Setting

Roy Kerrigan Headteacher Two Moors Primary School Cowleymoor Road Tiverton EX16 6HH

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Education act 2005 to Two Moors Primary School, Devon

Following my visit to your school on 13 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 Two Moors Primary School, Devon

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

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Evidence

During the visit I met with you, two assistant headteachers, four senior leaders each leading teaching teams within the school, the special educational needs coordinator, the designated teacher for safeguarding and the Chair of the Governing Body. I also met with a representative of the local authority. In addition to these meetings, I evaluated the school action plan, scrutinised data on the progress made by pupils and the plans relating to the support for the improvement of teaching.

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Context

There have been no significant changes in staffing at the school since the inspection in February. The long serving headteacher is to retire at the end of this term. Governors have appointed a new headteacher who will take up her appointment in September and transition arrangements are in place. 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

Support for teachers across the school to improve their practice has been concentrated appropriately on the issues noted in the inspection report. There has been a particular focus on pupils taking a more active role in their learning through, for example, the development of talking partners to check and reinforce understanding in lessons. The regular review of pupils’ work by senior leaders has concentrated on the use of marking to support pupils’ learning and help them meet their targets. The relatively weaker progress by pupils in mathematics identified by progress tracking has led to a strong focus on this subject which has included the planned monitoring of teaching by senior leaders. Where monitoring procedures for teaching identifies any weaknesses, support programmes are developed which form part of the performance management cycle for teachers. However, overall, this range of support and development work has yet to result in a consistent increase in

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Main findings

Pupils’ achievement continues to be monitored regularly at pupil progress meetings and this information is used to hold teachers to account by senior leaders. These meetings are now an established part of teachers’ performance management as well as a means of identifying pupils who may be in danger of underachieving and providing appropriate support. The latest school data show improved attainment measures for the current Year 6 pupils, compared to last year.

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Main findings

The development of the pupil progress tracking system means that senior leaders now have a more effective tool for monitoring the achievement made by pupils. This enables management decisions to be made in a more timely way so that, for example, resources can be targeted to provide support programmes for specific groups of pupils. Governors have a clear understanding of this process and review the progress towards whole school targets at committee and full meetings of the governing body. The school’s action plan is a clear document with success criteria, timescales for actions, staff responsibilities and milestones to be achieved. Evaluation of the plan is through key questions to be considered at the end of each term. However, although these questions are appropriate, the plan does not enable senior leaders to review the success or otherwise of actions or to note specific areas for development. This means that the action plan is not as effective as it could be as

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Main findings

a working document, building on previous improvements and rectifying areas that have fallen short of set targets.

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Main findings

There are clear examples in the school where work is focused on applying pupils’ writing and mathematical skills based on planned themes, visits, visitors to the school and first-hand learning. However, this work is not sufficiently coordinated across the school so that specific skills can be reinforced through a range of subjects. Senior leaders are aware of this and are beginning to review how aspects of writing and mathematics can be developed through other subjects. Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. Following this monitoring visit to the school, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 strengthen the action plan to include judgements on the termly milestone evaluations which include information on any further action to be taken

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Main findings

 review whole school curriculum planning so that pupils can use more planned opportunities to develop their writing and mathematical skills in other subjects more consistently.

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Main findings

I will make further visits to support senior leaders in monitoring teaching and the standards found in books, together with discussing with governors their roles in holding senior leaders to account. I will also meet the new headteacher in the autumn term to review progress against the school’s action plan.

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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 been focused appropriately on improving the quality of teaching, in supporting the analysis of pupil achievement and in reinforcing development planning and governance. The school is right to value this support which has made a strong contribution to the effective action taken so far. The local authority has also provided clear guidance for the governing body as part of the process for the appointment of the new headteacher.

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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 Devon. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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