Setting

Rhoda Elvin and Kylie Thomson Acting Headteachers Tadley Community Primary School The Green Tadley Hampshire RG26 3PB

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 6 June 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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Primary School

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

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Primary School

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 inclusion co-ordinator, the Chair of the Governing Body and two parent governors, and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I evaluated a range of documentation including the school improvement plan and information about the monitoring of teaching. I carried out a lesson observation in Year 4 with you. During a tour of the school, we made brief visits to a number of classes, where I spoke to pupils and looked at work in their books. 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

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Main findings

Judgements made at the last inspection were accepted by yourselves and the governing body. You have effectively worked together with determination and commitment to tackle the improvements that need to be made. The school development plan focuses on the key areas for improvement and includes specific measureable outcomes. Your useful partnership work with other local schools has supported the refinement of this plan. Additionally, the week-by-week plan you have created showing the monitoring activities being undertaken across the school clearly communicates your intentions to continually check the progress that is being made.

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Main findings

Useful training has been given to teachers to enable them to provide greater challenge for pupils, particularly in writing. Teachers have benefited from additional time to plan for this together and to observe and share good practice. You have thoughtfully paired teachers to work together to reflect their strengths and areas for development. Your checks of teachers’ planning show that teachers are including specific activities to provide for this additional challenge. During our visits to classes, we observed a Year 2 literacy lesson where pupils were given the opportunity to write in a variety of styles about sea creatures in order to practise particular skills.

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Main findings

You have reviewed and rewritten the school’s marking policy. This has set clear expectations for the feedback pupils receive. Work in pupils’ books show that they are given specific advice and comments on how to improve their work. Consequently, pupils are able to explain what their next steps in learning will be. Increasingly pupils are responding to their teachers’ guidance by making sure they address any areas for improvement in future pieces of work.

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Main findings

Important refinements have been made to how information about pupils’ progress is being used. The process is more rigorous and systematic and looks closely at the progress of individuals and groups of pupils, particularly those who are more at risk of underachievement. As a result teachers are better informed about pupils’ progress over time and are more accountable for taking action to address any underachievement. You have raised the profile and expectations of the role of year leaders and consequently they are increasingly involved in monitoring progress in their areas and are taking the initiative to drive forward improvements.

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Main findings

You have recently introduced a comprehensive new reading record which provides clear guidance for parents about how they can support their child’s reading. You have a workshop planned for parents to provide further information and support for this work. As a result, you have set a consistent expectation about how often children will read at home. The reading record is enabling you to monitor how often this is happening and although it is early days, you are already seeing more effective communication between parents and teachers about the development of pupils’ reading skills. You have reviewed and simplified the school’s behaviour policy and as a result there is a more consistent approach to rewarding good behaviour and addressing poor behaviour. The school’s Parent and Teacher Association has funded the extension and refurbishment of the Key Stage 1 playground. Additionally, you have an extra member of senior staff on duty in the Key Stage 2 playground each break time. As a

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Main findings

result, recorded incidents of poor behaviour at break times have more than halved in a half term.

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Main findings

The governing body has recently undergone a review led by the local authority. As a result the governors have drawn up an action plan to address its recommendations. Following the findings of the last inspection, the governing body has been restructured so that its members are able to monitor the key areas for improvement more effectively. Regular visits to the school by members of the governing body are enabling them to collect valuable information about the school’s work. They are using this information to ask more challenging questions of senior leaders.

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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’s senior leaders have an effective working relationship with the local authority. The local authority has a good understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development and has used this knowledge to provide relevant support and training. The literacy adviser has given valuable training to teachers for the development of more able pupils’ writing skills and for the monitoring of the impact of these new initiatives. The governing body continue to benefit from effective support from the local authority through its review of governance and training in the use of information about pupils’ progress. The local authority’s leadership adviser has given valuable support to the school’s senior leaders to refine the school development plan.

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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 Hampshire.

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