Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.1

Mr Matthew Penn Headteacher Great Alne Primary School School Road Great Alne Alcester Warwickshire B49 6HQ

p.1

Special measures monitoring inspection of Great Alne Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 26 and 27 November 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the third monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in January 2023.

p.1

Special measures monitoring inspection of Great Alne Primary School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s key and (where applicable) provision judgements, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

p.1

Special measures monitoring inspection of Great Alne Primary School

During the inspection, I discussed with you, other staff, governors and the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also carried out visits to lessons, meetings with staff, discussions with pupils, reviews of pupils’ work and scrutiny of a range of documents. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

p.1

Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to no longer be judged as requiring special measures.

p.1

The position regarding the appointment of early career teachers will be

considered again during any monitoring inspection we carry out.

p.2

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The staff team has remained the same since the previous monitoring inspection. However, the arrangements for external support accessed by the school have changed. The trust that the school receives support from changed in September 2024. This resulted in a new chair of the local governing board being appointed in October 2024.

p.2

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Leaders’ plans to improve the school are suitably specific. You recognise the ongoing need to improve the quality of education provided. As part of this work, the school has revised its curriculum further, including the adoption of commercial schemes of work in some subjects. This has made a positive difference. The curriculum is now better organised to support pupils’ learning in mixed-age classes. Staff have identified the essential knowledge that pupils are expected to know and remember to make progress through the curriculum. As a result, they have a clearer understanding of what they need to teach and when. This increased clarity is contributing to the development of teachers’ subject knowledge and boosting their confidence. The curriculum is still in the early stages of implementation and has not yet fully impacted as you expect it to.

p.2

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You have identified that the school’s English curriculum is not impacting well enough on pupils’ knowledge of writing. In response, the school has introduced a new curriculum specifically for teaching writing. This new approach is designed to align with the school’s phonics curriculum, to develop pupils’ writing knowledge over time. Since this approach is still in the early stages of implementation, some pupils do not yet have the knowledge and skills to write as you expect. You have made this one of the priorities for improving the school.

p.2

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Teachers regularly check pupils’ understanding and respond promptly to address any misconceptions. However, the school’s approach to assessing how well pupils progress through the curriculum is not well established in many subjects. As a result, teachers are not yet able to precisely identify gaps in pupils’ learning. This lack of clarity prevents them from determining the specific knowledge they need to teach in order to bridge these gaps. With the implementation of the school’s new curriculum underway, you have now put plans in place to better evaluate its impact on pupils’ knowledge.

p.2

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are identified. This involves staff collaborating with various external agencies to arrange for specialised interventions and therapies. Teachers often adapt activities to help pupils with SEND access the school’s curriculum. However, the targets that teachers set for pupils with SEND do not always align with the school’s curriculum. As a result, interventions do not consistently correspond with the curriculum as a model for progress. Additionally, some tasks assigned to pupils with SEND do not support the development of their knowledge in a logical manner over time. You, along with the support and challenge from governors, are working diligently to enhance the school. You have a clear understanding of what has been accomplished so far and recognise areas that still need improvement. For example, you have improved the

p.2

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

processes in place to address poor attendance. You acknowledge that additional efforts are still necessary to ensure all pupils attend school regularly.

p.3

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You continue to improve the coordination of efforts to promote pupils’ personal development. Some initiatives have already been introduced, including the whole-school ‘Pupil Parliament’. Other planned activities, such as trips to places of worship, have not yet taken place. While the school’s motto of being ‘responsible, respectful, and ready’ is well known among pupils and staff, the full realisation of the school’s vision is still a work in progress.

p.3

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Leaders actively promote the well-being of staff. Staff support the vision for school improvement and are committed to enhancing the school further. They express positive views about the impact of recent changes in provision and are proud of what has been accomplished so far.

p.3

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

You have sustained improvements in the school’s safeguarding culture. Adults continue to understand their role in keeping pupils safe. They fulfil these roles effectively and remain vigilant to support pupils who need help.

p.3

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The support that the school receives from external agencies, such as the local authority and a local trust, is positively impacting the quality of its provision. For instance, teachers have had the opportunity to visit other schools, allowing them to deepen their understanding of how to implement the curriculum effectively. This experience is enhancing their expertise and assisting them in teaching the newly revised curriculum content.

p.3

The progress made towards the removal of special measures

I am copying this letter to the chair of the board of governors, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Warwickshire. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

p.3