Setting

Miss E Hackett Headteacher Terrington St Clement Community School 72 Churchgate Way Terrington St Clement Kings Lynn Norfolk PE34 4LZ

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Community School

Following my visit with Trevor Watts, Additional Inspector, to your school on 4 and 5 November 2008, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector to confirm the inspection findings.

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Community School

The visit was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures in June 2007. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Community School

Progress since being subject to special measures – satisfactory

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Community School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – satisfactory

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Community School

This letter and monitoring inspection report will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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Community School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the chair of governors and the Director of Children’s Services for Norfolk.

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Community School

Paul Brooker Her Majesty’s Inspector Cambridge Education Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 01223 578500 Direct F 01223 578501 risp.inspections@camb-ed.com Page 2

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work, scrutinised documents and met with the headteacher, nominated staff, the chair of governors and a representative from the local authority (LA).

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Context

The school continues to experience some staffing turbulence and is undergoing some physical upheaval caused by the building of two new classrooms. One new teacher started at the school in September and another will join in January. Two classes have been covered by temporary teachers during periods of long-term staff absence since the last visit. During the visit, two classes were covered by supply teachers. The senior leadership team has been restructured, with two assistant headteachers.

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Achievement and standards

Although, overall, attainment remains below national figures, standards are rising. Results in the most recent end-of-Key Stage 2 tests in 2008 showed significant improvement in mathematics and science, when compared with the previous year. Results in English were mixed: those in reading exceeded the school’s targets, but results in writing were disappointingly low. The comparatively small proportion of pupils who achieved the higher level 5 in any subject reflected, in part, the weaker cohort, but also the legacy of slow progress. The Key Stage 2 results were broadly in line with the school’s targets, but were only achieved by a significant acceleration in the pupils’ progress in Year 6.

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Achievement and standards

At Key Stage 1 in 2008, standards of attainment in writing and mathematics were broadly similar to the previous year, although standards in reading increased significantly. However, none of the pupils achieved the higher level 3 in any subject. Children in the Foundation Stage made satisfactory progress.

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Achievement and standards

Work seen in pupils’ books is broadly in line with and occasionally above age-related expectations, but the standards in a few lessons are below the levels expected. This is more evident in Key Stage 2 because some of the older pupils have, in the past, not made the progress expected, particularly in their writing. Nonetheless, the school recognises the need to systematically fill gaps in pupils’ learning and the acceleration of the pupils’ progress in lessons is beginning to make up for previous unevenness. The school makes effective use of assessment data to monitor pupil progress and to inform intervention. The tracking system gives a clear overview of progress across Key Stage 1 and 2 for English, mathematics and science; it enables Page 3 staff to analyse areas of strength and weakness and encourages them to take responsibility for the progress of individual pupils.

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Achievement and standards

Target-setting is developing suitably. However, although pupils know their individual targets in English, mathematics and science, they do not make sufficient use of these to check their work or guide improvement. The use of targets is not embedded in lessons and routine assessment.

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Achievement and standards

Progress since the last visit on the areas for improvement:  Raise pupils’ standards of work in English, mathematics and science at Key Stage 2 – satisfactory

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Personal development and well-being

As reported previously, pupils behave well and have positive attitudes to learning. Around school, in the playground and in lessons, they show consideration for one another and are polite and friendly towards visitors. Pupils enjoy their learning, and are very interested and absorbed in their work when the teaching is challenging or stimulating. Even on occasions when the teaching is rather slow paced or dull, the pupils sustain their concentration reasonably well and remain compliant. The school’s work with the SEAL (social and emotional aspect of learning) curriculum has bonded well with the healthy schools award (ActiveMark) to help foster a good attitude to, and knowledge of, fitness, health and safety. Pupils’ attendance is good, and at 96.1% for the term to date, is approaching the school’s own high target figure, and above last year’s figure of 95.4%.

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Quality of provision

The school’s rigorous evaluation shows that the quality of teaching continues to improve, although the proportion of good or outstanding lessons remains some way below its target figure. Teaching has been strengthened by the adoption of agreed procedures for planning and assessment, and through targeted support for individual staff. Nonetheless, weaknesses remain and these affect the pace of learning in a number of lessons.

