Abbey Lane Primary: Sheffield school's RAAC repairs a thing of the past in time for Ofsted report

A Sheffield primary school where pupils forded through months of repairs for “crumbly concrete” last year has been praised by Ofsted.

Abbey Lane Primary School was ahead of the curve in September 2023 when the RAAC scandal revealed classrooms up and down the country were potentially unsafe.

However, the Woodseats school was on top of repairs well before the national outrage, with construction work completed in December.

Now, acting headteacher Tim Calcutt has praised staff and children for their hard work in the wake of a glowing report by Ofsted, naming Abbey Lane “a warm and welcoming place” where pupils are “happy and safe.”

Mr Calcutt told The Star: “What could have been a troublesome year for our staff and children has instead been really successful and that’s down to everyone working hard and our community of parents supporting us.

“I’m really proud of the school - our children are fantastic, we have a talented team of staff and our core values are on show everywhere. Thank you to everybody.”

The report, published in May 2024, means Abbey Lane has now been effectively rated ‘Good’ by the education watchdog for over 20 years straight.

The report reads: “Abbey Lane Primary School is a warm and welcoming place. The pride that pupils, parents and staff feel about their school has been strengthened through some of the decisive actions that leaders have taken throughout this academic year.

“Pupils are happy and safe. They are kind to each other, and bullying is not tolerated. Pupils attend well and come to school eager to learn. Lessons are rarely disrupted by poor behaviour.”

Praise was poured on how students take on leadership roles as reading buddies, team leaders and the school’s own student council.

Pupils also showed a love for reading, enthusiasm for extra-curricular clubs and proved to inspectors they “did not want to miss valuable learning.”

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Meanwhile, staff were complimented for making recent, rapid improvement for SEND learning and having high attendance at a time when truancy is a persistent problem in Sheffield.d

The report reads: “Leaders want to shape well rounded citizens as well as successful learners... The school has taken swift and effective action to address weaknesses that previously existed.

“Staff, pupils and parents say that they are united by the school’s current vision and leadership.... Staff said that they felt valued and were proud to work at the school.”

Mr Calcutt said there wasn’t a celebration as such planned, but he was looking forward to welcoming families and the community to the school’s summer fayre in early July, which for the first time in several years would be held on school grounds.

Abbey Lane drew national attention in September 2023 when it emerged RAAC - an “unsafe” type of concrete - had been identified in two classrooms, the kitchen and the dining area.

At least 100 schools in England were ordered to shut immediately over safety concerns linked to "crumbly" RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete).

In contrast, Abbey Lane came off well when it became apparent it had identified the risk and repairs had been underway months before the national scandal. However, the DfE later reneged on its promise to pay the £620,000 repair bill, leaving the school and the city council to take a severe, unexpected hit to their budgets. At the time, chair of the education committee Councillor Dawn Dale called it a “broken promise” by the government.