Setting

Mr H Godfrey The Headteacher Monteagle Primary School Burnham Road Dagenham Essex RM9 4RB

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Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 23 March 2011, for the time you gave to our phone discussion and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Please would you also pass on my thanks to the local authority representative and governor and the members of staff for their time in our discussions.

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Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 9 and 10 March 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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Primary School

Since the previous inspection there have been considerable changes. The interim headteacher left at the end of the spring term 2010. A new substantive headteacher started in autumn 2010. There are seven new teachers in post. Three of whom are newly qualified teachers.

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Primary School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made satisfactory progress in addressing the key areas for improvement, and satisfactory progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

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Primary School

Slow but steady progress is being made in improving all areas of learning ensuring that standards in English and mathematics are moving in the right direction. Attainment is now average by the end of Year 2 and Year 6. A number of newly- instigated interventions across the school, such as one-to-one tuition for an increasing number of pupils, and strategies such as ‘Every Child a Writer’, along with Tribal 1-4 Portland Square BRISTOL BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 123 6001 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Email :stephen.godden@tribalgroup.com Page 2 well-targeted intervention groups, are also having a more positive impact on raising achievement.

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Primary School

The quality of teaching is improving but at a slower pace. It is good overall in the Early Years Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1, and satisfactory overall in Key Stage 2. Staffing is now more stable. Leaders and managers have a clear vision of what needs to be done to accelerate good practice, consequently resulting in overall satisfactory learning and progress across the school. Not all teachers particularly in Key Stage 2 are aiming work high enough to challenge all pupils. However, there is evidence to show in Year 2 and in Year 6 that the more able pupils are making good progress in reaching higher levels of attainment. This good progress has been supported by the inauguration of a gifted and talented group for the older pupils. Books are marked regularly, but the quality of feedback to pupils to help them to improve their work is variable and not consistent across the school.

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Primary School

Progress in developing tracking and assessment systems is good. Teachers’ skills have been developed as a result of training in knowing how and what to assess. Assessment data across the school are based on more accurate information. There is regular and routine analysis of the performance of both individual and different groups of pupils and this is used well to identify potential underachievement. Appropriate support is allocated to address these areas of underachievement, for example through the use of increasing numbers of one-to-one tuition supporting individual learners’ needs. More support staff are being trained ‘in house’ and employed by the school, to give extra help where the need is identified. Challenging targets for improvement have been appropriately set. These systems are relatively new and as yet it is too soon to see the full impact of this more detailed analysis and support. There are clear and strong pockets of improvement in Year 2 and Year 6

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Primary School

and improving results in English in Year 3 and Year 4, but mathematic remains an area for further improvement.

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Primary School

The local authority provides effective support for the school. Local authority advisers have worked closely with the leadership team in monitoring improvements and providing expertise. The interim executive board of governors has helped to lead the school forward until the substantive headteacher was appointed. They continue to support the newly instigated shadow governing body. Inspection evidence shows that this additional, focused support has been effective in supporting the capacity of leaders at all levels in driving school improvement.

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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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place in 9 and 10 March 2010:

 Improve the quality of teaching from satisfactory to good by January 2011 through:  providing consistently high levels of challenge for all groups of learners, particularly the more able  giving pupils sufficient opportunities to develop their own ideas and consolidate their learning  ensuring that marking consistently helps pupils to improve their work.  Embed tracking and assessment systems to enable all pupils to make good progress and raise attainment through:  developing teachers’ skills in assessing pupils’ progress  ensuring that assessment data are based on accurate information  the routine analysis of the performance of all groups of pupils identify potential underachievement at an early stage and to set challenging targets for improvement.

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