Sandbrook Primary achieves top Ofsted grade

Headteacher Danny Mulkeen with pupils from Sandbrook Community Primary

Staff and pupils at Sandbrook Community Primary School are delighted after they achieved an ‘outstanding’ grade from Ofsted in an inspection in May.

A lot has been achieved since the school opened in 2005, following the amalgamation of two schools, and the school’s capacity for sustained improvement was judged to be outstanding.

The inspectors praised the school for being very inclusive with outstanding equality of opportunity at its heart and they were impressed with the leadership and management of the school.

They added: “Progress is good overall and improving rapidly as pupils move through school. It is driven by the agreed school vision, excellent school self-evaluation and high quality development planning.”

Pupils at the school have outstanding behaviour and knowledge of healthy lifestyles. They make an excellent contribution to the school’s very cohesive community and attendance is above average.

Danny Mulkeen, Headteacher at Sandbrook Primary School said: “The children, parents, staff and governors are thrilled by the Ofsted report and that it recognises that we are an outstanding school.”

“It’s been extremely hard work amalgamating two schools, overseeing the construction of a new building and achieving excellence, but it’s been worth it. It’s been a team effort with everyone pulling together and doing their best. It was one of our aims to be the ‘pride of our community’ and we hope we have achieved this.”

Councillor Teresa Fitzsimmons, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools & Families at Rochdale Borough Council said: “Congratulations to all who have contributed to such an outstanding result. This is no mean feat in the present climate of rigorous inspections. The governors, staff, pupils and their parents have to be thanked for their contribution to the good name of our borough.”