Perry Hall Primary School in the West Midlands recently completed an inspection by Ofsted, marking its first evaluation under a new system introduced last September. The daunting inspection came in the month of April. It was truly momentous too as it was the first full inspection since the start of the Covid pandemic. The rapport and sense of belonging that inspectors found to characterize the high-acclaim school contributed to a holistic picture of its students’ flourishing.
Unlike previous evaluation approaches, the new inspection framework does not give schools one overall grade. Perry Hall has continued to get glowing reviews since their last inspection in January 2020. On that inspection, it achieved an overall rating of Good with pride. Today, the school has grown to serve more than 500 students, 2–11 years old.
Perry Hall became an academy 12 years ago and has been a member of the Perry Hall Multi-Academy Trust since its formation. Our latest inspection maintained consideration for the adverse effects of the Covid epidemic and its effect on the educational experience. The inspectors awarded the school a rare “outstanding” rating, praising Perry Hall’s “nurturing environment,” which allows pupils to “flourish.”
Ofsted’s report on the Academy praised the joint work between staff to provide an all-round education.
“Staff in school work together to develop a broad, balanced and ambitious curriculum for all pupils,” – Ofsted report
This dedication to working together online – and in-person – provides students with a great start that carries throughout their education. The report pointed out a number of issues that needed to be addressed.
“The school should ensure that all staff have the knowledge and skills they need to address misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ learning in a timely and effective way,” – Ofsted report
In their report, the inspectors noted that this caring environment encourages students to be positive and friendly towards each other.
“This provides children with an exceptionally strong foundation to behave positively and collaborate together,” – Inspectors
