Inspectors praise ‘calm and caring’ Chesterfield school in ‘good’ Ofsted report

Cavendish Junior School in Newbold Moor continues to have high expectations of all pupils, according to the latest report by inspectors from the education watchdog.

They found the 107 children on roll enjoy going to school and “feel safe because staff care for them well”.

The school was also praised for its work in English and maths, as well as the teaching of life skills such as cooking and gardening.

Headteacher Nicola Marlow said: “We are thrilled to have been given such a glowing report from inspectors, particularly when it has been a challenging time for everyone involved in education during the pandemic.

“Our team has worked exceptionally hard to provide a continuous education for our pupils whether that has been at home or in the classroom and we are delighted that the inspectors recognised that our standards have remained high.

“We work closely with our feeder school, Whittington Moor Nursery and Infant Academy, to ensure that our pupils have the very best start in life, and I am delighted that this has been recognised by the inspection team.”

The inspectors were particularly impressed with the school’s policy of making reading a top priority saying that children described their favourite books and authors “with enthusiasm”.

Leaders were noted to be ambitious for those children with special educational needs and disabilities acting quickly if a pupil needs extra help to remember or understand something.

Pupils told inspectors that they enjoy learning because ‘our teacher inspires us’ and they are proud of the Cavendish Code which helps them to develop the skills needed to be successful and ready for the next chapter in their lives.

Miss Marlow added: “I am so proud of our pupils, who embrace our values every day, and our teachers who describe themselves as a team and always put our pupils first.

“The future is very bright for our school and I am looking forward to welcoming more generations of children to Cavendish Juniors.”

Applications for Infant and Junior School places are now open and there will be an open day for prospective pupils at 3.45pm on Thursday, November 25, at Cavendish Junior School.

Support your Derbyshire Times by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe.