School has last Ofsted report

The team of four watchdogs judged Michael Ayres Junior School to be satisfactory and improving after their visit in their recently released report.

Lead inspector Sheila Browning and her three colleagues spent two days at the South Way for its first inspection since June 2002.

The school is likely to be closed in three years' time in a merger with nearby The Glade Infant School to make another inspection before then extremely unlikely.

Headteacher Michele Barnfield ensured that Ofsted was left with a positive image of the school. Ms Browning said the national test results last year showed an upward trend in pupils' work as was also seen in lessons and displays.

This had been caused by improvements in English where challenging targets were exceeded. The 372 pupils had also benefited from a series of actions to improve their writing skills through activities linked to real experiences across different subjects.

Most pupils with learning difficulties and those with English as an additional language achieved well because of good quality support from teaching assistants. Children were found by the inspectors when they visited in March to be happy at the school and enjoyed being there as shown by their good behaviour and attitude. They reported bullying incidents were rare. Few pupils were excluded.

Ms Browning stated that the head, who took over in June 2005, was determined to raise standards further. She had begun to tackle weaknesses and strengthened good practices.However, more improvements were needed.

These included improving reading skills, problem solving skills in maths and investigating skills in science, using assessment data better to track progress and set challenging targets and improving the quality of teaching and learning in maths and science.

Michael Ayres and The Glade are set to join together as part of West Sussex County Council's plans to transform the Bognor Regis Community College campus.