Setting

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

p.1

Mrs Christina Clarke Headteacher Carlton-in-Snaith Community Primary School Townend Avenue Carlton Goole DN14 9NR

p.1

Education act 2005 to Carlton-in-Snaith Community 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.

p.1

Education act 2005 to Carlton-in-Snaith Community Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in November 2012. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Evidence

During the visit meetings were held with the headteacher, five members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. The school improvement plan was evaluated along with other key school documents, including lesson observation records.

p.1

Context

There have been very few changes to the school’s context since the recent inspection which judged the school to require improvement. However, one member of the teaching staff has resigned and will leave her post at the end of the current term.

p.1

Main findings

The headteacher, staff and governors are keen to bring about improvement in order to provide pupils with a good education. The school improvement plan has been rewritten to take account of the inspection findings and includes all of the areas which were judged to require improvement. The plan identifies clear success criteria, actions and timescales but does not always identify key milestones against which progress can be measured. Since the previous inspection the arrangements for undertaking regular observations of classroom learning have been improved. Although described as ‘informal’ the programme of classroom observations is designed to drive improvement. A strong feature of these is that the observations focus clearly on the learning and progress of all groups, the use of effective questioning, learning behaviour and the use of teaching assistants. All of which relate directly to the areas identified as requiring improvement. Records indicate that these

p.2

Main findings

observations generally identify strengths along with suggestions for improvements. The senior staff check that their advice and suggestions are being acted upon.

p.2

Main findings

Staff meetings have been devoted to training and whole school development activities. For example, staff undertook a scrutiny of pupils’ work to identify strengths and areas where improvement could be made. Already there are dates set for senior leaders to check on the impact of this work when they make visits to classrooms and scrutinise work in books.

p.2

Main findings

Governors have been proactive in influencing the drafting of the school development plan so that they know that the most important areas are being addressed. Of particular note is the formation of the ‘rapid improvement group’ of governors, who meet regularly to oversee the implementation of the plan. Named members of this group are responsible for monitoring and evaluating aspects of the plan. These governors are clear about their role in holding leaders to account for the progress made in securing improvement.

p.2

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

p.2

Main findings

 identify clear milestones against actions in the school development plan so that progress can be measured each term or half term.

p.2

Main findings

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

p.2

External support

The headteacher is engaging well with the local authority and values the support that is available. The local authority has produced a support plan to help the school to improve. The local authority officer has brokered support from education development advisors and has signposted the school to other sources of support such as outstanding schools within the local authority. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for North Yorkshire.

p.2