Setting

Mrs Helen Duffy Headteacher Sherwood Junior School Sherwood Street Warsop Mansfield NG20 0JT

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Education act 2005 to Sherwood Junior School

Following my visit to your school on 24 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 Sherwood Junior 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 and other senior leaders, representatives of the governing body, and a group of pupils. A telephone conversation was held with an associate adviser from the local authority. The school improvement plans were evaluated.

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Context

Since the recent inspection which judged the school to require improvement, the substantive headteacher has returned from maternity leave.

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Main findings

The school’s leaders have prepared a plan which contains appropriate actions to tackle all the areas for improvement identified by the inspection. It does not have Serco Inspections 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T :01216 799163 Direct email : lewis.mackie@serco.com quantifiable targets or indicate who is accountable for evaluating the progress of each priority.

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Main findings

Senior leaders are taking effective action to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Teachers now use a consistent approach to planning for reading, including phonics, they mark pupils’ work more effectively and are beginning to use challenging targets to inform lesson planning. As a result, attainment in reading is rising and pupils report that they are being provided with improved guidance so that they understand what they need to do to improve. Whole staff training, such as to improve the teaching of phonics, has been effective. There is not enough training to meet the more specific needs of individual teachers and their assistants.

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Main findings

Senior leaders are taking effective action to increase the engagement of parents in their children’s learning. Reading workshops are providing good opportunities for teachers to demonstrate to parents how they can support their child’s reading at home.

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Main findings

The governing body has received training to update its knowledge of governor roles and responsibilities. Some governors have received training to improve the governing body’s use of pupils’ achievement data to help governors monitor and evaluate the work of the school more effectively.

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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 action plan so that it includes quantitative targets and indicates clearly how progress of each priority will be evaluated  ensure that staff training takes sufficient account of individual needs.

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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 recently appointed an associate adviser to support the school. She is quickly becoming familiar with the school and the areas identified for improvement at the recent section 5 inspection. A clear and focused plan of support is being devised which includes nine adviser support days.

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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 Nottinghamshire.

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