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 566862 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: rcowley@cfbt.com

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Mrs Evelyn Green Headteacher Woodmansey Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Hull Road Woodmansey Beverley HU17 0TH

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England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

Following my visit to your school on 26 February 2014, 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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England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

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

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England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

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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England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

● develop teachers’ leadership skills to secure greater improvements in provision and pupils’ outcomes.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, the subject leader for English, governors, including the Chair of the Governing Body and a representative from the local authority (the improvement partner). The inspector briefly observed all lessons jointly with the headteacher. A number of documents, including records of monitoring activities and the school’s improvement plans were also evaluated.

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Context

Since the previous inspection in December, a temporary part-time teacher has been appointed to teach pupils in Years 3 and 4. The headteacher is currently teaching Year 6 pupils for four morning sessions each week.

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Main findings

Building on the systems in place at the time of the previous inspection, the headteacher, despite a current teaching commitment, has continued to ensure that the school is fully focused on improving pupils’ writing, the quality of teaching and leadership.

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Main findings

Emerging improvements are already evident in writing, and also reading and mathematics, particularly for those pupils in Key Stage 1 and for older pupils in Key Stage 2. Actions taken to support these improvements include the regular scrutiny of teaching and pupils’ work and the introduction of a weekly structure to improve extended writing in literacy and within other subjects. Pupils in Years 3 and 4 are also making better progress, but the school’s assessment information indicates a more variable picture for these pupils. The recent appointment of an extra teacher for pupils in Years 3 and 4 is helping to address this difference.

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Main findings

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is better structure and regularity in the teaching of phonics to support children’s reading and writing. In the lessons observed, children taught within this more formal setting were fully engaged and enjoyed the opportunities to extend their understanding. However, more children need to secure a ‘good level of development’ to ensure that improvement is consistent across all year groups.

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Main findings

All teachers have subject leadership responsibilities and have started to develop their roles. In literacy, for example, peer observations have helped to improve understanding of the work in different key stages and the use of pupil progress grids are now highlighting where further teaching intervention is required to ensure there are no gaps in pupils’ learning. However, in this small school, it is necessary to develop further the leadership skills of all teachers to ensure the school quickly builds sufficient capacity to accelerate and sustain improvement over time.

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Main findings

Although an external review of governance was not identified at the previous inspection, governors are currently completing a full assessment of their work with a National Leader of Education to improve their effectiveness in holding the school to account. Training on data and assessment information, led by the improvement adviser, is also due to take place by the end of the month. Governors regularly visit and check the school’s work, including mathematics provision, the quality and impact of intervention work for pupils with additional learning needs and those supported through pupil premium funding. They are determined to improve the school quickly and secure a better overall effectiveness judgement at the next inspection.

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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

Local authority personnel have regularly visited the school since the previous inspection. The newly assigned improvement partner is closely monitoring the school’s work on tackling the key areas for improvement and is providing effective challenge. This work together with a full audit of writing provision by the literacy consultant, focused training for teaching assistants and the commissioning of a review of governance is already having an impact on accelerating improvement. The school is also now working productively with two local primary schools on aspects of leadership and curriculum provision, including governance and Early Years Foundation Stage provision.

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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 East Riding of Yorkshire.

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