Setting

Mr Craig Mills Headteacher South Elmsall Carlton Junior and Infant School Carlton Road South Elmsall Pontefract West Yorkshire WF9 2QQ

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Carlton Junior and Infant School, Wakefield

Following my visit to your school on 24 November 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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Carlton Junior and Infant School, Wakefield

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

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Carlton Junior and Infant School, Wakefield

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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Carlton Junior and Infant School, Wakefield

 revise improvement planning and monitoring strategies ensuring that target and success criteria focus sharply on outcomes for pupils.

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Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with the headteacher, deputy headteacher the Chair of the Governing Body and one other governor. I evaluated a range of documents including the school development plan, local authority records of visits, minutes of meetings and the school’s most recent pupil progress and achievement information. I undertook a learning walk with middle leaders that 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 566857 Direct F 01695 729320 Direct email :jkinsman@cfbt.com included a number of short visits to lessons. In addition I held a telephone conversation with the local authority school improvement advisor and met briefly with staff at lunchtime.

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Context

There have been no significant changes in the school’s organisation since the section 5 Inspection which judged the school to require improvement.

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Main findings

The senior leaders and governors have a sound understanding of what needs to be done to bring about improvement. However, too few success criteria in the school’s development plan focus sharply and specifically enough on outcomes for pupils. The range and quality of monitoring activities being undertaken by middle leaders is increasing. A number of new approaches have been introduced to improve the quality of teaching and raise pupils’ achievement. There are early indications, through the school’s performance management systems, that these are proving effective.

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Main findings

Changes to the curriculum are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning. For instance, the development of pupils’ language, literacy and mathematical skills is being promoted more effectively in all subjects. Expectations of what pupils can achieve are rising. Well thought out, interesting learning activities, enthuse pupils and encourage them to take more responsibility for their own learning. Stimulating reading areas throughout the school are providing increased opportunities for pupils to read for enjoyment from a young age. Parents are being included more in their childrens’ learning and kept informed of progress and school developments through ‘Inspire’ activities, for example. More effective use is being made of the best practice within the school and elsewhere to provide training and coaching activities for staff.

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Main findings

Governors receive regular and detailed information from school leaders. A revised committee structure and regular visits to school ensure governors have a clear understanding of what is going on in school, and enables them to monitor the impact of the school’s work and to challenge and support senior leaders effectively. It is essential that governors’ challenge supports improvements in the quality of provision and outcomes for pupils as the school moves towards its next inspection. For example, monitoring needs to check that the professional development activities provided for middle leaders increases their impact on areas of work for which they are responsible.

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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 advice and support being provided by the local authority is helping school leaders to tackle specific priorities. For example, through activities to develop middle-leaders’ skills and confidence and to sharpen the focus of pupil progress meetings held between senior leaders and teaching staff. The support provided to develop the mathematics curriculum has been particularly well received and is having a positive impact on the quality of mathematics teaching and the progress pupils are making in this subject.

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External support

The headteacher and staff are drawing well on the partnerships established with other local schools – especially Moorthorpe Primary School. Links have also been established with the Outwood Grange family of schools. In addition, senior leaders have attended the Ofsted ‘getting to good’ seminar and have recently participated in Ofsted regional events on effect strategies for pupil work scrutiny and Early Years provision.

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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 Wakefield and as below.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

The letter should be copied to the following:

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

 Appropriate authority - Chair of the Governing Body/Interim Executive Board  Local authority – including where the school is an academy

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