Setting

Ms Jackie Sumner Headteacher Rachel Madocks School Eagle Avenue Waterlooville PO8 9XP

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Education act 2005 to Rachel Madocks School, Hampshire

Following my visit to your school on 22 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 Rachel Madocks School, Hampshire

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, other senior leaders, members of the Governing Body and two representatives of the local authority. The school action plan was evaluated. Documentation about teachers’ performance management and the use of the pupil premium was discussed. The inspector joined the headteacher on a tour of the school to meet teachers and pupils and learn about the planned building improvements.

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Context

There have been no major changes to staff or the school’s organisation since the inspection. At the time of the visit extensive building work was taking place.

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Main findings

The headteacher has taken a clear lead in tackling areas for improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. She is supported in this by members of the 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 0117 311 5373 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : jo-anne.harwood@ tribalgroup.com Governing Body who have re-assessed their role with some vigour. Members are aware that they now need to ask for reliable evidence when checking how well the school is doing. They are meeting, and visiting the school, more regularly.

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Main findings

The school’s action plan is rightly intended to address the areas identified for improvement as quickly as possible. However, this means that it does not extend beyond April 2013 and is separate from the main whole-school improvement planning. It does not always state clearly enough what effect improvements are expected to have on pupils’ progress. This is particularly so in the school’s plans for improving teaching. The leadership team are aware of this and are reviewing how they will observe teaching in order to look more closely at the progress pupils make in each lesson. More detailed checks on the progress made by individual pupils, as well as groups, are also beginning to help the leadership team identify where teaching is having the greatest impact on quickening the pace of learning. Reviews of teachers’ performance are being used to help teachers understand more clearly what is expected of them.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are beginning 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

 amend the action plan to include measures which will help the Governing Body to judge whether the steps being taken to improve teaching are resulting in pupils making better progress  make sure that the action plan is central to the school’s work to improve leadership and management, teaching and to raise standards for all pupils by including it in the whole-school planning and evaluation process as the school year progresses.

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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 is making good use of the support available from the local authority. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and Chair of the Governing Body have held a meeting to discuss the action plan with the local authority’s district manager and the leadership and learning partner. More meetings are planned to help the school refine its action plan further. Training is taking place for learning support assistants and teachers are visiting other schools to see different ways of working. Good use is being made of the opportunities provided by the National College for School Leadership to build on the existing good teaching which is in place in some parts of the school. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Hampshire.

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