Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 1231231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566939 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email:

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Mr Brendan Hassett Headteacher Carter's Charity Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Preesall Pilling Lane Preesall Poulton-le-Fylde Lancashire FY6 0HH

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Controlled Primary School, Preesall, Lancashire

Following my visit to your school on 9 December 2013, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report on 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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Controlled Primary School, Preesall, Lancashire

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

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Controlled Primary School, Preesall, Lancashire

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspections. The school should take further action to:

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Controlled Primary School, Preesall, Lancashire

 refine the ‘expectations and outcomes’ in the action plan to allow governors to use them to check the plan is working.

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Controlled Primary School, Preesall, Lancashire

 evaluate the training undertaken since the inspection so governors can be sure of its impact on pupils’ standards, the quality of teaching and leadership.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, other senior leaders, representatives of the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. The school’s action plans and other documentation regarding school self- evaluation and improvement were evaluated. I visited every class in the school twice during the day to see teaching and the impact of actions.

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Context

There have been no contextual changes since the last inspection.

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Main findings

Since the inspection you have worked with the Governing Body and staff to draw up an action plan that is clearly focused on improving the areas identified in the inspection. The plan details your actions well and the individuals accountable for them. However, your expectation of outcomes should be clarified so governors can check the plan is working.

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Main findings

The Governing Body is improving how it is holds senior leaders to account. It has established a Standards and Effectiveness Committee to check the impact of the action plan on standards and increased the frequency of its meetings.

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Main findings

Governors have identified gaps in their knowledge and skills relating to self-evaluation and identified appropriate training, including booking a significant number of governors on the Ofsted ‘Better Governance Conference’.

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Main findings

Action taken by middle and senior leaders is improving teaching. You have set clear expectations for the standards of teaching and given appropriate guidance to individuals on how to improve. Formal observation feedback identifies next steps for teachers to work on and is linked to planned training and performance management objectives.

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Main findings

Middle leaders are beginning to use new skills, acquired from training to more accurately check the quality of teaching in their subjects and inform their plans for further improvement.

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Main findings

You now insist that teachers take into account the progress that pupils have made when planning lessons. This is improving how tasks are matched to pupil’s abilities. Sharpened focus on the quality of teaching now allows you to hold teachers to account.

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Main findings

Tracking of pupil progress has improved and allows intervention if progress is not at the required level. More frequent reporting and increased detail to governors regarding the progress made by different groups of pupils gives them a better understanding of standards from which to hold you and senior leaders to account.

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Main findings

Progress of specific groups of pupils is accelerating because of new initiatives introduced since the inspection. For example, the use of a computer-based spelling, reading and writing programme to increase pupil’s confidence and standards in writing.

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External support

The Local Authority is confident in the capacity of the leadership of the school and has tailored its support accordingly. Additional advisory visits have focussed on action planning and a small amount of additional funding has been given to the school to use on improvement activities.

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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 Lancashire and as below. Yours sincerely

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Her Majesty's Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:   Appropriate authority - Chair of the Governing Body/Interim Executive Board  Local authority - including where the school is an academy  Diocese - for voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools  The person or body responsible for appointing foundation governors if the school has a foundation

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