Setting

Stephen Snelson Red Hill Field Primary School Copt Oak Road Narborough Leicester LE19 3EF

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 10 March 2015, 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 School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the academy was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in October 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 academy should take further action to:

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Primary School

 Ensure that the academy’s improvement plan fully identifies which actions are being taken and when; the specific training and resources required and how governors will check actions are accomplished and evaluate the impact.

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Primary School

 Define the roles of subject and department leaders more precisely so that they fully understand their responsibilities and can be made more accountable for the areas of the academy’s work for which they are responsible. 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 9162 Direct email : peter.willetts@serco.com

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Evidence

During the inspection, I held meetings with the headteacher and deputy headteacher, other staff members, the Chair of the Governing Body and a national leader of education who is supporting the school. I visited all classrooms, held discussions with pupils and looked at some of their books and other work. I evaluated the school improvement plan. I scrutinized a range of documents and reports.

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Context

Since the last inspection the acting headteacher has returned to the role of deputy headteacher at the academy and a new headteacher joined in December 2014.

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Main findings

Following the arrival of the new headteacher, the academy’s leadership team, including governors, have responded well to the judgments of the last inspection and are acting swiftly to address issues raised. The headteacher’s high expectations and ambitions for the academy are shared by senior leaders. There is now a clear and shared view about the challenges the academy faces and the urgency with which they need to be addressed. There are early signs that actions taken are beginning to have a positive impact.

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Main findings

Leaders righty understand that improving the quality of both leadership and teaching will underpin their efforts to raise levels of pupil achievement. They have rightly introduced tightly monitored performance management processes to track and evaluate the work of academy staff to address these issues. The academy’s senior leaders now have a well-informed picture of the quality of teaching across the academy. Support for staff is being put into place as needed to ensure that leaders’ ambition that all teaching is at least good is achieved quickly.

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Main findings

The headteacher has acted quickly to establish links with a local teaching alliance and to engage support from a national leader of education. The academy’s leaders are taking full advantage of the professional development opportunities this provides. There is clear evidence that this is having a positive impact on the quality of both leadership and teaching.

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Main findings

Subject and department leaders are developing a greater understanding of their roles and responsibilities but there now needs to be a clear definition of these so that they are fully accountable for the areas of the academy’s work for which they are responsible.

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Main findings

Senior leaders, including governors, have identified weaknesses in both the academy’s curriculum and the processes used to assess pupils’ progress and are acting to significantly improve both. Changes will be introduced at the start of the summer term in order to be fully implemented by September 2015. Leaders must ensure that these deadlines are met.

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Main findings

There is greater attention now being paid to progress that pupils are making. Teachers have begun to hold individual meetings with each pupil to discuss the pupil’s targets and progress. Pupils speak positively about these meetings and say that this helps them to understand what they need to do to improve their learning.

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Main findings

A reading club for older pupils has been introduced and pupils are really enjoying the chance to spend additional time reading. Leaders are monitoring pupils’ progress to identify if it is having an impact on reading skills. The academy’s leaders recognize that this club should now be offered to all pupils.

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Main findings

An external review of pupil premium was carried out quickly following the last inspection and an appropriate action plan quickly developed. There are early indications that actions being taken are beginning to have an effect.

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Main findings

Governors are highly ambitious for the academy and its pupils. They are bringing much greater challenge and scrutiny to leaders. As a result, governors have an increasingly accurate view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They know what they need to ask and when. Governors recognise the need to add expertise to the governing body, particularly around finance and human resources, and are actively working to achieve this.

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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. I have recommended that a further visit takes place to monitor the progress of the school, with particular reference to improvements in leadership and management.

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External support

The academy is now working closely with a teaching school alliance, which includes the support of a national leader of education. This arrangement is providing substantial support for leaders at all levels and for teachers and includes practical advice and professional development opportunities. There is strong evidence that this is having a positive impact on improving the quality of leadership and management and teaching.

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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 Leicestershire 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

 Chair of the Governing Body  Local authority  For academies [ CausingConcern.SCHOOLS@education.gsi.gov.uk ]

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