Setting

Martyn Owen Headteacher Murray Park Community School Murray Road Mickleover Derby DE3 9LL

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Education act 2005 to Murray Park Community School

Following my visit to your school on 25 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 Murray Park Community School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection on 17 and 18 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, two members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. The school development plan and post-Ofsted action plan were evaluated. The school’s latest progress data and outcomes of lessons observations were also scrutinised.

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Context

The school has appointed a deputy head to oversee the development of the quality of teaching in the school. This is a temporary position until the end of the academic year. 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 121 679 9168 Direct email :beverley.joyner@serco.com

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Main findings

Following the section 5 inspection, the school’s leaders devised an action plan which built on the school’s original development plan. This clearly shows the steps required to drive improvements. Although the governing body are monitoring this, there needs to be less time between their reviews to ensure that the actions are implemented as rapidly as possible and that the school’s leaders are held sufficiently to account for the speed of their actions.

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Main findings

The actions taken so far have clearly had a positive impact on the quality of teaching overall and on the proportion of teachers delivering good or better lessons. This has been achieved by focussing on different aspects of teaching and sharing ideas about how to improve them, through training and coaching. The improved quality of teaching has been evidenced through lesson observations and learning walks. The monitoring of progress made by students has also improved, especially in Years 10 and 11; there is an enhanced awareness of which pupils are in line to make 3 levels of progress during their time in the school and what support can be provided to those who are underachieving.

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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

 Create a sub-committee of the governing body to exclusively focus on evaluating the action plan and ensuring that it is implemented as speedily as practicable – HMI to advise on this if required  Create a link with a local school focusing on improving the quality of data systems to track pupil progress

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Main findings

HMI will provide additional support by:  Attending a meeting with senior leaders to discuss the improved use of data and the development of systems to ensure it is being used as effectively as possible to drive improved progress.  Working with the newly formed governors’ monitoring group meeting to consider ways in which how governors can effectively monitor the progress of the action plan  Monitoring the reports to governors and the headteacher’s evaluations of the impact of the action plan. Headteacher to forward reports to HMI as they are produced  Working with middle leaders to improve the quality of feedback given to staff following lesson observations.

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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 help from a variety of sources in the local authority and are using these well to supplement the work which is taking place in the school, including support from national leader of education and professional networks within the local authority. This support is starting to impact on the areas where improvement is required. The support that is provided by the local authority’s senior support officer has validated the school’s judgments and has also provided effective support and advice to leaders.

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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 Derby City local authority. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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