Setting

Mr Donal McCarthy Headteacher Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School 173 Pampisford Road South Croydon Surrey CR2 6DF

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Education act 2005 to Regina Coeli Catholic Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 28 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 Regina Coeli Catholic Primary 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 Chair and a other member of the governing body, and representative of the local authority. The school improvement plan was evaluated. A range of documentation was also reviewed.

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Context

There have been no significant changes since the recent inspection which judged the school to require improvement.

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Main findings

The school accepts the outcomes and priorities from the recent inspection. However, more needs to be done to ensure that the school has the capacity to become good rapidly. 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 311 5373 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : jo-anne.harwood @tribalgroup.com The school development plan addresses the main areas that need improvement. It is underpinned by separate plans for improving literacy and numeracy. However, some of this planning is imprecise: actions do not have clear milestones or success criteria against which their impact can be systematically monitored and evaluated. Consequently, it is not clear how senior leaders and the governing body will know that the school’s actions are making a difference to pupils’ learning and the quality of teaching.

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Main findings

The system used by senior staff to track pupils’ progress is in the process of changing. Training for the new system is planned for this term. Subject leaders are not able to make a full contribution to improving the school and need more intensive support to guide them in their role. Other staff are new to the school and have yet to make a sustained impact.

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Main findings

Governors have a secure understanding of the issues within school. Their plans for monitoring are focused on the right areas. One member of the governing body has a background working in and with schools, and is using this expertise to support and challenge senior leaders.

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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.

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Main findings

Following the visit to the school, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 make sure that the school improvement plan specifies clear milestones and success criteria related to pupil achievement, against which the impact of actions can be systematically monitored and evaluated  ensure that, after their training, staff quickly make effective use of the new assessment systems by planning consistently challenging work for all groups of pupils

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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 is providing extensive support to enable the school to make the expected progress against the issues identified in the recent report. It holds regular meetings to challenge the school’s leaders to improve the quality of education and to check that actions being taken are having the desired effect. Support for the school’s leaders has been provided through a partner headteacher. A review of teaching is planned in the near future. The local authority is aware that a number of significant challenges in leadership still remain. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Croydon.

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