'Unapologetic ambition and determination' earns Northampton school 'outstanding' rating in first Ofsted

A Northampton school in the grounds of the county's police force headquarters has been rated as 'outstanding' in all areas in its first watchdog report.
Wootton Park School has been awarded the top mark in its first Ofsted.Wootton Park School has been awarded the top mark in its first Ofsted.
Wootton Park School has been awarded the top mark in its first Ofsted.

Wootton Park School, which opened in, September 2016, received the top grade in all five inspection categories of its first Ofsted: overall effectiveness,leadership and management, behaviour and safety of pupils, quality of teaching, achievement of pupils and early years provision.

Inspectors were glowing in their praise for its leadership and ethos - which had come under scrutiny in the first terms of opening.

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“The principal, together with senior leaders and governors, leads with unapologetic ambition and an unwavering determination to secure the highest possible standards of education and well-being for pupils and staff,” reads the report.

Inspectors also noted that the quality of teaching, learning and assessment is of a '"consistently high quality” and that “achievement is outstanding" in the early years and at keystages 1 and 3.

Principal Dan Rosser said: “I am thrilled that we have been recognised as delivering the highest possible standards of education and well-being for our learners and staff.

To be graded ‘Outstanding’ across all five categories by Ofsted is a testament to the incredible hard work and determination of our whole school community. I am immensely proud of ourstaff, leadership team, and of course, our learners for helping make our vision for an ‘outstanding’ school a reality.”

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The heavily over-subscribed school, which has a random allocation element to its admissions policy, will move into a new £20million state-of-the-art permanent school in September 2020.

Mr Rosser continued: “Our new school building will provide the right resources and accommodation to enable us to continue to deliver a first-class education and meet the educational needs of our local community.”

Last year, parents of children at the school levelled some criticism at what they described as a strict on-site regime.

But Mr Rosser responded at the time by saying its "culture of aspiration" and belief in traditional values would not be to everyone's taste.

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"We know this isn’t going to suit everybody," he told the Chronicle and Echo in 2018. "Ultimately we want this to be one of the best schools in the county."

As Wootton Park School embarks upon its fourth year of operation, open evenings will be held for prospective reception and Year 7 pupils for the 2020 intake in the autumn.

Further information can be found at https://www.woottonparkschool.org.uk/news/events.