Setting

Mrs Jane Burns and Ms Carla Clarke Executive Headteacher and Headteacher Wood Green Junior School Hobs Road Wednesbury WS10 9BW

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Education act 2005 to Wood Green Junior School

Following my visit to your school on 26 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 Wood Green Junior School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in October 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 executive headteacher, the headteacher, other senior leaders, four member of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. Short visits were made to each class and a brief scrutiny of pupils’ work was undertaken. The school improvement and action plans were evaluated.

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Context

The planned retirement of the executive headteacher will take place at the end of this term and the current headteacher will be headteacher across the federation. An acting deputy headteacher has been appointed and the governing body is considering plans for a leadership restructure. The work of the leader of mathematics has been restructured to enable a greater focus on improving pupils’ achievement in the subject. 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 Direct T 0121 683 3261 Direct email :ann.morris@serco.com

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Main findings

School leaders have taken quick and effective action to address the issues identified at the inspection. A raising achievement plan has been written. As a result, teachers have higher expectations of the quality of pupils’ work. The mathematics leader is providing specific support to groups of pupils. A parents’ workshop focusing on how they can support the development of their children’s mathematics skills has been held and all parents are receiving a copy of the materials. Leaders of English and mathematics are beginning to provide support to improve the quality of teaching in these subjects. A new approach to how senior leaders monitor the quality of teaching is being implemented. A more helpful tracking system has been put in place and is beginning to help senior leaders find out more quickly which groups of pupils are underachieving. The governing body has a better understanding of how they should hold the school to account and an action plan has been written. The link

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Main findings

governor for mathematics has already visited the school on a number of occasions. The recently appointed Chair of the Governing Body has a better awareness of effective ways for her to carry out her role.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are taking 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

 sharpen the raising achievement plan’s focus on the progress of all groups of pupils  make sure that action plans are more specific about which aspects of teaching need to be improved  support the governing body in being able to ask the right questions to hold the school to account and linking their own action plan more coherently with the school’s identified priorities.

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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

Leaders were quick to secure the support of the local authority school improvement adviser in drawing up the draft action plan. The adviser’s support has been increased to assist in the evaluation of the quality of teaching and monitoring of pupils’ progress. Leadership support from the local authority for the assistant headteacher and acting deputy headteacher is also planned. The mathematics and English leaders are working with the local learning community hubs to gather good practice and have already begun to support teachers to develop their practice. Work with the University of Wolverhampton is also taking place to enhance the quality of the mathematics curriculum and the quality of teaching. The school should also access support from the National College for School Leadership’s governor services. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council.

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