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 566933 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: ggleaden@cfbt.com

p.1

Mrs Helen Headleand Headteacher Bramley Sunnyside Junior School Flanderwell Lane Bramley Rotherham South Yorkshire S66 3QW

p.1

Special measures monitoring inspection of Bramley Sunnyside Junior School

Following my visit to your school on 1 May 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the school's recent section 5 inspection.

p.1

Special measures monitoring inspection of Bramley Sunnyside Junior School

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in January 2013.

p.1

Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, Chair of the Governing Body and representatives of the local authority. The local authority's statement of action and the school's action plan were evaluated.

p.1

Context

One teacher has left the school and been replaced by a temporary teacher. An assistant headteacher has been appointed and will take up post in September

p.1

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The headteacher, who started at the school last September, has gained the confidence of staff and governors. Staff and governors report that relationships with parents have improved. Weaknesses in teaching have been identified and support plans have been put in place for individual staff. A group of teachers have started on a development programme to improve their teaching to good, supported by higher performing local schools. Action has been taken to improve the quality of presentation in pupils’ work, supported by training in the teaching of handwriting. Weaknesses in assessment have been identified and action taken to check and improve its accuracy.

p.2

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The vice-chair has been appointed as the Chair of the Governing Body and brings useful professional expertise. Another governor has been appointed to strengthen the governing body but has not started yet. A standards committee has been set up to monitor the progress of the school more frequently. Since the inspection, governors have started to make improvements to the way they work and are taking more initiative in questioning the progress of the school. A training programme has been planned and governors have received training in understanding the school’s data. New procedures for recording school visits have been introduced and the monitoring of activity funded by the pupil premium is being carried out more systematically. An external audit of governance acknowledged these improvements and made additional recommendations.

p.2

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The school’s action plan focuses accurately on the key issues and clearly identifies the actions to be taken by teaching staff, senior leaders and governors. Dates for actions and monitoring are well documented for the spring and summer terms. The plan has been annotated carefully to show how far actions have been implemented. The plan for the next school year is due to be drawn up in the summer term. Leaders plan to accelerate the annual rates of pupil progress. However, the current Year 6 target for progress in reading over the key stage is lower than the national average. The plan should make explicit reference to the school’s appropriately challenging attainment targets for 2014 and include measures for expected progress over the key stage.

p.2

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The local authority has provided useful early support for the development of school plans, the professional development of staff, including support from other schools, and for the monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning. Local authority consultants have begun to provide support for the development of literacy and numeracy and further work is planned. The local authority statement of action clearly sets out appropriately detailed and timed actions for the spring and summer terms. It should include reference to the school’s targets for 2014. Following the monitoring inspection the following judgements were made:

p.2

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The local authority statement of action is fit for purpose.

p.3

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The school's action plan is fit for purpose.

p.3

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

p.3

The quality of leadership in and management of the school

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Strategic Director, Children & Young People's Services for Rotherham. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

p.3