Setting

Mr Wayne Parkinson Brampton Primary School School Board Lane Brampton Chesterfield Derbyshire S40 1DD

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School

Following my visit to your school on 13 September 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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School

Senior leaders and governors are taking incisive and urgent 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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School

 collate plans for improvement into a single development plan, which identifies who is accountable for leading actions and includes clear success criteria relating to the progress and attainment of groups of pupils, so that governors and senior leaders can evaluate the impact of the school’s actions more rigorously.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, the leaders of English and mathematics, members of the governing body, a group of Year 5 pupils and a representative from the local authority. We conducted a tour of the school. I evaluated your plans for improvement and considered documentation relating to the monitoring of teaching. I reviewed your most recent data on pupils’ progress and Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T: 0121 679 9158 Direct email : rachel.dayan@serco.com attainment. I looked at a range of pupils’ work and considered the quality of their learning, particularly in English and mathematics. I evaluated the quality of marking. I scrutinised minutes of meetings of the governing body.

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Context

Since the section 5 inspection, two teachers have left the school. The governing body has appointed two members of staff to teach pupils in Key Stage 1 from September 2013. The substantive deputy headteacher has acquired the responsibilities of her former job share partner, who left the school in August 2013.

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Main findings

Your determination to improve the quality of teaching has energized the staff to develop their practice. They are applying the expertise which they have learnt from colleagues in a school led by a National Leader of Education. Consequently, teachers are communicating more clearly to pupils what they expect them to learn over the course of a lesson. Teachers have sharpened their skills in questioning pupils to check understanding and adapt their teaching quickly to ensure that learning moves forward briskly. Pupils cited that the introduction of the ‘weekly conference’, is helping them to know precisely what they have to do to improve their work. As a result of these improvements, pupils are learning more quickly.

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Main findings

You have empowered the leaders of English and mathematics to review and improve the school’s approach to the teaching of writing and mathematics. Pupils are now being given more opportunities to produce longer pieces of writing in a range of subjects. They have more opportunities to develop their skills in interrogating and presenting data in graphs and charts, as well as learning about the properties of shapes. These changes are helping to raise pupils’ achievements in writing and mathematics, particularly in Key Stage 2.

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Main findings

You have focused your system for tracking pupils’ progress more precisely on the progress made by different groups of pupils. As a result, governors and other senior leaders are more aware of the impact of teaching upon different pupils’ achievements. Governors and senior leaders are now planning and implementing appropriate actions which are targeted at ensuring that all groups of pupils achieve well.

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Main findings

Despite the progress that the school has made, its plans for further improvement are not sufficiently clear. The plans do not contain specific measures of success or consistently define who is accountable for driving improvements. Consequently, it is likely to be difficult for senior leaders to manage change and for governors to hold leaders to account for sustaining improvement and raising standards.

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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

Since the last section 5 inspection, the local authority has maintained the support provided by the improvement advisor and a National Leader of Education from Dronfield Infant School. As a result of this support, teachers have developed their skills in checking the extent of pupils’ understanding during lessons as well as ensuring that the assessment of pupils’ achievements is accurate. This is helping teachers to plan work which more closely meets the needs of pupils of different abilities.

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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 Derbyshire.

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