Setting

Mrs L Clement Headteacher Park View Junior School Pinkerton Road Basingstoke RG22 6RT

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Education act 2005 to Park View Junior School, Hampshire

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 Park View Junior School, Hampshire

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in February 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, the deputy headteacher, the Chair of the Governing Body and two other governors and a group of pupils. Her Majesty’s Inspector also had a telephone conversation with an officer from the local authority. The school improvement plan was evaluated. A range of documents were scrutinised including some governing body minutes, reports from local authority officers and samples of pupils’ writing and mathematics work.

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Context

There have been no changes in context since the previous inspection. 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

Although staff and governors were disappointed at the outcome of the previous inspection, they have quickly focused on the most important areas for improvement identified in the inspection report. A new school improvement plan has been devised which focuses on appropriate strategies and actions to address the four areas for improvement. Staff responsible for implementing the actions have been identified throughout the plan. The plan includes deadlines and intended outcomes for each action, but these are not linked closely enough to measurable improvements in pupils’ learning. Within the plan there are clear measurable targets for different groups of pupils. However, the plan would be further strengthened by showing key milestones relating to pupils’ achievement in reading, writing and mathematics at specific times throughout the year.

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Main findings

There has been a clear focus on increasing the proportion of good and outstanding teaching. Senior leaders have introduced a range of prompts to support teachers when they plan their lessons. This is leading to greater consistency in the quality of planning and is helping teachers to meet the learning needs of all groups of pupils, included disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. Expectations are clear and the headteacher has devised a monitoring programme which includes lesson observations, the scrutiny of pupils’ work and monitoring of lesson planning. Where weaknesses in teaching have been identified, coaching and support are provided. Teachers also watch each others’ lessons: this enables them to observe good practice and identify how their own teaching can be improved. For some teachers, specific action plans linked to areas identified for development are in place. Teachers have responded well to the greater focus during staff meetings on how to

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Main findings

increase the impact of their teaching on pupils’ learning in lessons.

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Main findings

Senior leaders have increased the challenge in reading for higher ability pupils. New reading material has been purchased to provide a breadth of reading experiences for these pupils. In addition, worthwhile guided reading sessions targeted to particular pupils are regularly delivered by the English subject leader and the deputy headteacher.

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Main findings

There is a greater emphasis in lesson observations on measuring the progress pupils make in their learning. Information on pupils’ attainment and progress is regularly checked. Governors are also increasing their understanding of the school’s own data on pupils’ progress and how it compares to groups of pupils nationally.

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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 improve the school development plan by:  providing more detail regarding the expected success and timings of the different steps planned to address the areas for improvement  linking the key actions more closely to their intended impact on pupils’ learning, with clear milestones linked to pupils’ achievement.

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Main findings

 send the modified school improvement plan to the HMI by the end of May.

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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 a range of support through the lead learning partner (LLP) and the English and mathematics advisors. The LLP has provided effective support to revise the school improvement plan. His lesson observations and checks on pupils’ progress in writing and mathematics have supported the English and mathematics subject leaders well.

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

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