Setting

Mrs Allena Bird Headteacher Meadow Farm Community Primary School Foyle Avenue Chaddesden Derby DE21 6TZ

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Community Primary School

Following my visit to your school on 15 March 2016, 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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Community Primary School

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

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Community 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.

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Evidence

During the visit, meetings were held with you and your deputy headteacher, two subject leaders, two representatives 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 all classes to see pupils and staff at work. Ofsted

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Evidence

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161 6188524 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.gov.uk/ofsted .

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Context

Since the recent inspection, one teacher has left the school.

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Main findings

Your school improvement plan is sharply focused on the issues identified at the last inspection. It identifies clearly the senior leaders and governors who are responsible for monitoring the progress being made by the school, as well as measurable success criteria. There is a strong emphasis on improving the quality of teaching and learning in order to accelerate the progress that pupils are making in English and mathematics.

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Main findings

You are building strongly on the work that you started prior to the last inspection. You are regularly checking on the quality of teaching and using a wide range of evidence to evaluate the impact of teaching on pupils’ learning. For example, you are regularly looking at work in pupils’ books, visiting lessons and considering information relating to pupils’ achievements. Procedures to manage the performance of teachers are rigorous and pertinent to whole-school improvement. As a result, teachers have higher expectations and teaching is improving. This is confirmed by pupils who say that they are expected to work harder during lessons, and that activities are more interesting and challenging.

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Main findings

The teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters represent) has improved rapidly due to comprehensive training for all staff. Intervention groups are implemented to support any pupils who are at risk of falling behind. As a result, your most recent monitoring indicates that pupils are achieving well with their phonics skills. You are successfully raising the profile of reading throughout the school. The development of the new library is proving to be very popular with pupils. Pupils were excited to tell me about the various activities that they recently took part in on World Book Day and during Author Week. As a result, pupils are developing a love of reading. The teaching of writing is improving because of the consistent implementation of new strategies for developing pupils’ skills in grammar, punctuation and spelling. Pupils’ workbooks confirm that they are making better progress in writing, with increasing

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Main findings

opportunities to write across the curriculum and at length.

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Main findings

In mathematics, teachers are providing pupils with more frequent opportunities to solve real-life problems. This is improving pupils’ confidence in solving problems and in undertaking mathematical investigations. However, pupils are not sufficiently challenged through more complex problems which involve several steps and different types of calculation or logic problems. This prevents the most able mathematicians from making the progress of which they are capable.

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Main findings

You are effectively developing the roles and skills of subject leaders, particularly in English and mathematics. 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. This is helping to give them a clearer understanding of the strengths and areas for improvement. As a result, their plans for improvement are well devised and are having a positive impact on the quality of pupils’ learning.

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Main findings

Governors have a clear role in monitoring the school’s progress and have a well- informed view of how well the school is doing. They understand the need for continued rapid improvement. They are effectively supporting and challenging senior leaders to realise their ambition to become a good school. The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils continue to meet current requirements.

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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 monitors the progress that the school is making on a regular basis. The link local authority officer is working closely with school leaders to build their capacity to move the school forward quickly. For example, she has provided high- quality training for the English and mathematics subject leaders.

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External support

The school has developed strong links with other local schools, including good and outstanding schools. This has provided support for teachers and school leaders who are developing their roles.

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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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