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 566863 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: jbennett@cfbt.com

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Mrs Cheryl Ward Headteacher Forest View Primary Rembrandt Avenue South Shields Tyne and Wear NE34 8RZ

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Education act 2005 to Forest View Primary, South Tyneside

Following my visit to your school on 8 May 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 Forest View Primary, South Tyneside

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in March 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit I held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, members of the governing body including the Chair and a local authority school improvement adviser. I reviewed a range of documents including school and local authority improvement plans.

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Context

A senior leader returned from long term sickness leave this term. A middle leader on sickness returned for a short period shortly after the inspection but is again absent.

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Main findings

Following the inspection, the headteacher and governors worked quickly to amend the school improvement plan to include areas identified for improvement in the inspection report. Local authority advisers have also developed an action plan that identifies clearly the specific actions their staff and staff from partner schools are taking to hasten improvement. The school’s action plan is detailed and contains challenging targets for Year 2 and Year 6 pupils. However some of the targets and criteria for measuring success across all priorities are not sharp enough. For example, the plan does not identify targets for pupils identified within the report whose progress is not good enough, such as those entitled to free school meals, low ability pupils or more able pupils. Furthermore, it is not always clear which are the new actions in the plan. Such issues make it difficult for governors to monitor the impact of

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Main findings

The headteacher quickly put in place time-limited support plans for teachers whose teaching requires improvement and considers that actions are beginning to increase the proportion of good teaching. Middle leaders, with support and guidance from the headteacher and local authority advisers are starting to be more involved in monitoring the quality of teaching, teachers’ planning and in developing more consistent assessment procedures across the school. Opportunities for them to share the good practice in teaching already in the school or to observe outstanding practice in the partner schools locally have yet to start.

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Main findings

Governors are determined that the school will be good by its next inspection and a small group quickly supported the headteacher in amending plans and attending monitoring meetings with the local authority. They have secured training from the local authority adviser to improve their understanding of the school’s data including the Ofsted school dashboard. Training on this and on how to sharpen their practice in monitoring and reviewing the impact of the action plan is planned to begin shortly for all governors.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are beginning 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:

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Main findings

sharpen the school improvement plan to include measurable targets for pupils identified as underachieving in the inspection report  clearly identify amendments to the plan and those that are specifically linked to the recommendations for improvement in the inspection report so that governors can check more easily the impact of the actions taken  extend opportunities for teachers to see and learn from good practice in the school and the outstanding practice in the partner schools.

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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 school improvement advisers have provided effective, targeted support to the leaders, staff and the governing body since November and developed plans to hasten improvement following the inspection. Work to support leaders in improving teaching has been enhanced by advisers working with middle managers to develop their skills in the observation of teaching. They have successfully facilitated school-to-school support from a national leader of education from New York Primary School in North Tyneside and leaders from a local school, Marine Park Primary.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's and Adult’s Services for South Tyneside.

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