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 Linda Hewlett Parker Headteacher Sir John Nelthorpe School - A Specialist Technology College for Science, Mathematics and Computing Grammar School Road Brigg Lincolnshire DN20 8AA

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North Lincolnshire

Following my visit to your school on 7 May 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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North Lincolnshire

The visit was the second 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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North Lincolnshire

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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North Lincolnshire

● improve the consistency of marking so that more students routinely respond to comments and improve aspects of their work • ensure the teachers that have been trained to support others are utilised effectively over the next year, so that there is more outstanding teaching.

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Evidence

During the visit meetings were held with you and other members of the senior leadership team; a representative of the local authority; the Chair and vice- chair of the governing body and a group of middle leaders. I also undertook two observations of part-lessons with the assistant headteacher responsible for leading improvement in the quality of teaching. I evaluated the school development plan and other documents including departmental self- evaluation records and examples of teacher training materials.

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Context

Since the first monitoring visit in December 2013 the headteacher has announced she will retire at the end of August. The governors have appointed a new headteacher who will take up post in September 2014. The governing body has been re-structured and there are no longer any vacancies to be filled. The head of the mathematics has left the school and the role is being covered on a temporary basis. A new head of mathematics has been recruited and will take up post in September. Two teachers have returned from maternity leave.

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Main findings

You have acted quickly to address areas for improvement identified in the first monitoring visit and the school is now on course to become a good school. Improvement activity is now coordinated much more effectively and the school development plan is serving as an effective document to direct the work of leaders at all levels. The school’s progress is now evaluated systematically through the progress review group. Records from the most recent progress review group meeting indicate the school is on course to reach the achievement targets it has set for 2014, and that the quality of teaching is improving.

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Main findings

The external review of governance was completed in January 2014. New governors with appropriate skills have been recruited and there are no longer any vacancies on the governing body. Governors have formed two sub-committees, one of which is focused on standards in the school. Members of this committee are linked closely to different sections of the school development plan and this is helping them to check on the impact of planned actions. They now receive better information on student achievement and the impact of work to improve the quality of teaching. This, together with the considerable training they are undertaking, is helping them to ask more searching questions and hold senior leaders to account. For example, there has been considerable scrutiny of the gap in attainment between students supported by the pupil premium and their peers. This has helped to ensure strategies to support specific students are fully in place. The governing body has also

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Main findings

successfully recruited a new headteacher and an induction programme is in place to ensure a smooth transition takes place.

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Main findings

Your leadership team are now more focused on improving the quality of teaching in order to raise achievement further. A thorough audit of teaching has been completed and there are now good systems in place to ensure the quality of teaching is checked regularly. Senior leaders, with the support of the local authority, have identified and have provided good training for a team of teachers who are supporting others to improve their practice. Consequently there is now a stronger resource to support the professional development of teachers. Middle leaders have received further training so that they can undertake checks on the quality of teaching more effectively. Of late, they have focused on checking the impact of marking across the school. This has helped to highlight areas of good practice, but has also identified students do not routinely respond to teachers’ comments and improve their work. You have checked the performance objectives that are set for teachers, and where

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Main findings

necessary, have amended objectives to ensure they have an explicit link to the progress students make. 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

Since my last visit the local authority has increased support to the school. An adviser has worked closely with senior leaders to support work on improving the quality of teaching. In addition, the local authority has chaired the progress review group and these meetings have become increasingly influential in focusing the efforts of all leaders. The School Improvement Partner has focused on supporting the leadership of the sixth form and the school expects standards at A level to rise in 2014. Members of the governing body are also benefiting from the training opportunities the local authority provides.

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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 North Lincolnshire.

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