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Quality of provision

The strengths in teaching, reported previously, have been consolidated: pupils’ learning is well promoted by the very good relationships between children and adults, the positive climate for learning and the work of teaching assistants; work is well directed and carefully managed. In addition, teachers have worked hard to improve the quality of planning. Lessons are planned in detail with suitable emphasis on what the pupils will learn and what outcomes are expected; good use is made of information and communication technology (ICT) to outline lesson objectives and review the pupils’ learning. Page 4 There are signs that teachers are more confident and adventurous in planning a range of learning activities for the pupils that encourage more independent learning. Indeed, pupils are keen to work independently and often make rapid progress when collaborating in small groups or in pairs. The best lessons took full advantage of

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Quality of provision

pupils’ enthusiasm by starting briskly, focusing sharply and providing a good range of activities and resources to stimulate learning. In these lessons learning was lively and fun, and pupils were given opportunities to evaluate their work and learn from any mistakes. The pace of learning was more pedestrian in the satisfactory lessons which, by comparison, tended to over-complicate the learning objectives and spend too long explaining to pupils what they had to do. Where teachers lack confidence, they tend to inhibit discussion by asking closed questions and paraphrasing pupils’ responses. Speculation and discussion that might consolidate pupils’ understanding of difficult concepts are sometimes stymied when teachers are pre-occupied with pupils getting the correct answer straight away. A few lessons were rather dull.

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Quality of provision

The quality of marking and assessment is improving, but is too variable, particularly in its impact. Teachers are conscientious in their marking, but pupils are not always clear what they have done well or what they need to do to improve, even when their next steps are listed. More time needs to be spent checking that pupils understand what their short-term targets are and making sure that the pupils take some responsibility for evaluating whether they have completed tasks and achieved their next steps.

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Quality of provision

Further work has been undertaken to strengthen the curriculum, particularly in the detail of expected outcomes for each topic. Revisions have also focused suitably on developing links between subjects, so that pupils have more opportunities to develop their writing skills across different subjects. Sensible changes have also been made to both the science curriculum and to the teaching of PSHE. Curriculum topics are often planned to be creative and practical, especially in, for example, science, where the Year 6 curriculum is now approached through practical investigations. Pupils find this approach enjoyable and motivating. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum has been revised to take account of the recent guidelines. There is greater emphasis on active learning, with children able to explore resources and situations, including through structured play and outdoors.

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Quality of provision

Pupils with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, particularly in speech and language development or in numeracy skills, receive good support in a variety of ways. Pupils are skilfully supported either in class alongside their classmates, or in separate groups for particular needs such as phonics or number skills. Page 5 Progress since the last visit on the areas for improvement:  Develop a shared understanding of what good practice in teaching is and ensure through rigorous monitoring and support that good practice is adopted consistently – satisfactory  Improve the curriculum so that it covers the whole National Curriculum in sufficient depth and gives greater emphasis to science – satisfactory

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Leadership and management

Leadership has strengthened since the last visit. The new senior team now has the capacity to oversee the day-to-day management of the school and to be strategic in guiding its development. Moreover, leadership is developing at all levels through the team clusters that have recently been established. Although it is too early to judge the impact of the team approach to leadership in the foundation subjects, it has promoted a sense of accountability amongst staff and is developing more critical self-evaluation at all levels.

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Leadership and management

The headteacher continues to lead the school’s recovery with remarkable determination and skill. She has balanced well the need for support and challenge and has tackled robustly some difficult staffing issues. The deployment of staff and clustering of subject teams have been judiciously handled in order to develop the skills of individuals and improve provision. The programme of lesson observation and monitoring by the new senior leadership team is rigorous and has been effective in strengthening provision.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is increasingly effective in holding the school to account.

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External support

The LA continues to monitor the school through its Project Board, but responsibility for evaluation is largely entrusted to the school itself, and LA support is sensibly tailored to the school’s specific requests. The school values highly the guidance provided by the additional governor and the specific support of the ISP and from subject consultants in mathematics and science, all of which has developed the school’s own leadership.

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Priorities for further improvement

 Increase the proportion of good and outstanding lessons by sharing best practice that exists in the school.  Encourage pupils to develop independence and to take more responsibility for their learning, by evaluating their own work more routinely, responding to the guidance provided in marking and making fuller use of their individual targets.  Develop the subject leadership roles and responsibilities of staff so that all can contribute fully to self-evaluation and school improvement.

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