Setting

Miss Roberta Woodham Headteacher Shoreham Beach Primary School Shingle Road Shoreham-by-Sea BN43 5RH

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 22 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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Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in July 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary School

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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Primary School

 make success criteria within the school action plan more precise so that progress can be measured more easily across the year  ensure governors check more independently how well the school is making progress in improving teaching  make sure leaders check more regularly to see that individual teachers have made recommended improvements to their practice. 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 01173115323 Direct email :suzy.smith@tribalgroup.com

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, the subject leader for mathematics, the special educational needs co-ordinator, four members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I evaluated the school action plan and looked at records of your monitoring of teaching. I visited each class to see the school in action and met with a group of pupils.

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Context

There have been no changes in the school since the inspection in July 2013.

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Main findings

You responded quickly to the inspection in July 2013, writing a focused action plan to provide a clear understanding of the ways forward. You have set high expectations for both staff and pupils and they are rising to the challenge.

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Main findings

Your plan concentrates on the right areas for development, such as setting a greater level of challenge in learning, and planning for pupils to be more actively engaged in lessons. However, the action plan is not always clear enough exactly how progress towards intended goals will be measured. This makes it hard for senior leaders and governors to check how well the school is doing.

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Main findings

You have made it plain what you expect to see in each classroom so there are now shared standards across the school for presentation and display. Initiatives such as ‘lolly sticks’ to choose pupils to answer questions in lessons are used more consistently now. Pupils report this is helping them to focus on their learning because ‘you have to have an answer ready.’ Teachers have been set targets for pupils’ progress so they are more accountable for how well pupils do. Pupils can explain what level they are working towards, although work remains to be done so they all know how to reach their goals. You have begun to work with teachers to improve marking but this is still not consistent across the school. Some pupils are not given enough guidance and teachers do not always check that pupils have made the required corrections in their books.

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Main findings

Senior leaders are working well with you to implement the action plan. They check how well teachers are following school procedures and feedback is given to individuals. This needs to be followed up more quickly where teachers are not meeting expectations.

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Main findings

Work to improve pupils’ independence is proving successful. Each classroom has a display to remind pupils of the 4 B’s (brain, board, buddy and boss). This prompts them to think for themselves and use resources before asking their teacher. Pupils speak positively about this approach saying ‘it helps us with our independent learning.’

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Main findings

You are taking constructive steps to give parents more information about the school’s work. The recent curriculum evening helpfully explained the school’s approach to targets. You are aware more parents need to be encouraged to attend such events. Parents of children in the Reception class are given more detailed descriptions of learning so they can support their children at home. These initiatives are starting to raise parents’ expectations of how well their children should achieve.

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Main findings

Governors are committed to improving the school. They have used data effectively to plan improvements, for example appointing an additional teacher in order to raise standards in mathematics. However in other areas they rely too much on reports you provide about the school’s work. They do not have a clear schedule to check for themselves how well the school is doing.

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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 some useful support, for example assisting the school to use data more effectively and funding the additional teacher for mathematics this year. The planned review of governance will help governors provide the correct level of support and challenge to the school. School leaders have been proactive in seeking out good practice in other schools to help teachers to develop their work. It will be beneficial to continue to work with other schools in this way.

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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 West Sussex.

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