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 Alan Coode The Headteacher Gorringe Park Primary School Sandy Lane Figges Marsh Mitcham CR4 2YA

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Introduction

Following my visit with David White, Additional Inspector, John Laver, Additional Inspector and Jo Curd, Additional Inspector, to your school on 13 and 14 March 2007, 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 November 2006.

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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, examined documents, completed a work scrutiny of pupils’ exercise books, met with the headteacher, other senior leaders, governors and a representative of the local authority (LA).

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Context

There have been no significant changes to the context of the school since the previous inspection in November 2006.

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Achievement and standards

Progress in improving achievement since the previous inspection has been inadequate, so that pupils have not reached higher standards in English, mathematics and science. Achievement of pupils in Key Stage 1 is now satisfactory, because teachers of these pupils have higher expectations and are using assessment well to ensure a good match of work to the needs of their pupils. However, the achievement of pupils in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 2 is inadequate. National data published since the previous inspection confirms the judgement that achievement of pupils by the time they leave school is inadequate. The school is still not on course to reach agreed targets in the current year. Pupils make progress in the minority of lessons which are good, due to teachers having high expectations and building well on the very positive attitudes which pupils bring to their learning. However, the situation remains that there has been inadequate

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Achievement and standards

progress in developing proficiency and confidence in pupils’ speaking skills, fluency and accuracy in reading, and written accuracy. As a result academic progress continues to lag behind personal development.

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Personal development and well-being

Pupil’s attitudes and behaviour, both in and outside the classrooms, continue to be good, as was noted at the previous inspection. They were polite, courteous and friendly to inspectors.

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Quality of provision

Teaching and learning are inadequate because there are not enough lessons of sufficient quality to ensure at least satisfactory achievement. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage are inadequate. Some good lessons were seen in Key Stages 1 and 2. Learning in these lessons was good because questions probed pupils’ thinking, relationships and pace were good and teachers expected pupils to make progress. However, there is not enough teaching of this good quality. This means that pupils cannot make the progress that they should. Consequently pupils’ achievement is too low.

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Quality of provision

Teachers’ expectations of the majority of pupils, evident in most lessons and pupils’ work, are too low. Lesson monitoring is insufficiently evaluative and does not sharply focus on pupils’ learning. Although senior leaders observe lessons and make recommendations for improvements they do not monitor their implementation.

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Quality of provision

Assessment and tracking systems, showing the progress of individual pupils, have improved. Some teachers are beginning to use information about pupils’ progress adequately in their planning and teaching. Many teachers are not yet using the assessment effectively and as a result work is rarely well matched to pupils’ learning needs. Work is too easy for some pupils and too difficult for others.

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Quality of provision

There are now formal procedures in place to assess and track the pupils’ progress on a termly basis. In Key Stage 1 teachers are using effective methods to raise achievement by consistently advising and reminding the pupils of the specific targets for the lesson. Subject leaders and class teachers are taking a greater responsibility in collecting data, but have yet to analyse this information to set work that challenges pupils at their own level. As a result, target setting remains inconsistent. The targets are too general and refer to the whole year group rather than specifically enabling individual pupils to achieve as well as they can. Marking is inconsistent throughout the school. In many classes there is insufficient reference to the achievement of targets or in providing advice on how a pupil can improve their work. There is insufficient assessment of work in books to inform the teacher and the pupil

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Quality of provision

of progress being made. A new policy to address these issues is in the process of being introduced.

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Quality of provision

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in November 2006:  Raise teachers' expectations of the quality and standard of work that pupils can produce, to enable them to reach higher standards in English, mathematics and science – inadequate progress

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Quality of provision

 Enable teachers to make better use of assessment and tracking pupils' progress in planning for what they need to learn next – satisfactory progress

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Leadership and management

There has been inadequate progress in giving clearer direction to school improvement because the efforts of the senior leadership team are not sufficiently focused on improving either the quality of teaching or the achievement of pupils. There is a lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities of senior leaders. In particular, the deputy headteacher still does not have a clear job description which specifies her role in enabling the school to move forward swiftly.

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Leadership and management

There is now an interim performance management system which identifies what pupils should achieve in each class. However, this does not set high enough expectations of what pupils should achieve; neither does it support the school in reaching its statutory targets. It is not yet clearly related to improving learning because senior leaders do not hold teachers to account for the quality of their teaching.

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Leadership and management

The school still does not have strong enough systems and procedures in place to make a significant difference to pupil achievement. For example, it cannot provide accurate data to indicate whether pupils are making the expected progress towards the tests they are due to take in May. Governors have recently begun to take a more active role in monitoring aspects of the school’s work. However, their ability to challenge the school on pupil achievement is limited by their lack of knowledge in this area. Senior leaders have yet to demonstrate that they have sufficient capacity to make significant improvements.

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Leadership and management

Progress on the areas for improvement identified by the inspection in November 2006:  Give clearer direction to school improvement, so that goals are clearly recognised, ways to get there are mapped out and methods agreed for measuring when they are reached – inadequate progress

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Leadership and management

 Establish systems of performance management for staff in order to improve the quality of teaching – inadequate progress

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External support

The LA’s statement of action is inadequate. It does not clearly specify how its actions will enable the school to make rapid progress on the areas identified by the previous report. The plan does not specify measurable outcomes, associated milestones and link them to specific resources and actions. The LA has provided some support and advice for the school in the Foundation Stage, but this has not yet had any impact as provision and achievement are inadequate.

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Main Judgements

Progress since being subject to special measures – inadequate

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Main Judgements

Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

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Main Judgements

I am copying this letter to the Secretary of State, the chair of governors and the Head of School Improvement for Merton.

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