Setting

Mrs J Thwaites Headteacher Fryent Primary School Church Lane Kingsbury London NW9 8JD

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School

Following my visit to your school on 3 October 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 second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in November 2012. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the section 5 inspection. The school should take further action to:

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School

 fully embed the training and support programme for new and improving teachers, using leaders to model effective teaching strategies  provide more opportunities for sustained writing to allow pupils to use and develop the writing skills they are being taught  agree how teaching is assessed, so that leaders can be sure that the amount of good or better teaching in the school is increasing. 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 5359 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Email : christina.bannerman@tribalgroup.com

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, other senior leaders, two middle leaders, the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. The school improvement plans were evaluated along with other documents detailing the improvements that have been made. You showed me how the new buildings have improved the learning environment. I also observed how you monitor teaching at the school.

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Context

Considerable staffing changes have occurred since the last monitoring visit in March. These include a complete restructuring of the leadership team to allow leaders time to support and coach inexperienced teachers and those that require improvement. Two existing middle leaders have taken up different leadership roles which include improving literacy and numeracy throughout the school. You have now successfully recruited eight permanent new teachers and no longer need to employ large numbers of temporary staff. New teachers, who took up their posts in September, include four newly qualified teachers and two teachers employed through the Teach First scheme. One of the new teachers has additional responsibilities for leading a specific year group in the school. The completion of the planned building programme has extended beyond the summer and is not likely to be completed until November. Despite this, the school expanded by two additional classes at the start of this year

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Context

and will continue to grow at the same rate every year until 2018.

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Main findings

You have continued to implement planned improvements and the actions you have taken are starting to raise standards across the school. Pupil achievement and rates of progress improved last year. You have now analysed these results to identify where further interventions are still needed. Careful tracking of individuals and groups has allowed you to target where additional support is needed. This information is shared with middle leaders and classroom teachers who report on the amount of progress pupils are making on a termly basis. As a result, pupils are making improved rates of progress. You are aware that inconsistencies across year groups and subjects still remain, for example, while reading standards have improved, standards of writing have not. Pupils are not always given the chance to write for longer periods, so teachers cannot check how much progress they are making.

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Main findings

The senior leadership team have more time to support new and inexperienced teachers because their own teaching responsibilities have been reduced. They model lessons, teach alongside colleagues and organise further training opportunities linked to individual development needs. This is helping to ensure that newly qualified and developing teachers are supported to improve as quickly as possible. Leaders have thought carefully about how to ensure that staff turnover is reduced and that good teachers have a chance to accept greater responsibility within the school as it continues to grow. As a result, roles and responsibilities of post holders are clear and everyone is working together to ensure that improvements are successful.

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Main findings

While you consider that the amount of good teaching at the school has increased, it is not clear how you recognise good teaching. While observations take place regularly, further clarity is needed in how you assess teaching over time. For example, how you link book checks, teaching observations and evidence of pupil progress and reach a final judgement about the quality of teaching.

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Main findings

Governors continue to provide high levels of support and challenge to you and other leaders. They have been particularly helpful in managing the demands of the new building programme and seeking cost effective solutions for outside services that are needed. As a result of further training, they are informed about how much progress all pupils should be making.

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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

You consider that you receive good support from the LA. This has included governor training, provided by your school improvement partner, on effective use of achievement data. Teachers have also received training from the maths consultant. In addition to this, you have employed an independent consultant to provide training on assessment for learning strategies. You contribute to two wider school partnerships, the Byron Court and Uxendon Manor training forum and the Kingsbury Schools Together (KST) cluster. These have provided moderation opportunities for staff outside the school and have allowed you to develop a whole school reading project.

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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 Brent.

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