Setting

Susan Gillott Headteacher Stanley Common CofE Primary School 143 Belper Road Stanley Common Ilkeston DE7 6FS

p.1

CofE Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 9 September 2014, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report my 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 my last visit in February 2014.

p.1

CofE Primary School

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

p.1

CofE Primary School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the section 5 inspection.

p.1

Evidence

During my visit, I met with you, the Chair of the Governing Body and a group of pupils. I also reviewed the school’s Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 results for 2014, the current self-evaluation and the development plan. I scrutinised the records of your checks on the quality of teaching and learning in the school. We also looked together through a selection of pupils’ books from last year.

p.1

Main findings

The school is now much more settled and consistent following the resolution of staffing difficulties that disrupted the learning of some pupils last year. You were 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 679 9153 Direct email : naik.sandhu@serco.com pleased with the Key Stage 2 test outcomes for pupils, which reflected the relatively high ability of this small group. These pupils have made good progress and have benefitted from the increased stability in staffing that they had from January. Your tracking of pupils’ progress is thorough and enables teachers to provide accurate and effective support if any should fall behind.

p.1

Main findings

Your checks on the quality of teaching, through lesson observation, scrutiny of planning and marking and discussion with pupils, now provide you with a much more accurate picture of the typical experience of pupils over time. The quality of marking has improved and pupils are much clearer about how they should improve their work. In some cases, however, pupils are rubbing out and correcting mistakes after the teacher has pointed them out. This does not help teachers to spot patterns of mistakes, gaps in learning and repeat errors.

p.2

Main findings

Because of the pressure on your time as a teaching head, it is apparent that the school’s documentation around self-evaluation and development planning would benefit from review. Although your plans are appropriate and aimed firmly at a solidly good outcome at the next inspection, they are not as well communicated with your colleagues or governors as they could be.

p.2

Main findings

A National Leader of Governance was contracted to complete an external review of governance in March. Unfortunately, the school has not yet received his report and recommendations. Despite this, governors have taken appropriate actions to improve their understanding and involvement with the school.

p.2

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.

p.2

External support

The school has received suitable challenge and support from the local authority School Improvement Adviser, who has participated in lesson observations and book scrutiny. Links have also been made with a local outstanding school and staff have made visits to explore good practice. This has been of practical benefit as a number of good ideas have been adopted. Also, and perhaps more importantly, it has provided reassurance and professional support not easily available otherwise in a small school such as Stanley Common.

p.2

External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Derbyshire County Council and the Diocese of Derby.

p.2

Her Majesty’s Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:

p.3

Her Majesty’s Inspector

 Appropriate authority - Chair of the Governing Body/Interim Executive Board  Local authority – including where the school is an academy  Contractor providing support services on behalf of the local authority - where appropriate  The Education Funding Agency (EFA) if the school has a sixth form  Diocese – for voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools  The person or body responsible for appointing foundation governors if the school has a foundation  DfE - Academies Advisers Unit [ open.FREESCHOOLS@education.gsi.gov.uk ] - for academies, free schools, UTCs and studio schools  The Education Funding Agency (EFA) if the school is a non-maintained special school [ hns.efa@education.gsi.gov.uk ]

p.3