Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 hcarnall@cfbt.com www.cfbt-inspections.com

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Mrs J Mackle and Mrs L O’Brien Acting Co-Headteachers Luttons Community Primary School West Lutton Malton North Yorkshire YO17 8TF

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 10 March 2011, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

The inspection was the second monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in March 2010.The full list of the areas for improvement which were identified during that inspection is set out in the annex to this letter. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – satisfactory

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for North Yorkshire.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Luttons Community Primary School

Christine Harrison Additional inspector January 2011

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March 2010

 Improve pupils’ progress and raise attainment in reading, writing, mathematics and science by summer term 2011 by:  fully using accurate assessment information to make expectations clear and to plan activities in lessons that meet the wide range of ages and abilities  setting pupils precise targets and marking all work consistently so that pupils know what to do to improve  adapting the curriculum to match the different age groups and abilities in classes.

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March 2010

 Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management in securing improvement by:  ensuring that plans for improvement focus sharply on outcomes related to raising attainment and are implemented promptly and fully  setting quantifiable criteria for success precisely at the outset, making clear exactly how those outcomes will be measured.

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March 2010

 Improve attendance by:  building the partnership with parents and continuing to work with the local authority’s education welfare service to reduce term-time holidays and persistent absence. January 2011

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Evidence

The inspector observed the school's work, scrutinised documents and met with the acting co-headteachers, staff, a group of pupils, a governor, the School Improvement Partner and a representative from the local authority.

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Context

The headteacher has been absent from the school since the inspection in March 2010. At the time of the previous monitoring inspection, the headteacher of a neighbouring primary school was dividing her time equally between this school and her own. She has since returned to the full-time leadership of that school. Since November 2010, leadership responsibilities have been shared between two acting co-headteachers, both of whom are members of the local authority advisory team. This arrangement is planned to continue until July 2011. The number of pupils in the school has fallen from 28 to 21. Two new teaching assistants have joined the staff to increase the support provided for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Pupils have positive attitudes to learning and enjoy their lessons. Teachers are increasingly successful in engaging pupils fully in the activities they provide. As a result, pupils maintain concentration and learn more efficiently. They are becoming increasingly skilled and enthusiastic in discussing ideas with partners and sharing their thoughts with the rest of the class. Writing, although still a weakness, is steadily improving as pupils are given more opportunities to write at length. Mathematics has been a particular weakness for older pupils. The school’s tracking data show that progress in mathematics for these pupils has improved significantly and that all are either reaching their target levels or getting close.

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

At the time of the first monitoring inspection, a few pupils were making no progress. Since then, the precise needs of these pupils have been identified, more support has been provided and appropriate strategies to help them have been introduced. Other pupils say that ‘things are fairer now with everybody getting the help they need’. Although it is clear that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are now learning more effectively in lessons, staff do not yet know the extent of their progress over the longer term and this remains a concern.

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the area for improvement:  Improve pupils’ progress and raise attainment in reading, writing and mathematics by summer term 2011 – satisfactory January 2011

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Pupils’ behaviour is good and there is a friendly and supportive atmosphere throughout the school. Pupils’ self-confidence is increasing, along with their speaking skills. However, opportunities for personal development have been limited in recent years and more activities, including visits and joint ventures with neighbouring schools, are being introduced to extend pupils’ experience. Pupils’ attendance has improved as the school establishes better links with parents. Attendance has risen from 92.7% for September to March last year to 96.3% for the corresponding period this year. The number of persistent absentees has fallen. The school’s leaders fully investigate any absences to ensure that these improvements are maintained.

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the area for improvement:  Improve attendance – good

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The effectiveness of provision

The quality of teaching continues to improve, with more lessons in which teaching is good. Teachers expect more from pupils than they did. They are becoming increasingly adept in questioning pupils to explore and extend their understanding. However, several minor weaknesses persist. Occasionally, activities take too long and the pace of learning slows. Sometimes pupils’ misunderstandings are allowed to persist for too long.

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The effectiveness of provision

At the time of the first monitoring inspection, the school was asked to establish a secure and reliable assessment framework. Assessments are now rigorously moderated and therefore accurate. The local authority’s tracking system is used effectively to monitor pupils’ progress. There are still some difficulties in establishing precise target levels because of insecurities in assessments in earlier years. Nevertheless, the school’s leaders and teachers now have a better understanding of how well pupils are doing in relation to their capability. Teachers make effective use of ‘target time’, for both numeracy and literacy, to ensure that pupils make the required next steps in their learning. However, teachers do not always make enough use of assessment information to plan lessons that precisely meet everybody’s needs. In particular, the challenge for higher attainers is sometimes limited and they could

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The school’s acting co-headteachers have brought skill, energy and a sense of urgency to the drive for improvement. There is already evidence of their impact on the quality of teaching and on pupils’ progress. Their expectations are suitably high; they expect all pupils to make progress that is at least good, although they are aware that there is much work to do before that aim is fully achieved. The new school development plan is a valuable working document with clear success criteria. Performance management is now in place for teachers and opportunities for professional development are appropriate for their needs. The January 2011

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Page5 governing body has, in the past, taken decisive action to try to secure improvement. However, there are now two governor vacancies. It is important that the governing body is strengthened so that it can continue to support and challenge the school.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Recent progress indicates that the school is now better placed for further improvement. However, the co-headteacher appointments are only temporary and the local authority is not yet in a position to make plans for leadership of the school beyond July 2011. This insecurity inevitably throws doubt on the longer-term capacity for improvement.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the area for improvement:  Improve the effectiveness of leadership and management in securing improvement –

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External support

The local authority responded swiftly to the findings of the first monitoring inspection and is now providing more-focused and longer-term support for the school. The appointment of the acting co-headteachers has been crucial in providing consistent leadership. Additional staffing to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, together with carefully planned input from advisers, has also made significant contributions to the school’s improvement.

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