Setting

Mrs M Whitfield Headteacher Prendergast - Ladywell Fields College Manwood Road London SE4 1SA

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Education act 2005 to Prendergast - Ladywell Fields College

Following my visit to your college on 18 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 college since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Education act 2005 to Prendergast - Ladywell Fields College

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the college 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 headeacher, other senior leaders, seven members of the governing body, two representatives of the local authority and a group of students. The college action plan was evaluated. The lead inspector visited a small number of lessons briefly with the headteacher.

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Context

A new executive headteacher has been appointed and will take up his post in September 2013.

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Main findings

The college action plan addresses most of the areas for improvement identified in the last section 5 inspection. However, it does not state how the college aims to improve students’ attendance. The plan identifies what the college hopes to achieve 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 3115319 Direct F 0117 3150430 Direct email :matthew.parker@tribalgroup.com by February 2013. It will then be extended to cover the rest of the school year up until June 2013. All staff in the college had the opportunity to contribute to the plan, and senior leaders continue to gather staff’s views on its effectiveness. The plan was presented to governors only after it had been written. Although it is clear who is responsible for managing each area for improvement, methods for measuring the impact of actions taken would benefit from some fine-tuning.

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Main findings

Some initiatives are currently underway, such as those which aim to improve the quality of marking. Training sessions for staff have also taken place on making better use of data held on students’ performance in Key Stage 3. Further training sessions are planned for January and February 2013.

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Main findings

Members of the governing body are to monitor progress against the action plan in January 2013. Governors agreed to one additional staff training day during this academic year in response to the outcome of the section 5 inspection, and agreed to the executive headteacher giving more of her time to support the college. Governors’ involvement in the planning for, and the appointment of, the new executive headteacher was a very useful experience in helping them to identify the key aspects of leadership which drive school improvement.

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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

 revisit the action plan to include attendance and to make progress against the plan more measurable  involve the governing body in all stages of future school improvement planning, including inviting them to training days.

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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 continues to provide valuable support through the use of consultants who work with senior leaders and heads of department. This is helping to strengthen leadership at all levels and to improve the quality of teaching.

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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 Lewisham.

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