Setting

Andy Clark Headteacher Park Mead Primary Park Drive Park Mead Estate Cranleigh Surrey GU6 7HB

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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Park Mead Primary

Following my visit to your school on 23 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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Requires improvement: monitoring inspection visit to Park Mead Primary

The visit was the second monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in May 2013. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, other leaders, a group of pupils and three governors including the Chair of the Governing Body. I conducted a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. I made short visits to every class and looked at a sample of pupils’ work. I scrutinised a range of the school’s documentation, including information about pupils’ current achievement and leaders’ assessments of the quality of teaching. 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 5359 Direct F 0117 315 0430 Email : christina.bannerman@tribalgroup.com

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Context

Two teachers have retired since the last monitoring inspection and have been replaced by two newly qualified teachers. One teaching assistant has left and three have joined. One governor has left and been replaced.

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Main findings

The headteacher has led rapid improvement in the school over the last year. He has rightly set clear, high expectations about what needs to improve and by when. He has ensured that all leaders have clear roles and responsibilities and that they work together effectively. Governors now play a crucial role in evaluating improvements, including through frequent visits to the school. Regular, timely information about pupils’ achievement has further increased governors’ effective support and challenge for leaders. All leaders, including governors, have a clear view about the strengths of the school and the areas for further improvement.

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Main findings

Better leadership has led to swift improvements in the quality of teaching. Leaders monitor teachers’ performance very thoroughly and provide teachers with regular, accurate feedback. Leaders ensure that the best practice in the school is shared effectively and that teachers and teaching assistants receive appropriate training. As a result, pupils, including the most able, are increasingly set challenging work in lessons. The quality of pupils’ writing has risen and the teaching of early reading skills is now much more effective. Teachers’ marking has improved so that pupils receive detailed feedback about what they have done well and what they need to do to improve further.

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Main findings

Pupils’ achievement is rising rapidly because of these improvements to teaching. The standards reached by pupils at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage, Year 2 and Year 6 are on track to rise in 2014. Pupils’ attainment in phonics (the sounds that letters make) is improving very quickly and is now above average in Year 1. Whilst pupils’ progress overall has accelerated across the school, some disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, and some pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, are not yet making the same rate of progress as other pupils. However, because leaders now track pupils’ achievement in much greater detail they have the right actions in place to increase the progress of these pupils.

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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 provided a good range of support for the school which has had a very positive impact on the quality of leadership and teaching. This support is rightly reducing because leaders are now able to make further improvements themselves. The local authority visits the school regularly to check the school’s progress and to make sure that improvements are being made quickly enough.

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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 Surrey.

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