Setting

Mrs J Spence Headteacher Hovingham Primary School Hovingham Avenue Leeds West Yorkshire SL8 3QY

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Education act 2005 to Hovingham Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 21 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 Hovingham 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, senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority. The school improvement plan and supporting documents were also evaluated. Shorts visits were made to lessons in Years 3 and 5, jointly with the headteacher.

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Context

An assistant headteacher and two teaching staff joined the school in September 2012. However, there have been no other staff changes since the previous inspection which took place in the second week in September 2012. One governor resigned in October 2012. CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566937 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email : jsimmons@cfbt.com

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Main findings

The school’s improvement plan is clearly focused on the key priority areas. These include improving the quality of teaching, particularly in Years 3 and 5, improving reading, developing the communication and language skills of the youngest children and the requirement that leaders check the quality of teaching more closely. In particular, the plan identifies specific actions that are needed to secure these improvements and how these actions will be checked.

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Main findings

Since the September inspection, school leaders and governors have closely monitored the quality of teaching in Years 3 and 5. Joint lesson observations with the headteacher confirmed the improving picture in these classes. Actions including whole-school training on phonics (the sounds that letters make), individual training for support staff in the Early Years Foundation Stage and the introduction of more targeted reading opportunities for pupils have also supported the school’s improvement work. School leaders have regularly scrutinised teachers’ and pupils’ work and observed the quality of teaching in lessons.

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Main findings

The governing body has continued to robustly monitor and challenge leaders about all aspects of school improvement and the impact of their work. Senior leaders report regularly to the governors’ ‘joint review group’ and this group, in turn, reports to the full governing body.

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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

 to ensure that the impact of the school actions can be checked more regularly and can be easily measured by senior leaders and governors  to indicate clearly who is responsible and accountable for each aspect of school improvement work.

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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 local authority has provided effective support and challenge that has been valued by school leaders and governors. This includes representation on the ‘joint review group’ and specific training for assistant headteachers.

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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 Leeds.

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