WITH so many of my ex-colleagues from St John’s Primary School retiring or moving on to new challenges at the end of this academic year, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank them for the sterling work they did in the nine years prior to the school becoming part of a MAT (Multi Academy Trust) last July.

During this time the school moved from being judged satisfactory to good to, in effect, very good (the OFSTED framework becoming ever more demanding).

These judgements were founded upon consistently good attainment, very good progress (in mathematics, bucking the Dorset trend, it was often outstanding) and the development of a wonderful, caring ethos with the needs of the whole child at its core.

In consequence, the MAT inherited not a failing school, but a very successful, thriving one with the capacity for further improvement.

So a sincere thank you for all your hard work, and the very best of luck in the future.

RICHARD PASK

Deputy Head, St John’s Primary School 2008-2017 (Retired)

Chickerell Road,

Weymouth