Every school in Merton now has ‘Good’ or better judgements from Ofsted— making the borough one of just five London boroughs and eight local authorities nationwide to reach this exceptional milestone.
Hatfeild Primary School, in Morden, has achieved a ‘Good’ rating across all areas, with inspectors proclaiming it a ‘nurturing and joyful school’. Ofsted recently abolished one-word judgements for schools. Hatfeild’s inspection found them to be ‘Good’ in all five categories of the assessment.
This achievement follows Merton Council’s children’s services receiving an ‘Outstanding’ rating in 2022, with inspectors praising leaders for placing children and families at the heart of their decision-making.
Strong education provision is a cornerstone of Merton’s mission to ensure the borough is a place where children and young people feel they belong, stay safe and can thrive.
Councillor Sally Kenny, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills and Education, said: “We are delighted that all of our schools are delivering good or outstanding education to Merton’s young residents, setting them up with the skills and knowledge to thrive in life.
“Today is a significant step forward in making Merton the best place for the next generation of Londoners to grow up.
“This remarkable achievement is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our educators, learners, parents and carers and the entire community of professionals that work with our schools.”
Ofsted inspections generally last around two days, with inspectors rigorously observing and assessing the school. Their report covers overall quality of education, as well as behaviour and attitude management, personal development, leadership and management and early years provision.
Bev Hendricks, Executive Director of Children, Families and Lifelong Learning at Merton Council, added: “Our school teams are unrelenting in their commitment and passion to provide the best for Merton’s next generation. This achievement comes in the context of significant challenges across the education system, and across London.
“Having 100% ‘Good’ or better judgements puts Merton on the map as an excellent place to learn, but also highlights our commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in education.”
Anita Saville, Executive Head at Hatfeild School, said: “We are thrilled with the outcome of our latest Ofsted report, which judges the school to be ‘Good’ in all areas. This report reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire school community and is a testament to the commitment of our staff, the enthusiasm of our students, and the strong support from parents.
“We are proud of what has been achieved in the past two years and we will continue to build on our successes to provide the best possible education for our students.”
Read Hatfeild’s full Ofsted report here