Setting

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

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Wendy Cornford Acting Headteacher Slade Green Primary School Slade Green Road Erith Kent DA8 2HX

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Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 7 March 2016, 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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Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in June 2015. 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 last section 5 inspection in order to become a good school.

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The school should take further action to:

 update the school’s action plan to include the impact that improvements have had on pupils’ progress, so that actions can be accurately evaluated by leaders and governors  review and update all policies to reflect the latest statutory guidance and the new procedures that have been implemented across the school  ensure that all the checks carried out on staff before they are employed have been properly recorded on the school’s single central record of employment checks.

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Evidence

During the inspection, a meeting was held with you, the acting deputy headteacher, the executive principal and the chief executive officer of the Trinitas Academy Trust. I also met with a group of senior and middle leaders, a representative from the local authority and the Chair of the Governing Body to discuss the actions you have taken since the last inspection. The school action plan was evaluated along with other documents detailing the school’s work. I joined you on a tour of the school and visited classes to talk with pupils and look at their books.

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Context

The headteacher in post at the time of the last inspection has now retired and a new acting leadership team is in place. Two other teachers have left the school and some roles and responsibilities have been reorganised. Some changes have been made to the office staffing. You are now working closely with representatives from the Trinitas Academy Trust to agree a way forward for the school. The trust completed a full review of how effective the school was in November 2015, and this has helped you to agree a new action plan. The executive principal currently supports you for up to two days every week. The school has continued to expand its Key Stage 2 provision and currently enrols pupils up to Year 4.

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Main findings

Together with the acting deputy headteacher, you are providing strong leadership to support the school through a period of significant change. You have worked effectively to ensure that staff, pupils and parents have all been involved in agreeing the future plans for the school. Teachers and leaders are fully supportive of the actions you have taken and everyone is working together well to raise expectations. This can be seen in the attractive displays that reflect the values of the school and celebrate the new aims and objectives that have been agreed.

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Main findings

You are monitoring the quality of teaching across the school more effectively and can demonstrate that standards have started to improve. Teachers have been given opportunities to work alongside their colleagues and with other teachers from within the academy trust, to observe effective teaching strategies. For example, all teachers now provide feedback to help pupils make further improvements and books are checked regularly to ensure that work is well presented. More opportunities are provided for pupils to write for extended periods and for different purposes. This is helping them to improve their writing skills and become more confident when using spelling, punctuation and grammar. Teachers have audited their own mathematical skills and have been provided with additional training to help them deliver the Key Stage 2 curriculum. They set mathematical problems and challenges that allow pupils to build their skills and apply what they

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Main findings

have learned in other contexts. Following a further dip in standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of last year, pupils are starting to make more rapid progress and gaps are closing steadily. You have reviewed how you assess and track pupils’ progress and are monitoring this closely. Although new systems have only just been put in place, you are confident that teachers can assess pupils’ progress accurately and are able to identify any gaps in their understanding. This has allowed you to establish accurate starting points for every pupil. You review their progress every half term and agree further interventions that need to be put in place to ensure that pupils achieve as well as they should. Teachers use assessment information to set aspirational targets for pupils to work towards. Middle leaders implement the new assessment strategies consistently and ensure that work is set at the right level for pupils of all

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Main findings

abilities, including for those who are most able. For example, they check that aspirational targets are set that will enable the most-able pupils to be challenged appropriately. You are also monitoring attendance very closely and as a result, absence rates have reduced this year. However, overall attendance rates are still below national averages and further improvements to address persistent absence and punctuality concerns are being planned. Management systems and procedures throughout the school have been strengthened considerably and have helped you to recognise when further improvements are still needed. The new action plan clearly defines what needs to be done. However, it does not provide leaders or governors with enough information to check that actions have made a difference and are raising standards. Further child protection training has been delivered and all staff take account of the latest statutory guidance. However, the child protection and

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Main findings

safeguarding policy has not yet been reviewed to reflect these changes. You have ensured that all employment checks on staff are being carried out. However, you have correctly identified that the single central record of employment checks, that collates this information, needs to be improved. The governing body continues to support the school well and is working collaboratively with the local authority and the academy trust to make rapid improvements. They are working to review all statutory documents to ensure they reflect the good practice now in place.

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External support

Using the advice and resources provided by the academy trust, you are addressing the areas for improvement more quickly. The executive principal has helped you to plan strategically so that you and other leaders have more time and are increasingly effective. You have also benefited from the support provided by the academy’s education, information technology, finance, safeguarding and human resources officers. You have made more rapid progress this term because everyone is working together to make the necessary changes. Visits to good and outstanding schools within the academy trust have helped teachers to share good practice and support their training needs. The local authority has continued to monitor the school effectively and is working closely with the trust to ensure that you get the support you need.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the Chair of the Governing Body, the Regional Schools Commissioner and the Director of Children’s Services for the London Borough of Bexley. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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