Setting

Ms Marj Mallon Headteacher Wellesbourne Community Primary School Abbotsford Road Liverpool Merseyside L11 5BA

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Community Primary School, Liverpool

Following my visit to your school on 19 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 school since the most recent section 5 inspection.

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Community Primary School, Liverpool

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

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Community Primary School, Liverpool

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I held meetings with you and the deputy headteacher. I also met with the Chair of Governors, and with a representative from the local authority. In these meetings, we discussed the actions leaders have taken since the section 5 inspection in December. I evaluated the school’s development plan. I made short visits to each class and looked at a sample of pupils’ books. I also scrutinised a range of documentation, including records of the strengths and weaknesses leaders have identified when monitoring teaching. 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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Context

Since the section 5 inspection in December, you have appointed one additional teacher for two days each week to provide extra support to pupils in Year 6.

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Main findings

You have identified the correct priorities for action. Through effective training and provision of resources you have strengthened the effect your phase leaders and supporting staff have on to the progress pupils are making in reading and writing across the school.

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Main findings

Your phase leaders are now more directly involved in checking improvements across the classes they oversee. They hold regular meetings with class teachers to check on pupil progress and they use these to ensure that those pupils who need additional support, get it quickly. They also monitor the quality of teaching by observing lessons and looking at pupils’ workbooks. For example, your Key Stage 1 phase leader has observed the teaching of phonics (sounds that letter make) and has given very specific feedback to staff. This shows that staff have improved their practice following training, and that pupils are much more actively engaged in these sessions.

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Main findings

You have invested a significant amount of time and resources into improving pupils’ reading and writing skills. You have bought a new reading scheme, which pupils enjoy and they are now keeping journals in which they write creative responses to the books they read in school. Opportunities for writing have increased and there is a school-wide focus on developing pupils’ vocabulary. Teachers insist that pupils use and spell common words correctly and have introduced ‘word for the day’ encouraging pupils to use words that are less familiar in their work.

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Main findings

Work in books shows that teachers are all consistently following the school’s new marking policy. Teachers give guidance to pupils before written tasks so they are clear about what they need to demonstrate in an individual piece of work. This is successfully helping pupils write with greater fluency and accuracy.

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Main findings

Since the section 5 inspection, governors have established a monitoring committee, which checks on the impact of actions to improve the school. They challenge leaders well, and expect phase leaders to evidence how they are having a positive impact on pupils’ learning.

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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 supports the school well. It has organised a termly schedule of ‘challenge’ meetings at the school, where school leaders report on progress. This serves to both check on the pace of improvement as well as to co-ordinate any additional support the school may need. The local authority has also provided additional training to staff in the school. It was evident at this inspection that this has improved the way staff use group reading and writing exercises, particularly to promote pupils’ responses to the stories they read.

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External support

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

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