Setting

Mrs C Warrant The Headteacher Parkwall Primary School Earlstone Crescent Cadbury Heath Bristol BS30 8AA

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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 20 November 2007, for the time you gave to our phone discussions, and for the information which you provided during my visit. Please extend my thanks to the governors, the Sure Start representative and the pupils who also gave up their time to speak to me.

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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 6 and 7 March 2007, the school was asked to raise pupils’ achievement and standards, particularly in English and mathematics; to secure consistently good teaching by ensuring that work is appropriately matched to pupils’ capabilities; and, to successfully engage all staff in the process of improvement planning.

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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 good progress in addressing the issues for improvement and in raising the pupils’ achievement.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

A new Sure Start centre has opened on the school site. The school nursery now offers older pupils their free nursery education entitlement from Monday morning to Wednesday lunchtime. These children have a packed lunch. Younger ones will start in the second half of the week after Christmas, on a half day programme, gradually building to full days. The school has reserved a place on its governing body for a Sure Start representative; there are also parent vacancies.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Children in the Foundation Stage continue to do well despite changes in staffing. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 have improved in English, mathematics and science since the last inspection. In the 2007 assessments, pupils reached average standards in their reading. In Key Stage 2 pupils also made better progress. The improvements in those reaching the expected national level in the tests are Tribal Education 1 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR Telephone: 0845 1236 001 T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk particularly noteworthy, with an additional 17% meeting the expected standard in English and science and 30% in mathematics. The percentages of pupils gaining the higher levels also improved in all three subjects. Despite these hard won improvements, the school still has work to do to bring all pupils up to their full potential.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Staff have increased their expectations of what pupils can achieve. Targets for each pupil have been carefully set to ensure everyone strives for further improvement. These targets could be more challenging for more able writers in Key Stage 1. The school tracks all pupils’ progress assiduously. Those with learning difficulties and disabilities make steady progress and achieve good short term gains from the additional work given to them in small groups. There are not yet enough checks made to ensure this learning is successfully transferred back into their work in whole class lessons.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

Teaching and learning have improved. They are now satisfactory or better almost all of the time. Planning is more precisely matched to pupils’ needs. Good use is made of tasks that involve pupils actively in their learning so the pupil passivity mentioned in the last inspection has been reduced. The use of the interactive whiteboards and a variety of new techniques makes teaching brisk and exciting and this aids the pupils’ progress. Occasionally, teachers could be more succinct.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

All staff have been successfully engaged in the school improvement process. Governors and teachers cooperated in devising the school improvement plan. Staff now have a better team approach to solving any identified problems. Any incidents of poor pupil behaviour are dealt with consistently. The play leaders help pupils to deal with their feelings and provide interesting activities during recreation times which help the pupils’ social skills. Pupils were enthused by the Arts Week, where staff worked closely together, but there is scope to further develop the curriculum to match pupils’ interests. Staff have successfully introduced new after school clubs which the pupils enjoy. The pupils’ views are acknowledged and have been acted on. Pupils suggested the improvements to the lunch facilities. These have encouraged more of them to eat the healthy school lunches. Overall, the staff have adopted a proactive ‘can do’ attitude and the results are clear for all to see. They are beginning

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

to engage more parents in their children’s learning through, for example, the ‘kit car project’ (where a parent works with their child) and the productive efforts of the family support worker.

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Ofsted monitoring of schools with a Notice to Improve

The senior management team, with the strengthened governing body, has united the staff and all are successfully driving the improvements. The local authority has given strong and effective support to the school.

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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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