CHILDREN behave well and achieve well at Nether Stowey Primary School.

That’s the verdict of Ofsted, which has given the school an overall ‘good’ rating following its latest inspection, an improvement on the ‘satisfactory’ verdict it received in 2010.

The latest report says:

  • Pupils in all year groups achieve well in English and maths
  • Teaching is good and staff use an “effective range of different methods to interest and motivate pupils”
  • Pupils are confident and competent readers
  • They behave well, display positive attitudes to learning, and have above average levels of attendance.

The report says head teacher Richard Adams has “galvanised the school” since taking over in September 2010.

To improve further, Ofsted says teachers should be encouraged to “use questioning purposefully to develop pupils’ thinking” and there should be “more planned opportunities” for pupils to develop their writing and numeracy skills outside of English and maths.

When the Mercury paid the school a visit, pupils were enjoying a dressing-up day, with different classes following different themes, including kings and queens, and India.