Setting

Miss J Walkden Interim Headteacher Poverest Primary School Tillingbourne Green Orpington BR5 2JD

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Education act 2005 to Poverest Primary School

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 Poverest 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 you, other senior leaders, teachers and the Chair of the Governing Body. Informal discussions were held with pupils. The school improvement plan was evaluated.

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Context

Since the inspection, a permanent headteacher has been appointed for September 2013.

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Main findings

The areas for improvement are being tackled with a sense of urgency by you and your senior team. As a result, pupils from all groups are beginning to make accelerated rates of progress. The clear and realistic improvement plan has supported these improvements well. Regular progress meetings, conducted by 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 5323 Direct email :suzy.smith@triblagroup.com senior leaders, are now starting to hold teachers to account for pupils’ achievement. There is more effective support for those pupils who are falling behind.

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Main findings

Weaknesses in teaching are being tackled more rigorously through regular professional development activities,, especially in mathematics. For example, the ‘focus’ weeks for English and mathematics give teachers precise action points to improve their classroom practice and marking. Team meetings, and opportunities to observe other teachers, enable them to discuss and understand good practice. Teachers are now using the revised calculation policy consistently in mathematics, and say it gives them good guidance. The target set to increase the proportion of good and outstanding teaching by April 2013 has been achieved.

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Main findings

Changes to the curriculum include more interesting topic work which is raising pupils’ enthusiasm. Work has been effective in improving the classroom environment, including through good displays of pupils’ work, to make them more stimulating places to learn in.

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Main findings

Members of the governing body have a sound understanding of how well the school is improving. The monitoring committee has just begun to take an in-depth look at each aspect of the school’s action plan, to check the impact on pupils’ achievement. However, the checking of the plan prior to this was informal and not regular.

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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 members of the governing body check the work of school leaders more frequently, to understand the progress made on raising pupils’ achievement.

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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 provided effective support to improve the leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage in light of the revised framework. However, there has been limited support in other areas of the school’s work. This is in line with the local authority’s decision to reduce its support to the school.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body the Director of Children’s Services for Bromley.

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