Setting

Jane Elliott Headteacher All Saints CofE Primary School Upper Beulah Hill Upper Norwood London SE19 3LG

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 2 October 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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Primary School

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

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Primary School

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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Primary School

 ensure that the frequency and rigour of leaders’ checks on the quality of teaching and on pupils’ progress are maintained

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Primary School

 make the most of the benefits offered through working with the Local Leader of Education linked to the school.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you, other senior leaders, leaders of English and mathematics, a group of teachers, pupils and the Chair of the Governing Body and three other governors to discuss the action taken since the last inspection. I also met with a Local Leader of Education who has been appointed by the local Tribal Kings Orchard 1 Queens Street Bristol, BS2 0HQ T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0117 311 5307 Email : rachel.evans@tribalgroup.com authority to support the school. The school improvement plan was evaluated. You gave me a tour of the school and we looked at pupils’ work in their books.

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Context

Four teachers are new to the school this academic year and one member of the senior leadership team is acting as inclusion manager on a temporary basis. There have been some changes to the personnel leading subjects; several new leadership posts have been filled, including those for computing, English, modern foreign languages, drama and music.

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Main findings

The governing body, leaders and teachers have acted quickly to address the key issues. They have wasted no time in getting started on their journey of improvement. Teachers report that there is a feeling of urgency about the school’s work and that training and planned actions are more sharply focussed than in the past. Older pupils recognise many of the changes that leaders have made and are grateful for the increased challenge they now receive from their teachers.

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Main findings

The school’s plan addresses the issues highlighted in the recent inspection report. It is detailed with clear criteria setting out the intended impact of planned actions. The governing body’s involvement in checking the school’s rate of progress is clear as is that of the diocese and the local authority.

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Main findings

Leaders have raised their expectations, and adapted their requirements, of teachers’ planning. Teachers now plan in greater detail for the needs of all pupils, particularly the more able. Questions are selected to help stretch pupils tackling more advanced concepts. Following regular checks on the quality of teachers’ planning, leaders provide individual feedback indicating how practice can be improved; teachers welcome this. Leaders take a similar approach to checking and improving the quality of teachers’ marking. Leaders have begun to make more frequent visits to classrooms to check on the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ progress. The roles of subject leaders have been redefined and given a higher profile. These leaders now meet regularly with the deputy headteacher to review pupils’ achievement in their subject.

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Main findings

Having analysed Key Stage 2 pupils’ work in detail, leaders have a good understanding of the aspects of reading which need to be developed; this includes, for instance, pupils’ ability to infer meaning from texts. As a result, staff have received training to improve the quality of their teaching of pupils’ reading. Pupils say that they now read more frequently in lessons and that the purpose of the activities they do is explained to them. New guidelines for marking pupils’ work have been introduced. Teachers are now required to set pupils a further challenge when marking, to extend their knowledge or understanding. Pupils respond to this at the start of the next lesson. There is some inconsistency in the quality of teachers’ comments and of pupils’ responses.

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Main findings

Leaders have begun making improvements to the systems they use to manage pupils’ behaviour. Pupils are pleased to receive the blue discs that acknowledge their good behaviour and which lead to rewards later in the year. They explain that the recent change to the organisation of Year 6 classes has had a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes in lessons. Pupils say that the newly installed play equipment has helped to improve their behaviour at lunchtimes and that there are now fewer instances of poor behaviour.

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Main findings

A review of pupil premium spending is underway, led by the headteacher of a school with proven success in ensuring good outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. Leaders have refined their systems to allow them to look more closely at the impact of the spending on pupils’ progress and to check that the needs of each eligible pupil are being catered for. A teacher, who starts work imminently, has been appointed to provide additional support for disadvantaged pupils.

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Main findings

The external review of governance is due to be completed by the end of this month. The governing body has already taken action to improve its effectiveness. Tasks to check that progress is being made quickly enough have been allocated to each governing body committee. For example, the teaching and learning committee will review pupils’ progress information half termly while the church and community committee will check that communication with parents is improved. Arrangements have been made for governors to undertake training which will enable them to interpret information about pupils’ progress more effectively.

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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 brokered the support of a Local Leader of Education (LLE) who works with senior leaders to bring about the planned changes. This support is most effective when leaders work alongside the LLE to improve their practice. The school should seek opportunities to extend this element of support to benefit other leaders. Leaders, governors and representatives of the diocese and the local authority have met to prioritise actions to meet the school’s needs. The diocesan board primary adviser has worked with governors to ensure that they fully understand the key issues for improvement. The local authority made arrangements for the reviews of pupil premium spending and of governance to take place. I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Director of Children’s Services for Croydon and the Diocese of Southwark.

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