Setting

Rachael Williams Holly Meadows School Vong Lane Pott Row PE32 1BW

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School

Following my visit to your school on 8 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. 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. With the support of staff you are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The school should take further action to:  Ensure that the targets set for the proportion of outstanding teaching reflect the number of pupils making more than expected progress.  Review your monitoring of teaching so that:

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School

- learning and progress are central to your evaluation - and all evidence is taken into account such as scrutiny of books, homework, marking and assessment over time.

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Evidence

During the visit, I held meetings with you and the deputy headteacher. I met six governors and spoke with the local authority adviser. We reviewed the school improvement plan and looked at records of your lesson observations. We visited all classes and discussed pupils’ work seen in books and on display.

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Context

Since the inspection you restructured the leadership team and appointed the deputy headteacher. In September, a new teacher and teaching assistant started in the early years/Year 1 class. There are several new members on the governing body.

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Main findings

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 : 0121 6799164 Direct email : tim.ogbourn@serco.com Soon after the inspection, you took many actions to ensure that the school quickly becomes a good school. The school improvement plan clearly shows your strategies and timescales to improve teaching and accelerate pupils’ progress. Targets for good teaching and for pupils to make expected progress are clearly set, but the targets for the proportion of outstanding teaching are not sufficiently linked to the number of pupils exceeding expected progress. Many new initiatives, such as the reorganised early years/year 1 class, the management of the outdoor space, the approach to the teaching of phonics and the ‘Homework Challenge’ are already showing positive impact. You are making good use of the new coffee morning for parents to act

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Main findings

quickly on their suggestions. With your senior team, you are ensuring that your plans are implemented in a timely fashion. You monitor the quality of lessons regularly. You now need to ensure that your overall evaluation takes into account all aspects of good or better teaching over time, such as the impact on pupils’ learning, the quality of work seen in books, the homework and the accuracy of marking and assessment. As we visited classes, I noted that pupils have many opportunities to experience a rich curriculum and develop their personal skills through, for example, the forest school, residentials at Holt Hall and projects in the community. You are also developing your expertise in supporting children with additional emotional and behavioural needs. Governors are taking action to review the effectiveness of the governing body as recommended in the inspection report. A programme of training is in place and

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Main findings

governors are already reporting a better understanding of the data presented to them. Governors are highly knowledgeable and their expertise is useful to the school.

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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 draw readily on the expertise of local authority advisers, such as understanding data and support for leadership and governance. Staff use local networks to share effective practice and they access a range of professional development programmes through the Sheringham Teaching School Alliance. In January 2014 you will join the ‘Norfolk2Good&Great’ 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 Norfolk.

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