Setting

Mrs Moira Dales Acting Headteacher St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School Tewkesbury Close Burleigh Road Nottingham NG2 5ND

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Catholic Primary School

Following my visit to your academy on 13 June 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the outcome and inspection findings. Thank you for the help you gave during the inspection and for the time you made available to discuss the actions which have been taken since the school’s most recent section 5 inspection.

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Catholic Primary School

The inspection was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to have serious weaknesses in February 2014. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During this inspection, meetings were held with the acting headteacher and the deputy headteacher, the Chair of the Interim Executive Committee, the Chair of the South Nottingham Catholic Academy Trust, and three randomly selected members of staff. The proprietor’s statement of action, and the academy’s development plan were evaluated.

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Context

The governing body was dissolved in March 2014 and replaced by an interim executive committee (IEC). Two teachers have begun maternity leave and two continue to be absent on maternity leave. One teacher is absent on long-term leave and one new temporary teacher has joined the academy. The headteacher is absent from the academy and it continues to be led by a part-time acting headteacher who is also the headteacher of another academy in the Trust. Serco Inspections 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 6799169 Direct email : mathew.mitchell@serco.com

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

The acting headteacher is working effectively, and with urgency, to begin to make improvements to the academy. Staff report that she provides clear direction, but also comment that she listens to their ideas and makes them feel valued.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

Since the last inspection, an impressive range of actions has already been taken to begin to address the areas identified for improvement. For example, a new tracking system has been introduced to enable leaders to monitor pupils’ progress more efficiently, and in increased depth. Leaders have also introduced half-termly meetings with teachers to discuss in detail the progress being made by each child, and decide whether additional support or further challenge is needed. These are important developments to help ensure that teaching is pitched at the right level for pupils and their needs are being met. They are also important in helping leaders to identify whether teachers may need further support in helping different groups of pupils to make good progress.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

Leaders have revised the performance management targets of teachers to ensure that targets are aligned with the National Teacher Standards, and also aligned more closely with the academy’s key priorities. Leaders have also been proactive in supporting teachers to further develop their skills, through, for example, meetings with other academies in the Trust to share ideas.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

The Trust is acting swiftly to address governance, which was judged to be inadequate at the time of the last inspection. An interim executive committee (IEC) has been formed and members are actively engaging in monitoring the work of the academy, with a focus on its key priorities. Members of the IEC show a good understanding of the academy’s priorities and have helped to ensure that the statement of action includes an appropriate balance of actions to address the academy’s weaknesses.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

The Trust is working effectively to try to improve links with parents and carers. A meeting for parents was held in May 2014 to outline the academy’s plans for improvement and to attempt to address parents’ questions and concerns. A document was also circulated to parents and carers showing, in an anonymised format, written answers to the questions they had raised. There are firm plans to establish a parent forum by the end of the summer term 2014 to enable parents to better communicate with staff and share ideas for the academy’s future. However, some parents and carers, and members of staff, are still unclear about the role of the IEC and the role of the Trust, and the differences between these. The Chair of the Trust has agreed to clarify this, in writing, and circulate the document to staff and parents and carers.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

The academy’s development plan has been revised since the last inspection and has been suitably amended to include the key issues identified at the time of the last inspection. However, the proprietor’s statement of action requires further improvement and cannot yet be judged fit for purpose. The statement of action contains a range of appropriate actions to address the academy’s weaknesses. However, further clarity is required about who will be responsible for leading each action and who will be monitoring its implementation. This should not be the same person. Further details are also required about the expected impact the actions will make on accelerating pupils’ progress over time. This will enable those responsible for evaluating the impact of the plan to check at regular intervals whether the academy’s plans are making enough impact on accelerating pupils’ progress. The interim executive committee has agreed to amend the statement of action and

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

submit it to me by the end of June 2014.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

Following the monitoring inspection the following judgements were made:

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

The academy’s development plan is fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

The proprietor’s statement of action is not fit for purpose.

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The quality of leadership and management at the academy

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Interim Executive Committee, the Director of Children’s Services for Nottinghamshire local authority, and as below. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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