Chichester school celebrates 'good' rating from Ofsted

Inspectors highlighted the ‘strong culture of respect’ at Rumboldswhyke Church of England Primary School, which was inspected last month.

The report said: “Parents, pupils and staff alike are effusive in their praise for the school’s community spirit and welcoming atmosphere.

“Pupils enjoy their time here. [They] value the relationships they have with each other and with staff.”

The inspector also said the school’s new curriculum has ‘increased the expectations for what pupils can achieve’, and that the students talk about their learning with confidence.

The glowing report is cause for celebration for the school, which was almost forced to close in 2020 following an ‘inadequate’ inspection.

Previously an infant school, it was saved following a huge community effort and reopened as a primary school after joining the Bishop Luffa Learning Partnership.

Headteacher, Lisa Harris, said: “We are delighted and incredibly proud with our recent Ofsted report which acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the staff and pupils over the past couple of years. The journey has been one of the most challenging, yet rewarding experiences for all involved.

"The inspectors recognised the huge improvements since the previous inspection, rating our Early Years provision as outstanding.

"This is an incredible achievement in such a short amount of time!

"We have built a bespoke curriculum for our children ensuring our values are embedded in every aspect of school life and that all learning has a purpose and works towards an authentic outcome.

"Watching the school, pupils and staff flourish has been such a privilege and I feel extremely fortunate to work in such a caring and nurturing environment as part of the Bishop Luffa Learning Partnership.

“The extended Rumboldswhyke community has always been behind this wonderful school and we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone involved in the campaign to keep the school open.”

Rumboldswhyke is currently booking tours for prospective parents of children due to start school in September 2024. The school has no designated catchment area so will not appear in an online catchment area search.

To arrange a visit: contact the school by calling: 01243 782368, or emailing: [email protected].