Head predicts Bognor school will be one '¨of the best

Mr Westgarth said he was sure the top rating would be earned by Southway Primary School as its progress gathered pace with academy status.

The start of the new school year in September will see the school become an academy run by the United Learning Trust.

The freedom gained by leaving local education authority control will enable Mr Westgarth to adjust the curriculum and staffing to gain the most benefit for his pupils.

“Our aim is to be rated outstanding by 2014. At our recent Ofsted, we were satisfactory with good judgments,” he said.

“At our next Ofsted, which we expect next spring, we will be aiming for at least good and some outstanding judgments.

“There’s a real will and momentum in this school. We feel confident that what we are doing here is working,” he said.

A part of his vision for Southway is to employ specialist teachers.

The handful of experts, working part-time initially, will pass on their knowhow in subjects such as music and dance, modern foreign languages, ICT and PE.

“We feel our children respond incredibly well to specialist teaching from people who have got a real love and depth of knowledge of a subject,” he said.

The school of 620 pupils opened in South Way in September 2010 after the merger of Michael Ayres Junior School and The Glade Infant School.

The United Learning Trust was chosen by the school’s governors from five possible operators.

The trust already manages The Regis School on the same campus. Its arrival at Southway will leave the uniform and name unchanged.