Setting

Mrs D Lawry Headteacher Mill Hill Primary School Mill Road Waterlooville PO7 7DB

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Education act 2005 to Mill Hill Primary School, Hampshire

Following my visit to your school on 30 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 Mill Hill Primary School, Hampshire

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 the executive headteacher, the head of school, the English and mathematics subject leaders, four members of the governing body and a group of pupils. Her Majesty’s Inspector also had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. The school improvement plan and the action plan for mathematics and the more able pupils were evaluated.

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Context

Since the inspection, the mathematics subject leader has returned from maternity leave. One teacher has begun maternity leave. 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 were disappointed at the inspection judgement. Nevertheless, they have quickly focused on the areas identified for improvement and have readjusted their strategic plan with suitable actions planned to improve achievement, teaching and leadership. The strategic plan is fit for purpose. It is a well-focused document that provides clarity of purpose and specific actions with clear timescales. However, the planned numerical milestones in the plan are not sufficiently challenging. The milestones do not take pupils’ current attainment into account in order to set greater expectations of pupils’ progress.

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Main findings

Senior leaders reflected on the progress towards achieving the intended actions within the strategic plan at the end of the spring term and adjustments were made where necessary to increase the impact of their actions on raising pupils’ achievement. They are placing a greater focus during lesson observations on pupils’ learning and areas identified for improvement are checked at subsequent observations. Training has been put in place to increase the monitoring skills of the English and mathematics subject leaders. Joint lesson observations and further training for middle leaders has begun to increase their understanding of how to determine the quality of pupils’ learning in lessons. It is now necessary to gather a wider range of evidence to support judgements on the quality of pupils’ learning.

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Main findings

A review of marking and feedback to pupils is underway, to increase the information provided for pupils to enable them to clearly understand how to improve their learning. The use of homework to support pupils’ learning is also under review. The outcome of discussions with pupils, parents and teaching staff have been considered. To ensure the impact of independent learning during lessons staff require further guidance and support to provide sufficient challenge during these activities, particularly for more-able pupils.

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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:

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Main findings

 sharpen the numerical milestones within the strategic plan to set higher expectations for pupils’ progress in reading, writing and mathematics linked to their starting points  ensure that teachers explore further what able pupils are capable of in different subjects during independent activities and carefully monitor the level of challenge they provide.  focus more sharply on gathering a range of evidence to support the schools’ judgements on teaching and 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

Senior leaders have worked with the local authority to determine the level of support required. The lead learning partner has completed a review of the curriculum and identified some aspects for further improvement. The English and mathematics consultants have provided effective support for the English and mathematics subject leaders to review pupils’ progress and increase the level of challenge to raise levels of achievement.

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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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