Setting

Helen Chambers Headteacher Abbey Hill Primary & Nursery School Abbey Road Kirby in Ashfield Nottingham NG17 7NZ

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Education act 2005 to Abbey Hill Primary & Nursery School

Following my visit to your school on 14 January 2013, 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 Abbey Hill Primary & Nursery School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection on 1 November 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 and other senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body, a representative from the local authority and a group of pupils. The school improvement plans were evaluated.

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Context

Since the recent inspection, the substantive deputy headteacher has taken up a secondment opportunity. As a result, a new deputy headteacher has joined the school on a one year secondment.

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Main findings

Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0121 679 9169 Direct email :elizabeth.rashvand@serco.com Senior leaders are addressing with suitable urgency the areas identified for improvement at the recent section 5 inspection. Systems for checking the quality of teaching have been reviewed. Where teaching requires improvement, a programme of peer mentoring is in place. This includes the use of short-term, high impact plans which identify individual improvement areas for each teacher.

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Main findings

The school has devised specific action plans to address the areas for improvement identified at the recent inspection. These include appropriate actions which are sharply focused on improving pupils’ behaviour in the playground. For example, the school has purchased new play resources, introduced an indoor lunchtime club, reviewed the play leaders’ scheme and introduced the ‘fantastic friend’ weekly award. As a result, pupils report that behaviour in the playground is good, with fewer incidents requiring adult intervention.

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Main findings

The Governing Body has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and is holding senior leaders rigorously to account for pupils’ achievement.

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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 recommends a further one day visit to carry out joint lesson observations with senior leaders to support the school in improving the quality of teaching and learning. HMI will also review the school’s tracking data and meet with a group of parents.

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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 adviser has an accurate and in-depth knowledge of the school. As a result, she is providing judicious and focused support. For example, she has successfully brokered funding for the school to enable all teachers to visit another local school to observe and share good practice.

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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 Nottinghamshire and as below.

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