The South Glos Post

Staff and pupils at Emersons Green Primary School are having a double celebration, as the school’s 10th birthday coincides with an “outstanding” report from schools regulator Ofsted.

The school was inspected in May, and was one of the first to be inspected nationally as part of a new pilot being run by Ofsted. It achieved “outstanding” ratings in leadership and management, achievement, teaching and learning, and behaviour and safety.

The report said the school has “An exciting curriculum, with a fully inclusive range of opportunities, helps pupils develop into responsible youngsters, well prepared for the next step in their education.”

“Since the last inspection, the inspirational leadership and management continue to relentlessly raise expectations in teaching and learning. This has led to consistently very effective teaching and higher academic standards.”

Headteacher Jan Isaac said: “We are all thrilled by the results of this inspection and it is a testament to the dedication of the staff, pupils, parents and governors that our overall effectiveness should be judged as outstanding. Our challenge now is to maintain and build upon this success for the future.”

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Staff and pupils at Blackhorse Primary School in Emersons Green are celebrating after being rated ‘good’ by Ofsted inspectors.

During their visit last month, inspectors found that the South Gloucestershire primary school “has improved significantly and is now a good school.”

Acting Headteacher, Philip Winterburn, said: “This is a fantastic result for Blackhorse which recognises the huge commitment and hard work of the staff, children and families. To have Ofsted confirm that we are a solidly good school is a moment of huge pride for everyone associated with the school.”

Many areas of good practice were highlighted, including the pupils’ behaviour which was praised by inspectors as “good and sometimes outstanding” as a result of “positive relationships between staff, parents and carers.”

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage (Reception Year) were found to, “settle quickly, making a good start to their education.” It was also observed that, “as a result of the effective teamwork, good leadership and well-organised, imaginative teaching, children (in Reception) become happy and confident, making good progress in lessons.”

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council

Nearly 3,400 South Gloucestershire pupils are to benefit from a £1.5m funding boost.

Following analysis of the January 2011 annual school census, South Gloucestershire Council has now confirmed to schools how each of them are set to benefit from the Coalition Government’s flagship ‘pupil premium’, which aims to target extra resources at the most disadvantaged school children.

The ‘pupil premium’ was a key Conservative Party manifesto commitment in the May 2010 General Election.

There are three strands to the premium: the first is for children from a deprived background, and the second is for ‘Looked After Children’. For both of these, the premium is £430 each in 2011/12. The third premium is for children of armed service personnel, and this is worth £200 per service pupil.

The ‘pupil premium’ funding builds on the council’s recently-approved three-year £30m school buildings investment programme.

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Source: Conservative Group on South Gloucestershire Council

Young people in South Gloucestershire are bucking a national trend and getting into education, employment or training when they leave school.

The district’s 16-18 year-olds are defying national statistics and are increasingly seeking an occupation or study after full time education.

While national statistics show the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) is on the rise, figures for the district show a decline in the number of NEETs.

Cllr Sheila Cook, executive member for children and young people, said: “It is encouraging that South Gloucestershire has one of the lowest NEET figures in the country and I am pleased that our effort and investment in this area is making such as big difference.”

“It is so important that young people have access to the right information and opportunities to give them the best chance of a stable and more prosperous future. We want the best for all out young people and by helping them to remain in education to increase their chances of finding work or in assisting them to find employment they are more likely to reach their full potential.”

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Source: South Gloucestershire Council