Setting

Hilary Allan Headteacher Glenmead Primary School Glenmead Road Birmingham B44 8UQ

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Education Act 2005 to Glenmead Primary School, Birmingham local

Following my visit to your school on 17 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 Glenmead Primary School, Birmingham local

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in December 2012. 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 headteacher, other senior leaders, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor, and a representative of the local authority. The school action plan was evaluated. A range of documentation was reviewed, including senior leaders notes following reviews of pupils’ work. HMI reviewed a few ‘Topic books’ with the headteacher and deputy headteacher and visited some classes to review learning in mathematics.

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Context

Since the recent inspection one class teacher has left. One teacher is currently on family leave. The governing body has appointed a new Chair and Vice Chair of the Governing Body. 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 679 9152 Direct email :sunny.chimber@serco.com

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Main findings

The school’s new action plan is appropriately focused on tackling the issues identified in the recent inspection. The plan does not state who will monitor and evaluate that the actions in the plan are making a difference to pupils’ learning. Neither does the plan contain any short-term aims. This makes it difficult for governors to measure the success of senior leaders’ actions.

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Main findings

Senior leaders regularly check pupils’ work. However, they do not always specify the actions teachers need to take to help pupils make better progress in all subjects. For example, in history pupils of all abilities are sometimes asked to complete the same work. Consequently, pupils do not make as much progress as they should.

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Main findings

Teachers are ensuring pupils regularly write at length in a range of subjects and use punctuation and grammar correctly. This is helping to raise standards in writing. Teachers are giving pupils more opportunities to solve mathematical problems. However, these problems do not always build on what pupils already know. Therefore, mathematical activities are either too easy or too difficult.

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Main findings

Governors have responded enthusiastically towards recent local authority training. They are beginning to ask challenging questions about the progress of different groups of pupils and about the quality of teaching. Governors are starting to visit the school more regularly so that they can check for themselves if senior leaders are helping pupils to make faster progress.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors have begun 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 the school should work with the local authority and the local leader in education to:

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Main findings

 make sure the school action plan states who will monitor and evaluate, and that it contains short-term aims so that governors can check if senior leaders actions are helping pupils to make faster progress  ensure senior leaders identify the actions teachers need to take to help pupils make the progress of which they are capable  make sure all teachers plan mathematical activities which build on what pupils of different abilities already know and can do.

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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

The local authority has organised a suitable and helpful range of support for senior leaders, staff and governors. Training for governors has helped them gain a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Teachers are beginning to improve their practice in response to training and a visit to another local school. The local authority adviser is helping the teacher with responsibility for mathematics to develop his leadership skills. There is scope for further developing the support the local leader in education could offer senior leaders.

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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 Birmingham.

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