Setting

PROTECT-INSPECTION

Mrs Helen Williams Headteacher Little Stanion Primary School Roman Road Little Stanion Corby NN18 8FY

p.1

Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 11 November 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.

p.1

Primary School

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

p.1

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:

p.1

Primary School

 improve the quality of your school improvement plan by setting out clear milestones relating to pupils’ achievement, so that governors can hold leaders to account for the rate of improvement more effectively.

p.1

Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you and other senior leaders, two members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. The school improvement plan was evaluated. We made short visits to all classes. I reviewed your most recent data on pupils’ attainment and progress. I considered teachers’ planning and looked at a 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 : 01216 799162 Direct email : siobhan.garrattley@serco.com

p.1

PROTECT-INSPECTION

range of pupils’ work. I considered your checks on the quality of teaching. I considered the minutes of governing body meetings.

p.2

Context

Since the last section 5 inspection, a new Chair of the Governing Body has been appointed. The number of pupils on roll continues to increase with nine pupils joining the school after September 2013.

p.2

Main findings

You have improved the way in which staff plan and deliver lessons in order to make sure that the needs of different pupils are being met. Teachers are using their assessments of pupils’ learning more accurately to plan activities which provide the right amount of challenge for pupils of different abilities. Teachers and teaching assistants are promoting learning more effectively by providing different groups with specific information and guidance. Adults are checking more closely whether pupils understand their learning and are providing additional support where required. Consequently, pupils are making increasing rates of progress during lessons.

p.2

Main findings

Pupils are provided with more opportunities to write in a range of different subjects. Pupils are more involved in assessing their own learning in writing through the use of target cards and they know what they need to do next to improve. This is helping pupils to improve the quality of their writing.

p.2

Main findings

You have enabled teachers to observe colleagues regularly both within the school and in other settings. In addition, you are drawing together a wider range of evidence in order to judge the quality of teaching by considering the extent to which it is having a positive impact on pupils’ achievement. Both approaches have enabled you to provide teachers with more precise recommendations on how to develop their practice. As a result, the quality of teaching is improving.

p.2

Main findings

Parents and carers have responded positively to the clear messages which you have conveyed about the importance of attendance. Consequently, attendance rates since the section 5 inspection have improved markedly.

p.2

Main findings

Governors have developed their skills in understanding data about pupils’ progress and achievement and this is helping them to hold you to greater account regarding the school’s performance. The lack of milestones in your school improvement plan however, makes it difficult for them to check that your actions are having the desired effect so that the current rates of improvement are being sustained.

p.2

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.

p.2

PROTECT-INSPECTION

The local authority advisor is providing you with effective support through offering guidance on improving teaching. Teachers in the Year 2 and Year 4, 5 and 6 classes have benefitted from attending training delivered by the Brooke Weston Teaching School Alliance. This has helped them to improve the quality of their practice by providing pupils of different abilities with work which more closely meets their needs.

p.3

PROTECT-INSPECTION

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Northamptonshire.

p.3