Setting

Mr John Barlow Headteacher Monkton Park Primary School Sadlers Mead Chippenham Wiltshire SN15 3PN

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

Following my visit to the school on 13 October 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in December 2010.

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the previous inspection.

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

 You have provided strong leadership and a clear vision to ensure that every child is given the opportunity to succeed at Monkton Park. You have shown commitment and an absolute determination to continue to improve the school. Senior leaders ably support you in securing improvements to the quality of teaching and pupils’ outcomes. Staff share your ambition and pupils thrive in this supportive and caring environment. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive and appreciative of the work of the school.

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

 The previous inspection report identified the need to improve your systems for checking and recording pupils’ progress more securely. Since this time, you have implemented frequent and rigorous termly checks. Leaders hold teachers to account for the progress of pupils in their classes by holding regular pupil progress meetings. As a result, staff have an in-depth understanding of pupils’ learning and achievement. They identify those in danger of falling behind and swiftly implement actions to ensure that they catch up quickly. Pupils’ outcomes in reading, writing and mathematics continue to be good as a result of this rigorous approach.

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

 You and your governors have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for improvement. The school’s action plans address the Ofsted

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk key priorities and clearly set out what you intend to achieve. For example, you have identified and tackled the need to plan tasks which motivate and engage boys. Your library is now filled with exciting texts to interest the boys. As a result, the achievement gap in reading between boys and girls is closing quickly.

p.1

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

The school is rigorous in implementing its agreed safeguarding policies and procedures. There is a strong culture in the school of keeping pupils safe and secure. Staff understand their responsibility to keep pupils safe. Leaders and staff follow up all concerns assiduously to ensure that pupils and families receive the support they need. You use the services of outside agencies effectively to ensure that vulnerable pupils are extremely well cared for. Consequently, pupils say they feel safe and trust the adults who care for them. Parents greatly appreciate this support. They ensure that their children arrive in school on time, smartly dressed and ready to learn. Attendance is well above the national average.

p.2

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

You and your governors ensure that all recruitment procedures and checks are appropriately carried out. All new staff are carefully checked before beginning their work at the school. Training for all staff is up to date which enables them to undertake their roles effectively. You have recently completed training on the government’s Prevent strategy. This has given you a good understanding of how to protect pupils from the risk of exposure to extreme views and opinions.

p.2

Short inspection of Monkton Park Primary School

The leadership team has ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and records are detailed and of high quality.

p.2

Inspection findings

 This is a school that is not complacent. You and your staff and governors continually review the work of the school, identify where improvements need to be made and then take the appropriate actions. Your detailed action plans set out what you intend to achieve, within agreed timescales. This enables leaders, staff and governors to regularly check the school’s and their own performance robustly. As a result, the school has continued to improve and provides a good quality education for pupils. Pupils are proud of their school and feel safe and secure.

p.2

Inspection findings

 You have carefully managed a number of staff changes and new appointments since the previous inspection. Teachers understand your high expectations and have risen to the challenge of continually seeking to improve their practice. Leaders model and share good practice. Consequently, the school has established a culture of learning for staff and pupils. Teachers regularly observe each other to develop high standards and consistency in their own teaching. You have been proactive in using the expertise within your local teaching school to train your staff to be effective mentors and coaches to other staff. Your staff also benefit from the training on offer and learn from excellent practitioners. As a result, the quality of teaching and learning is now good with some outstanding practice. Pupils achieve well and make good progress in English and mathematics. On occasion, pupils’ interest dips when the quality of teaching is

p.2

Inspection findings

not of the highest quality. At these times, pupils do not make rapid progress.

p.3

Inspection findings

 You have set about developing your systems for checking and recording pupils’ achievement with determination and conviction, following the removal of National Curriculum levels. Through this work, you have challenged teachers to expect more from their pupils. Frequently, tasks are adjusted to the right level of challenge. However, on a few occasions, tasks do not stretch the most-able pupils and test their understanding or mastery of the concept being covered.

p.3

Inspection findings

 The school has successfully adapted and modified the curriculum to provide interesting and stimulating experiences for pupils. Staff skilfully link subjects through exciting topics such as the Stone Age and War horse in Years 5 and 6, and a whole-school topic based on the work of the author David Wiesner. This work was specifically planned to engage the boys. Subject leaders check the coverage of the curriculum to ensure that there is an effective progression of skills. As a result, pupils’ learning and progress is good. Work in books and writing displayed in the library confirm that pupils are making good progress in writing fluently and with increasing accuracy. Leaders are supporting staff to continue to develop the teaching of reading. Results in the Year 1 phonics check are above the national average. At the end of Year 6, standards of attainment and rates of progress in reading are also above the national average. Pupils

p.3

Inspection findings

become confident readers and enjoy the challenge of reading books written by a wide range of authors.

p.3

Inspection findings

 Governors are committed to and ambitious for the school. They continually reflect on the impact of their work and ensure that appropriate training equips them to challenge and support the school further. They have made strong appointments which are contributing to the continued good work of the school. They make frequent visits to check the outcomes of actions set out in the school improvement plans. As a result, governors have an in-depth understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for further improvement. For example, they know the impact of the quality of teaching for different groups of pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and summer-born children in the early years. Minutes of meetings confirm that they challenge leaders about the actions taken to improve the achievement of these pupils.

p.3

Inspection findings

 The school provides an exciting range of sports activities which makes a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development and well-being. These high-quality experiences teach pupils to ‘learn together’, to be ‘kind’, ‘respect others’, and ‘not give up’. Pupils demonstrate great pride in their school and seize opportunities to be leaders. For example, Year 6 pupils lead weekly assemblies covering subjects such as keeping safe and showing respect. This is supporting them well in developing a deeper understanding of modern British values.

p.3

Next steps for the school

Leaders and governors should ensure that:

p.4

Next steps for the school

 the quality of teaching and learning continues to improve to enable all pupils to make consistently good progress  teachers provide appropriate challenge in their lessons so that all pupils, including boys and the most-able, make the progress they are capable of.

p.4

Information about the inspection

I met with you and your deputy headteacher, staff, pupils and three representatives from the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body. I also spoke with a representative from the local authority and parents at the start of the day. I accompanied you on visits to lessons and looked at work in pupils’ books during these visits. I looked at the survey results from ‘Parent View’ and considered the comments provided by text message. I evaluated the accuracy of your self- evaluation as well as range of other documentation. I checked the effectiveness of your safeguarding arrangements and recruitment information.

p.4