Setting

Mrs J Quinn Headteacher Wooden Hill Primary and Nursery School Staplehurst Bracknell Berkshire RG12 8DB

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and Nursery School

Following my visit to your school on 16 December 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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and Nursery School

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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and Nursery School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, other senior leaders, the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority. Brief lesson observations were carried out in all year groups

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Main findings

Since the inspection you have tackled some key areas identified as needing improvement at the last inspection. There is a more consistent approach to teaching writing across the school. Pupils in all classes, including children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are writing more often and developing skills in a systematic way. 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 5307 Direct email : rachel.evans@tribalgroup.com Teachers’ marking is giving more information to pupils about how to improve their work and this is now more tightly linked to specific learning targets. There is however a way to go to ensure that presentation and spelling keep pace with the improving content of pupils’ writing. You are aware of the need to ‘press on’ with ensuring that higher attaining pupils reach the highest levels in both Key Stages 1

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Main findings

Leaders at all levels are held more to account for their teams or areas of responsibility. There is an urgency now to ensure that these roles are having a strong impact on raising standards. There is some good evidence that monitoring activities, such as the scrutiny of pupils’ books, is leading to clear targets for the improvement in both pupils’ progress and the quality of teaching. However, you must ensure that the outcomes of all such activities, where necessary, lead to sharp targets for improvement, which should be checked within short timescales. The brief lesson observations we carried out showed that there is still a way to go to ensure that the quality of teaching is consistently good.

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Main findings

Governors are due to have a review of their effectiveness but are already putting in place some changes that will make them more efficient in managing their business and holding the school to account for its performance. Clear processes for governors to gather first-hand information about the school’s work to increase their knowledge of the school are still at an early stage of development.

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Main findings

Overall your actions are on the right lines to make the necessary improvements, but you must inject additional urgency to ensure that these initiatives move the school on rapidly to become good or outstanding.

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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

The local authority has an accurate picture of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. It has provided effective support for school leaders in their management role and curriculum support in the key areas of mathematics and English. The full impact of this support has not yet been seen.

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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 Bracknell Forest.

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