Setting

Martin Kelsey Headteacher The Raglan Junior School Raglan Road Bush Hill Park Enfield EN1 2RG

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School

Following my visit to your school on 25 March 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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School

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

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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School

 Increase the senior management team to ensure that there is sufficient experience and capacity to sustain improvement.

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Evidence

During the visit, I met with you and other senior and middle leaders, the Chair and one other member of the Governing Body, two teaching assistants and a class teacher, a group of pupils from Years 2 to 6 and, a representative from the local authority to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. The school improvement plan was evaluated. I also scrutinised a range of documents including minutes of governors’ meetings, assessment data on pupils’ progress, a summary of 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 Email : rachel.evans@tribalgroup.com the progress made since the last inspection and the profile of teaching over time. I also reviewed a sample of pupils’ work in English and mathematics.

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Context

Following the inspection one teacher resigned. Two supply teachers are currently filling vacant posts. The amalgamation of the junior and infants school has led to you starting to re-structure the staffing. Both schools, known as The Raglan Schools, operate as one primary school. They share the same governing body, leaders and strategic priorities. Each school has retained its unique reference number.

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Context

You and your staff are working with a National Leader of Education who is the headteacher at Lavender Primary School.

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Main findings

You have worked effectively with your senior leaders to introduce a number of important changes. Middle leaders, other staff, pupils, the governing body and representative from the local authority all recognise the positive impact the changes have had on raising expectations. For example, pupils told me that the IT equipment are better and work is more interactive and harder.’ Pupils could also explain that teachers were making links between subjects and this was helping them to apply their ‘skills and knowledge.’

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Main findings

You and your senior leaders, including the governors were very open about the barriers that have affected the school moving forward quickly. Frank discussions have been a contributory factor to all leaders, including governors, developing a strategic approach to tackling the main priorities for improvement. The school development plan gives a clear account of your vision for improvement and includes measureable targets and milestones. Regular evaluation is helping you all to reflect on and report on the progress made to reach the ambitious targets.

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Main findings

Your plan to raise standards has led to well-planned actions being taken to improve. Your evaluation of teaching shows that the large majority of it is moving towards the ‘good’ criteria. Rigorous actions to improve teaching include the use of support plans and profiles within a time scale of four to six weeks. Discussions with you, other staff and scrutiny of monitoring files indicate that your uncompromising stance when monitoring planning, teaching and pupil progress has led to increased accountability. Staff told me that recent changes have made them more reflective and confident about developing their practice. You have also introduced new marking and tracking systems. Good quality marking is evident in literacy but less so in mathematics – consistency is still needed. Changes have also been made to developing pupils writing. Books seen shows there is a sharper focus on quality extended writing.

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Main findings

It is clear that the improved and positive ethos of the school is linked to several factors. The partnership work with the National Leader for Education is proving helpful. Staff say that they have benefited from training, observing good practice and working with the staff from Lavender School. Your senior team are supportive and although relatively new to their roles, they work as a cohesive team and are willing to learn. However, the size of the school and the pace of change indicate that you would all benefit from increasing the leadership team to sustain the changes made. You indicated that the re-structuring has identified some gaps and this needs to be dealt with quickly.

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Main findings

Members of the governing body are using their vast educational and financial expertise to further improvements. They are very much aware of the potential barriers to improvement and have adopted a no-nonsense approach when asking questions about pupil progress. Governors have appointed a personal assistant to support you so you can accelerate improvement.

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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 level of support, previously intensive before the last inspection, remains good. This includes the Rapid Recovery Group, which involves a tightly structured group with a few governors. Everyone in this group is clear about the high level of challenge and accountability between all parties involved in helping the school to move forward quickly. Regular reviews from the local authority, training, support for subject leaders, financial help and brokering the partnership work with the National Leader of Education are contributing to your school developing a can-do culture.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Enfield and as below.

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