Setting

Mrs R Finney Acting Headteacher Wistanstow CofE Primary School Wistanstow Craven Arms SY7 8DQ

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 24 May 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report 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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Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in 7-8 March 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit, I met you, teachers and teaching assistants, the Chair and two other members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I evaluated the improvement plan; I scrutinised a range of documents and walked round the school with you.

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Main findings

Since the inspection you have been working systematically to address the key issues. You have written an action plan which covers the key issues. It does not always identify measurable outcomes and enough milestones to enable you to measure your progress. You have introduced a more robust system to track pupils’ progress which you are monitoring half termly. Teachers’ assessments have been moderated with the local cluster of schools and with the local authority to give them a more Serco Inspections 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0121 6799163 Direct email :lewis.mackie1@serco.com accurate view of pupils’ work. You have begun to monitor information concerning how effectively the pupil premium is spent.

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Main findings

All teachers and teaching assistants spoke confidently about your leadership of the school and understood the issues for development. The staff in Reception have had training to help them to meet the learning needs of children through more child initiated play and to allow free flow into the outdoor area.

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Main findings

The new Chair of the Governing Body has acted decisively to ensure that all governors are better informed and able to carry out their role. The governing body has carried out an audit of its skills and has commissioned a review of its work. Some governors have already had training and plans are in hand to extend training to all governors. Governors are reviewing the work of their subcommittees and the role of link governors to align them with the key issues identified in the inspection.

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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. The school should take further action to:

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Main findings

 ensure the school development plan has measurable targets and milestones so that you can judge whether you are making progress.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the school until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

Support provided by the local authority is effective in helping you tackle the weaknesses identified by the inspection. The local authority adviser meets with you regularly to discuss pupils’ progress and to moderate your judgments. It has brokered effective support to improve the rigour of the school’s tracking of pupils’ progress and to improve the learning in Reception.

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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 Shropshire and the Diocese for Hereford.

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