Other · Ofsted report

West Moors Middle School

Inspected — · published 18 Dec 2002 · URN 113861

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Summary

No overall grade in this framework

Pauline Buzzing (lead), Herringston Barn, SERCO QAA

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Inspectorssingle source
Herringston Barn, Pauline Buzzing, Serco QAA
URN verified
113861

Page 1 of 18

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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improveLeadership positive critical

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Leadership359w−29
What needs to improve2195w+4

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Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school p.5

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Full report text

WEST MOORS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17-18 September 2002

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WEST MOORS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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WEST MOORS MIDDLE SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied.

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Terms used in this report

Pupils in Years 3 to 6 are at Key Stage 2 , whilst those in Years 7 to 9 are at Key Stage 3 of their education. Pupils in Years 1 to 11 follow courses and Programmes of Study set out in the National Curriculum. A course of religious education is a requirement for pupils and students of all ages at school.

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Terms used in this report

At the end of Years 6 and 9, pupils aged 11 and 14 respectively take national tests in English, mathematics and science. In all subjects of the National Curriculum, teachers also make their own assessments of what the pupils know, understand and can do.

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Terms used in this report

Inspectors judge the standards reached by pupils by comparing their attainments with national test and examination results, or by the levels of performance expected for pupils of the same age nationally. The pupils' achievements reflect the standards that they reach in relation to their earlier performances, and thus whether the progress that has occurred is high enough for the pupils concerned. These judgements take account of the educational value added over time. In this report, similar schools are defined as those with a comparable proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. West Moors Middle School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Heathfield Way West Moors Ferndown Dorset Postcode: BH22 0DA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 10 March 1997 West Moors Middle School - 4

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Team members

3174 John Powell Registered inspector 11575 Catherine Fish Lay inspector 10759 Lynn Bappa Team inspector 15849 Pauline Buzzing Team inspector

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Team members

Serco QAA Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester DT2 9PU

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE West Moors Middle School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

West Moors Middle School has 450 boys and girls aged 9 to 13, and is of average size for its type. Pupils at the school are drawn from four main first schools, serving areas that vary widely in character; overall, the school serves an area with slightly greater disadvantage than average. Each year, some 14 per cent of pupils joins or leaves the school other than at the usual dates, in part because the school serves a nearby army camp; this is above average. The ethnicity of the school is almost wholly white; there are very small numbers of pupils from ethnic minorities and from traveller families. At the time of the inspection, no pupil had English as an additional language.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 101 pupils on the school's register of special educational needs (22 per cent) which is above average. Seven pupils (1.6 per cent) are supported by Statements of Special Educational Need, a below average proportion. The range of special needs is a very wide one indeed, with 28 pupils being included on the register for emotional and behavioural reasons, 19 for dyslexia and very small numbers for each of moderate learning difficulties, physical reasons, autism and hearing impairment. The attainments of pupils when most enter the school at the start of Year 5 are below average, although standards vary significantly from year to year. In Years 7 and 8, about 20 pupils leave the school to join nearby grammar schools; this brings down the overall standard of attainment.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

At the time of the inspection, the school had an acting headteacher until the summer term of 2003; she was in her second week in this post. The previous headteacher left the school at the end of the summer term to take up another headship. Almost one-third of teachers were new to the school at the time of the inspection, replacing staff who had moved to other posts, including promotions, or who had retired.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Overall, the effectiveness of the school is good. The standards reached by pupils are higher than would be expected given their attainments at entry. Teaching is good overall, as is learning, and the school cultivates very good attitudes towards education. Behaviour is very good; the school takes appropriate steps to promote racial and social harmony. The leadership of the school is in transition after the departure of the previous long-serving head. Management is satisfactory, although capable of improvement. Overall, the school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils of all kinds achieve higher standards than might be expected from their attainments when they first enter the school thanks to the generally good teaching. • The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive relationships that exist throughout the school. • The overall quality of teaching is good, leading to good learning by pupils.

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What could be improved

• The weak literacy skills of a significant minority of pupils need to be tackled more quickly by the adoption of a common approach to the development of literacy across the whole curriculum. • The management of the school needs to become more systematic, and to involve a greater proportion of governors and staff. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. West Moors Middle School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory progress in terms of what might be expected since it was inspected in March 1997. The overall test results in English, mathematics and science at the end of Year 6 have been in line with the national average, and have improved at a similar rate to the national trend. The many strengths of the school noted in 1997, including the overall standard of teaching, have been maintained. The school's financial position is now stronger, allowing significant improvements to be made to information and communication technology in the very recent past. The governors approved a suitable action plan following the last inspection, and implementation has been satisfactory, although staffing problems in English and mathematics limited progress to some extent, particularly in the last year. The school is on course to meet its current targets.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved at the end of Year 6 based on average point scores in national tests.

