Setting

Mrs J Howell Headteacher Our Lady and St Teresa's Catholic Primary School Windmill Hill Cubbington CV32 7LN

p.1

Teresa's Catholic Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 12 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

Teresa's Catholic 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

Teresa's Catholic 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

Teresa's Catholic Primary School

 ensure pupils have a range of calculation skills in order to solve a variety of mathematical problems  accelerate the rate of progress of students who are eligible for the pupil premium grant or who are disabled or have special education needs, especially in mathematics  ensure data showing students’ progress from Key Stage 1 is readily accessible for all teachers and teaching assistants in order to support the planning of appropriate learning opportunities and interventions  ensure, as a matter of urgency, that the external review of the knowledge, skills and understanding of the governing body is carried out and that the recommendations are swiftly implemented  set challenging attainment and progress targets in English and mathematics for all pupils up to July 2015. Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

Teresa's Catholic Primary School

www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T : 0121 679 9156 Direct email : becky.dawson@serco.com

p.1

Evidence

During the visit I met with you and members of your leadership team to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. Meetings were held with a member of the governing body, six pupils from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6, the Learning Improvement Officer, who represented the local authority, and five teaching assistants. You showed me around the school and we visited classes in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6. I looked at a number of pupils’ books. I evaluated the school development plan. I looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s information about pupils’ progress and attainment.

p.2

Context

Since the inspection in September a new Chair of the Governing Body has been appointed.

p.2

Main findings

Senior leaders have acted swiftly to improve teaching. Ambitious targets are now set for individual pupils and teachers have higher expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils say that there is greater challenge in their work. A new marking policy is in place, and as a result teachers are becoming better at letting pupils know precisely what to do to improve their work. Pupils said that teachers are now more helpful and that the marking helps them make their work even better. Teachers know what the elements of good and outstanding teaching are because of the well- focused training they have received from senior leaders and external consultants. Teachers are beginning to put some of these elements into practice. For example, pupils said that they now have extra opportunities to work independently and that this helps them concentrate on their work. However, in the mathematics lessons I observed not all students had a range of calculation skills in order to solve a variety

p.2

Main findings

Leaders have introduced literacy and language and numeracy intervention programmes to help pupils make the progress expected of them. Lesson observations undertaken by leaders indicate that this is making a positive difference to pupils’ reading, writing and their ability to problem solve in mathematics in all year groups. However, assessment data provided by the school shows that pupils who are eligible for the pupil premium funding or who are disabled or have special educational needs are not making expected progress, especially in mathematics.

p.2

Main findings

All leaders and teachers monitor the effect teaching has on pupil progress. Individual targets for what pupils are to achieve are being used by each class teacher. These targets include information about how groups, for example those whom the pupil premium grant provides support, should perform. Meetings between leaders and teachers to discuss the progress of pupils have been introduced. However, the collation of data showing students’ progress from Key Stage 1 is only in the early stages of development. Governors have acted promptly to improve how they monitor, support and challenge leaders. However, the external review of governance has not yet been carried out.

p.2

Main findings

Actions in the school development plan are clear and appropriate. They address the areas requiring improvement identified by the inspection and by the school leaders’ self-evaluation. Ambitious targets for pupils’ progress and attainment in English and mathematics are included in the improvement plans. However, these do not extend beyond July 2014.

p.3

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.3

External support

The local authority provides effective support for the school. The Learning Improvement Officer has supported leaders in preparing the school self-evaluation and action plans. Leaders from a local school and external consultants are providing useful support in a range of areas, for example in improving the quality of teaching.

p.3

External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Warwickshire and the Archdiocese of Birmingham.

p.3