Setting

Gillian Cocklin Headteacher South Ascot Village Primary School All Souls Road Ascot SL5 9EA

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 11 February 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the findings. 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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Primary 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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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:

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Primary School

 share the good and outstanding teaching practice in the school to further improve the quality of teaching.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you and your deputy headteacher, the Vice Chair of the Governing Body and another governor and a representative of the local authority, to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I also had a 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 telephone conversation with the school’s external adviser. I evaluated a range of documentation including the school action plan and information relating to the monitoring of teaching. You took me on a tour of the school and we made brief visits to all classes where I spoke to pupils about their work and looked at their books. I also met with a small group of pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6.

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Context

Since the last inspection one teacher has left the school and the deputy headteacher is sharing the teaching of one class with a teacher enrolled on the graduate teacher programme.

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Main findings

Together with the deputy headteacher you have acted quickly to start improving the school. You are determined to move the school forward. You have drawn up an action plan that is sharply focused on the right priorities which clearly shows what action will be taken and how and when progress will be checked and measured. You are frequently reviewing and updating this document which means you have a very accurate view of the school’s progress. Your termly operational plan shows the contribution of teaching and support staff, middle and senior leaders and governors to each of the key areas for improvement. As a result, everyone involved is clear about their responsibilities and involvement.

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Main findings

You have reviewed your marking policy and established clear expectations for the feedback pupils receive. Pupils’ books show that they are frequently given specific guidance on their next steps for learning which are linked to their individual targets. Consequently, pupils are able to explain how they need to improve their work. Opportunities for pupils to respond to this feedback are less frequent and there is still inconsistency about how this is done.

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Main findings

Pupils’ work is now more fully recorded in their books in a range of ways, for example through photographs of practical activities. This means that teachers, parents and pupils have a more detailed and varied picture of progress over time.

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Main findings

You are using a range of information including lesson observations and work in pupils’ books to form an accurate view of the quality of teaching across the school. Your feedback to teachers is detailed and specific. As a result, teachers are given clear targets for improvement. You are providing useful, individual support to improve weaker teaching. Consequently, the quality of teaching is improving. However, good and outstanding practice is not being shared effectively between teachers to improve further improve. Middle leaders are increasingly involved in checking the quality of teaching across the school. This means that middle leaders are more accountable for raising standards and this is enabling them to play a more prominent role in school improvement.

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Main findings

The governing body is currently undergoing a review of its effectiveness and has already acted on its emerging findings. The roles of some governors have changed to better reflect their individual skills and expertise. Governors are asking increasingly challenging questions of senior leaders and they have training planned to strengthen their understanding of information about pupils’ progress. Visits to the school by governors are increasing their understanding of the school’s work.

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External support

The school receives regular support from an external adviser provided through its work with a group of local schools. He has given valuable advice in refining the school action plan. Additionally, he has provided useful guidance in sharpening the use of information to track pupils’ progress more effectively.

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External support

Since the inspection the degree of support from the local authority has grown. It has arranged for support for the development of English and mathematics, to begin in March. The lead adviser for governance has led a useful review of the effectiveness of the governing body which has resulted in a number of changes in its work.

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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 Windsor and Maidenhead.

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