Setting

Mr Jones Brockmoor Primary School Belle Isle Brockmoor Dudley DY5 3UZ

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 12 January 2011 and for the information which you provided during the inspection. Please pass on my thanks to all those I met including staff and pupils, members of the governing body and a representative from the local authority.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

Since the last inspection you took up your post as headteacher in September 2010 and in January this year a new deputy headteacher filled the position that had been vacant since the summer. The extended leadership team has been reorganised so that senior and middle leaders have enhanced monitoring roles. An education specialist has been appointed to the governing body.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 12 May 2010, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school is making satisfactory progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising the pupils’ achievement.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

The school has taken considerable steps to improve provision in the Early Years. The coordinator, who was new in post at the time of the last inspection, has received support and training, particularly from the local authority, to enhance her role. There have been improvements to the provision and environment particularly inside the classroom and practical area. Inside, defined learning areas have been designated including challenging opportunities for independent literacy activities. As a result of the improvements children are now more engaged in their learning, particularly those who are at risk from falling behind as their needs are identified more quickly. The location of the Nursery and Reception rooms are some distance apart and this remains a challenge for the school to address. The new deputy headteacher has been appointed strategically to work in Early Years to support and model teaching Serco Inspections

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

Cedar House 21 William Street Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1LH OFSTED T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk SERCO Direct T 0121 683 3888 and to line manage the work of the coordinator. It is too early to see the impact of this new appointment however. Tracking of attainment and children’s progress is more rigorous and daily checklists of planning are on display, signed and dated, to facilitate teachers’ monitoring and planning.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

Whilst attainment in English at the end of Key Stage 2 remains below average, the proportion achieving level 5 has increased as planning has focused more on the needs of different groups, particularly higher attaining pupils. Although inconsistencies remain, steps have been taken to improve satisfactory teaching through focused training and mentoring. Targeted teachers have been placed on an improved teaching programme through the ‘National College’, and the impact of this which is closely monitored has led to a reduction in inadequate teaching. You have successfully instilled a positive attitude in staff to ensure that the low attainment on entry of pupils does not lead to low expectations. Within the school there are instances of outstanding teaching of literacy to draw upon, where the pace of learning is rapid and pupils have regular opportunities through partner talk to discuss their ideas and evaluate each others’ work. Pupils have a very positive

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

attitude towards English. They know their targets and how well they are doing through written feedback from teachers.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

In science there is a downward trend in attainment which remains broadly average. The leadership of science is at an early stage of development and recent changes to enhance the role through training and monitoring have not had sufficient time to make a positive impact on provision and outcomes. However, there is good knowledge of the key areas for development. Pupils do not have such a positive attitude to science because of the regular assessments at the beginning and end of each unit, but they respond well to experiments and investigations, for example in Year 6 on micro-organisms.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

School leadership has been strengthened through the new leadership appointments. The role of senior and middle leaders has been reorganised to ensure they have a focus on achievement and monitoring of teaching, particularly planning. This has led to improvements particularly planning for different groups. Middle leaders are at an early stage of development in monitoring teaching, but as headteacher you have accurately identified strengths and weaknesses within teaching and taken appropriate action to secure improvements through training and role modelling. No inadequate teaching was seen during the inspection visit. The governing body has acted strategically by allocating a member of the governing body to each of the issues for development from the last inspection.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

Attendance improved during the first part of the autumn term compared to the same time in the previous year but slipped back during the second half through a variety of external factors. The school is working closely with the governing body to address this. A firm line on reasons for authorised absence is being taken. In the short term this has led to a rise in unauthorised absences. You have taken the lead in responsibility for attendance and speak to those parents directly of pupils whose attendance is a cause for concern. The rewards system is an incentive for pupils to come to school regularly.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

The local authority statement of action it is detailed and well written. The local authority has been effective in providing Early Years adviser support providing a regular audit of Early Years Foundation Stage provision and has appointed an additional governor with an education background. It is supporting the school well.

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Notice to improve: monitoring inspection of Brockmoor Primary School

I hope that you have found the inspection helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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place in May 2010

 Improve the progress made by children in Early Years Foundation Stage by: - providing learning opportunities which are more tightly focused on developing skills in writing and language acquisition - ensuring there is more challenge for children in all areas of learning - creating opportunities for adults to monitor and initiate development activities - using accurate assessment to fully inform planning.  Raise attainment and accelerate the progress made by all pupils, especially in English and science by: - improving the quality of teaching to consistently good or better -ensuring that all teachers have high expectations of pupils' capabilities -planning to meet the needs of all learners at a level appropriate to their development -marking to identify, clearly and consistently, the next steps in learning for all pupils.  Formalise a systematic and rigorous process so that school leaders have a clear overview of current practice within school by:

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place in May 2010

- thoroughly checking how well plans relating to the quality of teaching and learning are implemented.  Improve pupils' attendance by reducing the rate of unauthorised absence.

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