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 566939 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: glaw@cfbt.com

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Mr Richard Oulton Headteacher Grange Primary School Cambridge Road Grimsby North East Lincolnshire DN34 5TA

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Education act 2005 to Grange Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 7 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 on the telephone when planning the visit. Would you thank the deputy headteacher and assistant headteacher for the time they 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 Grange 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 deputy headteacher and one of the assistant headteachers, members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. The school improvement plan was evaluated along with other school documentation including records from lesson observations.

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Context

There have been a small number of contextual changes since the school was inspected in November 2012. One class teacher has resigned and left the school in December 2012. This class is currently being taught by a supply teacher. One class teacher has been absent due to sickness since the start of this term and the class has been taught by supply teachers. On the day of this inspection the headteacher was absent due to sickness.

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Main findings

Senior leaders, 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, timescales and milestones. However, although some arrangements for checking on the implementation of improvements are evident, the arrangements for monitoring the impact of planned improvements, such as staff training, are under-developed. The plan does not always clearly identify what will be checked, or how or when this will be done. Additionally, the role of governors in monitoring and evaluating the impact of the plan is not made clear.

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Main findings

Staff meetings have been devoted to training and whole school development activities. For example, staff undertook training on how to modify lesson tasks and the use of resources in order to better meet the needs of all pupils. Further work has been undertaken to improve teachers’ skills in tracking pupils’ attainment and progress and there are plans to undertake regular reviews of pupils’ progress.

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Main findings

Governors have been involved in influencing the development of the post inspection action plan. They are demonstrating their ability to question and hold senior leaders to account for the performance of the school, including rates of progress made by pupils. The headteacher’s termly report to the governing body provides some useful information and is complemented by a detailed report about pupils’ progress, which means governors are well placed to question and challenge the work of senior leaders. However, the headteacher’s report does not routinely identify what progress has been made in connection with each of the areas for improvement.

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

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Main findings

 improve the arrangements for monitoring the impact of the planned improvements by identifying what will be checked, when it will be checked and by whom  ensure that governors conduct regular evaluations of the planned improvements  make sure that the headteacher’s termly report to governors provides detailed information about progress and developments against the areas for improvement.

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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 has produced a support plan to help the school to improve. The local authority officer has supported senior leaders well in developing the post inspection action plan and has brokered some well-targeted support from educational consultants.

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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 North East Lincolnshire. Yours sincerely

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