Family & Education
Wolfson Hillel is “outstanding” say Ofsted inspectors
Headteacher’s reforms help primary school get top rating for the first time.
May 5, 2017 09:54
Headteacher’s reforms help primary school get top rating for the first time.
May 5, 2017 09:54Wolfson Hillel Primary School has been rated “outstanding” by Ofsted for the first time.
The education watchdog reported that the north London school was at the highest level in all five areas it looked at: effectiveness of leadership and management, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, personal development behaviour and welfare, outcomes for pupils and early years provision.
The glowing report, which follows an inspection in March, comes at a time of growing concern over school funding cuts nationally, with headteachers struggling to make savings and critics saying pupils’ academic progress is being put at risk.
Inspectors found that the school, which caters for 467 children from nursery to Year Six, had put an “unrelenting focus on developing and sustaining systems to raise standards and improve the quality of education” since the last inspection in 2013.
It paid particular tribute to headteacher Kirsten Jowett, who took over four months before the previous inspection. It said: “The headteacher motivates and inspires staff. Leaders at all levels, including governors, have created a culture that inspires pupils to believe, persevere and achieve extremely well.
“Teachers are ambitious for pupils to achieve very well, and pupils rise to the challenges set for them.”
Since taking over, Ms Jowett has made a series of changes to the way the school operates. In particular, she introduced an earlier start and finish to the school day, while also reducing the pupil to teacher ratio across core subjects. As such, more than nine out of 10 parents (94 per cent) told inspectors they would recommend the school to prospective families.
Speaking to the JC this morning, Ms Jowett said she was “delighted” with the result and added: “I’m extremely proud of the entire team, including the governors, pupils and parents. It’s a collective effort and we wouldn’t be outstanding without everybody pulling together in the same direction.”
She added: “Everything we have done at the school was all about getting the best outcomes for children. Every child is making progress.
“The recent changes we have made have also led to happier staff with a better work-life balance, which means we are retaining the most outstanding teachers. In the current climate, where teachers are leaving the profession in droves, we have had no shortage of teachers wanting to come and work in our school.”
The school’s early years provision came in for particular praise, with the report describing it as “excellent”.
Ms Jowett said: “At the previous inspection the early years was slated and rightly so. When I took over the school it was not in a good place, but it’s now the flagship early years department for the borough of Enfield.”
Places for reception classes in September 2017 are full, however there are a number of places available in the nursery and further up the school.
In a letter to parents Howard Cohen, the school’s chair of governors, wrote: “The Governing Body join me in acknowledging the professionalism, dedication and hard work of our staff who, under the inspirational leadership of our head teacher and her senior team, provide our children with an exceptional learning experience.”
