Setting

Helen Wallis Repton Primary School Springfield Road Repton Derby DE65 6GN

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School

Following my visit to your school on 21 April 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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School

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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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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School

 ensure that the most able pupils are being consistently challenged in all year groups  continue the training for governors to analyse school data and establish an effective new committee structure, in line with the agreed plan  ensure pupils’ progress in the lower juniors is at least good  Improve procedures for recruitment to ensure that best practice is followed at all times.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I held meetings with yourself, the Chair of Governors and the leading teacher on mathematics. I visited all classes to discuss with you the improvements that you had helped teachers to make in lessons. I looked at a range of documentation, including the school’s information about pupils’ progress, samples 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 9167 Direct email : farhan.aslam@serco.com of pupils’ work and the school’s action plan. In addition, I examined your analysis of lesson observations and the school’s self-evaluation document, which explains how the school judges itself in terms of the areas for improvement identified at the last inspection.

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Context

Since the last inspection, the teacher of the Year 2 class, who was also responsible for assessment of pupils, has left the school and the deputy headteacher has now taken over teaching in Year 2. A new co-ordinator for Key Stage 2 has just been appointed.

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Main findings

The school’s response to the findings of the last inspection has been positive. You and your leadership team have undertaken a self-evaluation exercise that was both detailed and accurate. You have also taken action to draw up a robust plan to deal with the key issues for improvement. This plan includes both timescales and clear targets. It is proving to be an effective tool in ensuring that action is both focused and brisk.

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Main findings

Your leadership team are supporting effectively those teachers whose pupils were not making good progress over time. Members have visited other schools and seen outstanding practice before returning to adjust and improve their own teaching. Already the quality of teaching has improved, and this has resulted in better progress. The sample of pupils’ work that I saw also shows evidence of greater challenge for the most able. In addition, the guidance that pupils are receiving regarding their work has improved. There are good examples where teachers have shown pupils precisely what to do next and pupils have followed the advice well.

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Main findings

You have clarified the roles and responsibilities of members of the leadership team. Monitoring by school leaders and the Chair of Governors is helping to see what improvements been implemented successfully, and what needs to be done next. There is a greater clarity of direction within the school and staff are becoming a cohesive, united team whose focus is always whatever is best for Repton’s pupils.

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Main findings

The external review of the governing body, which the school undertook, has proved extremely valuable in recognising where things are not yet good enough. It has also proved valuable in producing a timetable to improve the aspects. Work has already begun on these too.

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Main findings

Though a minority of parents who responded to Parent View still do not have confidence in the school’s leadership and management, a majority are positive and now a large majority would recommend the school to another parent.

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Main findings

Ofsted may carry out further monitoring inspections 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 acted swiftly to put in place a new advisor to support and challenge the school. He has worked extremely effectively with leaders and has an accurate view of the school’s strengths and its weaknesses. He has helped raise expectations for all staff and has assisted in checking progress in both lessons and in pupils’ work. In addition, he has ensured that performance management of teachers is linked tightly to challenging targets for pupil progress. Leaders acknowledge that the support of the local authority has been very beneficial to them.

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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 Derbyshire.

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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

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