Setting

Mrs Karen Hammond Principal Jubilee Academy Mossley Tintern Crescent Walsall WS3 2SQ

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Mossley

Following my visit to your academy on 27 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 academy since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Mossley

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy 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 the visit, I held meetings with you, the vice principal, Year 6 pupils, the literacy and numeracy co-ordinators and the sponsor’s Academy Improvement Director. In addition, I had a telephone discussion with the Chair of Governors to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I evaluated the academy improvement plans and the information that is used to track the progress of all pupils. I also visited six classrooms with you to look at the teaching of mathematics in Years 4, 5 and 6.

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Context

Since your last inspection one Year 5 teacher has left the academy. A nursery teacher has returned and one teacher is still absent. Your senior leadership team has been reorganised in terms of the areas of responsibilities allocated to each member of staff. The recommended external review of the governing body has taken place. Tribal 1-4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 311 5359 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Email : christina.bannerman@tribalgroup.com

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Main findings

You and other leaders have responded swiftly and effectively to the outcomes of the academy’s recent inspection. You have written a new academy improvement plan which contains suitable actions and is strongly focused on raising pupils’ achievement through the improvement of the quality of teaching. It does not, however, always clearly indicate what the specific targets are for pupils to achieve as a result of the actions.

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Main findings

Procedures to check the quality of teaching now have a clearer focus on the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning. These checks include taking into account information about pupils’ progress, the standard of work in their books, their views and the way classrooms are organised to help pupils learn. The pupil progress meetings you and senior staff hold with teachers are now much more focused on how well pupils are learning in lessons. The new data tracking software you have recently introduced to inform these meetings is enabling teachers and leaders to have a much clearer understanding of those pupils who are underachieving so that extra support can be put in place. These meetings need to be more frequent and evaluate pupils’ progress from joining the academy. The information gathered must be considered by senior leaders, including governors.

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Main findings

Since the last inspection, teachers’ lesson planning has improved and now has a clearer focus on what pupils need to learn. Pupils I spoke to during the visit said that they have a better understanding of the work that is set for them. Teachers are beginning to ask pupils searching questions to check and develop their learning. We saw some examples of this in the short visits to lessons. Teaching is improving but there is still some that requires improvement. Where there are weaknesses, teachers need to act on the training they have received and leaders must take all necessary action to make sure that all teaching becomes at least good.

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Main findings

As a result of its recent external review, the governing body now has an improvement plan but there are not yet specific structures for reviewing the progress of the academy towards achieving a good judgement at the next inspection. The evaluation of actions taken so far should be done before the end of the summer term 2013.

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Main findings

Senior leaders, governors and the academy sponsor are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The academy should take further action to:

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Main findings

 ensure that academy improvement plans have specific targets which link more closely to pupils’ progress and attainment  put in place half-termly evaluations of pupils’ progress, to also take into account their progress since joining the academy, and make sure the information from these meetings are scrutinised by senior leaders and governors  prioritise the training needs of teachers so that weaknesses identified in your last inspection, and by your leadership team, are tackled and that appropriate action is taken to ensure that all teaching is at least good  ensure that the governing body has systems in place so that specific governors have the responsibility of reviewing the academy’s progress and providing regular reports to the full governing body  send to me by 19 July 2013 the reviews of pupils’ progress and end of key stage test results and the outcomes of the governors’ review of progress.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further visits and, where necessary, provide further support and challenge to the academy until its next section 5 inspection.

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External support

The academy sponsor provides good support for the leadership team including leaders with responsibility for leading English and mathematics, governors, and for classroom teachers.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the local authority for Walsall and the Academies Advisers Unit at the Department for Education.

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