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similar

schools well above average A 1999 2000 2001 2001 above average average B C English B C A A below average well below average D E Mathematics C C C C

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similar

At entry to the school in Year 5, the overall standards seen in national tests administered by the school are below average, although there are fluctuations from year to year.

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similar

Over the period since the last inspection, the school's overall test results at the end of Year 6 have been broadly in line with the national average, and have risen at a similar rate to the national trend. The school has met its targets in five out of the last six years; targets are suitably challenging. In 2001, the last year for which national comparative data are available, the test results in English were well above both the national average for all schools and that for schools having a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. In science, results were above average on both measures, whilst those in mathematics were average. In all three subjects, pupils show good achievement in relation to standards at entry. For example, the average mathematics results by the end of Year 6 were gained by a group with below average numeracy skills at entry. In 2002, the results are broadly similar to those of 2001 in

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similar

mathematics and science at the expected Level 4 or above, but fell significantly in English. In part, this may reflect the loss of key staff during the past year. However, the results from higher attainers at Level 5 and above improved, substantially so in the case of science. The average point scores of boys are slightly higher than those of girls in 2002 in mathematics and science; the reverse is true in English. In general, the gap between their results has narrowed since the last inspection.

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similar

Work seen during the inspection confirms that Year 5 entry standards are below average, particularly in terms of literacy for a significant minority. By the end of Year 6, the overall standards of work in literacy and numeracy are average; this represents good achievement for boys and girls during their first two years at the school. The loss of a significant number of higher attainers to local grammar schools after Year 6 means that the overall standard of those remaining falls, particularly in terms of literacy and numeracy. Work seen shows that during their time in Years 7 and 8, boys and girls again achieve well, reaching broadly average standards by the time that they leave the school at the end of Year 8. Pupils with special educational needs show good achievement; inspection evidence shows that higher attainers also achieve well, thanks to good planning for their needs. West Moors Middle School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are very positive about the education that they receive, and work hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Although there are isolated cases of unsatisfactory behaviour, teachers manage them well. Pupils of all ages emphasise that cases of bullying are rare, and that staff deal with them well. There were no permanent exclusions in the last year.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. The relationships between pupils, and with staff, are very good, and this contributes greatly to the purposeful ethos of the school.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance The attendance rate is average; unauthorised absence is above average because of high levels of absenteeism by a small number of pupils

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Teaching of pupils: Years 5 - 6 Years 7 - 8

Quality of teaching Good Good Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: Years 5 - 6 Years 7 - 8

All teaching was at least satisfactory. Teaching is more likely to contain very good features in Years 7 and 8 than lower down the school. In part, this reflects the timing of the inspection, with a new Year 5 still settling in. In addition, almost one-third of teachers were new to the school; many teachers were still getting to know their groups. Teaching in English and mathematics is good. Overall, the teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy is satisfactory. However, the lack of clear whole-school policies in these areas means that many examples of good practice are not being used to the benefit of all pupils. In particular, the literacy problems of a significant minority in Year 5 are not tackled quickly enough. In other respects, however, teachers ensure that work meets the very wide range of needs of the pupils in the school. The very good relationships that exist promote good learning. Pupils show very good interest

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Teaching of pupils: Years 5 - 6 Years 7 - 8

and concentration in lessons, and work hard to acquire new knowledge and skills. However, they could be more independent in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements, although the balance between subjects, including a start in modern languages, means that pupils get rather less time for numeracy and literacy in Years 5 and 6 than average. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Pupils have a wide range of needs, and these are met well, resulting in good achievement over time. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory. Provision is good for moral development and satisfactory in other areas. Overall, opportunities for personal development could be better planned into schemes of work. Pupils have insufficient opportunities to demonstrate responsibility. How well the school cares for its pupils Satisfactory. Although child protection arrangements appear to work appropriately, there could be clearer guidance.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The acting headteacher has only been in post for two weeks, but she has already identified many of the key points made in this report. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. Governors discharge statutory requirements appropriately.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school holds a wealth of data about the pupils' performances, but these could be better used to promote further improvement. The strategic use of resources Good. Income is well matched to educational priorities, and there is a satisfactory application of the concept of best value.

