Setting

Mrs Rhona Perry The Meads Primary School Mill Way East Grinstead RH19 4DD

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school requiring improvement

Following my visit to your school on 23 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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school requiring improvement

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in January 2013.

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Evidence

During the visit, I held meetings with you and other senior leaders, three governors including the Chair of Governors, and a representative of the local authority. I evaluated the school’s improvement plan. I also reviewed the school’s records of lesson observations made since the inspection, minutes of recent governing body meetings, reports of recent visits by local authority officers, and current information that the school has about pupils’ achievement. You showed me around the school and we saw every class at work. I looked at a number of pupils’ books.

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Context

There have been no significant staff changes since the inspection. Three governors have left the governing body and they have been replaced by three new governors. The term of office of one other parent governor has now come to an end and this person is seeking to be appointed as a local authority governor. 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

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection.

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Main findings

Senior leaders have explained the components of good teaching to all staff. Fortnightly training sessions look at each component of teaching that requires improvement, for example good quality planning. Following training, teachers work in pairs to improve each component. Senior leaders are monitoring the impact of this work by regularly dropping into lessons. Their observations show that this strategy is successfully spreading good practice.

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Main findings

All teachers have been formally observed teaching since the inspection by a senior leader, and will continue to be observed every six weeks. These observations are now sharply focused on the progress pupils are making in lessons. This was not the case in the past. Senior leaders provide very clear points for improvement to staff and this strategy is having a positive impact. For example, one teacher was asked to improve her marking and feedback in mathematics, and the evidence in pupils’ books shows that this is now far better. Senior leaders are now coaching those staff whose teaching requires improvement. Middle leaders are also being supported to make sure that their roles are properly and fully focused on improving teaching and accelerating pupils’ progress. The impact of this work has yet to be seen.

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Main findings

The school’s information shows that pupils’ achievement in mathematics is improving. Crucially, this is also the case for pupils who are eligible for free school meals. Many pupils have already made expected progress this year. Teachers have improved marking and feedback in mathematics since the inspection, so pupils are now more aware of what they need to do to improve. Pupils have regular opportunities to act on points raised in marking and feedback and to get extra help. Teachers are now beginning to adapt their plans for mathematics lessons to meet the needs of all pupils.

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Main findings

Governors have begun to challenge school leaders more effectively and want to continue to do this. The school now measures pupils’ progress more regularly and precisely, making it easier for governors to hold leaders to account and to evaluate the impact of improvements on the quality of teaching. Some governors, but not all, are aware of strengths and weaknesses in the quality of teaching.

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Main findings

The new school action plan addresses all of the areas for improvement from the inspection. There are ambitious but realistic goals which, if realised, will place the school firmly on the path to becoming good. The governing body plan to regularly evaluate the school’s progress, but it is not yet clear how and when they will do this. Following the visit to the school, I recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 amend the action plan to show who will be regularly evaluating the school’s progress, when this will happen, and how  ensure that all governors know about strengths and weaknesses in teaching, and how to use information about pupils’ progress to effectively challenge the school

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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

Local authority support has increased since the inspection. The school improvement adviser helped structure the action plan. She has also done some lesson observations which resulted in a report with clear judgements, but no recommendations for improvement; these should be a feature of future observations. A further local authority adviser is helping to coach some teachers and the middle leaders. There are plans to make links with other schools where there is effective practice, and funding has been allocated to allow teachers to visit these schools and observe this practice.

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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 West Sussex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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