Runwell Community Primary School has been commended for its ambitious curriculum and ‘thoughtfully considered’ approach to pupils’ personal development following its recent Ofsted visit. The co-educational primary school, located in Wickford, caters for children aged three to 11 years old and currently educates more than 400 children.
The report, published on 5 February, highlights the school’s ‘ambitious’ curriculum and notes that ‘reading is a priority’ at the school with pupils becoming ‘confident, fluent readers’. The inspectors also comment that ‘children develop strong early learning skills’ and that they benefit from a ‘thoughtfully considered’ approach to their social and emotional development, finding that pupils are ‘well prepared for life in modern Britain’. Following their visit, inspectors remarked on the pride that pupils who act as school councillors and anti-bullying ambassadors feel about their role in school life.
Rachel Anthony, Headteacher, Runwell Community Primary School, said: “I am delighted that our recent Ofsted report captures so many of the school’s strengths including our broad and balanced curriculum, positive reading culture and pupil wellbeing. We have been working hard as a learning community to ensure that our pupils have the best education possible in a positive environment, where they feel safe and supported, and this was clear to the inspectors.
“I was proud to hear our pupils sharing enthusiastically about their learning during the visit, especially on books and their love of reading. This reflects our teaching staff’s efforts to create a positive reading culture within the school.
“Ofsted also recognised the significant changes we have made to our behavioural policy and we are committed to continuing to work with our parents, staff and pupils on this. To this end, we will be supported by the Chelmsford Learning Partnership. This partnership will greatly add to our capacity to achieve the two improvements recommended by Ofsted and to continue to provide the best possible education for our pupils.”
Runwell Community Primary School will join the Chelmsford Learning Partnership, a local multi-academy trust, in the coming months. Paul Banks, CEO, the Chelmsford Learning Partnership, said: “Runwell Community Primary School has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to its pupils, which is reflected in its recent Ofsted report. The report emphasises the school’s commitment to helping every child achieve their potential from the beginning of their time at the school.
“At Chelmsford Learning Partnership, we are excited to welcome Runwell Community Primary School into our family of schools and will be working with the headteacher and her team to help them continue to build on the school’s strengths.”
