Setting

Mr Ken Judd Buswells Lodge Primary School Beauville Drive Beaumont Leys Leicester LE4 0PT

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 19 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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Primary School

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.

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Evidence

During my visit, I held meetings with you and members of your senior leadership team, a representative of the local authority and three members of the governing body. The school improvement plan was evaluated and I conducted a learning walk. I also looked at current assessment data and pupils’ English and mathematics books.

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Context

One member of staff has been absent from the school since the inspection due to illness. A member of staff has temporally been appointed to manage the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Three new governors have recently joined the governing body. 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 679 9161 Direct email :ann.morris@serco.com

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Main findings

You are taking rapid action to improve the school. The school improvement plan is focused on eliminating all of the issues raised at the time of the last inspection. There are clear timelines in place for senior leaders to check the impact of the plan however, it is not clear how the governing body will collect evidence in order to hold you to account.

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Main findings

The quality of teaching is improving; recent changes to assessment procedures enable teachers to set more challenging work for pupils. Senior leaders have introduced more regular checks of the progress pupils make; this has enabled leaders to challenge teachers more effectively. Marking has improved since the inspection although there is more work to be done to ensure this is consistent across the school.

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Main findings

The leadership of special educational needs has rapidly improved since the last inspection. The new leader is having an extremely positive impact on the provision for pupils. She has reviewed the school’s special educational needs register and as a result more accurate identification of pupils has led to a refocusing of support. Pupils are making better progress as class teachers are supported to ensure this group of pupils have well matched activities.

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Main findings

The governing body has responded quickly to the inspection findings. A review of governance has taken place and as a result the governing body have a clear direction and a good plan to improve their effectiveness. Additional training has supported governors to challenge the leadership team more effectively. Link governors have been introduced in order to focus the work of individuals for example; a strong working relationship between the leader for special educational needs and the link governor has resulted in improved provision for this group of pupils.

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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.

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Main findings

Following the visit to the school, HMI recommend that further action is taken to:

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Main findings

 ensure that governors have more planned opportunities to gain first hand evidence of the effectiveness of the school  improve the impact marking has on pupil progress by ensuring that pupils respond to the comments teachers make.

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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

Since the inspection the local authority has provided good support to the school. Focused support has strengthened the quality of the school’s improvement plan. The local authority has carried out a very effective review of the governing body and has supported governors to implement the recommendations.

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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 Leicester City local authority.

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