Setting

Mrs Jane Windsor Headteacher Parkland Primary School South Wigston St Thomas Road Wigston LE18 4TA

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Education act 2005 to Parkland Primary School South Wigston

Following my visit to your academy 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 Parkland Primary School South Wigston

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy 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 and members of the governing body. A phone call meeting was conducted with the Director of the Discovery Schools Trust prior to the monitoring inspection. The academy improvement plan was evaluated. A range of documentation was reviewed, some pupils’ work was scrutinised and short visits to lessons were carried out.

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Context

Since the previous inspection an assistant headteacher has been appointed to replace a member of staff that left. Two newly qualified teachers have been appointed. The school is preparing to teach Year 6 for the first time in September 2013.

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Main findings

Procedures to manage performance are ensuring that the recommendations for teaching made at the previous inspection are being addressed effectively. Training Serco Inspections Cedar House 21 William Street Edgbaston Birmingham B15 1LH T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0121 683 3291 Direct email :tim.ogbourn@serco.com and checks on lessons are rightly directed at the teachers with the least experience who need help to make sure that the quality of their teaching matches that of others in the school. Since the inspection, marking has improved and the advice given to pupils is more helpful.

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Main findings

It has been correctly identified that more-able pupils are insufficiently challenged in lessons and also in the marking of their work. The school is taking steps to accelerate the progress of the more able. Plans are also well established to stretch the more-able pupils who are in Year 5 as they will stay at the school in Year 6 for the first time in September.

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Main findings

The headteacher and other leaders have accurately identified what the school priorities for the improvement of teaching and the curriculum are in the school improvement plan. However, they have not yet sharply focused on linking these priorities to the desired outcomes for pupils. School leaders are quite capable of leading in their areas of responsibility. The headteacher recognises that, now she has established an effective leadership team, she needs to check on the impact of its work on pupils rather than the steps leaders will take to make improvements.

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Main findings

The governing body has taken advantage of training designed to make it better able to hold the headteacher and other leaders to account for their work. Governors demonstrate that they understand now how to do this. However, they do not influence the strategic direction of the school as well as they could. They are not yet involved at the earliest stages of preparation of the improvement plan where they could challenge the headteacher and director more effectively on the reasons for school priorities.

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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 recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 involve governors at the early stages of improvement planning and ensure that the headteacher and other leaders concentrate on checking the impact of improved provision on the outcomes for pupils  invite leaders of English and mathematics to attend Ofsted good practice workshops  invite the headteacher, Trust Director and Chair of the Governing Body to attend an Ofsted good practice seminar.  arrange for HMI to return to the school during the summer term 2013 to carry out lesson observations with school leaders, concentrating on the quality of teaching and learning of the most able  arrange for HMI to return to the school during Spring 2014 to examine the teaching and achievement in the new Year 6 classes.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the academy until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

The Director of the Discovery Schools Trust has forged a productive partnership between the academy and its partner school. The Trust Director demonstrates high expectations of the pupils and teachers. Expertise is shared very effectively and the governing bodies are also making strong links so that they can learn from each other.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of the Discovery Schools Trust.

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