Positive Ofsted report reflects strong community at primary school

Ofsted inspectors visited the school in December and in their subsequent report they concluded that Pegasus is an inclusive school where pupils, staff, parents and carers quickly feel they belong. Inspectors described playtime at the school as friendly and harmonious and relationships between adults and children as respectful. 

The school’s curriculum was singled out for praise with inspectors stating that leaders have developed an engaging curriculum. It encourages pupils to be ambitious and curious learners and that the curriculum is suitably ambitious and organised so that pupils build their understanding over time. It was also observed that disadvantaged pupils achieve higher outcomes than disadvantaged pupils nationally.

School leaders inspire pupils to reach their potential to 'fly' at Pegasus, with the report noting that every pupil is valued equally and leaders ensure that any barriers to learning are removed or reduced.

Pegasus’s focus on ensuring children develop a love of books was also highlighted in the report with inspectors stating that children retell stories they have heard enthusiastically and accurately. The report additionally stated that leaders make sure that all pupils take part in experiences to develop their talents and interests.

Inspectors also noted that:

• Leaders identify pupils' needs quickly and put in place effective support. This means all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who face other barriers to learning, access the full curriculum and wider opportunities. 

• Engaging activities are offered at lunchtimes, and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities particularly benefit from these. Pupils have the chance to learn to play musical instruments and be part of the school choir. They learn about the importance of helping their community through charity work. This helps pupils to recognise the importance of being a good citizen locally and in the wider world.

• Right from the start in early years the school builds children's social skills as they learn, play and socialise. This develops their character so they become considerate of others, resilient and independent. Older pupils have opportunities to take on leadership roles such as ambassadors and librarians. These pupils agree that this helps to develop their self-confidence and enables them to make a positive contribution to the school.

Ofsted has recently introduced a new inspection and reporting system. The previous single word judgements such as ‘Outstanding’ and ‘Good’ have been removed and replaced with a report card approach.

Under the new system, schools are graded across six separate areas: inclusion; curriculum and teaching; achievement; attendance and behaviour; personal development and wellbeing; and leadership and governance. Each area is assessed using a five point scale ranging from ‘Exceptional’ through to ‘Urgent Improvement’. This means schools may receive a mix of grades across different areas, rather than one overall label.

Meeting the expected standard means that the school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and that they are following the standards set out in statutory and non-statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

Mr Adam Ames, Principal at Pegasus Primary School said: “I am so proud of this Ofsted report and of our families, children and staff members. It is brilliant that Ofsted have recognised how well our children behave and look after each other and that they have a positive attitude towards their work, showing real pride in it. I am also pleased that they saw how much our staff members enjoy working at Pegasus and 

“I am delighted that Ofsted said that since the last inspection, the school has built productive relationships with parents and carers and that parents speak highly of the positive changes at the school. This reflects the hard work of our staff and the support of our families and the strong, collaborative community we have created at Pegasus.”

Vince Green, Chief Executive Officer at Summit Learning Trust commented: “This Ofsted report is a great achievement for Pegasus Primary School and our wider Summit family. It has been a pleasure to read such positivity about the endeavour and expertise of our passionate, hardworking staff members, the achievements made by our ambitious learners and the high levels of inclusivity at the school. The school has improved greatly in recent years and we are so proud of the entire Pegasus community.”