Setting

Iffat Fariduddin Headteacher Norbury Manor Primary School Abingdon Road London SW16 5QR

p.1

Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 3 December 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.

p.1

Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in February 2015. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. At its previous section 5 inspection the school was also judged to require improvement.

p.1

Primary School

Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order to become a good school. The school should take further action to:

p.1

Primary School

 use the outcomes of the external review of governance to ensure that the governing body develops its role in holding the school to account for improving the achievement of all pupils at the school  incorporate into the school action plan clear identification of personnel responsible, strategies for monitoring and evaluation, resource implications and local authority support. Ofsted

p.1

Primary School

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.1

Evidence

During the inspection, meetings were held with you, the deputy headteacher, the assistant headteacher, the literacy leader, the head of the Early Years Foundation Stage, the Reception Year leader and a representative of the local authority. I also met with five members of the governing body, including the Chair of the Governing Body, to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. In addition, I undertook a learning walk and scrutiny of pupils’ work. I evaluated documents, including the school’s action plan, school development plan and self-evaluation documents. A brief scrutiny of safeguarding arrangements was also undertaken.

p.2

Context

Since the last inspection, there have been significant changes in staffing. The leadership team has been restructured to include the headteacher, a deputy headteacher, three assistant headteachers, a special educational needs leader and a pupil and parent liaison officer. Five new governors have been appointed to the governing body. Nine teachers and five teaching assistants have joined the school. The deputy headteacher, special educational needs leader and one of the assistant headteachers are all new to the school.

p.2

Main findings

The outcomes of the last inspection led to a review of the structure and roles of the leadership team. The new appointments have brought added expertise to the school and greater focus on the analysis of how well the pupils are doing. This, together with an improved programme for induction of new staff, is resulting in greater consistency of planning. Staff increasingly understand what is expected of them.

p.2

Main findings

Middle leaders also acknowledge that there is scope for further improvement. They now know how to achieve this through close monitoring of actions identified in their leadership plans. Staff training now focuses on planning to support pupils’ progress and targets further areas for improvement. Regular pupil progress reviews enable staff to know better how well their pupils are doing. The implementation of a new system to track pupils’ progress, clearly linked to the new National Curriculum, identifies gaps in pupils’ learning, which in turn informs teachers’ planning.

p.2

Main findings

Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows that there are emerging signs of improvements in writing. Pupils have increased opportunities to write at length and across a range of subjects. Teachers’ planning addresses any gaps identified in pupils’ learning. The writing journals are providing pupils with opportunities for sustained writing. These are checked and moderated by senior leaders and staff to check how well pupils are doing. The analysis of progress information is shared with governors, who can identify where pupils’ progress is not as strong as expected, and the reasons for this. Governors are starting to challenge and review what is being put in place to address this. Governors are clear that progress needs to be made to improve overall outcomes for pupils.

p.2

Main findings

The school’s action plan clearly addresses the areas for improvement identified at the time of the last inspection. The identified actions are suitable. Planned outcomes are appropriate, with quantifiable targets and milestones to track the school’s journey to good. However, the absence of information about personnel responsible for leading on actions, how progress will be monitored and by whom and resource implications limits the plan’s effectiveness.

p.3

Main findings

The external review of governance took place in September 2015. The Chair of the Governing Body is aware that the outcomes from this review will need to be considered further. New governors have been appointed with a wider range of skills and expertise. These skills are targeted well to support monitoring of the improvements identified at the recent inspection. New governors are supported effectively by training from the local authority, which is helping their induction.

p.3

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.

p.3

External support

The local authority has been too slow in providing clear, coordinated support to help the school target areas for improvement. Actions are now just being put in place to provide expertise from the local authority to support the development of middle leadership and writing across the school.

p.3

External support

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

p.3