Setting

Miss J Wardle Executive headteacher Edgewood Primary and Nursery School Edgewood Drive Hucknall Nottingham NG15 6HX

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Nursery School

Following my visit to your school on 28–29 February 2012, 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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Nursery School

The inspection was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in February 2011. 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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Nursery School

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory.

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Nursery School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – good.

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Nursery School

Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

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Nursery School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Corporate Director for Children, Families and Cultural Services for Nottinghamshire.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Serco Inspections Cedar House 21 William Street Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1LH T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Serco Direct T 0121 683 3888

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place in February 2011

 Raise pupils’ level of attainment in writing and mathematics by:  improving pupils’ sentence construction, punctuation and spelling, especially in Years 3 to 6  developing pupils’ abilities to use and understand mathematical language, solve mathematical problems and calculate accurately  ensuring that there is greater emphasis on developing pupils’ skills in literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology across the curriculum.

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place in February 2011

 Ensure that there is a higher proportion of good teaching by:  increasing the pace and level of challenge in lessons  making certain that work set is always carefully matched to pupils’ needs  using marking and target setting more effectively in order to make sure that pupils know exactly how to improve their work.

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place in February 2011

 Improve the quality of leadership and management by:  ensuring that the monitoring of teaching and learning is regular, rigorous and involves checking the quality of pupils’ work as well as formal monitoring of the quality of lessons  developing the skills of senior leaders so that they can support the headteacher more effectively and make a better contribution to school improvement.

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Evidence

The inspector observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the executive headteacher, the head of school, senior leaders, subject leaders and representatives from the governing body. A telephone discussion was held with a representative from the local authority and informal conversations took place with parents and carers on the playground. The inspector observed 12 lessons, taught by 12 teachers, and spoke to two different groups of pupils.

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Context

Since the previous monitoring inspection, two new part-time teachers have joined the school. Two teachers are currently on sick leave. The school continues to work with a local partner school identified for its good practice in Key Stage 2. The school has also started to work with another partner school identified for its good practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Observations of lessons, scrutiny of pupils’ work and school data show that attainment in reading, writing and mathematics is rising. Different groups of pupils, including those who are disabled or have special educational needs, are making improved progress in the large majority of classes. Historic data indicate that those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals make slower progress than other pupils in the school and also than similar pupils nationally, particularly in reading and writing. Inspection evidence confirms that these gaps are now beginning to close. This is because the quality of teaching is improving. Pupils making slower progress are quickly identified through rigorous tracking and are well supported by the school’s intervention programmes.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Pupils have made good progress in developing spelling skills and also in learning multiplication facts. This is because they are given opportunities to practise them on a daily basis in each class and school leaders have made their expectations clear by introducing a list of ‘non-negotiables’ for teachers. As a result, pupils are displaying increased confidence and all pupils in Year 2 and Key Stage 2 are able to say which multiplication facts they are currently learning. They beam with pride when they succeed in spelling challenging words or when instantly recalling multiplication facts. Discussions with parents and carers confirm that pupils show much greater confidence in spelling and in recalling tables than was previously the case due to the school’s increased focus and expectations. The quality of pupils’ handwriting and presentation of work continues to improve.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Pupils are given more frequent opportunities to develop information and communication technology skills in lessons. For example, during the monitoring visit, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage used a laptop computer linked to an interactive whiteboard to enjoy an interactive nursery rhyme activity. Pupils in Year 5 used laptop computers and the internet effectively to research information about natural disasters.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Pupils still have too few opportunities to use and apply mathematics skills across the curriculum. Although subject leaders have identified opportunities within different topics, teachers are not using these consistently or effectively enough to support improved progress. Pupils’ mental calculation strategies are improving but remain significantly weaker than their written calculations.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Pupils’ improved progress is being supported by better behaviour in the school. Leaders have simplified and refined the school’s behaviour policy. Staff and pupils now understand expectations, consequences and rewards more clearly. As a result, learning in lessons is rarely interrupted by disruptive misbehaviour. Improved attendance as compared with the similar period last year, and improved punctuality, are also supporting better progress.

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Achievement of pupils at the school

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:

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Achievement of pupils at the school

 raise pupils’ levels of attainment in writing and mathematics – good.

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The quality of teaching

The quality of teaching and learning is improving. All teachers were jointly observed with a member of the senior leadership team during this monitoring visit. At the last monitoring visit, 46% of lessons were judged to be good or better. This monitoring visit identified that 67% were good or better. Misconceptions in learning are recognised swiftly because teachers’ assessment skills are improving. The needs of individual pupils are being met more effectively and this is leading to better progress and a narrowing of gaps in attainment between different groups of pupils. The quality of teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage has significant strengths and very good improvement has been made in this part of the school since the last monitoring visit.

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The quality of teaching

Pupils’ engagement in learning is improving because teachers’ expectations are higher and are made clearer. The last monitoring visit identified that, although teachers used learning objectives to focus pupils in lessons, too many of them were vague and/or immeasurable. This monitoring visit found that sharply focused learning objectives and success criteria are used in almost all lessons. These support pupils in understanding what they are expected to learn. However, discussions with pupils confirm that they find it difficult to identify and articulate exactly what progress they have made in each lesson. This is because, too often, teachers summarise pupils’ learning and progress at the end of lessons themselves rather than asking pupils to do it.

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The quality of teaching

Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work continues to be regular, and the quality and usefulness of their comments are improving. Most teachers adhere well to the school’s marking policy. Different groups of pupils enjoy reading and teachers ensure that all pupils have reading books that can be taken home. However, books are not always matched accurately to pupils’ abilities in Key Stage 2.

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The quality of teaching

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:

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The quality of teaching

 ensure there is a higher proportion of good teaching – good.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The executive headteacher and head of school continue to work together effectively to improve the school. Their high expectations, good communication and determined and focused leadership successfully embed the ambition of staff. As a result, staff continue to strive hard to improve teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Senior leaders have devised good improvement plans, focusing on key short-term priorities required to raise attainment and improve provision. These have played an important role in supporting the school’s good progress since the last monitoring visit because all stakeholders have been sharply focused on achieving clear and realistic goals. School leaders evaluate the performance of the school accurately.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

English and mathematics subject leaders have received appropriate training and have observed colleagues’ teaching more frequently. They are gaining an improved understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their subjects across the school, but some gaps in their knowledge and skills remain. For example, subject leaders depend on senior leaders to organise and analyse most elements of pupil assessment and tracking data. Also, opportunities for subject leaders to carry out scrutiny of pupils’ work and to moderate colleagues’ assessments of pupils work are too infrequent. This weakens the ability of subject leaders to produce well-informed action plans to drive further improvement in English and mathematics. However, the head of school is beginning to establish systems of devolved leadership to empower staff and develop improved leadership skills and capacity. For example, at the time of the last monitoring visit, the head of school led the numeracy team. Although he

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

remains on the team, another teacher has recently become the subject leader. The governing body have increased their monitoring of the school’s work and have a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This enables them to provide good challenge and support to school leaders.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

Progress since the last monitoring inspection on the areas for improvement:

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

 improve the quality of leadership and management – good.

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External support

The local authority provides good support for the school. The termly review document is well-written and is valued by the school and governing body. The quality of the local authority’s support for the governing body has improved. The governing body now feel better informed about the options available to them in planning the school’s future developments. Partnerships with two other local schools play an important role in supporting the development of improved teaching.

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Priority for further improvement

 Literacy and numeracy teams should devise one-term action plans with clear and measurable success criteria that identify the few key priorities to ensure that the school makes rapid progress before its next visit. Opportunities for governing body monitoring should be clearly identified on the plans.

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