Staff, parents and pupils of Hemington Primary School and Hornbeams Pre-School are celebrating the result of a recent visit by an Ofsted Inspector.

The Inspector confirmed that the school continued to provide the good education noted at the previous inspection and highlighted the continuous and ongoing improvements being made. She recognised the commitment of everybody to meeting the school’s aim to provide ‘A Good Start for All’, and was told by parents that Hemington was “a very special school where each child is valued” and that pupils “feel secure and nurtured.” She also noted the good behaviour of pupils and commented on their politeness and courtesy.

Hemington is a small school with multi-year classes which allows teachers to adapt learning to match the needs of each individual child. The teachers’ work in this area was particularly recognised by the Inspector as contributing to the good progress made by pupils, no matter their starting point. She commented that every child receives “a personalised approach to their education,” which “is very much appreciated by the parents, who recognise that the school is like an extended family that promotes a love of learning, self-confidence and care for others.”

In addition to the Primary School, Hornbeams Pre-School operates within the same environment, sharing facilities. The opportunity for the youngest children to start school at age two was identified as helping to accelerate the progress made in the early years. Both schools use the on-site Forest School facilities where a variety of activities “help the pupils develop their language and social skills and gain more confidence”.

Commenting on the report, Headteacher, Naomi de Chastelain, said: “It is great to have all the hard work of staff and pupils recognised in this way. However, we will not rest on our laurels as a ‘Good’ school. There are many areas where we can still see potential to improve the education and experience of children in both the Pre-School and Primary School. Education is a process of continuous improvement for the whole Hemington family, pupils staff, parents, governors and friends.”