Setting

Mr John Killeen Headteacher South Cave Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Church Street South Cave Brough East Riding of Yorkshire HU15 2EP

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of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

Following my visit to your school on 14 July 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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of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

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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of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

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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of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, East Riding of Yorkshire

 make sure that checks on the school’s work are sharply focused and provide governors with regular detailed updates on how teaching and learning are improving and the aspects that would benefit from further development

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, other senior leaders, pupils, the governing body and a representative of the local authority to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. The school’s action plan was evaluated. The outcomes of recent monitoring activities and a sample of pupil support plans and books were scrutinised. 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 566937 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email :jsimmons@cfbt.com

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Context

The headteacher is retiring at the end of August and a new headteacher has been appointed. One teacher is also retiring at the end of term and plans are in place to fill this vacancy.

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Main findings

Senior leaders and governors are united in a desire to improve the school. School action plans, developed with the support of the local authority, provide an effective steer to enable the school to begin to tackle the aspects of teaching and leadership that require improvement. The difference that the planned actions are intended to make to pupils is occasionally unclear. Regular discussion between the outgoing and incoming headteachers is providing continuity to the introduction of training and policy changes. Training has enabled leaders, staff and governors to overhaul systems for setting targets. Better analysis of the school’s data and tracking information has helped them to set more challenging targets for pupils. Pupils who are making slower progress are starting to receive additional support quickly. However, school systems for tailoring the support programmes more closely to individual’s needs and in identifying the impact they are intended to have require

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Main findings

improvement. Plans to address these shortcomings are being developed.

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Main findings

In lessons a greater focus on problem solving in mathematics and more challenging work is appreciated by Key Stage 2 pupils. They like the thought-provoking ‘tricky’ mathematics, the extra work they receive in lessons if they finish their main tasks, and they notice that there is less focus on giving them tidying up tasks. Revisions to the marking policy make clear what is expected of teachers and pupils. The introduction of specific time for pupils to respond to teachers’ advice is beginning to support learning in all classes. Some pupils are taking more careful note of the corrections made to their work and as a result their spelling, understanding and use of words are improving.

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Main findings

Considerable effort is going into monitoring teachers’ performance but senior leaders’ observations and reviews of pupils’ work are not being drawn together well enough to keep governors fully informed about how well the higher expectations of pupils is being translated into practice. This risks slowing the pace of improvement.

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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’s advice, support and training are helping governors and the senior leadership team to appreciate why standards slipped and to implement changes in the assessment and tracking of pupils’ performance. Links with a good or better school have yet to be arranged. It is recommended that this is done swiftly in order to support leaders and governors in developing sharper systems for reviewing teaching and learning.

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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 East Riding of Yorkshire.

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