‘Delight’ as small Worthing school is rated good by Ofsted

Clapham and Patching school in The Street, which was previously told to improve following an inspection in June 2017, was visited by inspectors last month.

The school is facing an uncertain future after the county council identified it as ‘vulnerable’ and launched a consultation to explore possible changes to the school, including federation, merger or closure.

Jane Jones, headteacher, said the Ofsted result was ‘very pleasing’.

“The staff are absolutely delighted with the outcome,” she said.

“All our staff here work incredibly hard for the children and I’m so pleased they have been recognised for what they do.

“Because we are under the consultation process it does mean that everything is heightened, everything we are doing is under scrutiny, but Oftsed have come in and seen the school for what it is.”

In their report, inspectors said staff had ‘high expectations for every pupil’, including those with special educational needs.

Pupils settle in quickly and are ‘friendly, confident and articulate’, inspectors found.

The school has designed a curriculum which was ‘planned carefully’ and used the local area to ‘bring learning to life’, inspectors said.

Miss Jones said she was pleased inspectors had noted the school’s dedication to reading, highlighting that pupils were ‘confident, fluent readers’.

She was also pleased that 30 parents responded positively to an online questionnaire about the school, which has just 45 pupils.

To further improve, the school should ensure the curriculum was strong in all subjects and should continue to boost attendance, the report said.

The results of the county council’s small school consultation are expected to be published in January.

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