Ofsted withdraws notice to improve
SCHOOLS inspectors have withdrawn a Doncaster primary school's notice to improve after carrying out its latest Ofsted inspection.
Askern Spa Junior School had been ordered to improve after its inspection in April 2008 – but after a further visit last month officials have decided it is back up to scratch and graded it "satisfactory".
It follows months of work carried by staff and governors at the Sutton Road school, which has 242 pupils on its register, to address the issues.
A visit last year had raised concerns over achievement and standards in English, maths and science; consistency of teaching and pupils' progress across the school; and levels of attendance.
Following last month's visit Inspector Lesley Clark's report, published this week, states: "The school has taken a firm stand on attendance and introduced more robust systems to tackle persistent absenteeism. Attendance has gone up as a result and is close to average.
"The school is satisfactorily led and managed and staffing is now stable."
But it warns the school overrates its effectiveness and is not focused on sustaining good achievement by setting increasingly challenging targets.
However, actions taken to improve the quality of teaching and learning have been effective, and governors hold the school fully to account for its actions.
As a result, the report added, pupils' learning had improved considerably.
It assessed the quality of teaching at the school, and the care of the pupils, as good.
The report said: "The headteacher and other senior leaders have tackled the issues raised in the previous inspection well and this is beginning to raise standards for all pupils."
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