Todmorden school is on the right track, 12 months on

Ferney Lee School, Todmorden, is on the right track to becoming a good school, 12 months after Ofsted inspectors found it required improvement.
All change: The Ferney Lee School (pictured) community will move into their new building in SeptemberAll change: The Ferney Lee School (pictured) community will move into their new building in September
All change: The Ferney Lee School (pictured) community will move into their new building in September

Inspector Lesley Butcher, visiting to monitor progress, found pupils’ progress in reading was in the top 20 per cent of schools nationally, progress in writing broadly in line with national average and mathematics slightly above average.

Working with staff and Governors, headteacher Jon Moss had achieved “considerable gains” since the last inspection, improving the offer to pupils.

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School uniform had been introduced and expectations of pupils’ behaviour established, swift improvements in teaching bringing a more balanced curriculum, with teachers igniting pupils’ interests and exploiting topics to enable pupils to practice reading, writing and mathematics skills across different subjects. Outdoor learning had improved and pupils’ education broadened by bringing in specialist teachers of Spanish, drama and physical education.

Teachers were planning work appropriate to their pupils’ ages and in turn they were working hard to achieve tasks set and presenting work with pride. “A quiet buzz” in classrooms showed pupils on task and enjoying their learning.

To make further gains the school should take action to ensure no group of pupils were left behind in their learning, improve outdoor learning facilities, and ensure teachers’ feedback to pupils was timely.

Mr Moss said: “As a school we are delighted with the progress we have made over the last year. We listened to what Ofsted had to say and made the necessary improvements.

“We are going in the right direction and we will keep working hard to make sure we attain that.”

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