Setting

Mrs J Baker Headteacher Barlby Community Primary School Hilltop Barlby Selby North Yorkshire YO8 5JQ

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Education act 2005 to Barlby Community Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 22 March 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 Barlby Community Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in January 2013. 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, the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority and a group of pupils from Years 1 to 6. The school action plans were evaluated and a tour of the school was undertaken.

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Context

Since the recent inspection, which judged the school to require improvement, a class teacher and a deputy headteacher have resigned. A Key Stage 1 class teacher is currently absent due to an injury.

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Main findings

School improvement plans show an appropriate focus on all of the areas for improvement identified in the recent inspection. The headteacher has a secure CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email :jbennett@cfbt.com understanding of what needs to be done to improve the quality of teaching and learning particularly in Key Stage 1. A common approach to teaching reading and writing skills has begun. New reading targets have been introduced and shared with pupils and their families, and a stock of new books are adding greater choice and variety to encourage pupils’ development of regular reading habits. Pupils are beginning to receive useful feedback about how to improve their writing and some are responding well to this. Actions to support and strengthen lesson planning are

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Main findings

taking place and the school are drawing upon good practice in other schools to clarify and inform teachers’ expectations. The impact of all the initiatives has yet to be demonstrated in pupils’ achievement, particularly at Key Stage 1, and opportunities for all subject leaders to regularly monitor pupils’ achievement are understated.

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Main findings

Governors are developing their role in checking the quality of the school’s work. However actions and timescales are sometimes unclear and do not assist them in understanding the difference they are intended to make to pupils learning.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are beginning 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

 clarify success criteria and timescales in the improvement plan to clearly reflect the impact they are intended to have on pupils’ learning  strengthen the role of subject leaders in monitoring pupils’ attainment and progress.

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Main findings

HMI and the school discussed and agreed that the school will attend an Ofsted seminar later this term.

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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 have drawn upon local authority advice and support during the recent staffing changes. Training provided by local authority officers is supporting new governors and helping them to develop confidence in their role. The school are working closely with the local authority to explore approaches to improving pupils’ attainment in writing and mathematics.

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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 Yorkshire and as below.

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