Transformed Two Gates Primary School praised by Ofsted for being ‘warm and nurturing’ and leading with ambition and positivity

Staff and pupils at Two Gates Primary are celebrating after Ofsted found their school to be a ‘welcoming and respectful’ place with ‘sustained improvements’ since its last inspection.

Inspectors, who visited the Tamworth site on May 17 and 18, confirmed that Two Gates – formerly rated ‘inadequate’ – is now a ‘good’ school and applauded its ‘high expectations’ and ‘nurturing ethos’.

They also praised the ambitious leadership and how effective teaching helps children to ‘achieve well’, robust safeguarding and caring nature of the school, with the report noting that ‘children develop positive relationships with adults and play and learn well together’.

‘Good’ ratings were achieved in every one of the five areas of inspection. The judgement is a significant turnaround for Two Gates, which had been ranked two grades lower as ‘inadequate’ prior to joining the respected Arthur Terry Learning Partnership (ATLP) in 2018. Since then, Headteacher Nêst Llewelyn-Cook and her determined team – with support from the community and the ATLP – have transformed the school.

She said: “We were delighted with the report, which evidenced what we already knew – just how far this school has come. It reflected our positive learning environment, why our children love coming to school, why parents and carers value our ‘welcoming ethos’ and why staff are ‘overwhelmingly positive’ about working here.

“The report praised our ambitious leadership, rich curriculum and sustained improvements. It also recognised our pupils as confident, independent learners with positive attitudes, but school is more than academic success. Inspectors also hailed our supportive and nurturing environment, including the many opportunities children have to learn outdoors, along with the extracurricular experiences that build teamwork, confidence and character.

“We are so proud of the journey Two Gates has made and continues to make. That is our success story – the hard work, dedication and support of an incredible team and wider partnership of schools, along with the support of an amazing school community.”

Inspectors said: “Pupils enjoy learning at Two Gates Primary School. It is a welcoming and respectful place. The motto ‘Love children, love learning’ reflects the caring relationships between the adults and pupils.”

Mrs Llewelyn-Cook added: “At Two Gates, we have instilled a culture of positivity, reward and affirmation, so that pupils are cared for and enjoy school life. As a result of prioritising wellbeing, our children are confident, caring and respectful of others and feel good about themselves and the world around them. It is a privilege to be part of their lives and to have created a place where they can shine.”

Strong leadership, teaching and learning were also key themes in the report, which highlighted the ‘sustained improvements’ the school has made since its previous inspection.

“Leaders have brought about sustained improvements. They have high expectations of staff and pupils,” it said.

Inspectors recognised that leaders have developed a ‘well-planned curriculum’ and have ensured that staff have strong subject knowledge, which enables teachers to deliver the curriculum content clearly in many subjects, including mathematics and reading.

The report noted that leaders also provide support and feedback to teachers, which helps teachers to plan their next steps of learning and, in turn, helps pupils to ‘achieve well’. It also acknowledged the benefits of being part of the wider ATLP family.

ATLP CEO Richard Gill CBE said: “Congratulations to Nêst and her brilliant team for their hard work and commitment and to our wonderful learning community for their continued support. It’s a joy to see how much our children love Two Gates and how many opportunities there are for them to flourish.

“What an incredible journey the school is on – I am so proud of all they have achieved. When Two Gates joined the ATLP, we recognised Nêst’s strong leadership qualities. We believed in her and her team and this outcome is testament to this.”

Other report highlights include:

• Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy reading, with the report acknowledging both leaders’ focus on ensuring that pupils become confident, fluent readers and the training and support given to staff in order to deliver the phonics programme well.
• Ofsted commended the warm and nurturing environment in early years and rich curriculum and how adults take every opportunity to develop children’s vocabulary by modelling clear language.
• Pupils feel that everyone is treated fairly. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils say that this encourages them to achieve well and they do. Staff identify pupils with additional needs quickly. Leaders ensure that these pupils get the right support to enable them to succeed, including in the early years. As a result, most pupils with SEND achieve well from their starting points. The nurturing ethos of the school helps these pupils to be part of the school community.
• Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate that leaders care about their workload and wellbeing. The trust provides them with helpful training and support.
• Pupils develop a good understanding about other cultures, faiths and backgrounds. They understand values such as tolerance and respect and know that everyone should be treated equally.
• There is a robust culture of safeguarding. The trust provides an extra layer of accountability by regularly checking that safeguarding is effective. Staff teach pupils how to keep safe, including when online. Pupils know that they can share their worries with adults.

The full report can be accessed here: 50221931 (ofsted.gov.uk).