The Bradley Stoke Journal

A pre-school in Bradley Stoke has been rated “satisfactory” by an Ofsted inspector, who visited the ‘early years’ care provider in October.

The family-run Covey Pre-School, based at Baileys Court (opposite the Beijing restaurant), has a capacity for 26 children between the ages of two and five and it currently has 43 on roll.

The inspector wrote:

“Covey Pre-School environment is inviting and inclusive for the children who attend. They are safe in the building and well-behaved. Partnerships between parents and staff are good which is significant in keeping the two-way flow of information going for the benefit of children’s welfare needs. There is a good selection of toys and resources for children to choose from, which has some impact on their learning through play.”

Areas identified as needing improvement include the establishment of links with other settings attended by the children, identification of the next steps in each child’s learning progression and ensuring that planning includes daily opportunities for all children to experience fresh air and exercise in a secure environment.

More information and related links:

• The Covey Pre-School, Bradley Stoke (Ofsted)
• The Covey Childcare, Bradley Stoke
• Childcare in and around Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

A nursery school near Bradley Stoke has been rated “satisfactory” by an Ofsted inspector, who visited the ‘early years’ care provider in June.

The privately-owned Barn Owl nursery in Hambrook has a capacity for 20 children between the ages of two and five and it currently has 26 on roll.

The inspector wrote:

“The nursery offers a happy environment, where children are supported by caring adults. Children are making good progress in their learning and development, given their starting points.”

Areas identified as needing improvement are hygiene practices, planning for individuals and groups and the provision of information to parents.

More information and related links:

• Barn Owl Nursery, Hambrook (Ofsted)
• Child Care in Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

A free 18- week IT and literacy course for adults begins on Wednesday 8th September at Bradley Stoke Library.

Participants will:

• Gain skills needed for life and work
• Gain an up to date qualification
• Move on to further courses
• Learn how to use a computer

The course is aimed at people returning to work. Seesions run from 9:30 – 12.:30 each week.

There are 14 places available, so please book your place as soon as possible.

Please speak to a member of staff in the library to book your place.

Ofsted has praised St Mary’s RC Primary School for sustaining its performance, which was rated “outstanding” at its last full inspection in March 2007.

In a letter to parents, the government body says it will not be carrying out a further inspection until 1st September 2011 at the earliest.

The decision is based on a number of factors that include attendance and academic performance.

Jon Barr, headteacher at Meadowbrook Primary School in Bradley Stoke, is today quoted by a local paper as praising the benefits of boycotting SATs (national tests) for Year 6 children.

According to the Bristol Evening Post, 63% of eligible schools in South Gloucestershire failed to submit test results for 2010 to the Department for Education.

The boycotts were backed by teachers’ unions representing heads and deputy heads.

Mr Barr told the paper:

“The boycott has allowed us to report on our Year 6 children’s achievements this year accurately. We have not had to wait for poorly marked papers and re-mark them.”

Read more: Bristol Evening Post

The Bristol Evening Post is quoting Dave Baker, head of Bradley Stoke Community School (BSCS), as saying he is  “interested in the idea of [the school] becoming an academy”.

The news follows the announcement in yesterday’s Queen’s Speech of plans to take thousands more schools out of local authority control, enabling them to decide how to spend their own budgets.

According to The Guardian, schools such as BSCS that are rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted – about 600 secondaries and 2,000 primaries – will be “pre-approved”, effectively meaning their applications are fast-tracked.

Read more: Bristol Evening Post