Pupils are 'flourishing' at school in Basildon praised by Ofsted inspectors

PUPILS are flourishing at a school in Basildon which has been praised by inspectors for being “highly inclusive”.

De La Salle School, in Ghyllgrove, continues to be a good school after an inspection by Ofsted on May 1 and 2.

According to the Ofsted report: “Pupils enjoy attending De La Salle School.

“They flourish here because they know that staff will give them the support and encouragement they need to do well, or if they feel worried.

“The school is highly inclusive. It celebrates the diversity of its pupils.”

It also praised the school for offering a broad curriculum that benefits all pupils.

The report added: “The school is determined for everyone to succeed. Subject leaders identify the knowledge that pupils need.

“They break the curriculum down into smaller chunks so that pupils can build on what they have learned and move securely on to more complex topics.”

The assessment of safety protocols was also positive.

A section of the report read: “The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

“Governors challenge leaders to continue to improve the school. They check that pupils are kept safe.

“The school supports staff with their well-being and workload.”

Headteacher Paul Norris said he was delighted at the findings.

He said: “I am very pleased that the inspection team noted the positive relationships that exist across the school which are rooted in our core Lasallian Values.

“We are very much looking forward to the future successes of our students and the school.

“This really exemplifies the amazing community we have at De La Salle.”

Though the overall review was optimistic, the school was given some advice on how to bolster its performance.

The report stated: “Staff do not have consistently high expectations, particularly in key stage 3, of what pupils can achieve. Some work is not demanding enough.

“As a result, pupils sometimes do not gain the depth and breadth of knowledge they need to achieve highly.

“The school should provide training to ensure that the curriculum and its implementation are consistently ambitious for all pupils.”