Good news for village school

The head of Wimborne St Giles CE First School says she is ‘delighted’ after being ranked as ‘good’ in its latest Ofsted inspection.

The newly-released report maintained the ranking and says pupils and parents valued the safe family atmosphere and the sense of community that extended beyond the homely village school building.

“The school’s values of love, hope and joy can be found in abundance,” the report says.

“Pupils treat other people and their environment with compassion and respect. They understand their place in the world and try to make it a better place.”

Wimborne St Giles has a rollcall of 71 pupils, aged three to 11.

The Ofsted team praised the children’s strong understanding of keeping safe, with older pupils becoming ‘E-cadets’ and providing internet safety sessions for the younger ones.

Inspectors also noted that children were polite and showed good teamwork, with clear and consistent routines helping pupils manage their own behaviours.

The inspectors said headteacher Philippa Hill and her team had developed a broad and ambitious curriculum, which had been adapted following the Covid-19 pandemic. Philippa said: “We are delighted with this report, which shows how our school has developed an atmosphere in which everyone can flourish.

“The inspectors have really captured the joy our children have in their learning as well as the way they are growing as valuable members of the community. We are continuing to strive for excellence.”