Setting

Mr John Maxwell Headteacher Bourne Primary School Melbourne Road Eastbourne East Sussex BN22 8BD

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Special measures monitoring inspection of Bourne Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 12 September 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings. 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 recent section 5 inspection. The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures following the inspection which took place in May 2013.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, senior leaders, a representative from the local authority and the Chair of the Interim Executive Board. The local authority’s statement of action and the school’s improvement plan were evaluated.

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Context

The substantive headteacher was appointed very shortly before the previous inspection. He took up post in September 2013. The governing body has been replaced by an Interim Executive Board. This group will meet formally for the first time on 17 September 2013. There have been several changes to teaching staff.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Although the headteacher has been in post for a very short time, he has already communicated a clear vision for rapid and sustainable improvement that is shared by other senior leaders. Leaders are now more focused on the school’s priorities. The 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 5323 Direct email : suzy.smith@tribalgroup.com Chair of the Interim Executive Board is also recently appointed but is very experienced. She understands the school’s strengths and where improvements are required most urgently. The school’s staffing structure has been revised for the autumn term. This has helped to make leaders’ roles and responsibilities clearer and to improve the consistency of teaching across different year groups. Further changes have been proposed for the spring term 2014. Strengthened monitoring of pupils’

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

progress and teachers’ performance have led to some improvements in the attainment of pupils in mathematics. Leaders have begun to implement strategies to improve the quality of teaching of reading and writing across the school.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The local authority has brokered an external support package designed to improve the quality of teaching and learning. Initially, two consultants will work with the school for 20 days across a 10 week period. The local authority and Chair of the Interim Executive Board will need to ensure that this external support meets the school’s needs. In addition, the local authority will need to work with the headteacher to ensure that support is available, where necessary, to increase the capacity of leaders at all levels. The local authority statement for action and support plan, which also act as the school’s overarching improvement plan, are fit for purpose. Actions are closely linked to the priorities for improvement identified at the previous inspection. Some refinements to the published success criteria are needed in order to strengthen the focus on different groups of pupils and to clarify the role that parents and carers can play in helping their children to attend school regularly

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

and make faster progress in their learning.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

Following the monitoring inspection the following judgements were made:

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The local authority statement of action is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school’s improvement plan is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

The school may not appoint newly qualified teachers before the next monitoring inspection.

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The quality of leadership and management at the school

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Interim Executive Board and the Director of Children’s Services for East Sussex. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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