Setting

September 2010 Page 1 Monday 1 November 2010

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Mrs Stretton Marriott Primary School Marriott Road Leicester Leicestershire LE2 6NS

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Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on Friday 29 October 2010, for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Please thank the Chair of the Governing Body, the staff and pupils who contributed to the inspection. I note that there have been some staff changes since the previous inspection.

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Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 17-18 November 2009, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter. Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made good progress in making improvements and good progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

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Primary School

A clear trend of improvement is evident across the school and pupils’ achievement is good. Good learning is especially evident in English where the excellent teaching of phonics for younger pupils results in average standards by the end of Key Stage 1. Analysis of data and scrutiny of pupils’ work confirm that this improving trend in English is also evident in Key Stage 2, with a quarter of pupils in Year 6 attaining the higher Level 5 in the latest moderated end-of-key-stage assessments. However, a legacy of underachievement in numeracy skills persists in Key Stage 2, limiting the ability of pupils to attain similar levels of performance in mathematics. Good achievement in other subjects such as information and communication technology contributes positively to outcomes for pupils overall.

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Primary School

The effective monitoring of teaching and imaginative curriculum design contribute significantly to these improving outcomes. Much of the teaching across the school is good, and this is reflected in the positive comments from parents and carers who feel they are more actively involved in their children’s learning than they were at the Serco Inspections Boundary House 2 Wythall Green Way Middle Lane BIRMINGHAM West Midlands B47 6LW OFSTED T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk SERCO Direct T 0121 683 2888 September 2010 Page 2 time of the last inspection. Lessons are well planned and the pace of learning is often brisk. Small group work and problem solving provide good levels of challenge for more able pupils, but questions are not always used to challenge thinking further. Pupils and especially boys are being inspired to write because teachers use drama to improve pupils’ literacy and speaking and listening skills. For instance,

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Primary School

during the inspection, the interpretation of different photographic scenes by pupils in a class for pupils in Years 3 and 4, fully extended the imaginative use of vocabulary in writing about different characters in these settings. Teachers continue to develop their skills in assessing the progress of pupils. Progress data is gathered regularly and used well to identify underachievement and set challenging targets. Detailed marking provides good levels of praise and clear guidance to pupils on what they need to do next to improve.

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Primary School

Senior staff have successfully used commercial resources to design a curriculum that excites and engages pupils in what they are learning. This detailed framework is effectively translated by teachers into integrated ‘themes’ of learning. Pupils talk with much enthusiasm about these changes. They find lessons exciting and fun because teachers weave different subjects together, providing a coherence to learning. Effective planning ensures that pupils have good opportunities to develop writing across the curriculum. Pupils are responding well to increased opportunities for developing their understanding of other cultures. Regular opportunities for small group work through investigations and the creative use of information and communication technology in other subjects is having a positive impact on outcomes for pupils.

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Primary School

Pupils’ attendance continues to improve because of good monitoring and increased levels of communication between professionals, the school and parents of pupils with a poor attendance. For instance, two weekly meetings between the education welfare officer and headteacher ensure non-attendance by individual pupils is carefully tracked and appropriate action is taken to follow up issues with parents and carers to minimise unauthorised absence. As a result of this concerted effort, levels of attendance are nearly at nationally average levels.

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Primary School

Good leadership is forging a culture of improvement, where staff with management responsibility take greater responsibility in moving the school forwards. Pupils are inspired to learn because the curriculum is interesting and relevant to their needs and learning takes place within a positive climate where the efforts of all are valued. The shadow governing body is playing an increasingly prominent role in school improvement and self-evaluation. The local authority and other professionals continue to provide effective levels of support to develop teachers’ skills and strengthen school leadership.

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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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Primary School

Yours sincerely September 2010 Page 3 Phillip Mann

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place in (insert month and year)

 Raise standards across the school and accelerate progress by: - increasing the proportion of good or better teaching so that the pace of learning is brisk and tasks are well matched to individual needs in more lessons - providing increased levels of challenge to better meet the needs of boys and higher-attaining pupils - involving parents and carers more in their child’s learning.

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place in (insert month and year)

 Improve the quality of the curriculum by: - establishing a framework which identifies progression in, and assessment of subjects other than English and mathematics - increasing the breadth and extent of activities to better enrich learning and pupils’ personal development - increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of different cultures and communities.

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place in (insert month and year)

 Improve pupils’ rates of attendance and punctuality by working more closely with all those responsible for ensuring they attend school more regularly.

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