Setting

Miss Lynette Brammah Headteacher Sandy Lane Primary School Cottingley Road Allerton Bradford West Yorkshire BD15 9JU

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School, Bradford

Following my visit to your school on 13 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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School, Bradford

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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School, Bradford

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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School, Bradford

 Continue to improve the way it collects and interrogates pupil achievement data to ensure leaders know precisely how well significant groups of pupils, such as those eligible for pupil premium, are doing compared to other groups and national averages.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, subject leaders for reading, writing and mathematics, the Governing Body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. The school CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22 West Lancs Investment Centre Maple View Skelmersdale WN8 9TG T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01695 566857 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email :jkinsman@cfbt.com improvement plan(s) was evaluated. We visited lesson and spoke with pupils and staff.

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Context

Since the inspection there have been some changes to staffing. One teacher has left and another teacher has gone on maternity leave. These classes are being taught by temporary teachers. There are further changes due to staffing in September.

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Main findings

You have continued with the vision and drive for improvement begun upon your appointment to headship. The inspection meant that you have been able to address issues with renewed vigour, secure in the knowledge that your own self-evaluation of where the school was at prior to inspection was accurate. Because of this, there is increasing evidence that actions are now bearing fruit.

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Main findings

The school’s development plan has been amended to incorporate the areas for improvement. Very little needed adding, as you were already clear about what action needed to be taken. Actions are appropriate with clear outcomes that are measurable. This will allow the governing body, and others, to make accurate checks on school’s progress. There is increased rigour in the monitoring of all actions and timelines make clear that you expect rapid improvement.

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Main findings

You say that although teaching and learning has improved as result of the actions you have taken, there are still some inconsistencies. Some of this is due to recent staffing changes. Nevertheless, actions taken to support individual staff are bearing fruit. You have established a clear set of what you call ‘non negotiables’. These make clear what you expect and are ensuring greater consistency in teaching. For instance, all lessons start promptly and teachers are expected to plan a short task at the start of the day which engages pupils purposefully from the moment they walk into class. Changes to the timetable have been agreed to maximise learning time and staff say this is already making a difference. These actions, along with others are improving behaviour and attitudes to learning, as well as raising achievement in a short space of time.

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Main findings

You have clear plans for the autumn term to appoint and deploy staff to make best use of their strengths and your plans to develop further the leadership of the school, will increase the school’s capacity to drive forward improvements. The systems and procedures introduced are providing a much clearer framework for school improvement. This has ensured that staff know what is expected of them and they have greater ownership of the areas they lead. This is resulting in a much more collaborative approach to school improvement, than previously with staff now leading the way. Staff know they will be held to account for the effectiveness of their work and increasingly, share your ambitions for the school. The school’s data system is now fit for purpose. It is being used effectively to identify the underachievement of individual pupils and address this at the earliest opportunity. Careful monitoring of each pupil’s progress means that action is taken

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Main findings

to ensure gaps in learning are now closed sooner than later through class teaching, as well as carefully targeted interventions. You agreed there is a need to interrogate the pupil achievement data more rigorously to identify and raise questions about the achievement of groups of pupils, so that any inequalities in provision and gaps in achievement are addressed.

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Main findings

Middle leaders have continued to advance their roles. Their knowledge and understanding of the areas they lead is much sharper and they know precisely what needs to be done to ensure standards are raised. They are making an increasing contribution to improving the curriculum and teaching. They know that they must relate what they do to the impact on pupils’ attitudes to learning, behaviour and achievement and are able to speak broadly, but confidently about this. They have improved the way they use data to inform provision and target individuals. The inclusion leader is working hard to tackle attendance, particularly persistent absence and this is starting to pay off. She is ensuring there are positive working relationships with parents.

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Main findings

The governing body has a very clear view of where school is at and what needs to be done. It is making closer checks and holding leaders to account much more robustly than before.

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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

You are making effective use of the established and strong partnerships with other schools in the locality to support developments in leadership and teaching. These partnerships have enabled you to secure assessment and tackle the areas for improvement. A seconded leader from one of these schools is leading Key Stage 2 and the development of writing. She, like the reading and mathematics leads, is providing a role model to staff. They are ensuring that teachers understand better the progression in these subjects, so that they build upon pupils’ skills and knowledge more effectively than before. Collaborative work on using and applying mathematical skills is helping you to address this aspect of mathematics teaching.

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External support

The local authority school improvement adviser has visited the school regularly to make checks on the school’s progress and has provided support for the development and effective use of the school’s data system. This is ensuring staff have timely and accurate information on how well pupils are doing.

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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 Bradford and as below. Yours sincerely

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

 Appropriate authority - Chair of the Governing Body  Local authority

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