Setting

Mrs Tina Norman All Saints CE (Aided) Primary School Norreys Avenue Wokingham Berkshire RG40 1UX

p.1

CE (Aided) Primary School

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 6 May 2011, for the time you gave to our telephone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Please also extend my thanks to the governors who came in to meet with me, to your staff and not forgetting the pupils who gave up their lunch break to chat with me.

p.1

CE (Aided) Primary School

Since the previous inspection three long-serving teachers have retired and the senior leadership team has been restructured. The school is currently undergoing extensive building work to join the two sections of the school together.

p.1

CE (Aided) Primary School

As a result of the inspection on 5 November 2009, the school was asked to address the most important areas for improvement which are set out in the annex to this letter.

p.1

CE (Aided) Primary School

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

p.1

CE (Aided) Primary School

Attainment in Year 2 and in Year 6 in 2010 was broadly in line with the national average as it was at the previous inspection. The school continues to have a much greater proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities particularly those with significant additional needs including those with a statement of special educational needs. Despite a wide range of positive strategies and interventions, pupils’ attainment is slow to rise but there is evidence of improved rates of progress for most pupils particularly in writing. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds make generally satisfactory progress in reading and writing. Daily 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 Direct email : stephen.godden@tribalgroup.com phonic sessions for all pupils, along with a variety of positive strategies to promote

p.1

CE (Aided) Primary School

better learning in reading and writing, has started to increase their achievement. A clear focus has also been placed on improving learning in mathematics but it is too soon to see a similar positive impact and at present only just over a half of the pupils in Key Stage 2 are making satisfactory or better progress in mathematics.

p.2

CE (Aided) Primary School

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school has improved and is now good. It shows clearly not only the good relationships between the staff and the pupils but also the impact of more interesting activities that are better matched to their abilities and needs. Pupils have more opportunities to cooperate in groups, to organise their work and to make decisions for themselves. They concentrate well and respond well to challenges when they are presented. Pupils explained that they think learning is fun and they particularly like the way different activities are linked together in their topics. Activities, especially those which promote their writing skills, are more relevant and engaging because of these links and they provide more meaningful reasons for pupils to write and develop their skills. Pupils’ positive engagement was clearly seen as a group in Year 4 raced to be the first to find plastic letters which

p.2

CE (Aided) Primary School

would spell out contractions of words such as ‘wasn’t’ that they found in newspaper articles.

p.2

CE (Aided) Primary School

Assessment procedures are more accurate and consistently used to ensure that activities are better matched to pupils’ needs. Teachers are more effective in planning tasks that build on what pupils already know rather than making assumptions about what they should know. As a consequence pupils of all abilities make satisfactory, and sometimes good, progress in their learning. Pupils say they have a good understanding of how well they are doing and are confident that teachers help them to get better in their work. Strategies such as the use of success criteria and the use of targets are employed more consistently and are helping pupils understand how to succeed in their work and to recognise what they must achieve next in order to improve.

p.2

CE (Aided) Primary School

The new senior leadership team structure is having a positive impact on ensuring all staff are working towards pupils’ ongoing improvement. Good progress has been made in developing a more rigorous form of monitoring of both pupils’ learning and the quality of teaching which, alongside the efficient tracking of each child’s attainment and progress, is beginning to see a positive impact on raising achievement. Good support has been given by the School Improvement Partner to identify good practice and use this to underpin all teaching and learning with the result that more good teaching is now evident. Learning conferences at which teachers discuss the performance of their class and any underachievement extends to the evaluation of the intervention strategies being used to support better learning. At present there are many such intervention strategies and positive ways of teaching writing, such as Talk for Writing, which are enabling pupils to make at least

p.2

CE (Aided) Primary School

satisfactory progress. There is still some way to go in ensuring these strategies are consistently applied and fully embedded. The school is a happy community where all pupils feel valued. Safeguarding procedures are robust and followed diligently. All staff are committed to seeing standards and achievement rise and good improvements are already evident, such as that recognised by the local authority when monitoring the Early Years Foundation Stage. Some developments, however, are in their early stages and, although progress towards addressing the areas of improvement from the last inspection is satisfactory at present, there is clear evidence of a school that is ‘on the move’.

p.2

CE (Aided) 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.

p.3

place in November 2009

 Implement, by July 2010, an improved programme of classroom monitoring, with a sharper focus on how well pupils are learning, to ensure that teaching is consistently good or better.

p.4

place in November 2009

 Improve the quality of pupils’ learning by: - raising the level of challenge for all pupils, particularly those of higher ability - ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to take responsibility and to contribute more fully in lessons.

p.4

place in November 2009

 Raise attainment in writing across the school by ensuring that pupils have as many opportunities as possible to practise fluency in writing in a range of subjects.

p.4