Setting

Mr Andrew Owens Headteacher Montrose Primary School Wigston Lane Aylestone Leicester LE2 8TN

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Education act 2005 to Montrose Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 18 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.

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Education act 2005 to Montrose Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in April 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 your leadership team, a representative of the local authority and the Chair of the Governing body. The school improvement plan was evaluated and I conducted a learning walk. I also looked at the written feedback to teachers following lesson observations, current assessment data and pupils’ English and mathematics books.

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Context

There have been no significant changes to the school’s context since the last inspection. 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 6799158 Direct email: rachel.dayan@serco.com

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Main findings

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, but it is not clear how and when the governing body will collect evidence in order to hold you to account.

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Main findings

You have revised the marking procedures which now focus pupils on how to improve their work. There are early signs in books that the quality of teacher’s marking is improving. Pupils are beginning to carry out the additional challenges teachers set for them; this is enabling them to make better progress.

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Main findings

Assessment data is now more accurate providing a baseline to measure pupil progress; as a result teachers are setting more challenging work as they are clear of the levels pupils are working at. Teachers are being held to account about the achievement of pupils more effectively and have a clear understanding of which pupils to target for further intervention. There is still an over reliance on testing; teachers need to make more frequent assessments of progress pupils make during lessons and across units of work.

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Main findings

You use a range of evidence to assess how well teachers are performing including lesson observation, reviews of pupil progress and planning reviews. You have a clear understanding of the strengths of individuals and their areas for development. This allows you to plan support to help teachers to improve the quality of their work. As a result teaching is improving.

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Main findings

The governing body has responded quickly to the inspection findings. A separate committee has been created to hold the school to account for meeting the targets in the improvement plan. This group of governors are able to clearly articulate the priorities in the plan and the actions you are taking to improve the school

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Main findings

Governors have conducted focused meetings regarding pupil progress and assessment procedures. As a result governors are developing a clearer understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school; however they need to gather more first-hand evidence to effectively hold you to account.

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Main findings

Governors have requested an external review of their effectiveness and this must take place by the end of September 2013 so that governors are better equipped to hold you and your team to account.

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

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Main findings

 improve the quality of teacher’s on-going assessment skills and move away from the over reliance on testing  ensure that leaders focus on pupil progress when they are evaluating the quality of teaching.  ensure that governors have more planned opportunities to gain first hand evidence of the effectiveness of the school

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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 school had been judged outstanding before the recent inspection and as a result the local authority had limited involvement in the school. 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 already met with the governing body and has agreed to provide further training to governors to address any recommendations from the external review of governance.

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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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