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Aspect Comment

For many years, the school has operated thanks to the collective memory of a long serving staff. Many policies and procedures have tended to be understood rather than documented, and the role of middle managers has tended to be under-emphasised. With the change of headteacher and many longer- serving members of staff, there is now a need for more systematic approaches to management, involving a wider cross-section of the school community.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children are helped to settle into the school very well. • The information that the school provides when children join the school. • The regular newsletters. • The friendly and approachable staff. • Children enjoy being at the school. • Extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors agree with the parents' positive views. The range of extra-curricular activities is felt to be appropriate. West Moors Middle School - 10

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Pupils of all kinds achieve higher standards than might be expected from their attainments

when they first enter the school thanks to the generally good teaching.

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Pupils of all kinds achieve higher standards than might be expected from their attainments

1. In Year 5, the standards shown by pupils are below average overall. This is seen in the results of the tests that the school administers, and also from observation of a range of subjects during the inspection. The standards of boys at this stage are lower than those of girls, significantly so in the case of numeracy skills. Yet by the end of Year 6, pupils reach broadly average standards overall in national tests. Moreover, the gap between the standards reached by boys and girls at entry has largely disappeared by the end of Year 6; indeed, boys now show a slight edge over girls in mathematics. In terms of literacy, boys again enter the school with lower standards than girls, and whilst the gap closes somewhat, boys still lag behind girls in test results at the end of Year 6.

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Pupils of all kinds achieve higher standards than might be expected from their attainments

2. The school admits pupils with very diverse attainments. For example, in a mixed ability Year 5 information and communication technology lesson, several pupils had had little previous hands-on experience with computers. Their standards were well below those that would be expected for their age. Yet in the same group were pupils working at standards more typical of pupils five years older, confident users of sophisticated software, who were well able to discuss how their work would be applied to specific situations. By using a "buddy" system, the teacher ensured that higher and lower attainers worked together. As a result, lower attainers made rapid progress in acquiring basic skills, and higher attainers had to think more carefully about what they were doing, and why.

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Pupils of all kinds achieve higher standards than might be expected from their attainments

3. Overall, pupils who have special educational needs are supported well, and show good achievement during their time at the school. The school has a far higher proportion of pupils than usual on its register of special educational needs, and for a wider range of reasons than is usually seen. Each pupil has clear learning goals in a personal plan, which is well known to all of his or her teachers. The teachers' lesson plans show a better than usual knowledge of which pupils require support for special educational needs. The school uses some of its income to improve the provision of learning support staff in lessons; this has a significant effect on the progress of the pupils receiving support because teachers and support staff work closely together. Some pupils are withdrawn from normal lessons in order to receive additional support with basic skills, particularly early in their time at the school. The potential problems caused by discontinuity are

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Pupils of all kinds achieve higher standards than might be expected from their attainments

understood, and subject and special needs staff liaise well to ensure that the work done in withdrawal sessions complements that in specialist lessons. In some cases, pupils with special educational needs undertake different work that is well matched to their needs. For example, in a Year 6 religious education lesson, some pupils used different worksheets to those used by others in the class.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

relationships that exist throughout the school.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

4. The overall level of the pupils' attitudes and behaviour is very good; no lesson was judged unsatisfactory in terms of attitudes and behaviour. A significant minority of the pupils has special educational needs based on behavioural issues, and parts of the school catchment contain areas of significant deprivation and social challenge. The teachers are effective in creating a good climate in which educational achievement is valued. The pupils' behaviour in lessons improves as they move up the school. On occasions, very good behaviour is maintained even when aspects of the teaching are uninspiring. Good behaviour is also evident around the school at the ends of the day, break times and at lesson changes. Although some areas are congested, pupils behave in a thoughtful manner to each other. The atmosphere in the hall at mealtimes is a very calm and pleasant one. Pupils are very friendly towards each other and to adults, and there is relatively little

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

litter. The pupils queue patiently for food, and there is a buzz of friendly chat. West Moors Middle School - 11 5. A Year 5 religious education lesson showed that pupils start to learn social skills at an early stage. They were being made aware of subtleties such as body language and how to listen to others in a sensitive manner. The good progress in a Year 8 French lesson came in part from the fact that pupils were obviously very used to working in pairs as well as in whole-class activities; they were unafraid of making mistakes when speaking in front of others.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

