ANOTHER “good” Ofsted report was received by Yeoford School right at the end of this term, delighting everyone.  The school was inspected last month with the report saying it continues to be a “good” school.

Headteacher Vicki Gillon, leaving the school after 12 years altogether, said it was a special way to end her time at Yeoford.  She was leaving to “see what it is like being with the family more”, she has two young children who go to school in Crediton, where Vicki and her husband live.

Mr Robin Scott, head of Cheriton Bishop School, will be executive head across both sites.

For three years Mrs Gillon has been head at Yeoford where she began her teaching career, at one time managing Cheriton Bishop, Tedburn St Mary and Yeoford Schools.

POSITIVE

The report says Yeoford is a “small, happy school” with 64 pupils on the roll and where everyone is valued and cared for.  It says that staff build close relationships with pupils and their families, and parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school.

Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils, pupils behave well in class, listen to their teachers and work hard.  They are polite and respectful with bullying being rare.

The school’s values emphasise doing well academically while growing as an individual with plenty of activities to develop pupils’ interests and talents beyond the school day.

There is a broad and engaging curriculum from Early Years to Year 6.  Reading has been made a key priority and pupils who fall behind receive extra support until they catch up.

RANGE OF CLUBS

There is a wide range of clubs and activities outside school, staff receive regular training and have positive relationships with leaders and arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils learn how to stay safe when using the internet and who to speak to if they have any worries.

However, the report also said that in some subjects teachers do not check on pupils’ learning effectively and whether they have acquired the essential knowledge for future learning.

This was the first routine inspection of the school since the start of covid.  Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.

The inspectors also took account of the views of parents through responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey as well as the outcomes of the staff and pupil surveys.

The Inspectors were Mark Burgess as Lead Inspector with Sally Hannaford.