Setting

Andrea Choppy Headteacher Salisbury Primary School Romford Road London E12 5AF

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School

Following my visit to your school on 24 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 first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in February 2013. 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 recent section 5 inspection. The school should take further action to:

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School

 continue to strengthen how the school works with parents by developing how they use the new community facilities and play a role in agreeing further improvements

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School

 ensure that the new teaching strategies for mathematics are fully embedded so that they have a positive impact on how much progress pupils make from their individual starting points. 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, a group of middle leaders and a representative of the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. A telephone conversation was held with the Chair of Governors who was unable to attend due to business commitments. The school action plan and other documents were evaluated. I also joined you on a tour of the school to look at the new buildings and see where further improvements to the site are planned.

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Context

Since the last inspection approximately one third of the school’s teachers have left and been replaced with new appointments. Eight new teachers started in September, including four newly qualified teachers. Six temporary teachers are covering the vacancies that you have been unable to fill. A deputy headteacher returned to her post in September after a secondment to another school. You also created an additional deputy headteacher post from April. Two new parent governors have been elected to the governing body and there are no current vacancies. You have reviewed how you teach mathematics at the school and have implemented a whole school approach to this subject. A new building has been made available to you to allow for improved teaching facilities and use by the community. This has been funded by the local authority to allow the school to continue to expand in size by one class a year.

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Main findings

The school action plan links closely to the areas for improvement identified in the inspection report. Regular monitoring by the governing body and the local authority is planned for. However, it is not clear how they will measure if actions have been successful. You have set clear targets and the changes you have made are starting to raise standards across the school. As a result, pupil achievement and rates of progress improved last year. The careful tracking of individuals and groups has allowed you to target where additional support is still needed. This information is shared with middle leaders and classroom teachers, who report on the amount of progress all pupils are making. You are aware that some inconsistencies still remain and have planned further interventions when necessary. For example, in September you introduced a whole school approach to how mathematics is taught. Teachers are still embedding new teaching strategies and it is still unclear what impact the new

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Main findings

approach will have. Leaders and governors are monitoring this closely, including drawing on the experiences of other schools using the same approach. You are aware that all pupils, including the more able, must be sufficiently challenged.

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Main findings

Professional training opportunities have been carefully planned and link closely to the needs of teachers and the action plan for the school. Middle leaders now feel they are more effective due to the high quality training they have received. For example, additional support and training has been targeted at improving provision within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at the school.

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Main findings

Parents are encouraged to come into the school more frequently to share their views with school leaders and governors. A regular programme of coffee mornings is scheduled to allow this to happen. The new building includes a number of rooms that will be used to offer courses and facilities for the wider community. The new entrance to the school is more accessible and welcoming to visitors. Further plans are being developed to improve how the school can support and communicate with parents using the improved facilities.

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Main findings

Governors continue to offer strong support and challenge to school leaders. They work closely with you to ensure that the school is making the necessary improvements in the shortest possible time. They are monitoring carefully the impact new improvements are having on the quality of teaching and learning. They actively seek links with other schools and organisations to strengthen and sustain improvements over the longer term, to ensure that the wider community benefits.

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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 are drawing on a number of external support providers to help you make the necessary improvements. The local authority has provided a link advisor to work with you on your action plan. She has also undertaken a number of learning walks to judge the quality of teaching, especially in mathematics. You consider that this has helped you to validate your own judgements because she challenges your opinions and holds you to account for the progress you are making. Training and support for teachers and middle leaders has been provided by the Tollgate Teaching School Alliance and the Manor Park soft federation of local schools. This has included opportunities to see outstanding teaching in other schools. Coaching and mentoring has been arranged using an external consultant.

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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 Newham.

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