Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566 857 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: jkinsman@cfbt.com

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Mrs Jane Woolfenden Headteacher Lyndhurst Community Primary School Hill Street Dukinfield Cheshire SK16 4JS

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Education act 2005 to Lyndhurst Community Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 17 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 Lyndhurst 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 and deputy headteacher, three members of the Governing Body and a group of pupils. A meeting was also held with a representative from the local authority and the school improvement partner who is currently supporting this school as a consultant. The school’s development plan, monitoring file and professional development programme were also evaluated.

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Context

Following the inspection there has been some significant staffing disruption involving three classes. This is in the process of being resolved but the staffing re-structuring will not be fully completed until the end of the summer term.

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Main findings

A detailed action plan has been put in place by the headteacher, with advice and support from the school improvement partner. Clear actions are identified and linked to specific improvement outcomes such as standards and quality of teaching. Although the plans are very specific, responsibility is not sufficiently delegated, resulting in too many tasks being dependant on the headteacher. The section on developing the role of middle managers also requires further development

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Main findings

Since the last inspection improvements have been held back by staffing disruptions which are in the process of being resolved. Monitoring of teaching has been tightened up and weak teaching is being challenged more rigorously. Some improvements have been noted by pupils. They talked positively about the fact that they found the focus on ‘success criteria’ to be useful and they understood more clearly what they were expected to know. They are aware that lessons are being monitored more regularly and have noted that teachers ‘talk less’ than previously, allowing them to work more independently. Teachers also check more regularly on what they are doing. However, pupils also feel that they could be stretched further and these improvements are more evident in the classes which have not been affected by teacher absence. A consultant has been employed to teach and provide support in the Early Years Foundation Stage. This has provided some short-term

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Main findings

stability and is beginning to develop more effective provision in this area. A more coherent approach is being developed for training and improving classroom practice. This has involved providing whole school in-service to demonstrate good and outstanding teaching. Use is being made of effective practitioners from inside the school as well as brokered expertise from external providers. There is a specific focus on aspects which have been identified in need of improvement, for example the pace of learning. Plans are in place to identify and match the needs of each teacher as part of a personalised programme of improving and developing more effective classroom practice. Governors are more directly involved and now attend progress meetings. They are attached to specific classes so they can monitor progress and changes 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

continue to implement a personalised approach to staff development and improving teaching, in particular  review the development plan and assign specific tasks to delegate responsibility more equitably across the management team  review the actions for developing the role of middle managers and provide specific strategies to improve their effectiveness  make subject leaders accountable for improving teaching in their areas of responsibility by utilising the support and advice available on the Ofsted subject and good practice site as well as the support and training provided by the subject associations.

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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 sought and brokered its own external support. For example, a school improvement partner has been bought in and has provided training and guidance through joint observations. He has also advised on action planning as well as the analysis and use of progress data. There has been very limited direct involvement from the local authority other than recent attendance at pupil progress meetings and the identification of possible links to schools where effective teaching and classroom practice can be observed.

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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 Tameside.

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