Garstang St Thomas’ CE Primary

Where “an extremely happy and secure atmosphere
combines well with industrious learning”

OFSTED Inspection May 2009

Garstang St Thomas CE Primary School is pleased to report another very successful OFSTED inspection. The inspectors agreed that the school was good with many outstanding features. The schools strengths were summed up as: “a track-record of above average standards, underpinned by outstanding care and personal development. The extremely happy and secure atmosphere combines well with industrious learning”. They went on to praise the school and the pupils for their behaviour and contributions to the community and the environment both on a local and a global level.

Academically, the inspectors found Garstang St Thomas’ pupils to be achieving well and that the school had raised its standards with differentiated work for the more-able pupils and those with special educational needs. “Those with very specific needs make excellent progress…reflect(ing) the school’s outstanding provision for these pupils and a determination to provide for all. Staff are exceptionally well-trained to meet the pupils’ individual needs and support is excellent, with close consultation between staff.”

“The outstanding lessons seen moved at a scintillating pace, with a high degree of challenge… The focus throughout the school is on capturing pupils’ interest and this is clear in the imaginative range of work produced. St Thomas’ classrooms are stimulating learning environments”

OFSTED found St Thomas’ children to be happy with exemplary attitudes to learning and with healthy lifestyles promoted through their education, lively playtimes and many sporting successes. St Thomas’ have won trophies for netball, football, tag rugby and rounders as well as taking part in kwik cricket, sport stacking, judo, yoga and self-defence. The Tag rugby team will represent Wyre Borough at the Lancashire School Games this week.

Head teacher Helen Ife said “I am delighted with the positive feedback from OFSTED who clearly understood how well the staff, governors, parents and pupils work as a team to ensure that children are happy and well cared for as well as getting an excellent education. The results of our own recent child & parent questionnaires, together with our on-going consultations with parents and children, had already shown us that this was a beneficial learning environment but we are glad that OFSTED’s findings were equally positive. The only issues raised by the inspectors are already a part of our school action plan and we will continue to work hard to ensure high quality learning is maintained. As the inspectors wrote in their report ”complacency does not exist in this school” and we couldn’t agree more!
“We are proud that OFSTED recognised our involvement within the community. The children enjoy being a part of both the local and global community through their work with the church, Garstang in Bloom, other schools in Garstang and around the world and the Fairtrade and Eco-schools movements.
“We are especially pleased with their response to our pastoral care, which shows that we are sending well-rounded, well-grounded young citizens on to high school and beyond. “


The school has also had a recent inspection from the Diocese of Blackburn. Details of their findings will be forwarded on their publication.

Click here for the full OFSTED Inspection Report (opens in a new Window)

 

  
email: head@garstang-st-thomas.lancs.sch.uk