Setting

John Clapham Headteacher St Andrew's CofE Methodist (Aided) Primary School Pentland Road Dronfield Woodhouse Dronfield S18 8ZQ

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Methodist (Aided) Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 17 June 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection 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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Methodist (Aided) Primary School

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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Methodist (Aided) Primary 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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Methodist (Aided) Primary School

 develop school improvement planning further by ensuring that roles and responsibilities for both monitoring and evaluating actions are clear

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Methodist (Aided) Primary School

 strengthen subject leadership further by developing their skills to evaluate the quality of teaching effectively.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with you, the deputy headteacher, subject leaders of English and mathematics, the special educational needs coordinator, the Chair of the Governing Body and another member of the executive 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 6799163 Direct email : lewis.mackie1@serco.com committee and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I visited all classrooms with you, during which I spoke with pupils and looked at workbooks. I evaluated the school improvement plans and scrutinised pupils’ assessment data.

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Context

Since the last inspection 2 teachers have tendered their resignation; one from the Early Years Foundation Stage and one from Key Stage 2.

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Main findings

School leaders have adapted their improvement plan to specifically address the areas for development identified in the recent section 5 inspection. You and your deputy have a clear and accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. The plans are detailed and appropriate, focusing on improving pupils’ achievement through improved quality of teaching and consistent practice. The success criteria identified are now sharply focused, enabling governors to hold leaders to account more effectively. Currently, the monitoring and evaluation roles within the plan are not clearly distinguished; this means that checking the school’s improvement work and its effectiveness is not as effective as it could be.

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Main findings

Increased training and development work with teachers has already resulted in positive pupil outcomes. Reliable assessment of pupils’ achievement shows that from their different starting points, the proportion of pupils meeting and exceeding national expectations at Key Stage 2 is more than the national averages in writing; this marks a significant improvement from last year. The progress made by more- able pupils is markedly improved in reading, mathematics and writing compared to 2013. Higher expectations from teachers and improved teaching strategies across the school have contributed to accelerated progress by this group across the school.

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Main findings

Greater consistency among teachers and improved teaching practice is evident across the school: pupil’s work is presented neatly; literacy tools are used in every classroom to develop writing and reading skills and the quality of marking. The use of ‘Writing Conferences’ has improved the quality of feedback to pupils, who report that they find the conversations with their teachers useful to help them improve their work. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are improving; during the visits to classrooms, no off-task behaviour was seen and pupils worked extremely well with each other and without direct supervision from adults. They spoke confidently and enthusiastically about their learning.

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Main findings

Subject leaders are also developing their effectiveness. They have all undertaken further training brokered by the local authority; they carry out regular pupils’ workbook monitoring. With the exception of the maths coordinator, who is also the deputy headteacher, they are not yet skilled enough to monitor the quality of teaching through direct observations. Governors have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are keen to improve their effectiveness in being able to hold leaders to account and provide good support for the school. They have been receptive to support and guidance provided externally and recognise that their monitoring role could be improved further with clear roles and responsibilities identified in the school improvement plan.

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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 local authority has contributed significantly to the school’s improvement work and positive outcomes so far. They have been swift to provide a range of support to the school, in particular in the area of moderating of pupils’ assessments, subject leadership, and the quality of teaching with particular emphasis on improving writing skills across the school. Subject leaders value the guidance they have been given. You have also benefited from brokered support from the local authority of a local leader in education, who has provided an important level of challenge and assistance to develop further his leadership skills.

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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 Derbyshire local authority and the Derby Diocese Board of Education.

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