Saxon School celebrates 'amazing transformation'

Apr 28 2009 By Adam Courtney

Angela Horner with children Lily, nine, Noah, six, and Sophie 10, and Saxon head Mary Ellen McCarthy

TWO years ago it was plumbing the depths after being rated among the worst primary school's in the country.

But, in an astonishing turnaround, latest academic tables have revealed Saxon Primary School, in Briar Road, Shepperton, is now among the best after it was placed in the top 25% of primaries nationwide.

Headteacher Mary Ellen McCarthy, who joined the school in September 2007 after OFSTED had deemed it was 'failing' and placed it into the dreaded 'special measures' category, is being credited by parents for the turnaround in fortunes.

Midwife Angela Horner, who sends children Sophie, 10, Lily, nine, and Noah, six, there, said: "She has done an amazing job. I was quite happy when I first sent the kids there – it seemed like a nice enough school. But then it was put into special measures and it was a worrying time for all parents.

"It just seemed to totally lose direction – there were different teachers all the time, the lesson plans weren't consistent and there didn't seem to be much encouragement. A lot of parents got together and decided to give it a time scale to get things right.

"The change in the place is tangible and we are all delighted with it now. It's so much more optimistic and Mary has been like a breath of fresh air. The direction is clear, the children know who their teachers are going to be and they're positively encouraged."

Mary admits the school was at its 'lowest ebb' when she joined and was given a brief to drag it from its slumber. In 2007, the school was rated 199th out of 200 Surrey primary schools. But now it's 15th out of 212.

She said: "Expectations and morale were low and I didn't feel the teaching was as it should have been. I focused very closely on what was going on in the classrooms and what the teachers were doing and I made a lot of staff changes. Even after a couple of months we had been taken out of special measures and were on the upward curve.

"It's been a big transformation and we're all proud of what we've achieved – it's been a big team effort. We are absolutely committed to making Saxon 'outstanding' – we have been told we can get to that category and that's our goal."

Pictured: Angela Horner with children Lily, nine, Noah, six, and Sophie 10, and Saxon head Mary Ellen McCarthy