Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 4234 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Mrs Judy Hall Principal New Monument Primary Academy Alpha Road Maybury Woking Surrey GU22 8HA

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Primary Academy

Following my visit to your school on 23 June 2017, 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 Academy

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require improvement following the section 5 inspection in March 2016. It was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Primary Academy

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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Primary Academy

The school should take further action to:

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Primary Academy

 eliminate inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, learning and assessment by ensuring that all teachers share the same high expectations for pupils’ progress  raise attainment by improving pupils’ reading-comprehension skills in English and their problem-solving skills in mathematics.

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Evidence

During the inspection, I discussed the school’s progress since the last inspection with you and the deputy principal and I scrutinised various documents that you provided for me. You and the deputy principal accompanied me on a tour of the school, in which we observed learning in all year groups and visited a whole-school assembly. I met with a group of pupils and spoke with parents at the end of the day. I also had meetings with six members of staff, three subject leaders, a senior consultant from the local authority and the deputy chief executive officer of the South Farnham Trust. In addition, I met with the acting chair of the governing body and four members of the governing body.

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Context

Since the last inspection, one teacher has left the school, and two new teachers have joined. In addition, you have recruited a home–school link worker whose role is to build a stronger partnership with parents. The school is fully staffed for September 2017.

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Context

An acting chair of the governing body has been in place since February 2017.

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Main findings

In order to address the recommendations made at the last inspection, you rightly decided to seek support from a local outstanding school. This relationship has been transformative. In just over a year, you have strengthened middle leadership, improved assessment arrangements, revised the curriculum and changed the way children’s progress is tracked in the early years.

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Main findings

You and your governing body now have an accurate view of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. You have put in place a more rigorous and effective process for checking on teachers’ performance and on how well pupils are doing. This has enabled you to provide governors with more timely and accurate information about the school’s progress.

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Main findings

Working with the nearby outstanding school and with a local teaching school, you have devised an effective programme of staff training. Teachers and teaching assistants say they value this training, and they agree that it has helped them to improve their skills. In addition, you hold teachers rigorously to account for their pupils’ progress. As a result, the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved since the last inspection. However, you acknowledge that there are still some inconsistencies in the rates of progress made by pupils in different year groups.

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Main findings

Leaders responsible for English, mathematics and the early years now have much clearer roles in improving outcomes in the areas for which they are responsible. They make sure that pupils are challenged by their learning. They also have a greater role in monitoring and evaluating improvements, for example by observing lessons and checking pupils’ work.

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Main findings

Pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, made similar progress to that found nationally in 2016. However, attainment was below national averages. To raise their attainment, you have correctly identified the need to improve pupils’ understanding of what they read in English and their ability to solve problems and use reasoning in mathematics.

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Main findings

The school’s action plan accurately addresses the areas for improvement. However, targets in the plan are not always linked to measurable improvements in pupils’ achievement.

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Main findings

Since the last inspection, governors have increased the level of challenge they provide to leaders. They carry out their roles diligently. They ensure that pupils are safe and that additional funding is spent appropriately. They are taking effective action to ensure the long-term sustainability of the school.

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External support

You have made effective use of support from other schools and from the local authority. Expert teachers and leaders from the South Farnham Trust have provided training for your subject leaders, as well as support with the development of a new curriculum and assessment arrangements. A local teaching school has led on the training of newly qualified teachers. In addition, a senior consultant from the local authority has supported leaders in further sharpening their monitoring of teaching and pupils’ progress.

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External support

I am copying this letter to the acting chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children’s services for Surrey. This letter will be published on the Ofsted website.

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