School celebrates an outstanding report (From Bury Times)

School celebrates an outstanding report

9:57am Thursday 21st March 2013 in News

STAFF and pupils at a Radcliffe school are celebrating after receiving a glowing report from education inspectors.

Millwood Primary Special School, in School Street, was judged to be “outstanding” in all areas when Ofsted inspectors visited last month.

It was described as a “happy and harmonious community” which provides “a myriad of memorable experiences for pupils”.

The inspectors praised the pupils’ achievements, the teaching and curriculum, and the involvement of parents and partner organisations.

Bosses say it is a milestone for the school, which moved into a new £10 million building last year.

Headteacher Helen Chadwick said: “I am particularly delighted for the pupils who had a really big part in this inspection and were very keen to share their views with the inspectors.

“Some of them even formed an unofficial lobby group and went up to the lead inspector and said: ‘When do you want to see us?’ They are rightly very proud of their achievements.”

Achievement at the school was described as “outstanding” and pupils of all abilities make “mostly outstanding” progress.

The school caters for pupils’ learning, physical and social needs exceptionally well, inspectors said, and all activities were designed for pupils to do as much as possible without the support of staff.

Millwood was described as “extremely well led” with praise given to Ms Chadwick and her colleagues.

The report states: “The dynamic headteacher continues to have high ambitions for the school and has managed its relocation very successfully. She is ably assisted by senior leaders whose complementary individual strengths combine to create a highly successful management team.”

The only recommendation made was that the system to check pupils’ work should be improved by ensuring that staff write up observations of pupils’ gains as they happen in all classes.