Setting

Ms Sarah Bennett The Headteacher Wynstream School Burnthouse Lane Exeter Devon EX2 6AY

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 10 October 2007, for the time you gave to our phone discussions, and for the information which you provided before and during my visit. Please pass on my particular thanks to the pupils and staff who met with me and for the time that they gave.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

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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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

As a result of the inspection on 31 January and 1 February 2007, the school was asked to:  raise all pupils' achievement, especially in English  improve the quality and consistency of teaching, particularly by providing a more consistent challenge for pupils of all abilities and ensuring that they receive clear guidance on how to improve their work  improve levels of attendance  develop governors' ability to evaluate the school independently, thus enabling them to fully support the school's drive for improvement.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Having considered all the evidence, I am of the opinion that at this time the school is making satisfactory progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising pupils’ achievement.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Satisfactory progress is being made to raise pupils' achievement, especially in English. Unvalidated school data shows that significantly more pupils are now making better progress at an increasingly faster rate in English than they were at the time of the last inspection. This is a result of the good quality support provided by the school leadership team and by local authority consultants. An example of the good impact of this intervention and support work is the improved writing in Year 3. There is now a greater sharing and accountability for the achievements that pupils make at classroom level. Pupils' achievement continues to vary between year groups, genders Tribal Group 1-4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0845 123 6001 F 0845 123 6002 T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk and subjects; it is overall inadequate. Achievement and standards continue to be good in the Foundation Stage. Because of their legacy of past underachievement,

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

older pupils have a significantly harder journey to be able to reach the expected standards by the end of Key Stage 2.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

My visits to a sample of classrooms confirmed that the quality and consistency of teaching and learning have improved and are typically satisfactory with some good features. This represents satisfactory progress. Good relationships exist in classes and time is generally used well. The use of learning resources and support staff is inconsistent. Where the use of support staff is integrated into lesson plans, with a specific focus to enhance learning, pupils make good or better progress. Assessment is regular, underpins teaching, and is used well by senior managers to measure accurately progress in reading, writing and mathematics. The acting headteacher and her acting deputy are continuing to make significant improvements.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

The use of targets in literacy and numeracy has helped staff to ensure that work is increasingly better tailored to pupils' needs, and particularly so for those pupils with additional learning difficulties. Each class has an overall curricular target to work towards over the term. This is broken down into 'remember to do' targets that help pupils to move their work on. Generally, this is supported well by the marking of work in English and mathematics. In the best examples, pupils are first reminded of what they have achieved and then the 'Try This' suggestion shows them how to improve further. Marking in other subjects, as seen in pupils’ books, is not as effective in sharing the next steps in learning. It is also not clear in these books how work is personalised to individual needs and different age groups in mixed age classes.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Attendance levels have improved and the number of days that pupils have been excluded from schools is falling steadily. This is due to greater parental support and involvement with the school. Through the use of interventions, such as the Intensifying Support Programme, nurture groups, daily physical activity and 'Leap into Life', the school has ensured that more pupils are ready to learn. The consequence of this is that behaviour has improved and more pupils really want to come to school because they enjoy their learning more and are making better progress. Good progress has been made in this area.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

The governing body has been recently restructured and strengthened by many new members from the local and parental community. The new chair and vice-chair have a good knowledge of education and have a clear focus on how best to support and challenge the school. Most governors have received training on how to be an effective governing body and many are receiving additional training and support. This is helping them to understand their roles and specific responsibilities, with the consequence that they are now committed to learning about the school and challenging it to improve. Satisfactory progress has been made in this area.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your school.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Yours sincerely Steffi Penny Her Majesty’s Inspector

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