Setting

CfBT Inspection Services Suite 22, West Lancashire Investment Centre Maple View, White Moss Business Park Skelmersdale WN8 9TG

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I visited your school on 26 May 2006, for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during my visit. Please also pass on my particular thanks to those children, members of staff, parents and to the chair and vice chair of governors for the time they made available to talk with me.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

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 the school is making satisfactory progress although there is still substantially more to do on all the issues identified at the last inspection.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

As a result of the inspection in November 2005 the school was asked to ensure significant improvements were made in relation to leadership and management, teaching and learning, the assessment and tracking of pupils’ progress and the achievement of the more able pupils.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The acting headteacher has left the school since the last inspection. An experienced consultant headteacher has successfully managed change through a relentless and determined drive for improvement. She has been well supported in recent weeks by a seconded deputy headteacher. At the time of this visit only one member of the current teaching staff was present at the inspection last November. Most of the current teaching staff are on temporary contracts.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The governing body has been in consultation with the governing body of another school to consider a collaborative approach that would benefit both schools. This will involve sharing a headteacher, expertise and resources. The governing body are determined that the school will move forward and see this as an opportunity to bring about improvement. The local authority has made considerable resources available to the school, initiating change and monitoring the work of the teachers. The parents feel that the school has moved on apace and the concern and worry seen after the Ofsted inspection has been replaced by a commitment to help the school improve. The pupils, through the school council have also made a positive start to bringing about improvements in the school.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The school action plan does not sharply identify the underlying causes of the weaknesses in the school and so it lacks the rigour to drive the school forward. The consultant headteacher has recognised that it is not a good tool for school improvement and is committed to addressing the underpinning issues when the plan is revised.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The leadership and management of curriculum areas and the management of the pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities has yet to be addressed. However the proposed collaboration will utilise the recognised strengths of the subject leaders in the support school to enable Bramham to move forward with this area for improvement. But key to this will also be the stability of staffing.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The quality of teaching is improving. The teaching assistants have provided a consistent presence, which has added security for the pupils. However, their roles are underdeveloped although further training is planned to address this. Even though teaching is improving, there are as yet no consistent assessment procedures to underpin planning and so pupils’ learning remains inconsistent. Assessment systems are being rapidly introduced and pupils’ progress is now beginning to be checked and recorded. Individual education plans to help those pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities are not sharp enough to identify the small learning steps necessary and are yet to have an impact on teachers’ lesson planning.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The school does not expect standards in the current Year 6 to be as strong as in the past. The underlying problem remains the legacy of lack of rigour and consistency in the assessment procedures.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The pupils confirm that lessons are interesting and say that they work hard. They are extremely pleased by the new library and the new computer suite. Pupils say that they know what their targets are and know what it is they need to do next to improve their work.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The school is working on a behaviour policy and positive behaviour strategies. Behaviour is improving as a direct result of the pupils being more involved in their learning. As teaching has improved, so has pupil behaviour.

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OFSTED MONITORING OF SCHOOLS WITH NOTICE TO IMPROVE

The school has faced considerable change and upheaval since the inspection in November 2005. There is still a substantial amount that needs tackling to bring about consistent improvements throughout the school. The continued guidance and support of the local authority, the drive of the consultant headteacher and deputy headteacher, alongside the determination of the governing body parents and staff, together with the enthusiasm of the pupils provides a platform for improvement.

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