Oftsed Report (June 2008)

Our school was inspected by Ofsted in June 2008. The report was generally positive and we are very pleased with the report, some of which you can read below. The full reports is available on www.ofsted.gov.uk

Text from letter to pupils explaining the findings of the inspection 30 June 2008

Dear Pupils

Inspection of Bernard Gilpin Primary School, Sunderland, DH5 8DA

I am writing to thank you for the warm welcome you gave us and for talking to us about your school. We think your school provides you with a satisfactory education and has some good features. It was a pleasure to see how you got on so well together, and also how well behaved and polite you were. It was particularly impressive to see how talented and confident you were when entertaining your parents in the leavers' show. From the Reception classes to Year 6 you enjoy school. We know this because you told us so. It is also clear from your good attendance and the way you concentrate in lessons when the work is interesting. Your school is a safe place to be and you help by acting sensibly and trying to be healthy by not eating sweets and taking part in extra sport. You learn about being responsible well and are suitably prepared for your future. Your school council is taken seriously by everyone and certainly works in making your views known. Your personal qualities are good.

Your teachers are eager to make your school better. We have suggested that they might concentrate on three things to improve the school. One is to give you more opportunities to be actively involved in your learning. The second is to make sure that they watch closely for anyone falling behind in their work and make sure those pupils get the support they need to catch up quickly. The third thing is to improve the outdoor play facilities for the children who will be in the Reception classes in the future. You can certainly help with the first two by being enthusiastic and by keeping up your efforts to make sure that you keep working hard so that you achieve as well as you can.

Thank you again for your courtesy and friendliness. Our two days in your school were interesting and enjoyable. We wish you every success in the future.

Yours sincerely

Peter Bannon
Lead inspector

The full reports is available on www.ofsted.gov.uk