St. Andrew’s CE Primary School in North Kilworth is celebrating this week, after it was praised by Ofsted inspectors for the ‘effective action’ it has taken to ‘maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection’ where it was graded as ‘good’, declaring it is a ‘small school with a big heart’.

Speaking of the outcome, Executive Heads, Alan Eathorne and Heather White, explained, “St. Andrew’s is a fantastic school that is in the top 1% in the country for achievement in reading, writing and mathematics. Our pupils are happy, caring and considerate, full of smiles and laughter. Our staff work incredibly hard to ensure every child thrives, and they go above and beyond meaning our children can compete in sporting events, experience creative weeks and enjoy trips and residentials on a regular basis. We are delighted that the Ofsted inspector recognised all of these achievements.”

The Ofsted inspector was with the school March, and during that time looked into every aspect of school life – from how the curriculum is built and delivered to how well supported the children feel academically and emotionally.

The report highlighted the following:

• St Andrew’s is a small school with a big heart. Its code of conduct, ‘choose respect, choose kindness, do your best, step up and take part’, is very well understood.

• Breaktimes are joyful, and classrooms are typically calm and purposeful. Pupils here look after each other. They work and play collaboratively every day.

• The school’s high expectations for pupils’ achievements are largely met and often exceeded. Pupils learn well, especially in the core subjects of English and mathematics.

• The school has considered the needs of children in the early years carefully. The early years curriculum prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond.

• The school identifies pupils with SEND early. It puts support in place so that pupils with SEND can access the same curriculum as their peers.

• Reading is a high priority. Staff instil a love of books in children from the moment they join the school in early years. In the pre-school, children prepare for learning phonics by listening for sounds in stories and rhymes.

• For a small school, there is an extensive range of extra-curricular activities and enrichment experiences for pupils. These nurture and celebrate pupils’ talents beyond the classroom.

Continuing, Alan and Heather said, “For a small school, St. Andrew’s really does exceed expectations. We couldn’t be prouder of our staff and pupils - their achievements speak volumes, as does its status as a small school with a big heart."