Staff, pupils and families at Ellington Infant School in Ramsgate have had lots to celebrate with a new intake of reception children, more accolades for the school and the publication of a glowing Ofsted report from an inspection in July.
Teachers and leaders at Ellington have been pleased with how their new Reception children have settled in with the children getting to know their peers and the school grounds, and being engaged in a wide range of creative learning activities.
Early Years leader Louise Chidwick-Day said: “I am so impressed with the level of independence so many of the children have already achieved. Both of our Reception classes are already enjoying exploring our forest area and are happily joining in with PE and dance sessions. They have all made a really great start and are already such an important part of our school community.”
Following a very successful 2021, the school has also received two new awards: a Silver Skills Builder Award and a Plastic Clever School award. The Skills Builder Award is recognition for the way teachers and children have worked hard to embed 8 key personal skills into the learning at the school. The Skills Builder initiative is now an established and important part of the school curriculum and children enjoy taking part in a range of activities to develop their personal skills.
The Plastic Clever School award is in recognition of work the school has taken part in to raise awareness of the importance of looking after our planet and, in particular, reducing the use of plastics. The award is relatively new and being promoted in more than 30 counties in England and France and Ellington is the first school to be successfully awarded.
The team at Ellington are also very happy that the school’s recent Ofsted inspection report can finally be shared. The school was inspected in July, in the final week of the Summer term, on one of the hottest days in history.
Two Ofsted inspectors spent a day at the school talking to parents, children, teachers and leaders. They visited lessons, looked at children’s books and heard children read. The inspectors were impressed with the wide range of learning opportunities available, the quality of teaching on offer and the level of care and support in place for all children.
In summing up their findings, the inspectors said in their report: “Leaders, governors and staff are highly committed and determined to improve outcomes for pupils and their families. They are rightly proud of their school.”
Headteacher Adnan Ahmet said: “Ofsted inspections have a reputation for causing stress and being demanding, but our inspection was a real celebration of everything that goes on in our school, and a chance for us to really show off what we do.
“Ellington is going from strength to strength and I’m really pleased that the inspection report reflects this. It was also very pleasing that it was recognised that Ellington is a school to be proud of, as indeed we all are. We are always more than happy to give tours of the school and spend time talking to those interested in what we do here, so please do get in touch with us if you have any interest.”
The school’s inspection report can be found at: https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/21/118414