Setting

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 08456 404040 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Ms Platt and Ms Willows Headteacher and Acting Headteacher The Spalding Monkshouse Primary School Pennygate Spalding Lincolnshire PE11 1LG

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developing the reformed workforce

Thank you for your hospitality and co-operation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visit on 13 December 2007 to evaluate the impact of the deployment, training and development of the reformed workforce. For the purposes of this survey inspection, the term ‘reformed workforce’ will apply to any person employed by or working in partnership with the school who is not a qualified teacher.

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developing the reformed workforce

The visit provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text. All feedback letters will be published on the Ofsted website at the end of each half-term.

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developing the reformed workforce

The evidence used to inform the judgements made included discussions with staff and pupils, scrutiny of relevant documentation and observation of staff at work.

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developing the reformed workforce

The overall effectiveness of the reformed workforce in your school was judged to be outstanding.

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developing the reformed workforce

The impact of the reformed workforce on achievement and standards is outstanding.

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developing the reformed workforce

 The skills level of many pupils is below that which would be expected nationally, particularly in the area of communication, language and literacy. Higher level teaching assistants and teaching assistants have responsibility for leading and managing the school’s intervention programme. Over 30% of pupils receive support through attending intervention groups where they make very good progress.  Teaching assistants provide very effective support for pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities which helps them to make very good progress.  Members of the reformed workforce staff a speech and language unit attached to the school. Here outstanding progress is made by pupils as a result of the well-organised provision and the excellent use of data to inform assessment and planning.  The reformed workforce makes an outstanding contribution to pupils’ personal development. These staff play an important part in sustaining

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developing the reformed workforce

good behaviour through implementing the school’s assertive discipline policy. Attendance has risen from 94.3% to 95.8% in the last 12 months, following the creation of a new administrative post.  Teaching assistants use their knowledge and expertise well to promote healthy living, safety awareness and contributing to the community.

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developing the reformed workforce

The impact of the reformed workforce on the quality of teaching and learning is outstanding.

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developing the reformed workforce

 Teachers are better able to meet the wide range of pupils’ needs as a result of very good quality support from teaching assistants. Their expertise is used well to support extensive group work, paired work and one-to-one assistance. They understand the school assessment system well and evaluate pupils’ progress effectively.  Higher level teaching assistants are particularly well trained and effective, providing specialist subject knowledge, for instance in information communication technology and modern languages. They also teach small groups of pupils identified as likely to under-perform and needing additional support in literacy, numeracy or personal or emotional skills. Pupils make very good progress as a result of small group sizes and the precise focus on specific skills or areas of underperformance.

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developing the reformed workforce

The impact of the reformed workforce on the quality of the curriculum is outstanding.

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developing the reformed workforce

 Members of the reformed workforce add significantly to the breadth of the curriculum. The specialist unit for children with speech and language difficulties provides high quality service entirely through the work of the reformed workforce.  The expertise of members of the reformed workforce is used effectively to organise the school’s “enrichment programme” in its half day sessions each week. Pupils are offered sports activities, sign language classes, French knitting, conversational Turkish, swimming, science experiments, drama, aerobics and many other options. Pupils select from the menu, helped by their parents, and work in small groups.  Higher level teaching assistants run the school’s programme for personal, social and health education and make a major contribution to the development of healthy eating. Leadership and management of the reformed workforce are outstanding.

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developing the reformed workforce

 You and your senior leaders are committed to deploying the reformed workforce effectively to raise standards and to improve the personal development and well-being of pupils. The reformed workforce is trained and developed very well. The school provides very good training opportunities and excellent procedures for monitoring and appraisal.

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developing the reformed workforce

The impact of the reformed workforce on inclusion is good.

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developing the reformed workforce

 Members of the reformed workforce help to build good links with the community. For instance they run parents’ training classes on “maths today” for twenty or more parents three times a year. One teaching assistant has initiated a support group for pupils with hearing impairment and their parents. Another teaches “jolly phonics” to Polish parents new to the area.  The expertise of members of the reformed workforce could be used more effectively to support gifted and talented pupils.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 making wider use of the expertise of the reformed workforce to extend gifted and talented pupils.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope these observations are useful as you continue to train and develop the reformed workforce.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As I explained in my previous letter, a copy of this letter will be sent to your local authority and will be published on the Ofsted website. It will also be available to the team for your next institutional inspection.

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