Setting

Mrs Lindsay Lomas Headteacher Cliffe Hill Community Primary School Stoney Lane Lightcliffe Halifax West Yorkshire HX3 8TW

p.1

Community Primary School, Calderdale

Following my visit to your school on 30 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 school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

p.1

Community Primary School, Calderdale

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in June 2014. At its previous section 5 the school was also judged to require improvement. This monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Community Primary School, Calderdale

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:

p.1

Community Primary School, Calderdale

 sharpen measurable success criteria and milestones in the school development plan.

p.1

Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher and senior leaders, middle leaders, members of the governing body, a group of pupils and a representative of the local authority. The inspector evaluated a range of documentation including: the school development plan; monitoring reports; the tracking of pupils’ progress, policies and the minutes of governing body meetings. 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 566868 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email :jsimmons@cfbt.com

p.1

Context

Since the inspection in June two members of staff have left and two newly qualified teachers have joined the school alongside a newly appointed teacher who will take over responsibility for mathematics. In addition, there have been some major changes to the governing body with the appointment of a new chair and vice chair. A newly appointed school improvement partner from the local authority has also commenced working with senior leaders.

p.2

Main findings

Despite some considerable disappointment and disbelief at the outcomes of the inspection in June, senior leaders have not allowed themselves to be blown off course or distracted away from the task in hand. As a result, no time has been lost, the pace of change has intensified and all staff are stepping up to the mark once again. Immediate action has been taken to tighten procedures and strengthen provision. This is particularly evident in improvements to the effectiveness of middle leaders who are increasing their impact well with refocused action plans, greater access to performance data and a clear consensus about their role in improving outcomes for pupils.

p.2

Main findings

The school development plan has been realigned and follows closely the areas for improvement identified at the previous inspection. However, some of the targets within the plan are not as sharp as they could be and do not have clear measurable milestones against which the impact of actions can be systematically monitored and evaluated by governors over-time.

p.2

Main findings

Systems to strengthen teaching and learning are gathering pace. Improvements in how leaders at all levels check on the quality of teaching are continuing with a greater focus on how well pupils and groups of pupils achieve in lessons, alongside tightened procedures to gather a range of information from pupil performance data and the scrutiny of pupils’ work.

p.2

Main findings

Governance is becoming sharper-edged. The early actions of new appointments for example are demonstrating a clear understanding of the school’s most pressing priorities and a resolve to challenge senior leaders and hold them to account.

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 support from the newly appointed local authority officer bodes well for the future. In a relatively short period of time it is clear that this work will be tailored effectively to the needs of the school and centred around strengthening the skills of leaders at all levels and improving the quality of teaching and learning.

p.3

External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Calderdale.

p.3