Hollingdean school gets top Ofsted rating (From The Argus)

Hollingdean school gets top Ofsted rating

3:25pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in News By Ben James

With the philosophy of ‘I can – We can’, it is no wonder that a school has been named among the best in the country.

Hertford Infant and Nursery School in Hertford Road, Hollingdean, has been given the top rating by Ofsted with inspectors describing it as “exceptional”.

The school was given just two days notice of the visit on May 30 to 31.

But it came through the examination with the top rating across all four inspection areas.

Headteacher Marcelo Staricoff said: “It is absolutely great news for the pupils, staff and parents.

“The emphasis at the school is on team work. All the staff – from teachers to the cleaners – are part of teams working on different development priorities. “We are also very lucky to have such involved parents – something the inspectors said was a real strong point.”

Ofsted officials spent ten hours visiting 14 lessons and assessing a total of 11 teachers.

They rated the school as “outstanding” – the top rating – across the four inspection areas: achievements of pupils, quality of teaching, behaviour and safety of pupils and leadership and management.

In particular they were impressed with the school’s philosophy of “I can – We can” and described teachers as having “infectious enthusiasm”.

They were also complimentary of the school’s replacement of rules with a values system and pupils’ resulting good behaviour.

Summing up his team’s findings, lead inspector David Marshall said: “It is an outstanding school. Exceptional leadership and strong teamwork among staff have significantly improved pupils’ outcomes.

“Consequently, pupils achieve outstandingly well in response to excellent teaching of a vibrant curriculum and the very strong promotion of their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.”

The school was last inspected in 2008 when graded “good” – a step down from its latest rating.

It currently has 223 pupils on its books – the most it has ever had.

Schools are inspected every three to five years and given short notice in order to gain the best reflection of everyday practice.

For more information about schools in your area go to the argus.co.uk/localinfo.