Ofsted

Dear Families,

Following our inspection by Ofsted on 12th and 13th March 2024, I am now able to share the final report with you all. We are delighted to tell you that Ofsted have judged Belmont School to be a GOOD school with Personal Development being judged as OUTSTANDING:

‘The curriculum for pupils’ wider development is exceptional. The curriculum is carefully designed to ensure that pupils, including those with SEND, develop an understanding of important concepts such as democracy, equity and injustice. Pupils are given opportunities to deepen their spiritual understanding through a programme of visits and speakers to enhance their appreciation of different faiths and cultures. Pupils readily take on additional responsibilities and apply the values they have learned around the school as prefects and ‘peace leaders’.’

We are extremely proud of this positive outcome, which is a testament to the care and commitment of our staff, the support of our families, and of course, a celebration of our wonderful children.

At Belmont, visitors that spend time in our school frequently leave with a strong impression of both the children’s and staff’s enthusiasm, happiness, supportiveness, and kindness. Our Ofsted report captured this:

‘Pupils are proud of their school and are keen to embody the school’s ethos: ‘Show respect, do our best, make the right choice’. Pupils are taught how to stay safe and how to ask for help when they need it. Pupils learn how to care for each other and their community. As a result, pupils, including children in the early years, are well looked after, and kept safe.’

The report also acknowledged that staff who teach and support your children are skilled, have high expectations and secure subject knowledge:

‘The school’s curriculum is ambitious and carefully designed to match the breadth and depth of what is expected nationally. Pupils work hard and produce work of good quality. The school promotes a love of reading. For example, avid readers are rewarded using the schools ‘golden tickets’.’

SEND Provision is exceptional and this was shared with us throughout the inspection as an area of clear strength. This is reflected in the report, which states that:

‘Teachers understand the needs of pupils with SEND. This is because systems are well established to identify pupils’ additional needs… Pupils in the ‘Stargazers’ provision and across pathways follow a curriculum that is carefully tailored to their needs. They are supported to learn effectively and are well prepared for the next phase of their education. As a result, pupils access an ambitious curriculum alongside their peers where this is possible as well as benefiting from the broader life of the school.’

The report identified that there are areas for development, and these are already part of our school improvement plan. We have been working hard to ensure we have an engaging, aspirational curriculum that will inspire our children to learn even more effectively. We are delighted that Ofsted have recognised the strengths and the work that has been done so far, and we are keen to further improve teaching approaches and support reading development in the Early Years so that our children remember more over time.

We are very pleased with the outcome of our inspection, and you will be able to read more about the inspector’s judgements in the published report.

We would like to thank all of you for your continued support and encouraging feedback, as well as thanking every member of the school team and our Governors who are truly dedicated and work tirelessly to ensure Belmont School remains a great place for children to learn. Belmont School will continue to build on our successes.