STAFF and children from both Catshill Middle School and First School and Nursery are celebrating after both received ‘Good’ ratings from Ofsted.
The schools, which are federated and have a shared governing body and executive headteacher, work together as the ‘Catshill Learning Community’.
The approach is aimed at ensuring high expectations and support for children to achieve for pupils from the age of three, when they start nursery to 13, in year eight before they head to high school.
There was plenty of praise in the Ofsted inspection reports for both schools.
Of Catshill First School, which was inspected in September, the report said pupils were happy there.
It added: “This is a friendly school with kindness at its heart.
“The motto ‘where individuals matter’ is evident everywhere. There is an ethos of valuing everyone’.”
The school’s leaders were praised for being ‘ambitious in their expectations of what pupils could achieve, including those with special educational needs and disabilies (SEND)’.
“Pupils talk excitedly about their learning and how their teachers support them to do their best.”
Catshill Middle School was inspected in November and also received plenty of positive feedback.
Inspectors said: “Pupils are happy in school and speak positively about being part of the Catshill Middle School ‘community’.
“Leaders place a strong emphasis on supporting pupils’ personal development.”
It added leaders were ambitious for all pupils, children’s behaviour and attitudes were highly respectful and positive and students’ wellbeing was at the forefront of the leaders’ vision.’
“Pupils enjoy a wide variety of enrichment opportunities.”
Executive headteacher Paul Essenhigh said: “I could not be more proud of the two staff teams that tirelessly strive to support the children and families in their care.
“Both schools are now well positioned to welcome new children in September 2023.”
