Wokingham

Farley Hill Primary School proved they are a class act when they invited Wokingham District Council’s executive member for children’s services Cllr Frank Browne to celebrate their outstanding Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) report.

Pupils invited Wokingham Cllr Browne to attend a special celebratory lunch at their very own ‘Eat Smart Café’ and he was also joined by headteacher Lynn Marshall and chair of governors Annette Keith. The ‘Eat Smart Café’, which they built and now run themselves, was praised by Ofsted inspectors, who said there was an ‘enterprising spirit in the school’.

The Wokingham community primary school, on Church Road in Farley Hill, has 195 pupils on its roll aged between four and 11 years old. The school were praised by Ofsted as an outstanding school where pupils achieve well and mature into courteous and confident young people who share caring attitudes to each other and those around them.

In their report following a two-day inspection on February 28 and March 1, 2006, inspectors applauded the Wokingham school for providing the ‘pupils with an excellent range of interesting activities which ensures that their enjoyment of learning is highly evident.’ And as a result academic standards are above average and have been maintained at high levels since the previous inspection in 2000. ‘The excellent curriculum enables them to flourish whilst teaching and learning in the school is enhanced by the use of interactive whiteboards by both pupils and teachers’.

Teachers were also praised for their excellent care of their pupils’ well-being and personal development – a major strength of the Wokingham school. The report states ‘Pupils’ politeness, their ability to engage in conversation confidently, their positive approach to learning and their excellent behaviour and attendance are a tribute to all that the school stands for’. Pupils also have an excellent relationship with their teachers and other members of staff.

Inspectors also deemed the quality of leadership and management at the school ‘excellent’ and highlighted the school’s awareness of its own strengths and what needs to be improved further. The school’s view of itself matched with the inspectors’ views in most respects.

The Wokingham school was also commended for being ‘innovative and energetic in seeking to improve facilities, working in excellent partnership with parents’. Governors were also deemed ‘highly effective and a real asset to the school’.

Lynn Marshall, headteacher, said: “We were delighted that Cllr Frank Browne could join us for lunch and help us celebrate our Ofsted report. Everyone from pupils and parents to teachers and governors are really pleased that Ofsted has recognised Farley Hill Primary School as outstanding.

“The school provides the children with an excellent range of activities, which allows learning to be fun as well as challenging. The inspectors were full of praise for the children who they said were full of enthusiasm for their school and talked happily about their friends, the exciting playground and the experience of eating in the “Eat Smart Café. Farley Hill is a happy school and the relationships between pupils and teachers are excellent and we are very proud of this.”

Wokingham District Council’s executive member for children’s services Cllr Frank Browne, said: “I thoroughly enjoyed joining the pupils and teaching staff for lunch and help them celebrate their outstanding Ofsted report. It was good to see at first hand some of the excellent activities which take place at the school. Many of these activities ensure that pupils have fun whilst they learn, which is evident in their academic achievements. It was quite apparent to me that their enjoyment of learning is high and it was pleasing to see such good attendance and behaviour at the school.

“I would like to extend my congratulations to all the pupils, staff, governors and parents at Farley Hill Primary School.”

Wokingham District Council