Happy Friday, everyone

We're just one week back into the term and it feels as though we've all hit the ground running.

As ever, school life is very busy, and it's easy to let the days and weeks pass us by.

Sometimes though, it's important to pause and reflect on how far we've come and to celebrate certain achievements and milestones.

An Ofsted inspection is never the 'be all and end all' of any school's journey, as they pay us a visit for such a short period of time.

That said, it's the benchmark that is used across the country, and so it's always important to listen and reflect on their findings.

Recently, Samuel Laycock were visited by a team from Ofsted and we have just had their report come through to us.

I am delighted to report that their grading was Outstanding in most places, with the inspectors praising every aspect of school life and organisation.

I would like to congratulate Helen Wilson and her team for this impressive achievement, but also the pupils and their families for representing Samuel Laycock and the wider MAT so well.

I know that this is a true reflection of the fantastic offer that is on display at Samuel Laycock, all the way through the year, and so it feels like a very well deserved pat on the back for everyone associated with the school.

This follows recent successful Ofsted inspections at some of our other schools and settings, including Hollinwood, The Springboard Project, Future Finders and Spring Brook Academy. 

I have to say, that it is a source of real pride for all of us associated with the MAT, to see our teams doing so well against a very high benchmark.

You can read the report here:

Have a great weekend, all. I look forward to updating you next week.

Clare