Setting

Mrs W Bolton Headteacher Mengham Junior School Palmerston Road Hayling Island PO11 9ET

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Education act 2005 to Mengham Junior 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. 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 you, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors, and there was a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. The school improvement plans were evaluated. Child protection records were scrutinised due to recent changes in staffing.

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Context

Significant changes since the last inspection include the deputy headteacher leaving the school, and agreement of the local authority for the school to become 2 form entry and to teach in year-based classes throughout, from September 2013. Two additional members of staff will be employed as a consequence.

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Main findings

Your ‘excellent leadership’, referred to in the previous inspection report, continues to have a strong and positive effect on the achievement of pupils. You continue to bring vigour and determination to the process of improving teaching through a relentless 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 3115319 Direct F 0117 3150430 Email :matthew.parker@tribalgroup.com focus on responding to the needs of learners. Teachers’ planning now takes into account previous learning, and involves higher expectations of all pupils. More strategies are in place to offer challenge to pupils of all abilities through the provision of appropriate work. Techniques to gauge and respond to the progress being made throughout a lesson are emphasised in the training now provided, and this is supporting pacier and more secure learning. Year 6 continues to be a priority, as

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Main findings

these pupils need to catch up on several years of underachievement before their tests in the summer.

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Main findings

Middle leaders are relishing their new role exercising responsibility for the quality of learning in their year groups, and working with colleagues to improve specific aspects of their teaching. Marking is more effective and practices are more consistent across the school. Governors are working much better as a critical friend to the school because they are using better quality information about the achievement of groups of pupils, and improvements in the quality of teaching. The very well-focused development plans include ways of enabling governors to closely monitor the progress of all of the school’s priorities, and governors are playing a much more active role in the day-to-day work to drive up standards.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are taking 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

 attend an upper school progress review meeting next term, and undertake a series of short visits to lessons with middle leaders to identify emerging good practice and discuss approaches to coaching staff  visit the school this summer to review Key Stage 2 test outcomes.

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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 is making very good use of adviser support from the local authority in mathematics and English, and the involvement of an advanced skills teacher, to improve the quality of teaching. A senior member of staff from a neighbouring school also supports development work in the school. You benefit from a National College of School Leadership mentor as part of your induction.

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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 Hampshire.

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