Beacon School celebrates glowing Ofsted report

A special measures school has shrugged off its bad name in less than a year.

Beacon School, in Picquets Lane, Banstead is out of special measures after a glowing Ofsted report stated a "remarkable amount has been achieved in a relatively short time."

Jennie Thomas, head of the school, said: "I am so tremendously proud of all the staff and students. We have all worked so hard."

Mrs Thomas was asked to step in as headmistress after a damning Ofsted report deemed achievement, standards, leadership, and management at the school inadequate.

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She said: "The inspectors didn't believe the teaching and learning to be adequately monitored so that was the first thing I worked on.

"We decided to change the whole ethos of the school. We set out clear expectations and everyone wanted to improve."

Uniforms were re-vamped to put out a smarter image, more extra-curricular activities were put on offer, and students were given clear learning targets to help bump up their grades.

Less than 11 months later the school is celebrating its best ever exam results and a congratulatory Ofsted report.

Lead inspector Barry Jones said in his report: "The new headteacher has led its recovery remarkably well. There is better teaching, rising standards and achievement and attendance has significantly improved.

"The school's monitoring shows that this trend in continuing and that the school is on track to further raise standards in 2009."

In two out of eight categories, Ofsted gave the school the second highest rating (good) for pupil's personal development and well being, as well as leadership and management.

The school was given an overall satisfactory grade, with inspectors indicating it has the capacity to continue improving.

Mrs Thomas said that the school is really embracing a new sense of community now the dark times have passed.

"The day we were taken out of special measures there were so many smiling faces to be seen. Everyone has taken a sense of pride in what we have achieved," she said.

"We're putting on a production of Joseph and his amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and we had a record of 110 pupils audition for parts.

The students are beginning to enjoy being part of this school."

MERSTHAM Primary School is celebrating a brilliant Ofsted report with all categories reaching "outstanding" or "good" status.

Personal development and well-being was rated "outstanding", as well as leadership and management, and effectiveness of early years foundation stage.

Inspector David Marshall said: "The way in which the headteacher, Margaret Spencer, has transformed the school over the last few years and is ensuring that it continues to improve, is impressive.