Setting

Ms Judith Lloyd-Williams Headteacher Osmaston Primary School Amber Street Derby DE24 8FT

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School

Following my visit to your school on 9 October 2015, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to report on the findings of my visit. 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 April 2015. 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.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you and other senior leaders, three subject leaders, one representative of the governing body, a group of pupils and a representative of the local authority, to discuss the actions taken since the last inspection. I evaluated your plans for improvement. I considered documentation relating to the monitoring of teaching and reviewed your most recent information on pupils’ progress and attainment. We conducted a tour of the school together and visited a number of classes to see pupils and staff at work.

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Context

Since the recent inspection there have been no significant contextual changes. Ofsted

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Context

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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Main findings

Your school improvement plan is linked closely to the areas for development identified in the recent inspection report. The clear and measurable success criteria are helping senior leaders and governors to check whether actions are being successful in working towards improved outcomes for pupils. Your cycle for monitoring and evaluation links tightly to the priorities for improvement.

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Main findings

You are beginning to raise expectations of what pupils, especially the most able, can achieve through your improved tracking of pupils’ progress. Teachers are using this information to plan work that is better matched to the learning needs of pupils. This is confirmed by pupils who say that they are expected to work harder during lessons and activities are now more challenging. This is improving pupils’ attitudes towards their work because learning is becoming more enjoyable.

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Main findings

Pupils are highly motivated by their target folders and stickers. They are enjoying the increasing opportunities to be involved in checking their own work and progress. More detailed feedback and marking is helping them to review their work, correct mistakes, and finish off ideas. The introduction of a structured approach to the teaching of spelling, punctuation and grammar is improving pupils’ confidence to write at length in a broader range of subjects. For example, Year 2 pupils were proud to show me their ‘Big Write’ on the Great Fire of London. These changes show that teaching is improving and having a positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning.

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Main findings

You are effectively developing the roles and skills of subject leaders. They are becoming more involved in checking on the quality of teaching in the school and how this is contributing to the progress being made by individuals and groups of pupils. Consequently, they have a better understanding of where there are gaps in attainment and are planning the right actions for improvement.

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Main findings

The governing body has been reconstituted. It is receiving a range of training to update its knowledge and skills. For example, governors are receiving training to improve the governing body’s use of pupils’ achievement information, to support their monitoring activities, and to improve the effectiveness of governor visits to school. As a result, governors are increasingly asking senior leaders challenging questions to rigorously and systematically check all aspects of the school’s work.

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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 is providing good support. You welcome the regular visits of the school improvement officer to check on progress and challenge you on the impact of your leadership. The local authority is currently brokering partner support from another local school to help your relatively new senior leadership team to observe and share best practice.

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External support

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

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