Setting

Dame Reena Keeble and Mrs Denise Doust Weald Infant and Nursery School Robin Hood Drive Harrow Weald Harrow HA3 7DH

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Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 7 December 2011, for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during the inspection. Discussions with pupils, staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and representatives from the local authority were also very helpful in evaluating the progress the school has made. Please pass on my thanks to all concerned for the time they gave to talk to me and for the welcome I received.

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Since the inspection in July 2011 a number of changes have taken place. Following the inspection the headteacher has resigned and an acting headteacher continues to lead the school. The headteacher of a local school is acting as executive headteacher for this academic year. A leader of special educational needs and/or disabilities has been appointed from within the school and another member of staff is acting as the lead teacher for mathematics. The school is currently recruiting a new leader for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Two newly qualified teachers have been appointed. There are three new members of the governing body and existing governors have taken on the role of chair and vice-chair. There are now no vacancies on the governing body. The school roll is rising and there are now four classes in the Reception year group and four Year 1 classes.

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As a result of the inspection on 6 July 2011, 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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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. 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 0117311 5489 Direct email : rebecca.jackson@tribalgroup.com Attainment in reading writing and mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 is broadly average. Given pupils’ low starting points, this represents good progress from the beginning of the Early Years Foundation Stage. As a result of the school’s focus on improving teaching and small group intervention for reading, current school data indicate that progress in reading has improved. The progress and attainment of all groups is monitored closely and when progress slows, further support is put in place. The progress of the large proportion of pupils who are new to English and those

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from ethnic minority groups is similar to that for all pupils.

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Pupils make good progress in lessons when activities are precisely matched to their needs and they clearly understand their learning aims. This was demonstrated well in a Year 2 lesson where pupils were confidently writing in direct speech in the context of the Christmas story. Pupils knew the story well and were clear about the task. Nevertheless, in some lessons, pupils are not clear about the purpose of their learning and expectations are vague, and as a result, learning slows. Also, activities do not always sufficiently challenge pupils’ understanding, with some reporting that on occasion they find the work is too easy for them. They would also welcome more opportunities for painting and art work.

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Teaching is improving as a result of more rigorous monitoring. Teachers are clearer now about what constitutes a good lesson through the feedback they receive. Leaders communicate higher expectations of teaching and learning and they themselves are making accurate judgements of the quality of teaching, as confirmed through joint observations during the inspection.

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The school has been through a turbulent time. The support of the local authority through the School Improvement Partnership is very effective and widespread. The partnership with the linked school through the work of the executive headteacher has contributed significantly to the school’s progress thus far. The local authority is committed to continuing its support for the current academic year, and the statement of action meets requirements. The acting headteacher supported by the executive headteacher has made significant improvements to the school. Much has been done to establish necessary routines and procedures while supporting staff members through a difficult time in the school’s history. Many of the systems and procedures are new to the school and their impact is not yet fully realised. Self- evaluation is accurate and there are appropriate development plans in place to make further improvements. Other leaders in the school who are new to their roles are

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being supported by working closely with consultants. The current arrangements for leadership of the school have been clarified and are in place for this school year. Members of the governing body are considering the options for the long-term organisation of the school.

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Much has been done to address the specific safeguarding issues from the previous inspection. Incidents and accidents are now routinely logged and appropriate action is taken. The school site is now more secure and further improvements are planned. Arrangements for site security are clear to pupils, who fully understand the system for ensuring that visitors are authorised. As a result, pupils can effectively contribute to their own safety by reporting those without a visitor badge to a trusted adult. Pupils also contributed to their own safety during the inspection when there was an unscheduled fire alarm. Pupils evacuated buildings quickly and calmly. They responded well to adults’ directions. They then waited patiently and returned to their work efficiently.

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Members of the governing body have established a clear and appropriate checklist which covers all areas of safeguarding and ensures that secure monitoring is in place. The child protection policy along with other safeguarding policies has been recently reviewed and members of the governing body have thoroughly checked that it is fit for purpose. In order to ensure that all members of staff are clear about the new policy and procedures further immediate training is planned. Leaders are currently ensuring that parents and carers are fully aware of the school’s procedures to protect their children. Important checks are conducted on those working or volunteering in the school and these are recorded diligently.

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Members of the governing body are determined to become more effective. The governing body has established clear terms of reference and has been restructured in order to rigorously monitor the work of the school and hold it to account, including through the establishment of appropriate sub-committees. As a result of an audit of skills, members of the governing body are being deployed to ensure they are well placed to carry out their roles. The quality of information they receive has improved and they are becoming more focused on measuring the impact of the school’s work through evaluating outcomes. Secure financial procedures are in place and the recommendations of a recent audit are being implemented. Members of the governing body and school leaders are now routinely monitoring the school budget. They are ensuring that spending is linked to development planning and that funds are used to support better outcomes for pupils currently in the school. Funds have

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been set aside, for example to improve the outdoor provision for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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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 July 2011

 Establish effective and sustainable leadership and management.

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place in July 2011

 Establish robust safeguarding procedures by ensuring that: – the school site remains safe – the effectiveness of all statutory policies and the logging of accidents and incidents are regularly monitored by the governing body.

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place in July 2011

 Establish high quality management and deployment of financial resources to ensure maximum impact on pupils’ learning and well-being.

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place in July 2011

 Improve governance by: – agreeing clear terms of reference – setting out roles and responsibilities regarding the governing body’s strategic function, monitoring and evaluation and how it holds the school to account.

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