Whitegate Primary School in Clifton has been on a swift journey of improvement since it joined the Transform Trust family in 2017 and is delighted to have received a Good in all areas from OFSTED this academic year.
Despite the disruption caused by a two-year long global pandemic, Whitegate leaders and staff have continued their relentless pursuit to improve the school, resulting in a huge boost from Requires Improvement in 2017 to achieving the Good grading in every single area inspected in 2021.
OFSTED praised leaders’ efforts since the previous inspection, highlighting the quality of leadership from Transform Trust, Governors and the schools Leadership team. The report explains that “Leaders have planned the curriculum with great care” and have mapped exactly what they want pupils to learn, meaning any learning gaps from lockdown closed quickly. Children told inspectors that their grown-ups cared for them – and they feel safe and happy at school. Staff praised the leadership for caring and respecting them and being mindful of their workload. The hard work of every member of staff on this incredible journey was clear to see. United and proud to be a part of the Transform Trust family, their ambitious staff team want all pupils to achieve.
Inspectors were impressed that teachers in all classes read exciting books to the children to foster a love of stories and reading. They praised Whitegate’s personal development programme and believed it helped pupils understand that everyone should be respected for who they are. OFSTED carefully considered a multitude of responses from staff and parents to inform their decision, and this reassured them that the significant improvements were felt by the entire community.
Head of School Mr Andrew Forshaw said:
“We are all so proud here at Whitegate of our staff and children. It is fantastic that the tremendous hard work of all involved in turning this school around has been recognised by OFSTED. We celebrate diversity and inclusivity and are committed to wanting the very best for our children. We want them to go out into the world as global citizens and our carefully designed curriculum engages children with the real issues and opportunities of the world around them and helps them prepares for life after primary school.
“The collaborative way in which we work with our parents and carers has been instrumental in our success. However, our ambition does not stop here and going forward we want to push beyond Good. Our community deserves the very best outcomes for its children, and we will continue in our pursuit to deliver the very best learning experiences for everyone.”
“Our children are of course the most important people in school, but our staff deserve to be recognised and supported in their careers. Caring for our staff and working together allows us to deliver more to the children.”
The Chair of Governors, Stewart Powell added “The governors are delighted with the recognition by OFSTED of the incredible work done by all staff at Whitegate and its wider partners. The Whitegate ethos of ‘Enjoy, Achieve, Excel’ has ensured a positive impact for its current and previous students and the wider community. It has been an incredibly challenging last two years but the staff and children have responded brilliantly to this as reflected by OFSTED. We look forward to supporting Whitegate on its journey to excellence.”
Transform Trust CEO Rebecca Meredith added “Andrew and his team are devoted to the children and everyone within the Whitegate community and, together, I know they will continue to achieve great things. As a trust we are incredibly proud of our family of schools because we are all on a journey of improvement every day. I’m delighted that OFSTED has recognised their swift improvement and the school’s caring environment. Whitegate’s approach to inclusivity, equality and diversity has created a pupil-focussed culture which is underpinned with kindness and fun. I look forward to seeing what they achieve next”