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 566855 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: gail.hill@cfbt.com

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Ms K Hague Acting Headteacher All Saints CofE Primary School Devon Street Farnworth Bolton Lancashire BL4 7PY

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School, Bolton

Following my visit to your school on 18 March 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report on 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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School, Bolton

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

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School, Bolton

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 and the executive headteacher, a group of pupils, two members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I evaluated the school’s improvement plan and reviewed other documentation supplied by the school. I undertook a learning walk, accompanied by you, to observe pupils in their lessons.

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Context

Since the recent inspection, the headteacher has left the school and you have taken over as acting headteacher. The process of appointing a permanent headteacher has begun but is at an early stage. The headteacher of another local primary school, who has long-standing connections with the school, has been appointed formally as executive headteacher to support the school’s leaders for two days per week. In January, one teacher joined the school and, in February, one part-time teacher left.

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Main findings

You and other school leaders accept the findings of the inspection and agree that the areas for improvement identified are appropriate ones for the school. The school’s improvement plan already included reference to many of the issues raised but has been amended appropriately following the inspection. The plan includes suitable actions, time scales and success criteria. It also includes a focus on improving aspects of teaching and learning not identified in the inspection, such as using information and communication technology more effectively to support pupils’ learning. The plan should give more focus to the achievement of pupils known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium; this would enable the school to ensure that gaps between the achievement of this group and that of other groups remain small or are demonstrably closing. The plan could be strengthened further by considering more carefully who is responsible for monitoring the actions of members of the

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Main findings

Teachers benefit from sharing expertise with teachers at the executive headteacher’s school such as after peer observations of teaching. The full impact of the strengthened partnership arrangements is yet to be seen, and further joint activities are planned for later in the year. Since the inspection, all staff have attended professional training aimed at helping them to develop pupils’ reading, speaking and listening skills. This, together with better in-class facilities for reading, is beginning to have a positive impact. For example, the school’s most recent data show that pupils’ progress in reading is improving.

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Main findings

Teachers have accepted the need to give additional focus in lessons to developing pupils’ writing and are beginning to do so. They support pupils by suggesting a wide range of ways in which they can improve their writing, such as through using wider vocabulary or more complex sentence structures. Pupils know how they can improve their writing and believe that initiatives such as the ‘Wizard Writer of the Week’ are helping them to try their very best. The school’s literacy coordinator has reported to the governors’ teaching and learning committee on the impact of recent curricular changes.

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Main findings

The school’s leaders have ensured that individual teachers, including those in Key Stage 1, benefit from support that is tailored to their needs. The school’s records of teaching observations and pupils’ achievement show that teaching is improving and that pupils in Key Stage 1 are beginning to make better progress. New staffing arrangements are leading to pupils in Year 5 showing more positive attitudes to work and making better progress than before.

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Main findings

Recent assessments indicate that attainment at both key stages is set to improve on last year’s levels. You recognise the need to check further some details of the school’s data.

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Main findings

Governors continue to contribute to the Raising Attainment Group and to offer expertise in supporting the school. They feel well informed about the impact of recent initiatives and are currently undertaking a self-review of their skills. Governors took the lead in strengthening the partnership arrangements with another local school and formalising the appointment of the executive headteacher. This arrangement provides additional support and challenge to the school’s leaders and is particularly appropriate during a period of change in the senior leadership of the school. 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 supported the school over a long period, including through brokering external support and, since the inspection, has supported governors in extending this support. The School Improvement Professional chairs the Raising Attainment Group and visits the school regularly for informal discussions with you and other leaders about provision and outcomes. She is due to lead a review of teaching and learning in April.

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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 Bolton.

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