Setting

Tribal Education and Technology 1-4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0845 123 6001 F 0845 123 6002 Ofsted helpline 08456 404045 edhelpline@ofsted.gov.uk

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Mrs Lynn Lawrence The Headteacher River Primary School Lewisham Road River Dover Kent CT17 0PP 23 June 2006

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I visited your school on 16 June 2006, for the time you gave to our telephone discussions, and for the information which you provided before and during my visit. Please thank the staff, pupils, chair of governors and school improvement partner for finding time to speak to me. I particularly enjoyed the various performances by groups of pupils in the assembly where the pupils’ achievements were celebrated.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

Following the inspection in January 2006 the school was asked to ensure teachers with subject responsibilities monitor the provision and standards in their subjects more effectively and use the findings to improve teaching and raise pupils’ achievement especially at Key Stage 1. It was also asked to develop more consistent procedures for involving pupils in assessing their own progress.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

Having considered carefully all the evidence presented by the school and the local authority together with evidence from Ofsted data, I am of the opinion that at this time the school is making good progress on the issues identified at the last inspection.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

Restructuring of the leadership team has taken place to take advantage of teachers’ strengths and interests. The recent appointment of a deputy headteacher has further strengthened the senior leadership team. The guidance and support provided by senior leaders and local authority advisers have improved the capacity of subject leaders and this is having a positive impact on improving the quality of teaching and learning throughout the school. Training has enabled subject leaders to begin to monitor standards and achievement in their subjects more effectively and analysis of the resulting data has identified strengths and areas for development. Appropriate actions are planned to address the weaknesses.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

I observed mostly good teaching during my visit. Lessons were well planned so that the needs and interests of different groups of pupils were taken into account and most lessons were delivered at a brisk pace. Pupils were well motivated and responded positively to good teaching. Training has enabled teachers to set pupils meaningful and challenging targets. Most pupils that I spoke with were aware of their targets and knew what they had to do in order to achieve them.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

Pupils made at least satisfactory progress in all lessons and it is clear that standards are rising. Pupils are now more engaged with their learning and are increasingly expected to use the success criteria that they are given to judge if they have met the learning objective for the lesson.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

The school was recently awarded a gold ‘Flair Award’ in recognition of innovative developments in modern foreign language teaching and learning and pupils say that they enjoy learning new languages.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF GRADE 3 SCHOOLS

I hope that you found this monitoring visit helpful.

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