Walsall school’s RE provision is praised by inspectors

A Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) report into Blue Coat Church of England Infant School, in Hanch Place, found the effectiveness of RE and collective worship was helping children to flourish.

Inspectors said the Blue Coat’s vision and values resulted in “exemplary pastoral care and nurture” where every child was valued.

They also said the leadership of the school was “an inspirational example of Christian guidance in action” and that RE was a high priority on the curriculum and taught by highly skilled staff.

Blue Coat was also praised for sharing good practice with other schools and being recognised in the wider community for being a place of reconciliation and support.

The inspection report said the school has 268 pupils on its roll with a further 42 in its nursery. It said many pupils spoke English as an additional language and the proportion of children classed as being ‘disadvantaged’ was above the national averages.

It said: “RE has high status and monitoring shows that teaching is always good or better. The revised syllabus has resulted in excellent pupil progress.

“Staff are enthusiastic, regularly trained and highly skilled (one being on the Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education).

“Learning activities are pitched accurately, providing appropriate reinforcement or extra challenge.

“Consequently all pupils, including those with additional needs, flourish academically in the subject.”

To improve further, the school was told to increase pupil involvement in the planning and delivery of collective worship.

They also advised Blue Coat to build on its “excellent” practice of teaching about other major world religions by developing contacts with other places of worship.