Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Ms Carol Walmsley Headteacher Slimbridge Primary School St John’s Road Slimbridge Gloucester GL2 7DD

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progress (APP)

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit to evaluate the impact of the APP initiative. Do pass on my thanks to the pupils who gave me such an interesting tour of the school.

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progress (APP)

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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progress (APP)

The evidence used to inform the judgements included: scrutiny of documentation; observations of teaching and learning; and discussions with senior leaders, other staff and pupils.

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progress (APP)

The overall use of assessment to support learning is good.

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progress (APP)

 Assessment information is used well by teachers in their planning.  Pupils are clear about their current achievement and what they need to do to improve.  Pupils are given good feedback on their work and progress.  Pupils’ progress in lessons, weekly and over time, is monitored carefully and the information is used well to make timely and effective interventions.

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The APP initiative

The school has had a lengthy period of instability. However, under the current leadership, staff have clear direction and a common sense of purpose; all are highly motivated to continue to improve the school. APP provides a very useful structure to bring together a range of improvements in teaching and learning. All staff are very enthusiastic about the benefits that APP has brought to the school, such as:  giving a much sharper focus to planning for progression, target-setting, monitoring pupils’ progress and interventions to support learning  providing a common language for teachers and pupils’ to discuss their achievements and targets  establishing a clear framework for securing and monitoring progression from the Reception class through to Year 6  enabling senior leaders to have better informed discussions with teachers about how to improve teaching and learning further.

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Impact on pupils’ achievement and attainment

 Achievement and attainment have been satisfactory for some time. While it is too early to judge the impact of current developments on attainment, there is clear evidence that achievement is improving.

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Impact on the quality of pupils’ learning and progress

 All classes in the school were observed. The quality of pupils’ learning and progress was at least good in all of them with some examples that were outstanding.  APP is used well to establish clear steps in learning and to set precise targets for pupils.  Pupils are clear about what they are doing and why; they know what they need to do to show that they have achieved what is expected of them in lessons.

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support learning

 Teaching in all classes is lively, engaging and stimulating. It is matched well to the needs of pupils.  Teachers monitor learning in lessons carefully because they are clear about individual pupils’ achievement and targets.

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Impact on the curriculum

 Schemes of work and topic plans support planning for progression well.  There is a clear focus on the development of skills and understanding.  Assessment opportunities are planned well.  There is a sharper focus on developing and applying literacy skills in all areas of the curriculum.

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Areas for development, which we discussed, include:

 building on the confidence pupils have about their achievements by setting them even more challenging targets  showing pupils clearly what is expected by providing models of work at different, and particularly the highest, levels  providing more clarity about the role of pupils’ learning journals.

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Areas for development, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop partnerships in support of school improvement.

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Areas for development, which we discussed, include:

As explained previously, a copy of this letter will be published on the Ofsted website. It may be used to inform decisions about any future inspection. Except in the case of academies, a copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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