Setting

Mrs Meg Marshall Grove Street Primary School Grove Street New Ferry Wirral CH62 5BA

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Education act 2005 to Grove Street Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 16 November 2012, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report on the findings of my visit. Thank you for the help you gave me and for the time you made available to discuss the actions you are taking to improve the school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Education act 2005 to Grove Street Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in September 2012. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders, members of the governing body, and a representative of the local authority. The school improvement plan was evaluated, a walk around lessons took place and records monitoring the teaching of learning were examined.

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Main findings

Senior leaders have developed an action plan to cover all areas for improvement identified at the inspection in September 2012. The plan is focussed on improving standards across the school. It clearly identifies how key staff will monitor the effectiveness and success of the proposed actions. It includes timescales which are specific and will hold staff to account. The action plan has been shared with governors. CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancashire Investment Centre Maple View White Moss Business Park Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566863 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email :jbennett@cfbt.com The headteacher and deputy headteacher have responded very positively to the judgements of the September inspection and are determined to improve the school’s performance to good. They are united in their approach and drive to improve

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Main findings

teaching and learning, leading to better pupil progress. The senior leaders monitor the quality of teaching through formal lesson observations and through regular learning walks around school. While these are useful there is insufficient evidence that these are leading to improvements in the quality of teaching. Leaders are aware that too much teaching still requires improvement. Some monitoring of teachers’ planning has taken place along with a scrutiny of pupils work. However, this is not rigorous enough because it does not give leaders an accurate overview of pupils’ learning.

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Main findings

The Early Years Foundation Stage, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 leaders are responsible for leading year groups. They are aware of assessments for all pupils and they report to governors on the progress of groups of pupils. They are becoming increasingly accountable for the standards pupils achieve.

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Main findings

Governors are aware of the strengths and weaknesses in school and increasingly hold the school to account for its actions. They are keen to develop further and are welcoming of further support. They show a good awareness of how money is allocated and link it to the outcomes achieved by pupils. They are aware of how pupil premium money (additional government funding) is spent. However there is little evidence of this money making a difference to the standards pupils achieve.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors have begun to take effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. Following the visit to the school, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 rigorously monitor all aspects of teaching and learning to support pupils making better progress  carry out lesson observations with HMI on teaching that is not yet good and develop support programmes for teachers on identified areas for improvement  further develop an understanding by all leaders of how to strengthen leadership capacity by using the Ofsted ‘getting to good’ publication  ensure subject leaders use Ofsted publications to improve their subject areas. ‘Moving English forward,’ ‘mathematics: made to measure’ and ‘successful science’  give greater emphasis to pupils’ writing.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

The school has developed strong links with the local authority. A raft of support is delivered, mainly focused on improving the quality of teaching. This support is very well received by the school. Tight timescales have been drawn up and local authority interventions are directly linked to the school’s action plan for improvement. The school has linked with a local primary school to help Grove Street improve further, focusing on the teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make), improving teaching to outstanding, developing the curriculum and the use of the outdoor environment in the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for The Wirral.

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