Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566855 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: gail.hill@cfbt.com

p.1

Mr Ross Peacock Headteacher Moresby Primary School School Brow Moresby Parks Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 8UX

p.1

Cumbria

Following my visit to your school on 1 July 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

Cumbria

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.

p.1

Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher, the chair, vice-chair and two other members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority. The school action plan was evaluated and I undertook a tour of the school with the headteacher, visiting classrooms briefly.

p.1

Context

There have been no major changes to the context of the school since the inspection in April.

p.1

Main findings

The headteacher and governors have responded well to the areas for improvement identified at the recent inspection. Actions in place prior to the inspection have been strengthened and sharpened and the pace of improvement has been accelerated. The school action plan identifies the most important priorities: improving the overall quality of teaching, building greater capacity within middle leadership and accelerating students’ progress in reading, writing and in mathematics. The plan contains a range of strategies to tackle each of these priorities along with timescales for improvement and the success criteria by which they should be measured.

p.1

Main findings

Evidence gathered during the visit demonstrates that the school has made a positive start in addressing these areas for improvement. For example, systems to improve how the school tracks the attainment and progress of all pupils and groups of pupils have improved and a much more refined system is now in place. This information is enabling to teachers to mentor pupils on an individual basis and to plan lessons in which activities match the needs of all pupils, including the more able.

p.2

Main findings

The school has begun to implement a professional development programme to improve teaching and teachers have observed good and outstanding teaching within the school. Opportunities to observe effective teaching in other schools are planned. Distributed leadership is strengthening, with middle leaders taking an increasingly active role in checking on standards and driving forward improvements in teaching and learning.

p.2

Main findings

Governors are very supportive of the school leadership and are well-informed about the work of the school. They visit the school and lessons on a regular basis and the focus and records of governor visits have been sharpened and indicate both the challenge and support governors provide.

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:  ensure that the school’s action plan continues to focus on the areas for improvement and is carefully and regularly monitored to judge the impact of this work on pupils’ progress  ensure that the local authority creates more opportunities for staff to work with teachers and middle leaders in high performing local schools to enable staff to observe and share good practice in order to strengthen their understanding of what constitutes effective leadership and good or better teaching  attend one of the Ofsted ‘Getting to good’ seminars.

p.2

Main findings

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

p.2

External support

The local authority provides regular support for evaluation and monitoring and is currently brokering support from a local leader of education who is headteacher at a local primary school. The authority has agreed to monitor and assess the progress being achieved in the school prior to a future visit from Her Majesty’s Inspector.

p.2

External support

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

p.2