Setting

Mr G Winters Headteacher Victoria Junior School Victoria Road Feltham TW13 4AQ

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Education Act 2005 to Victoria Junior School, Hounslow

Following my visit to your school on 18 April 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 Victoria Junior School, Hounslow

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, I met with you and the deputy headteacher, a group of teaching staff, the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors. I also held a telephone discussion with the consultant supporting the school on behalf of the local authority. We carried out a tour of the school together, visiting lessons in all year groups. I evaluated the school’s Raising Attainment Plan and other documentation, including the latest self-evaluation document and recent data on pupils’ achievement.

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Context

Since the inspection, a new teacher has been appointed to teach a Year 4 class, replacing long-term supply teaching arrangements. 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 5359 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Email :christina.bannerman@tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

The headteacher and his team are working very hard and effectively to drive improvement in the school. The school’s good quality Raising Attainment Plan fully incorporates the findings from the inspection. The plan benefits from clear success criteria that are sharply focused on raising achievement. Success against targets is carefully and regularly monitored. Analysis of intervention strategies is sharper than before so senior staff have a much clearer understanding of which strategies are working and which are not.

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Main findings

The proportion of good teaching is increasing. The headteacher has skilfully cultivated a culture of shared ambition and openness in which teachers are keen to be work together to improve their practice. Teachers value the good quality training and support they have receive, including through peer observations and the modelling of good practice by senior staff. Lesson observations are detailed, but do not focus sufficiently on analysing the progress made by more vulnerable groups of learners, including those eligible for the pupil premium. The school’s current data show that improvements to teaching are accelerating pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics, in some cases very rapidly, although some pupils are still behind where they should be, particularly in Years 3 and 4. Leaders and managers know that much work remains to be done to make up for past underachievement if the school is to become good within the expected two years.

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Main findings

Marking is improving but is still not consistently good. It is stronger in literacy than in numeracy because literacy targets are more specific, detailed and helpful. Books show some examples of pupils taking immediate steps to address the teachers’ comments, but this practice is far from embedded.

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Main findings

In the lessons visited, pupils engaged well in a range of imaginative problem-solving and investigative activities. They were captivated by some of the teaching, for example, in Year 3, where they had to research and then provide information to a traveller going on a journey to India. However, a few pupils made slower progress in mathematics because teaching did not ensure they understood the mathematical concepts which underpinned the learning.

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Main findings

Governors have responded appropriately to the recommendations from the last inspection by arranging for an external review of governance to take place. Three governors have begun the Leadership Development Programme for governors delivered through the National College for Teaching and Leadership. The Chair of Governors now makes sure that all governors show the necessary commitment to in fulfilling their roles. Governors are working much more closely with the teaching staff than before and teachers report how they value this shared approach to improving the school. Governors have a growing understanding of performance data but recognise they need to have a stronger overview of how well different groups of pupils are doing, including those eligible for the pupil premium. Governors have not yet looked at the School Data Dashboard which provides valuable information on the school’s performance.

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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, I recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 ensure staff are familiar with the findings of the Ofsted reports, Mathematics: made to measure and Good practice in primary mathematics: evidence from 20 successful schools  secure greater consistency in marking, particularly in numeracy, and ensure that pupils are required more consistently to immediately address the areas for improvement identified by the teacher  ensure that lesson observations include a focus on groups of pupils that the school knows are at risk of underachieving, including those eligible for the Pupil Premium  ensure governors make full use of available information of pupils’ achievement, including through the School Data Dashboard.

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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 benefitted from good quality external support brokered by the local authority. This has included good quality training in middle leadership for team leaders, training for senior staff and rigorous scrutinies of pupils’ work to highlight strengths and weaknesses in their achievement. Governors value the training provided by the local authority, including the training for new governors. Arrangements have been made for the school to work with a local school which recently improved its Ofsted rating to good.

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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 Hounslow. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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