Bournville School, once in special measures, celebrates its best-ever Ofsted report

A Birmingham school once considered among the worst in the city is celebrating its best-ever Ofsted inspection, after a turnaround its leaders describe as a "long journey of challenges, restructure and improvement".

Bournville School, an all-through school on Hay Green Lane, was placed into special measures in 2013. It is now meeting the expected standard across every area inspected, from Year 1 to Year 11, Birmingham Live reported on 11 November.

Attendance turned around

Attendance had previously been a major concern at the school, but it has worked hard to drive up standards, and inspectors found that has changed.

"Leaders have introduced robust attendance systems and there is a clear, holistic understanding of the importance of pupils attending school," the report said. "This has led to improvements in attendance over time, including for disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities."

Achievement, attendance and behaviour, curriculum and teaching, and inclusion were all rated at the expected standard, safeguarding was fully met and there were no areas of significant concern. Inspectors said pupils feel a clear sense of belonging, happiness and pride in their school.

"This report really does belong to us all"

Head of Academy Rekha Dhinsa said: "To have the caring, inclusive and ambitious school we have built officially recognised is a real cause for celebration for our pupils, staff and families, because this report really does belong to us all."

"It means a lot to staff that the inspectors saw just how much our parents and carers appreciate the school's positive impact on their children's lives," she said. "We have always been a community school and those relationships and their support matter enormously to us."

Executive Principal Simon Mallett, a senior leader in Birmingham schools for 20 years, said: "The inspection team saw what we see every day; pupils who are proud of their school, staff who care deeply about the children they serve and a community that is increasingly confident in the direction of travel."

"We are proud that our pupils now attend more, behave better and learn more, and we are determined to continue building on this momentum."

"These improvements haven't happened overnight"

The school is part of the Fairfax Multi-Academy Trust. Its chief executive, Simon Jones, said: "Huge strides have been made in recent years and pupils are benefiting from stronger leadership, better teaching, improved behaviour and a culture where they feel they belong."

"Inspection outcomes are always about far more than a set of ratings. It demonstrates what can be achieved when a community, a school and a trust work together with a shared sense of purpose."

Why it matters

Turnarounds like Bournville's take years, and they rarely make headlines in the way a failing inspection does. For families in Bournville, Cotteridge and Kings Norton choosing a school, the report is independent evidence that the school has changed, and for its pupils and staff, a well-earned moment of pride.