Setting

Mr L Selby Headteacher Egerton Church of England Primary School Stisted Way Ashford TN27 9DR

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Education act 2005 to Egerton Church of England Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 25 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 Egerton Church of England Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in December 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, two assistant headteachers, five members of the governing body and the school improvement adviser. The school improvement plan was evaluated. Records of visits by governors and the school improvement adviser were looked at. The Kent Challenge school action plan, the headteacher’s report to governors, information about the school’s monitoring of teaching and the progress that pupils make were also considered.

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Context

There have been no significant staff changes since the last inspection. One teacher has been on sickness leave since the end of January. The vice chair of governors has very recently left and there are currently vacancies for two community 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 5319 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Direct email : matthew.parker@ tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors have responded quickly to the findings of the last inspection. They held a meeting with parents to share the inspection findings and inform them of the steps they are taking to improve rapidly. The detailed school action plan has been amended to include the priorities for improvement. Key milestones are measurable so leaders and governors can monitor and evaluate the progress that is being made on the school’s journey to becoming good. The targets and success measures in the plan are precise and quantifiable.

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Main findings

Changes have been made to how the progress that pupils make is reviewed. Regular meetings involve senior leaders, the English and mathematics leaders and the class teachers. Teachers are required to analyse their class performance and identify pupils at risk of underachieving. Discussions then focus on what is going to be done to help them catch up. Consequently, staff have a greater understanding of what is expected of them and how they will be held accountable for pupils’ progress.

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Main findings

The performance of staff is monitored systematically. The headteacher keeps a close watch on the progress of pupils who are underachieving, visiting them in lessons twice every week. Information from lesson observations, looking at pupil’s books and pupil progress data are all taken into consideration when evaluating the quality of teaching and learning. Relevant support and training is provided to improve practice where needed. Good practice is being shared and staff have led literacy and mathematics workshops for parents to help them support their child at home.

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Main findings

Governors are given detailed, candid information about teaching and learning. They use the information they have to ask pertinent questions and so provide both support and challenge to the senior leaders. They have changed the way they work to link more closely to the priorities in the school action plan. This provides a clear focus for their regular visits to the school which are well documented. They support staff training and have been clear that they want to see records of what difference the training is making. The local authority and school’s monitoring information show that teaching is improving and the progress that pupil make is accelerating.

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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 by the school to:

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Main findings

 embed consistently good teaching in all years groups and tackle any that falls short of this quickly  build on effective practice in the school by improving good teaching to outstanding.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the school until its next section 5 inspection by visiting again in the autumn term to conduct joint observations of lessons with senior leaders and the most effective teachers.

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External support

The local authority has intensified its support since the previous inspection. Its action plan dovetails with the school’s own improvement plan well so actions are coordinated and relevant. The local authority has funded two teachers to participate in an outstanding teacher programme. These teachers are sharing what they have learned with others. This is helping to improve planning, including how effectively work is matched to the different needs of pupils. Additional funding to improve teaching that requires improvement has also been made available. The support and challenge provided by the school improvement adviser has been valued. It has reassured senior leaders that the actions they are taking are the right ones to help the school improve quickly.

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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 Kent Local Authority.

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