Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566855 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: gail.hill@cfbt.com

p.1

Mrs Claire Lyles Headteacher Norristhorpe Junior and Infant School School Street Norristhorpe Liversedge West Yorkshire WF15 7AW

p.1

Infant School, Kirklees

Following my visit 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 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.

p.1

Infant School, Kirklees

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.

p.1

Evidence

During my visit I met with the headteacher, senior leaders, the vice-chair of the Governing Body, three other governors and a representative of the local authority to discuss the actions being taken to improve the school. I scrutinised a range of documents including the school’s post inspection action plan and visited six lessons.

p.1

Context

Since the last inspection a new deputy headteacher and Year 5 teacher have joined the school to fill vacancies. In September 2013 two newly qualified teachers and one experienced teacher will join the staff.

p.1

Main findings

Checks of pupils’ attainment and progress are now regular and more accurate. There are clear processes to hold teachers to account for the progress each pupil makes. Good use is made of external partnerships with neighbouring schools to then moderate and check teachers’ judgements. As a result, teachers are becoming more confident to act upon data to swiftly intervene and speed up the progress of individual pupils. Senior leaders carefully consider whole school data to design interventions for specific purposes. For example to improve Pakistani pupils’ writing, or to focus on a year group, for example Year 3 where progress is not good enough.

p.1

Main findings

The school’s records show that teaching has improved since the last inspection. There is now a clear shared understanding throughout the school of what good teaching is. The head teacher has set explicit guidelines for all staff to follow and expectations are higher. Professional development opportunities have enabled all staff to improve their teaching and bespoke support programmes have been put in place for individual teachers. The headteacher has quickly engaged the pupils, parents, staff, governors and local authority in whole school improvement activities since the last inspection. She is energetic and determined. The headteacher has been proactive in brokering appropriate external partnerships, for example with Crossley Fields, a neighbouring primary school, to support the wide range of work being undertaken. Governance has been strengthened. Recent developments include ensuring governors’ particular skills are well matched to specific

p.2

Main findings

aspects requiring improvement; for example data analysis, the performance management of teachers and improving communication with parents.

p.2

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:  improve the quality of teaching by focusing on pupils’ learning and their progress in lessons  sharpen leaders’ specific feed-back to individual teachers following observations of lessons  improve the accuracy of how leaders measure progress in Key Stage 1  use progress and attainment data to produce reports that enable the senior leadership and governors to raise questions and provide the necessary level of challenge to drive improvement further  improve the quality of subject leadership by making expectations and accountabilities clear  improve the learning environment, in particular continue partnership work with the local authority to further develop the use of the outdoors.

p.2

Main findings

Ofsted will continue to monitor the school until its next section 5 inspection.

p.2

External support

External partnerships have been successfully used for specific purposes, such as the moderation of pupils’ work. Governors have worked with the local authority to evaluate their own effectiveness. The headteacher and Chair of Governors have taken care to ensure that external support is focused on the areas for improvement highlighted in the last inspection report and that the impact of any support is regularly evaluated.

p.2

External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children's Services for Kirklees.

p.2