A junior school has been rated Good with outstanding features by Ofsted inspectors the first time it has achieved that standard.

Kirkstead Junior Academy, Pinxton, was praised for its leadership and management.

Anne Ingle, head teacher of the Pinxton Village Academies, of which Kirkstead is a part, said: “I am incredibly proud of our Ofsted report. This is the first time in 25 years that this school has been Good. It is a significant moment in history for the school and education in the community of Pinxton.”

The Pinxton Village Academies are made up of Longwood Infant Academy, John King Infant Academy, and Kirkstead with all three having the same leadership team and head teacher.

Kirkstead’s previous inspection took place before it joined The Flying High Trust, and at that time it was rated inadequate.

Anne said: “As Ofsted state, Kirkstead Junior Academy has become a great place to learn. Leaders have brought the staff and community together to create a team that is ambitious about what pupils can achieve.

“Staff have worked incredibly hard to ensure that they have created transformational change and we are committed to ensure the very best for every child in our school. Our staff are driven to make every day count.”

Inspectors said: “All staff have high expectations of what all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), will know and be able to do. Parents value the support that their children get. They say that ‘nothing is too much trouble’ for the staff at school.”

Anne added that support for the Pinxton Village Academies by The Flying High Trust team has been invaluable.
Chris Wheatley, chief executive of the trust, said the rating should be a source of pride for the whole school community.

“This is particularly impressive as it follows John King Infant Academy’s Good rating, where inspectors suggest a full inspection would likely lead to an Outstanding result,” he added.

“Both of these schools have the same leadership team and their commitment to excellence is changing the face of education in Pinxton.”

Inspectors report that ‘reading permeates the school’, saying: “There are attractive displays of books that motivate pupils to read more about the topics that they are finding out about.

“The book of the month display encourages pupils to widen their reading horizons. Pupils value these recommendations and choose books from new authors. They read with fluency and stamina.

“Pupils who are at the earlier stages of reading get the right help to catch up.”

Melanie Bentley, assistant head teacher at Kirkstead, said: “I cried when I heard the news. In fact, I could cry now telling you this. It’s pride, because we have worked so hard.

“We have been on a journey of improvement, but this year, and in a short space of time. Everything came together in such an amazing way.

“It brought a real team effort back to the school long before Ofsted visited, and across all three sites of the Pinxton Village Academies.

“We have a unified aim across the schools and though we have this good rating at Kirkstead, we have come back determined to get even better. Our community deserve this latest result and now they have a school they can be proud of. Our children know they can achieve anything.”