Work still to be done, but report praises progress

The latest Ofsted inspection at the Magnus School, Newark, says while improvements still need to be made, some of the teaching there is outstanding.

The headteacher, Mrs Gil Barker, said the inspection had come too soon for the school to be rated good, but she was confident of doing so next time.

The chairman of governors, Mr Michael Arlington, said: “Gil has really worked to get the teaching standards up and that has been reflected in the findings of Ofsted.

“Progress doesn’t happen by chance. This trajectory bodes well.

“We are seeing rapid improvement in teaching and in learning and there is a very different feel about the school since special measures.”

Ofsted found the Magnus still needed to improve but:

l The level of teaching was improving rapidly and there was some that was outstanding;

l Students were achieving better than at any time in the last three years

l Good quality care was building students’ self-esteem and confidence;

l Students were confident and felt safe;

l The school’s Christian ethos contributed to students’ development;

l The school’s leaders demonstrated that they could improve the school’s future.

Mr Arlington said poor teachers had left, good teachers were becoming better teachers and better teachers were becoming outstanding under Mrs Barker’s leadership.

The Ofsted report said teaching, although improving, was not yet good enough to enable all students to make good progress.

“In some lessons and tutor times teachers talk too much and the pace is slow so that students do not get enough chances to work things out for themselves,” says the report.

“Marking and feedback to students are not always regular and helpful enough. Some opportunities are missed to use homework as a method of speeding up progress.

“The Sixth Form requires improvement because the range of courses on offer is too narrow for all students to achieve well.

“Teachers, students and the very great majority of parents all agree that behaviour has improved well over time.

“However, there remains a small minority of students still causing disruption to their learning and that of others.”