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 566868 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: pnuttie@cfbt.com

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Mrs. Anne Elliott Executive Principal Pheasant Bank Academy West End Lane Rossington Doncaster South Yorkshire DN11 0PQ

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Education act 2005 to Pheasant Bank Academy, Doncaster

Following my visit to your academy on 19 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 academy since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Education act 2005 to Pheasant Bank Academy, Doncaster

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in. 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 executive principal and the acting head of academy, three members of the governing body, a representative of the sponsor and the academy improvement adviser. The academy action plans were evaluated along with records of classroom observations.

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Context

There have been few changes since the section 5 inspection, which judged the school to require improvement. However, one teacher has joined the school and is teaching in Year 6.

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Main findings

The governors, the executive principal, acting head of academy and senior leadership team have a secure understanding of what needs to be done. The academy’s raising achievement plans are appropriate and address each of the areas requiring improvement. Already senior leaders have begun to implement appropriate actions across the academy to improve teaching, particularly in mathematics. They are beginning to identify specific issues and have a series of actions to support improvement through staff training and peer coaching. However, greater detail is required in order to ensure that teachers’ skills are developed quickly and securely to ensure appropriate pace of learning in all lessons.

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Main findings

Arrangements for checking on the implementation of improvements are clear. A strong element of this is the regular formal and informal observation of lessons. However, there is scope to provide teachers with more detail about the precise impact of their work and which aspects need to be improved.

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Main findings

Governance, judged to be good at the last inspection, continues to be developing. Governors are improving their skills at understanding data and in challenging the work of the school.

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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: ● develop teachers’ skills quickly and securely to ensure appropriate pace of learning in all lessons. • provide teachers with more detail about the precise impact of their work and which aspects need to be improved.

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Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the academy until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

Support from the academy sponsor been effective at strengthening the leadership and governance. Resources are being deployed appropriately so that the sponsor’s Academy Improvement Adviser is able to develop the skills of middle and senior leaders. However, this work is at an early stage.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the sponsor (School Partnership Trust) and the Director of Children's Services for Doncaster.

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