6. New Year 5 pupils are very positive about the school's induction arrangements; they feel welcomed and safe in their new school. As one put it: "I felt a bit nervous on the first day, but I needn't have worried". Pupils in all years emphasised that bullying was rare, but they were confident that they could talk to staff about it should it take place ; they trust the staff. Overall, the pupils see staff as being approachable on a wide range of matters.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

7. Very good relationships between teachers and pupils underpin the effective, but unobtrusive, management of classes. Teachers are, for the most part, enthusiastic about their subjects, and this is picked up by the pupils. In most lessons, pupils of all attainment levels are seen to work hard. This is a school where it is fashionable to try hard and to succeed.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

The overall quality of teaching is good, leading to good learning by pupils.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

8. All lessons seen were at least satisfactory; almost two-thirds of them were good or better. Given that the inspection took place early in the new school year, and that many teachers and pupils were new to the school, this reflects widespread strengths in the teaching, and the learning that it promotes.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

9. Pupils benefit from being taught by subject specialists; teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of their subjects. For example, in a top set English lesson in Year 8 on word choice, the teacher was very clear about what was wanted, and used examples of the pupils' work very effectively to show this. Most teachers also have good expectations of what the pupils should be able to achieve, and make requirements clearly known to the pupils. In a Year 5 physical education lesson, the teacher was very clear what she expected, not only in terms of the subject, but also in relation to expectations of behaviour, turnout and assistance. By the end of the lesson, all pupils made good progress; they also knew what they had done, and why. In a Year 6 mathematics lesson, all pupils knew exactly what they should be doing because the task set had been explained very clearly; there was a purposeful and productive atmosphere in the room.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

10. The way in which teachers plan their lessons is good, as is their use of time and learning resources. The various elements came together well in a successful Year 8 geography lesson. A starter activity settled the pupils quickly and reminded them of previous work. The teacher then built on preceding activities in order to develop the links between volcanoes, earthquakes and mountains. At each stage the teacher asked lots of questions to check that the pupils understood what was happening. Time was used well, and the pupils gained in confidence. There was real excitement when pupils realised the past connections between continents, and enthusiasm was maintained to the last. Here, after a summary of what had been done, the pupils learned that in the next lesson they would be using computers to further their understanding.

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The attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are very good, and reflect the very positive

11. In the best lessons, assessment is used well to help pupils to understand how they are doing, and what must be done to improve. Pupils in Year 8 singled out mathematics and English as being effective in setting them targets for improvement. A Year 7 art lesson began with the teacher checking homework. However, this often mundane task provided an opportunity for pupils to consolidate their understanding of assessment. All the homework was put on the table, pupils considered it, and then nominated the best three candidates for "homework of the week", using clear assessment objectives to reach their decisions. The pupils gave good reasons for their choices, speaking fluently about how each piece measured up to the required criteria. West Moors Middle School - 12

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the adoption of a common approach to the development of literacy across the whole

12. Although the overall literacy levels of pupils at entry are only slightly below average, this masks a very wide range of competence. Whilst many pupils read and write confidently and fluently, a significant minority of pupils has such difficulty that it becomes a problem for them to tackle the work in a range of subjects, particularly in their early terms at the school. This "long tail" of pupils tends to have a very limited vocabulary. For example, in a Year 5 science lesson, some pupils were unable to describe an experiment in their own words, even orally, and relied on copying from the board. For lower attainers, limited vocabulary continues to hamper them as they move up the school. In a bottom set Year 6 English lesson, matters were not helped by the period being timetabled in a technology room. The support materials and prompts seen in specialist English rooms were not available.

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the adoption of a common approach to the development of literacy across the whole

13. The school has made a start at tackling vocabulary, and most lessons pay particular attention to subject-specific terms, identifying them in lesson plans, and displaying them clearly. However, some pupils continue to need help with more basic expression. The pace of learning in a Year 8 mathematics lesson was slowed by some pupils not being able to describe relative positions in simple terms such as "bottom left" or "middle right". In contrast, a mixed ability Year 5 design and technology lesson saw higher and lower attaining pupils alike using technical terms with great accuracy. This was because the teacher had gone to great pains to practise the necessary vocabulary in the warm up session at the start of the period, and then to insist upon precision in its use.

