Ofsted inspectors have issued a very encouraging report on Shoreham School. This was the latest of a series of so-called Section 8 reports, which track developments at the school since it went into Special Measures late last year. Reports in December 2013 and March 2014 were relatively encouraging, but the July report - issued just before the summer holidays - was much more negative.
The latest report, based on a visit on 25-26 November, praises progress under the new head teacher, Mrs Gillian Lovatt-Young, and highlights improvements in teaching and children's progress. Having visited the school and met Mrs Lovatt-Young and the chair of governors a couple of weeks before the inspection, I picked up a sense of strong momentum under her leadership. Mrs Lovatt-Young, the governors, staff and pupils at Shoreham are all to be congratulated.
Since the summer I have visited six of the seven primary schools in Darent Valley. It is not very long since we were in a position where one (Shoreham) was in Special Measures and three (High Firs, Horton Kirby and St. Paul's) were rated as Requires Improvement (the former 'Satisfactory' rating by Ofsted, or 3 on the 1-4 scale). In July, High Firs under Colin Turtle's leadership has regained its Good rating. A visit to Horton Kirby left me hopeful that we could see a better rating there soon, and now we have this encouraging report on Shoreham. I will be visiting St. Paul's and meeting its new head in the New Year.
Overall, Kent's primary schools have demonstrated a sharp improvement in Ofsted ratings in the last few years. It is good that Darent Valley seems to be sharing in this progress.
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