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 566 937 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: jsimmons@cfbt.com

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Mrs D Simpson Headteacher Great Preston VC CofE Primary School Preston Lane Great Preston Leeds West Yorkshire LS26 8AR

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School

Following my visit to your school on 8 July 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to confirm the outcome and findings of the inspection. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the school's most recent monitoring inspection.

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School

The inspection was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged as having serious weaknesses following the section 5 inspection which took place in January 2013.The monitoring inspection report is attached.

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School

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time:

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School

the school is making reasonable progress towards the removal of the serious weaknesses designation.

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School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be published on the Ofsted website. I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children's Services for Leeds Local Authority.

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January 2013

 Improve teaching, so that it is at least good throughout the school, in order to rapidly accelerate pupils’ progress and raise standards in mathematics and English, particularly in writing, by ensuring that:  all teachers have high expectations of what pupils can achieve  all pupils have work that is at the right level of challenge  the more-able pupils are extended fully in their learning so they achieve as well as they should  introductions to lessons are sharper so that pupils have enough time to complete their tasks  teachers ask probing questions and give pupils more time to share ideas before they work independently  teachers explain to pupils clearly what they are going to learn and how they will know they have succeeded  teachers’ marking provides pupils with clear and helpful guidance on how to improve their work and that pupils know how well they are progressing  pupils have more opportunities to write independently and at length in literacy and

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January 2013

other subjects  children in the Early Years Foundation Stage have sufficient time to talk about what they are doing and to practise their writing.

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January 2013

 Improve leadership and management so that school improvement is more effective and rapid by ensuring that:  teachers assess pupils’ progress accurately and that this information is used to plan work that challenges pupils to achieve their best  targets for pupils are sufficiently challenging and that all teachers ensure pupils achieve these targets  subject leaders are involved regularly in checking that classroom practice is consistently good.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, the literacy and numeracy subject leaders, a local authority representative and the Chair of the Governing Body. The inspector examined various documents such as pupils’ books, school improvements plans, achievement data and monitoring records. The inspector also evaluated the quality of teaching and learning in five of the seven classes.

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Context

Since the first monitoring inspection a Year 1 teacher has returned to work. The assistant headteacher remains absent through illness and there are two supply teachers covering the Year 3 and Year 4 classes. During the inspection, The Year 1 and Year 2 classes were absent from school due to a previously organised trip.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

School leadership is becoming more effective with evidence of their impact apparent in each of the areas it was charged with improving. The raft of improvement measures, new policies and operating procedures, highlighted at the previous monitoring inspection, continue to be implemented and are becoming more embedded and staff are more confident in their use.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The joint observations undertaken by the inspector and the headteacher agreed that the quality of teaching seen was variable. This was less positive than the view formed from the school’s own monitoring. However, examples of strong teaching were observed, with none that was inadequate. Previously weak aspects are improving, but the school accepts that staff must be more consistent in their practice.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The school’s latest data suggests that outcomes in: the Early Years Foundation Stage; in the phonics screening test; and by the end of Key Stages 1 and 2, have eclipsed those attained in 2012. It also indicates that more pupils are working beyond their expected levels of attainment in English and mathematics. Some of these outcomes have been moderated.

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

The school believes it has achieved all of the actions points in its post-Ofsted action plan. However, it also recognises that this does not mean it has fully resolved all of its issues, or that its effectiveness has increased sufficiently. The jury remains out to a certain extent in this regard, although it is clear that the indicators are more positive than they were at the time of the last section 5 inspection. Pupils’ improving progress and rising attainment will need to be set against national age-related expectations and the pupils’ prior attainment to add clarity to just how well they have achieved in real terms. Governors have built upon the positive steps reported at the previous monitoring inspection. They have a higher profile in the school and their strategic influence is growing. They have visited lessons to check on the consistency with which improvement strategies are being implemented. They have met with curriculum leaders to ask searching questions about the

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The quality of leadership in and management of the school

quality and impact of the provision offered. They demonstrate a deeper grasp of the school’s relative progress and are candid about the remaining shortcomings. Parent forums have taken place to help ensure parents are aware of the developments taking place and their impact. Governors have received training to improve their grasp of data analysis.

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Strengths in the school's approaches to securing improvement:

 the team approach to creating and applying improvement strategies which has given key staff a greater commitment to, and ownership of, the school’s vision for the future

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Strengths in the school's approaches to securing improvement:

 targeted training and guidance to help ensure staff more effectively plan, teach and evaluate pupils’ progress, and identify more precisely the next steps in pupils’ learning

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Strengths in the school's approaches to securing improvement:

 the alliances formed with the Brigshaw Cooperative Trust and partner schools, which are helping to address more quickly and comprehensively, the school’s areas for improvement.

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Weaknesses in the school's approaches to securing improvement:

 some inconsistency in the extent to which staff routinely adhere to and apply agreed improvement methods and procedures, particularly with regards to ensuring teaching is always well-matched to the specific needs and capabilities of all pupils.

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External support

The school continues to benefit from the support and challenge of the local authority, the Brigshaw Cooperative Trust, and their partnerships with a local leader of education from Austhorpe Primary School, and Colton Primary School. This has involved: practical advice from the school improvement advisor to sharpen assessment, and Early Years Foundation Stage practice; training to improve the teaching of spelling and grammar, mathematics, and curriculum development; and visits to observe outstanding practice and strategies to stretch the most-able pupils, especially in writing. The joint review group continues to monitor and evaluate the school’s progress in tackling its weaknesses diligently and objectively.

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