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 566932 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: hcarnall@cfbt.com

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Mrs Beverley Jackson Headteacher King Edward VII School Glossop Road Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2PW

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Sheffield

Following my visit to your school on 2 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.

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Sheffield

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 the visit, meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body, a representative of the local authority and the National Leader of Education who is supporting the school to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. The school action plan and other documentation provided by the school were evaluated. The headteacher took HMI on a tour of the school.

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Context

There will be 11 new teachers in September 2013.

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Main findings

Since the inspection the school has tackled the areas for improvement with enthusiasm and a clear vision for success from the headteacher, the leadership team and the Chair of Governors. There is a detailed action plan which includes both success criteria and milestones. However some of the success criteria will not lead to rapid enough improvement and the plan needs to be reviewed to increase the challenge. Both subject and pastoral teams also have raising attainment plans but these do not have success criteria linked to student progress.

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Main findings

The leadership team have worked hard to improve the outcomes for the current Year 11 including the introduction of a well thought out revision programme. Progress data suggests that attainment and achievement will be much improved at Key Stage 4 this year, although there is still a large gap between the attainment of those in receipt of pupil premium and other students. The gap in expected progress in English is much smaller than in 2013, but it remains high for mathematics. There is now a focus across the school on pupil premium students, including looking at work in their books and individual tuition for Year 11 students who need extra help.

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Main findings

Teaching and learning communities have been focussed on developments linked to the areas for improvement. In particular the new marking and feedback policy for September 2013 has been written as a result of staff consultation and a review of current marking. Opportunities for sharing good practice include the work of the new curriculum cluster groups of subject leaders and visits to other schools. The teaching and learning communities have also begun working together to improve student engagement in their learning. These improvements are at an early stage in their development and will need to be embedded rapidly and used consistently in all lessons.

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Main findings

There are intervention plans in place for teachers whose teaching is not yet good, linked to lesson observations. Early indications are that these actions are having a positive impact.

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Main findings

New programmes are being developed for middle and lower ability students in Year 8 and Year 9 to raise attainment, aspiration and engagement with a focus on improving literacy and numeracy. Tracking is in place both to identify students who require this intervention and to monitor its impact.

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Main findings

Governors have an excellent understanding of the need to track progress and link governors are reviewing progress and teaching and learning in each subject area. Conversations between groups of students and governors are a useful tool for reviewing the work of the school and the improvements in teaching and learning. The Chair of Governors and the National Leader of Education report that students have recognised raised expectations in lessons. The governors are aware of how the pupil premium has been spent to help disadvantaged young people and they are tracking the progress of different groups of students effectively. The impact on progress of the pupil premium funding needs to be monitored and evaluated. 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:

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Main findings

 refine the action plans so that success criteria are always challenging and result in rapid improvement

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Main findings

 continue to develop and review improvements in teaching and learning so that lessons are engaging and marking and feedback help students to make good progress

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Main findings

 monitor and evaluate the impact of pupil premium funding on students’ progress throughout the school.

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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.

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External support

Very effective support has been provided in developing teaching and learning by the National Leader of Education who is the headteacher of a local school. The local authority is providing a role in monitoring the progress of the school and its work with the National Leader.

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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 Sheffield.

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