Setting

Prospects Learning Services Ltd 132-138 High Street Bromley Kent BR1 1EZ T 020 8313 7760 F 020 8464 3393 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045

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Mr D Musty The Acting Headteacher Olivers Battery School Austen Avenue Olivers Battery Winchester SO22 4HP

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Introduction

Following my visit with Patricia Walker AI to your school on 8 and 9 February 2006, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to confirm the inspection findings.

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Introduction

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures in June 2005.

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Introduction

This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website. Please inform the Regional Inspection Service Provider of any factual inaccuracies within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter.

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the headteacher, the deputy head, core subject leaders, the SENCO, groups of pupils, the chair of governors and a representative from the Local Authority (LA).

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Context

The headteacher resigned from the school last term following the last inspection report in June. For part of last term the school was managed by an acting headteacher. The school has now appointed another acting headteacher who will manage the school for the next two terms until a new permanent appointment is made. A deputy headteacher and four other new staff joined the school in September 2005. The LA is committed to the school’s future by providing a good level of support to subject co-ordinators and management. During the inspection the Foundation Stage and some of the Key Stage 1 pupils were out on a school visit.

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Achievement and standards

Achievement is unsatisfactory. Standards are above average in English but only average in mathematics and science and the pupils are capable of better than this. Pupils who have higher than average abilities do well at the school. However, the low and middle achieving pupils make insufficient progress between Key Stage 1 and 2. The school is unclear of the reasons for underachievement because pupils’ progress is not analysed well enough.

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Achievement and standards

There has been significant improvement in standards in English. However, this has not been matched by similar improvements in mathematics and science. The school has recently reviewed its setting arrangements for English and mathematics and now only groups according to ability in Years 5 and 6, rather than throughout the school. However, the impact of these changes has yet to be evaluated. The school has not evaluated the effectiveness of teaching and the impact of group work on raising standards and tackling underachievement. The lesson and work books show that pupils are making good progress because teaching is now good. Teachers’ planning is better, and directed more to different abilities and starting points in pupils’ learning. While this has made some impact on the progress pupils make now, the longer term achievement is still not good enough because of the legacy of weaker teaching in the past. As a result, a significant number of pupils are

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Achievement and standards

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in June 2005: ƒ Ensure that pupils of all ages and abilities achieve their potential – inadequate progress ƒ raise standards in science throughout the school, and in writing in Key Stage 1 and information and communication technology in Key Stage 2 – insufficient evidence on this inspection

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Personal development and well-being

Pupils’ behaviour in lessons is good. They listen attentively and concentrate well. They are keen to participate in lessons and give courteous attention to what others say. Around the school pupils behave sensibly and in a mature manner, making a valuable contribution to the calm atmosphere. Pupils show enjoyment in lessons and express appreciation of the range of activities offered to them. They understand the benefits of healthy eating and many express enjoyment of the freshly prepared school meals. Attendance is satisfactory and exclusion rates are very low.

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Quality of provision

Provision at the school is now at least satisfactory and there is a significant level of good teaching in all areas of the school. Teachers plan lessons well, introduce the focus for learning and make use of good strategies to develop pupils’ achievements in the class. However, the lack of good evaluation of ability groupings means that the school cannot be sure that it has adequately addressed the underachievement by the middle and lower attaining pupils. The good use of resources and classroom support is helping teachers to assess and pitch the lesson more accurately. This ensures that it meets pupils’ needs, so that more pupils are making better and often good progress. Assessment information is now being collected regularly and teachers’ marking of books is generally positive. In the best cases it lets pupils know what they need to learn next in lessons. Relationships between teachers and pupils are good, pupils know and understand the codes for behaviour and are

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Quality of provision

carefully reminded when they forget. There is now a consistency of approach in pupil management which allows most lessons to proceed at a good pace.

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Quality of provision

Many of the lessons seen had clear links to other areas of the curriculum and gave pupils a real sense for learning and opportunities to use their skills in appropriate tasks. Activities such as the role play of the bus journey and the unwrapping of sweet boxes to explore three dimensional nets used in packaging were good examples of well planned ideas aimed at exciting learning. Pupils clearly enjoy their time at school. The curriculum is further enhanced by a wide range of after school and lunch time clubs which give further opportunities for pupils to choose new and exciting skills to learn. The sewing club run by two parents continues to be a popular choice.

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Quality of provision

There is satisfactory provision for the care, guidance and support of children. Pupils’ perceptions of bullying in the school are about rough and inconsiderate behaviour of other pupils. Pupils have concerns that they are not always taken seriously by all the adults working in the school. Pupils have received advice but they are not sure about the procedures used by staff in dealing with this and consequently they do not always feel safe around the school. There is satisfactory provision for child protection. There is a new policy which is clearly understood by all adults in the school. All teachers have been trained in child protection awareness and how to proceed when they have concerns about a child’s safety. Other adults working directly with pupils have not received training.

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Quality of provision

Pupils do not receive sufficient or consistent support in understanding their own progress. Where targets for improvement are offered by teachers, this useful advice is taken seriously, by the pupils. Teachers’ practice in doing this has been recently introduced and is still inconsistently applied in all classes.

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Quality of provision

The provision for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities is satisfactory. The recently appointed co-ordinator has put many improvements into place in a relatively short period. Individual education plans have targets which are easily understood by all, including the pupils themselves, and they are regularly reviewed. Parents are fully involved and informed at all stages.

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Quality of provision

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in June 2005: ƒ improve the quality of teaching and learning, and the overall curriculum provision in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 – satisfactory progress ƒ ensure that child protection procedures are in place and that they are understood by all staff – satisfactory progress

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Leadership and management

The school’s improvement plan is now clear and coherent, since it makes well focused links between the areas needing development. Incisive and effective leadership has successfully linked the main priority of raising achievement for all pupils to the school’s other objectives.

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Leadership and management

Central to this development has been the establishment of good communications with staff and parents and a consultative approach to school improvement. Staff and the governing body feel that their contributions are valued and taken into account. A good range of training has been given to the staff and the governors to enable them to make an effective contribution. An essential step in the raising of standards has been to set up a system for the consistent tracking of each pupil’s progress but the impact of this has not yet been evaluated. Particularly, the arrangements for teaching groups and the use of support staff have not been analysed to make sure they are making enough difference to pupils’ achievement. A new policy has simplified and clarified behaviour codes and expectations. It is used very consistently and is now better understood and valued by both staff and pupils. There has been no recent evaluation of parents’ views and

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Leadership and management

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in June 2005: ƒ address the weaknesses in the leadership of the headteacher, and in the overall leadership and management of the school - satisfactory progress ƒ ensure that the behaviour management policy is agreed with staff, parents and pupils so that it is consistently implemented – satisfactory progress

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Main Judgements

Progress since being subject to special measures - satisfactory

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Main Judgements

Quality of LA’s statement of action - satisfactory

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Main Judgements

Newly qualified teachers may be appointed providing the school can continue to maintain the high quality support it now offers.

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Priorities for further improvement

ƒ ensure all staff are using assessment and tracking procedures to evaluate progress in all subjects ƒ review and evaluate the impact of arrangements for teaching groups and the impact this has on the standards of the lower and middle achieving pupils.

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Priorities for further improvement

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the chair of governors and Director of Children Services for Hampshire.

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