Peterborough primary’s progress is so pleasing

This year is already flying by and the past few weeks have been particularly busy, writes Jonathan Lewis, Peterborough City Council director for education.

A couple of weeks ago I made a visit to Hampton Vale Primary School and was extremely impressed with what I saw.

Back in 2018 the school was rated as inadequate by Ofsted, but, even at the time, inspectors said it had the potential to make rapid improvements.

Well, I’m pleased to say that this has been the case and things are definitely moving in the right direction.

The children I met there were a real credit to the school and I was delighted to see such progress, especially around the knowledge curriculum and learning environments.

Pupils and staff should all be very proud of this turnaround and the positive future they have created for the school and the local community.

On the subject of positive futures, regular readers will be aware that improving exam outcomes is our biggest target.

We know we need to improve at Key Stage 2 (SATs) and Key Stage 4 (GCSE) levels and there is much work going on to make this happen. But we are also seeing signs of progress as we look to push up the national league tables.

The data we’ve had back from Key Stage 2 exams breaks the results down into many different categories, including social economic banding, which measures performance in terms of affluent / deprived post code areas in which children live

It shows that pupils in the bottom 10 per cent category in Peterborough (those that live in the least affluent areas) are outperforming children in the equivalent category in Cambridgeshire, which is pretty encouraging.

At Key Stage 4 level we are seeing some improvement, particularly in Progress 8, where we are among the top 100 authorities in the country.

We will continue to strive for better outcomes at all exam levels.

l Another big challenge we face in Peterborough is ensuring we have enough class spaces to meet a rapidly growing population.

One school that has had difficulty catering for growing numbers is Heltwate in Bretton. Their site is constrained and their two mobile classrooms have reduced their outside play area.

To help find more space, the council has agreed to buy the nearby Silver Jubilee pub site, which has been derelict for some years.

Designs are being worked up so that a planning application can be submitted shortly.

lWe tend to always think of education starting when children begin school, but, in reality, children start learning from the moment when they are born.

This is why early opportunities for our youngest children are so vitally important to ensure they get the best start.

Developing a love of reading will give children a vital headstart. Children who read for pleasure are likely to do better at school as well as being more socially, culturally and emotionally prepared for life.

This is why the Bookstart Trust initiative which gifts books to all children is so valuable.

In Peterborough, your child’s Health Visitor should gift your baby’s first Bookstart Baby Bag before they are aged one.

The bag contains books that help parents share stories, rhymes and songs, along with handy tips and ideas for sharing books with children from a very young age to help them develop a love of reading.

Accessing a high quality early years setting can be incredibly beneficial and there is funding available for parents to support this.

If they are eligible, two-year-olds can access 15 hours of funded early years education, giving them an opportunity to socialise and make friends, access to new activities and exciting places to play, helping their development and communication skills.

If your child is not eligible for two-year funding, they can still benefit from early years opportunities once they turn three as they can access funding to attend an early years setting for a minimum of 15 hours per week.

These opportunities help our youngest children be better prepared for school and therefore in a better position to learn.

For more information visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/FIS