Published: 03 September 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

A ST John’s Wood primary school has been praised by Ofsted.

Inspectors said Barrow Hill Junior School in Bridgeman Street was “a safe, caring and friendly environment”, awarding it a “good” rating at their recent visit.

Headteacher Michael Matthews was singled out for his “high expectations that are shared and understood by staff”.

The report added: “The leadership team is well established and closely monitors all aspects of the school’s provision and its impact on outcomes for pupils. Challenging targets are set and the school recognises that pupils will need to continue to make good progress in order to reach them.

“In the best lessons, expectations of what pupils can achieve are high and assessment information is used effectively to plan activities that are well matched to pupils’ different ability levels to extend their skills and knowledge.”

Inspectors judged support and care at the school as “outstanding”, as was pupils behaviour, with an improvement in attendance levels noted.