Setting

Miss Rebecca Chadwick Acting Headteacher Leverton Church of England Academy Main Street North Leverton Retford DN22 0AD

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England Academy

Following my visit to your school on 23 May 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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England Academy

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in March 2014. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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England Academy

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 Academy

 Accelerate the initiatives taken to develop better communication with parents.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, the Chair of the Governing Body, and two other governors. A telephone conversation was held with the Diocesan Director of Education, the school improvement partner and the governors’ support partner to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. You joined me in a tour of the school where I spoke informally to pupils. Pupils’ books were scrutinised and other school documentation was reviewed. The school improvement was evaluated. The single central record was checked. Serco Inspections Colmore Plaza 20 Colmore Circus Queensway Birmingham B4 6AT T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T : 0121 679 9169 Direct email : mathew.mitchell@serco.com

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Context

Two temporary teachers started working at the school after Easter, one of whom will be continuing at the school in September 2014. The school has employed a further two new teachers, an Early Years Foundation Stage Coordinator and a subject coordinator for September 2014.

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Main findings

Your school improvement plans link actions to the key areas for improvement. The actions are timely and focused on improving outcomes for all pupils. It is clear that the governing body have a central role in checking the quality of your work. However, outcomes for some actions are not sufficiently quantifiable. In addition, the plans have not linked the cost of actions to outcomes for pupils. Therefore, governors are not able to judge whether the actions taken are value for money.

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Main findings

The training teachers have received has resulted in improved planning of lessons to meet the needs of different groups of pupils, including the most-able pupils. As a result, pupils are making better progress in reading and mathematics in particular. However, this is more inconsistent in writing. Teachers’ marking has also improved. Teachers’ comments are better focused on deepening pupils’ understanding of their learning. Pupils are given the opportunity to make corrections and respond to their teacher’s comments. As a result, pupils’ books demonstrate improvements in their understanding of how to make their work better.

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Main findings

Along with the headteacher, the governing body has developed a leadership structure with clearly defined roles for senior leaders in order to take the school forward. As a result, the school has a clear strategic direction for the next stage in its development. You and the governing body have increased the opportunities for parents to come into school to take part in a variety of activities. Parents spoken to during this monitoring visit were positive about the opportunities for coming into school and working with their children. However, these initiatives have not completely addressed the polarised views found at the last 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

The school receives a variety of support from different sources. The diocese has identified and brokered effective support from the headteacher of a local school to assist the acting headteacher in her new role. A National Leader for Education has provided support for the governing body and the acting headteacher to evaluate the impact of pupil premium funding. A school improvement partner has provided effective support in writing the school improvement plan. The governing body receive effective support and training from an educational consultant.

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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 Nottinghamshire.

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