Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: hcarnall@cfbt.com

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Mrs Philippa Boulding Headteacher Aberford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School School Lane Aberford Leeds West Yorkshire LS25 3BU

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School

Following my visit to your school on 11 December 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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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 headteacher, other senior leaders, the Governing Body, and a representative of the local authority. The school improvement and action plans were evaluated and other documents provided by the school were scrutinised. Also, I undertook a tour of the school with the headteacher, visiting classrooms briefly.

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Context

There have been no major changes to the context of the school since the section 5 inspection.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and the governing body are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The school has focussed unequivocally on the areas requiring improvement. It is evident that priorities are now clearer and there is a greater degree of impetus for improvement and rigour in the activities to bring it about. The headteacher, senior leaders and the governing body have taken a coherent and collective approach and each demonstrates drive, determination and ambition. Necessary actions are being taken to bring about improvements in the quality of teaching. Senior leaders show enthusiasm for their responsibilities and are keen to implement the planned activities and increasingly taking the initiative. The schools plans and documentation highlight the degree to which it has focused on the inspection outcomes.

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Main findings

Following the visit to the school, HMI recommended that further action is taken to:  incorporate quantitative targets into the school’s Learning Improvement Plan, particularly for pupils’ achievement  identify more clearly the ways in which progress with the Learning Improvement Plan will be evaluated, rather than just monitored  attend one of the Ofsted ‘Getting to good’ seminars, as soon as these are available.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the school until its next section 5 inspection. It is recommended that HMI maintains contact with the school, with a view to visiting it again before the next section 5 inspection.

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External support

There is an appropriate range of external support available to the school from the local authority and a partner school. The school is using the available external support well. The external support has, for example, already had a positive impact on the confidence and skills of senior leaders to carry out their roles and it recommended that the full package of support for the senior leaders is provided as planned.

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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 and as below.

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Her Majesty's Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:

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Her Majesty's Inspector

● Appropriate authority - Chair of the Governing Body/Interim Executive Board ● Local authority ● the academy chain where relevant ● Diocese - for voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools ● The Education Funding Agency (EFA) if the school has a sixth form ● The person or body responsible for appointing foundation governors if the school has a foundation ● The lead inspector.

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