children.
Standards at the end of Year 6 have declined since the school was last inspected.
They were below average in 2014 with pupils faring less well in reading due to weaker teaching in the past but the provisional information for 2015 signals a marked improvement.
Most pupils make better than expected progress and the decline is being halted with pupils benefiting from stronger teaching, day in and day out.
The head knows the school ‘inside out’ and takes effective action to bring about improvement. Her high expectations of staff and pupils mean she does not accept excuses and ineffective teaching has been wiped out.
Pupils are doing better in their learning because most teachers demand the best.
Less-able pupils, disabled pupils and pupils with special educational needs are keeping up because of the support they receive in the classroom and through small group sessions.
Children’s achievement in reading is becoming stronger across the whole school as the head has invested time and energy in overhauling the approach to teaching the subject.
Teachers and teaching assistants are in no doubt about the role they play in equipping pupils with the skills to be successful readers.
Nothing has been left to chance and the subject leaders for English have checked and then checked again to make sure everyone is following the new methods.
The recent improvements in Key Stage 2 are not reflected fully in the early years and Key Stage 1 although standards are improving slowly.
Pupils are proud of their school and eager to do their best and the overwhelming majority of parents would recommend Wolverham to others.
Mrs Webb’s priorities for further change at the school are said to be ‘spot-on’.
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