Setting

Abigail Huggins St Andrew's Benn CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School Chester Street Rugby CV21 3NX

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CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

Following my visit with Jan Connor HMI, to your school on 6 June 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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CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

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

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CofE (Voluntary Aided) Primary School

During the visit, I held meetings with your and your deputy, the leaders responsible for mathematics and history and two members of the Governing Body including the Chair of the Governors. I also met with a representative of the local authority. I scrutinised information about the progress made by pupils, school improvement plans, the minutes of the meetings of the governing body and the school’s records of its recent monitoring activity. 10 lessons were visited to evaluate the quality of teaching

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Context

Since the last inspection, an associate governor has joined the governing body from a local independent school.

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Main findings

In all year groups, pupils are making better progress as a result of the improvements you are making to teaching. You are understandably concerned about attainment in Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 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 6799159 Direct email :lisa.parkes@serco.com

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PROTECT-INSPECTION

Year 6. The attainment of these pupils remains well below average because they have made insufficient progress in the past. However, attainment is rising and by the end of Key Stage 1 it is now close to the national average. This is also the case in Years 3 and 4. You have ensured that the progress girls make has been accelerated by making sure they work harder in lessons. You have also identified other aspects of the school’s work that need to be improved that were not highlighted in the recent inspection. As a result, the actions you are taking are enabling pupils to improve their ability to solve problems in mathematics.

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Teachers’ planning has improved so that pupils are more aware of the steps they need to take to achieve the lesson outcomes. In the more effective lessons, teachers are ensuring that pupils of different abilities know precisely what they must do to achieve their individual targets, particularly in writing. In the less effective lessons pupils do not have enough opportunities to focus on more challenging work. Better use is being made of teaching assistants because of the training all staff have undertaken. Marking has improved and you have correctly identified the need to ensure that pupils can respond to teachers’ comments. You have also identified the correct training priorities in other areas; for instance the need to improve questioning.

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You are ensuring rapid improvement. This is partly because you are making sure that all members of the school community can contribute to improvement. You recognise the potential that exists in your team but you are realistic about the further development that is needed; for instance, some leaders need to gain more experience evaluating the quality of teaching. Members of the governing body demonstrate that they have an astute awareness of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, including in leadership and management. The Governing Body is clear about its role in regularly checking the progress pupils are making. Governors have correctly identified the need to receive even more precise information so they can check the progress different groups are making, particularly more able pupils. You have ensured that the school has appropriate improvement plans. You have also recognised the need to develop a longer term plan that communicates a vision of

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what the school will look like when it is good or outstanding.

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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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 increase the support for older pupils to plug the gaps that exist in their learning.  increase the opportunities for pupils to choose more challenging work in all subjects

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 ensure governors receive precise and timely information so they are better informed about the progress made by different groups of pupils, particularly the most able.

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External support

The local authority is providing good support which is ensuring that leaders can accurately evaluate teaching. The local authority is also ensuring governors receive effective training and have a source of advice that is independent of the school’s senior leadership. Any further support should focus on ensuring the school’s leaders are able to gain insights into highly effective practice in other schools

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Warwickshire and the Dioceses of Coventry.

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