Setting

Catherine Clarke Headteacher King's Oak Primary School Dickerage Lane New Malden Surrey KT3 3RZ

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Education act 2005 to King's Oak Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 4 February 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 King's Oak 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.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior leaders, a representative of the local authority and four governors including the Chair and Vice- Chair of the Governing Body. The school improvement plan and other documentation relating to the plan were evaluated. Governors’ minutes and local authority notes of visit were also evaluated. The HMI carried out a tour of the school with the headteacher and her deputy.

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Context

Three new governors have been elected to the governing body to establish a full complement of governors. 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 5307 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : Emma.Thomson@ tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

Senior leaders, governors and staff are responding constructively to the inspection judgement. They know the school well and show a strong commitment to improving performance quickly to make the school good. Self-evaluation had recognised most of the areas for improvement identified at the section 5 inspection and these were already included in the school improvement plan. Senior leaders, supported by the governing body, have since made good use of the recommendations to develop further action plans that augment the school improvement plan. These are clearly targeted at tackling the areas of the school’s work requiring improvement. Action plans have measurable success criteria and timescales but lack clear milestones. The plans focus on improving teaching and the rates of progress that all pupils are expected to achieve. The school is in the process of redeveloping its improvement plan. The current plan is very detailed but does not actively chart the school’s

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Main findings

The governing body have worked closely with the senior leaders and the local authority to carry out their role more effectively. Governors’ show increased confidence in checking on the school’s performance and challenging it. Senior leaders have set up a short-term review timetable to evaluate the success of action plans. Governors are not currently playing an active role in monitoring these plans; this is often done by the same senior staff delivering actions. However, the Chair of the Governing body is regularly updated on the school’s progress by senior leaders and has produced a review document for other governors detailing the school’s current position. A carefully targeted training and development programme is in place to improve teaching and the school can evidence improvement since the previous inspection.

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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

 develop a new school improvement plan that clearly and strategically targets when and how the school will become good for the school’s action plans to feed into

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Main findings

 ensure that monitoring of the school’s progress to good involves governors and senior staff not personally involved in delivering actions

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Main findings

 sharpen the monitoring of the school’s journey to good by developing clear milestones set at regular intervals to measure the school’s progress.

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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 school has been well supported by the local authority. Local authority consultants are working with the school leadership to improve teaching and learning and are supporting the moderation of teacher assessments. For example, the local authority mathematics adviser works at the school one day a week and the literacy adviser is a frequent visitor to the school.

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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 Kingston.

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