EDUCATION inspectors have given a ‘good’ rating to Knights Templar School and Nursery, Watchet, after visiting it during two days last month.

The 179-pupil school, in Liddymore Road, had previously been rated as ‘requires improvement’ in two of the areas of teaching which were looked at in 2022 by the education watchdog Ofsted.

But on the inspectors’ return under new headteacher Laura Weaver, who took over permanently in March of this year, they rated all five areas as ‘good’.

Ms Weaver said: “The inspection was very detailed and rigorous and I am so proud that the progress the school has made since the last inspection has been acknowledged with ‘good’ judgements now being awarded in all five areas.

An Ofsted 'good' rating for Knights Templar School, Watchet, is celebrated by some of the staff and pupils.
An Ofsted 'good' rating for Knights Templar School, Watchet, is celebrated by some of the staff and pupils. ( )

“I would like to thank all those who took part in the inspection, staff, governors, parents, and especially the children across both the school and nursery.

“I am particularly proud our inclusive ethos has been recognised as a considerable strength of the school alongside our ambitious curriculum, our early years provision, and our relational approach to managing behaviour.”

Ms Weaver said she was touched to hear that 100 per cent of the parents who completed an Ofsted survey would recommend the school.

She said: “The Ofsted inspectors themselves remarked they had never seen such a positive response.

“I am so proud to be leading a team who strive to be the best they can be and want the best for each individual child in our care.”

Some of the youngest pupils of Knights Templar School, Watchet, join staff in marking a 'good' Ofsted rating.
Some of the youngest pupils of Knights Templar School, Watchet, join staff in marking a 'good' Ofsted rating. ( )

Lead Inspector Paul Walker said: “Leaders, including governors, have addressed previous shortcomings in the school successfully.

“They secure a strong start for children in the early years.

“This, alongside its ambitious curriculum and targeted implementation, is ensuring all pupils achieve well.

“Throughout the drive for improvements, the school has looked after people well.

“This has resulted in well-trained, happy staff who focus skilfully on effective teaching and support for pupils.”

Mr Walker said Knights Templar had established an ambitious curriculum and identified the key knowledge pupils should learn.

He said provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) was a ‘considerable strength’ of Knights Templar with those pupils learning the same curriculum as their peers.

Mr Walker said: “The staff are well-trained, which means they confidently identify and support pupils with a wide range of needs.”

The school’s personal development programme was a strength, with pupils encouraged to develop their talents and skills.

However, effective assessment had not been developed in a small number of subjects and teachers were less adept at spotting and then resolving pupils’ misconceptions.

Mr Walker said other necessary improvements included the school refining implementation of its non-core curriculum so all pupils could achieve as well as possible and to ensure purposeful activities matched the aims of the curriculum for all pupils to build knowledge consistently well.

Knights Templar is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells and the Plymouth and Exeter Methodist District and is due to have a separate church-based inspection in the next 12 months, having last been visited in 2017.