Setting

Miss Leigh Carmichael Head Teacher Frith Manor Primary School Lullington Garth Woodside Park London N12 7BN

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School

Following my visit to your school on 15 July 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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School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in May 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 you, other senior leaders, the Chair and seven members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. The school improvement plan and other documents were evaluated. I also joined you on a tour of the school.

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Context

There will be some changes to staffing in September. All three reception classes will have new teachers, as existing staff have either resigned, reduced their hours of working or have requested maternity leave. A part time teacher has chosen to retire. You have appointed two newly qualified teachers and a more experienced teacher to fill the resulting vacancies. You have also restructured the roles and responsibilities 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 5316 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Email : Shannyn.sachse@tribalgroup.com of the senior leadership team to take effect from the new term. The Chair of the Governing Body resigned after the inspection and a new Chair has been appointed.

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Main findings

The school development plan correctly identifies the actions that need to be taken and demonstrates that leaders have a good understanding of the priorities. It has allowed you to regularly review and evaluate the progress you are making. The role of the governing body and the local authority in the monitoring of improvements is identified.

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Main findings

You now regularly monitor the quality of teaching by regular lesson observations, learning walks, talking to pupils and looking at their work. You robustly challenge any teaching that is less than good. This has led to staffing changes or improvements are made as a result of additional support provided. Teachers now plan more carefully and take account of the starting points of all pupils, including the more able and those with additional learning needs. A whole school focus on literacy this term has led to improvements in pupils’ progress. You are therefore planning to focus on other areas such as numeracy and assessment for learning next term in the same way. Teachers receive regular feedback from the monitoring that takes place and therefore know how to make further improvements. As a result, standards are rising and there is more good or better teaching throughout the school.

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Main findings

You have recognised that teachers need to have access to clearer information and make more regular assessments of pupils progress in all subjects. A new system for gathering and sharing information has been purchased and will be used from September. This will allow leaders and teachers to monitor the progress of individuals and groups of pupils and agree further interventions when necessary.

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Main findings

Attendance levels at the school have risen since the inspection due to a range of new strategies that have been put in place. This has included regular communication with parents so that they are aware of the raised expectations concerning attendance. Parents are increasingly supportive of the new initiatives and are working with the school to raise standards.

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Main findings

You have restructured the senior leadership team to improve their capacity to lead and monitor improvements effectively. New roles and responsibilities have been agreed from September which will allow leaders to model good teaching. This will allow them to provide support to teachers so that pupils make better progress.

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Main findings

An external review of the governing body still needs to be commissioned but will take place early next term. Any actions that are identified will be implemented as soon as possible. In the meantime, led by the new Chair of the Governing Body, governors monitor the progress of students carefully and hold school leaders increasingly to account for raising standards as quickly as possible.

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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. The school should take further action to:

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Main findings

 ensure that the external review of governance is completed and any recommendations are implemented as quickly as possible

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Main findings

 implement new systems for data management and the recording of pupil assessments to allow teachers to have a clearer understanding of how much progress pupils are making and identify when further interventions are needed.

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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

The local authority has provided more support for the school since the inspection. Regular monitoring visits are carried out by a Learning Network Inspector. He has helped you to draw up the improvement plan, talked to pupils about their view of the school and has ensured that your judgements about the quality of teaching are accurate. Other consultants have provided support to raise standards in literacy and within the early years and foundation stage classes. The educational welfare service has worked with you to develop new strategies to improve attendance. The governing body has received advice in arranging training for new governors. In addition to local authority support, you have arranged for a local headteacher to act as your mentor and some staff have visited other schools to share good practice. The external support that has been provided has led to staff developing a better awareness of what good teaching looks like. This has started to raise standards

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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 Barnet.

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