Ofsted inspector returns to ‘impressive’ Stratford school

Children at Maryland Primary welcomed back an Ofsted inspector who was so impressed with the school that she brought a head teacher from West Sussex to see it.

Joy Consadine, who last visited the Stratford school in July 2013, brought Sarah Palmer with her “to be inspired”.

During assembly she explained to children how she visits many schools and when she does she invariably compares them to Maryland as one of the schools she has been most impressed with in her work for Ofsted.

Mrs Palmer, the visiting head teacher, noticed the enthusiasm of the teaching staff and how well children were engaged in their lessons.

Mrs Consadine and Mrs Palmer also saw the school’s eight hens who live in ‘Cluckingham Palace’ and like all visitors to Maryland, they were captivated by these wonderful school pets who are also the powerhouse of our Eggstraordinaire business of producing delicious free range eggs that we sell on to our parents and staff.

Mrs Palmer’s school is surrounded by fields and a forest, so she appreciated how important it is in the inner city to have such a resource. They also visited the school’s nature garden with all its wildlife opportunities.

Lorraine Cooper, deputy head teacher at the school, said: “We explained that it is available for other schools to use for science lessons. Our children love to learn in and play in it. It even has a beach with shells, buckets and spades and mural of a Jamaican beach.”

Both visitors were presented with a gift of a selection of brown, white and blue eggs laid by the school’s special Blue Legbar hens and a copy of a Mental Maths book used by the parents at Maryland to support their children.