Setting

Primary School on 18 December 2012

Following my visit to your school on 18 December 2012, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the school’s recent section 5 inspection.

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Primary School on 18 December 2012

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in September 2012.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the executive headteacher and senior leaders, representatives of the governing body and representatives from the local authority. In addition, the inspector held a telephone conversation with the assistant director of the local authority. The local authority’s statement of action and the school’s improvement plan were evaluated.

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Context

Since the inspection the headteacher has resigned and an executive headteacher and a deputy headteacher have been appointed on an interim basis. Two teachers have left the school and four more are leaving the school at Christmas. Two teachers are currently on long-term absence. The school has appointed two new teachers who are due to start during the spring term.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Senior leaders demonstrate a clear understanding of what needs to improve and how this will be achieved. However, they acknowledge that criteria within the 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 566862 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: rcowley@cfbt.com

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Mrs Ros Munro Executive Headteacher Clarendon Road Community Primary School Clarendon Road Eccles Manchester M30 9BJ

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Dear Mrs Munro improvement plan to measure the success of their actions could be clearer to facilitate accountability. The leadership team will also be increased next term with the appointment of another teacher with leadership responsibility.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The arrangements for governance of the school are unclear. Since the inspection, governors have set up a school effectiveness committee which has met weekly with the executive headteacher. Governors have drafted their own action plan for school improvement, however, this is in addition to the school’s own action plan and clarity about which plan is being followed is lacking. There is uncertainty about future arrangements for the governance of the school. Governors and the local authority have discussed the appointment of an interim executive board to take over the function of the governing body. However, at the time of the inspection there was no shared understanding of the governance arrangements for the school. Consequently, clear systems of accountability and shared understanding regarding the strategic direction of the school are not in place. All parties acknowledge that this situation is unhelpful and needs resolving urgently.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Following the monitoring inspection the following judgements were made:

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The local authority statement of action is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school’s improvement plan is fit for purpose. However, during the evaluation of the improvement plan the following points were discussed which leaders agreed would be helpful in making the plan clearer:

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

 sharpen the criteria against which success can be measured so that they more easily relate to an impact on pupils’ achievement or the quality of teaching  include plans detailing the improvements required in school governance once the future arrangements are clarified.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

This monitoring inspection letter will be published on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Strategic Director for Children’s Services for Salford.

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