Setting

Mrs Lesley Collins Headteacher Edward Heneage Primary Academy Edward Street Grimsby North East Lincolnshire DN32 9HL

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Primary Academy, North East Lincolnshire

Following my visit to the academy on 18 September 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 academy since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Primary Academy, North East Lincolnshire

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in May 2014. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Academy, North East Lincolnshire

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection. The academy should take further action to:

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Primary Academy, North East Lincolnshire

 ensure the plans for improvement explicitly address all of the areas identified as requiring improvement at the last section 5 inspection  improve the arrangements for checking the progress of actions so that these are sharply focussed on the impact of planned improvements  improve the use of the headteacher’s report to governors so it focuses sharply on the improvements being made  develop the skills of governors further so they know how to gauge accurately the impact of planned improvements by identifying explicitly which reports they require in order to hold leaders to account. 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 566850 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email: dmccarrick@cfbt.com

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Evidence

During the visit, I held meetings with you, the three assistant headteachers, six members of the governing body and the executive principal, who was representing the academy sponsor. I evaluated the post inspection action plan and looked at a range of evidence including information on pupils’ progress and the minutes of governing body meetings. You accompanied me on a tour of the school and we spent some time visiting all classrooms and sampling teaching, looking at exercise books and talking to pupils.

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Context

There have been a small number of changes to the academy’s context since the last inspection. The sponsor appointed an executive principal who is the principal of a more successful academy. The executive principal spends at least one day each week at the academy. Two new assistant headteachers have been appointed; one from within the academy. Two new teachers have been recruited, one a newly qualified teacher, who took up their posts at the start of this term. Two governors came to the end of their term of office and were replaced and an additional governor has been appointed by the academy sponsor.

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Main findings

A post inspection improvement plan, with some actions and success criteria, has been put together to address most of the areas requiring improvement. However, this does not explicitly address all of the areas identified as requiring improvement. For example, a key area requiring improvement was to raise expectations and ensure work was challenging for all pupils, particularly the most able. This is not addressed explicitly and there is no specific training for teachers identified. The plan details many planned actions but does not indicate when, or who, will check on the impact of developments in a systematic way. A number of actions to check on teaching are evident, such as lesson observations, work scrutiny and drop-ins but these are not linked sharply to planned developments. Nevertheless there is some evidence of the early impact of the school’s work.

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Main findings

 The re-launch of the academy’s handwriting and presentation policies means the academy’s chosen script and approach to letter formation is displayed prominently in all classrooms. There are now dedicated handwriting lessons and pupils are able to talk about the importance of neat handwriting. However, a significant proportion of pupils have developed poor handwriting and letter formation habits that need to be corrected to improve presentation across the academy.  Assemblies and displays are used to highlight pupils who have improved their handwriting and presentation.  Within the Early Years Foundation Stage there has been a concerted effort to make the indoor learning environments more language rich. Consequently, there are more captions and books evident. However, this has not been extended fully to the outdoor areas and to ensure more opportunities for children to write.  Pupils’ books show the quality of marking and feedback is improving, but

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Main findings

 The work of the assistant headteachers is of note, for example, one has been instrumental in reviewing the procedures for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and another has led the drive to improve the Early Years Foundation Stage. However, their skills at checking on the precise impact of training and development are underdeveloped.

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Main findings

 Governors have reflected on their work and a review of governance has been completed. Governors, while initially reluctant to accept the findings of the previous Section 5 inspection, now note they understand where the academy is, and the urgency with which improvement needs to be made. They are keen for the academy to improve but their role in influencing the pace of improvement is underdeveloped, as is their role in checking on the impact of improvements. Governors readily identify that their skills need to be further developed if they are to identify specifically what information they require in order to hold the senior leaders to account for the impact of specific developments. Although the headteacher’s termly report to governors includes a useful range of information about the work of the school, including attainment and progress information, it does not link precisely to the areas requiring 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 recently appointed executive principal is rapidly developing his understanding of the needs of the academy. Already he has been instrumental in identifying where further improvement is needed. Consequently, for example, new systems for the assessment and tracking of pupils’ levels have been introduced. The academy sponsor has identified correctly the need to strengthen leadership capacity at the academy.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the executive principal, the Director of Children’s Services for North East Lincolnshire and the Academies Advisers Unit. Yours sincerely

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