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the adoption of a common approach to the development of literacy across the whole

14. A significant minority of pupils also has problems with writing. In such cases, the pupils can talk about what they wish to say, but when it comes to writing their ideas down, grammar and spelling can be problematic. A Year 5 religious education lesson saw pupils talking fluently and at length about their choices thanks to good preparation by the teacher. However, their writing was often brief and lacking in explanation. Examination of samples of the pupils' written work shows that there are marked differences in the range and extent of types and amounts of writing that the pupils are expected to do. In geography and history, for example, the range was narrower than usually seen.

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the adoption of a common approach to the development of literacy across the whole

15. The school does not yet have a clear policy, based on thorough audits, and supported by guidance and monitoring, to ensure that there is consistency across all subjects in developing literacy from an early stage of a pupil's career. Nor are there clear expectations of how work in other subjects will enhance and extend the work done in English. The school is adopting the Key Stage 3 Strategy, but monitoring its impact is less evident. Many teachers already demonstrate considerable skill in developing literacy in their pupils, but these strengths are not being used to benefit all pupils. The newly-appointed head of English has made a start in providing guidance, but to date, there has been no monitoring to check on how effectively this is being implemented.

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the adoption of a common approach to the development of literacy across the whole

16. In Years 5 and 6, the amount of curriculum time being devoted to the development of literacy is below that seen nationally, although the working week at this school is longer than usual. Given the weaknesses in literacy for a significant minority of pupils, more time is needed at this level of the school. It is also unfortunate that pupils cannot use the library for reading at lunchtimes. The school's policy of setting pupils for literacy and numeracy has the benefit of allowing support to be targeted. However, it also means that weaker pupils rarely have the chance to see how higher attainers work, and the creation of what they perceive to be "sink groups" does nothing to raise their self-esteem. West Moors Middle School - 13

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The management of the school needs to become more systematic, and to involve a greater

17. For many years, the school has enjoyed a very stable staff under a long-serving headteacher. This has meant that over time, a collective view of what should be done, and how, has built up, although this was not always documented. This way of working has clearly been effective, since the school secures good achievement for a diverse range of pupils, and standards have been rising steadily. Of late, however, members of staff, including the headteacher, have been appointed to other posts or have retired, and the need for more formal procedures is now becoming evident. The outgoing headteacher pointed out this need in his analyses of the priorities facing the school.

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The management of the school needs to become more systematic, and to involve a greater

18. The school has an impressive range of data on performance. However, there is relatively little evaluative analysis of these data to investigate how consistently educational value is being added, and thus to help focus on future priorities. The relatively slow focus on tackling weaknesses in literacy in the early part of Year 5 is an example of this.

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The management of the school needs to become more systematic, and to involve a greater

19. The job descriptions of middle managers such as subject co-ordinators tend to be more administrative than managerial, and contain insufficient reference to ensuring that the work of pupils is kept sufficiently under review. Thus whilst co-ordinators are expected to monitor the work of their colleagues, there is no emphasis on evaluating the work that is being done by the pupils. However, middle managers carry out their administrative roles well, and the school functions effectively on a day to day basis, in spite of the many recent changes of key staff.

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The management of the school needs to become more systematic, and to involve a greater

20. In recent years, much of the planning and monitoring of the school's activities, and evaluating of its outcomes, had been carried out by the headteacher. This was a large load for one individual. Overall, whilst governors discharge their responsibilities in a satisfactory manner, they have played rather less part in planning the strategic direction of the school, and in evaluating its work, than is usual. Although they have a reasonably accurate picture of the school's strengths and weaknesses, they do not have strong mechanisms for ensuring sufficient independence of view. West Moors Middle School - 14

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

21. The governors and managers of West Moors Middle School should bear the following points in mind when drawing up the action plan following the inspection. Elements of items marked * are contained in the latest school development plan. The numbers at the end of each point refer to the relevant paragraph(s) in the report.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. Ensure that the school takes timely action to raise standards of literacy amongst the significant minority of pupils joining the school for whom this is a weakness, bearing in mind: (Paras 12 to 16) • the need to have an agreed whole-school policy to promote the development of literacy across all subjects of the curriculum; • the need to monitor the effectiveness of the policy at frequent intervals, and to make amendments to it as necessary; • the role of grouping arrangements in promoting good standards; and • the importance of allowing appropriate library access for pupils.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b. * Ensure that there are suitable management systems at the school for planning and implementing its work, monitoring progress of plans and polices, and evaluating their success in terms of the pupils' education, bearing in mind: (Paras 17 to 20) • the need for governors to have a suitably independent view of the school and its affairs, and a proper place in determining strategic direction; and • the need for middle managers to play a fuller part in the management of the school. West Moors Middle School - 15

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