Setting

Mrs Marion Jones Highley Community Primary School Grasmere Drive Highley Bridgnorth Shropshire WV16 6EH

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School

Following my visit with Keith Shannon, Additional Inspector, to your school on 10 −11 March 2010, I write on behalf of Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills to confirm the inspection findings.

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School

The visit was the third monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures in December 2008. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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School

Progress since being subject to special measures – good

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School

Progress since previous monitoring inspection – good

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School

Newly Qualified Teachers may not be appointed.

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School

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

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School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the chair of governors and the Corporate Director - Children and Young People's Services for Shropshire.

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

Serco Inspections Boundary House 2 Wythall Green Way Middle Lane Birmingham B47 6LW T 0300 123 1231 Text Phone: 0161

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Her Majesty’s Inspector

enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Page 2

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work including 10 lessons and nine teachers, scrutinised documents and met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, middle leaders, groups of pupils, a group of governors, a group of parents and a local authority representative.

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Context

Two new staff started at the school in January 2010 to replace staff that left at the end of December. At the time of the inspection, one class was taught by a temporary teacher to cover the absence of the permanent member of staff.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Children continue to make generally good progress during the Reception Year from a low starting point. They are now acting more independently and can be observed making appropriate choices for themselves. They often choose to use the outside area as well as inside.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Progress across Key Stage 1 has improved and is now satisfactory. Observation of lessons shows lower attaining pupils are now better supported in accessing the work. School records show that standards are expected to remain below average at the end of the key stage but they are improving and represent appropriate progress for these pupils from the start of Year 1.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

In Key Stage 2, school records show that the quality of learning has improved, and the emphasis on raising standards in mathematics and English means that results in 2010 are expected to be broadly average. Classroom observations and work in books show that pupils are more confident with their work and they now make at least satisfactory progress in lessons and between termly assessments. Work is better matched to their needs and pupils requiring additional help now make satisfactory progress overall with some making up for previous poor progress.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Teachers use information on the level at which pupils are working to make sure higher attaining pupils are better challenged although as yet this does not consistently ensure these pupils are fully stretched. Pupils talk confidently about their literacy and numeracy targets and they regularly check against these during lessons.

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Pupils’ achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning

Judgement Progress since the last visit on the area for improvement: Page 3  In order to improve rates of progress and raise standards, particularly in English, mathematics and science, ensure teaching uses information from assessments to challenge all pupils at the right level and provides those needing additional help with high quality support – good

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Pupils generally behave well in lessons and around the school, although there are occasional lapses, especially as pupils are adjusting to the expectations of new staff. Pupils are polite and courteous to adults. There have been no exclusions or reported racist incidents since the previous visit. Attendance remains high, although during the snow some days were lost through closure and on others, when the school remained open, attendance was very low. Pupils make a valuable contribution to the school and they are pleased at the arrangements at lunchtime which they helped to formulate and also the new dining tables which arrived during the inspection.

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Pupils say that lessons continue to be more interesting with many commenting that lessons are often fun and exciting. Consequently, attitudes to learning are improving and generally good.

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The effectiveness of provision

The quality of teaching is continuing to improve. In particular, more lessons are active and pacy. The work is appropriately matched to the differing abilities and needs of pupils. In Key Stage 1, lower attaining pupils are now better supported so that they are able to access the work. Good use is made of teaching assistants to support groups of pupils. Opportunities for pupils to work in small groups have increased so that many lessons include times when pupils work collaboratively. There are increased opportunities for all pupils, but especially the more able, to experiment within science and investigate within mathematics .Whilst many lessons are planned to include opportunities for pupils to work independently because pupils do not always have a good understanding of how to work in this way opportunities for them to improve their ability to work independently are missed.

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The effectiveness of provision

Relationships between staff and pupils are good. Staff use lesson objectives well and do not waste time by insisting pupils copy these into their books as they are often on gummed labels or pasted into books. More often, objectives are referred to during lessons to consolidate learning and remind pupils what they are aiming for; they are also used well at the end of some lessons to identify how well pupils have achieved.

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The effectiveness of provision

Although assessment has improved, it remains inconsistent. In some books, pupils are encouraged and given advice on how well they are doing but this does not always identify what specifically is good about the work. Areas for improvement are identified but advice is then not given on what exactly needs to be done to improve and pupils do not then have sufficient time to correct work. Page 4 The curriculum has been enhanced by introducing a variety of topic work and by working with a local secondary school, including in the preparation of ‘playground buddies’. Pupils enjoy learning Spanish and they can be heard greeting each other or speaking to staff in Spanish at different times during the day.

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The effectiveness of provision

The Reception class outdoor area is now being used well by children who make appropriate choices for themselves without undue adult interference.

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The effectiveness of provision

The school has worked well to increase the guidance and support it provides for pupils. Staff support pupils whose circumstances make them vulnerable well and utilise the expertise of other agencies for good collaboration. Pupils were observed cooking in the ‘sunshine room’ and these pupils make progress in developing better social skills.

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The effectiveness of provision

Judgement Progress since the last visit on the areas for improvement:

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The effectiveness of provision

 Improve the curriculum so that it offers all pupils, particularly the more able, further opportunities to work independently – good  Improve the quality of teaching and learning, ensuring that all teachers set challenging targets and give pupils clear guidance as to how well they are doing and what they need to do to improve their work – satisfactory  Provide children in the Reception class with a secure outdoor area to support their learning – good

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

The leadership of the school continues to improve with senior leaders giving a strong steer on how to carry on getting better. Staff and parents interviewed commented upon the strong commitment and ambition of the headteacher. Staff who have recently been given responsibilities for subject leadership were very complimentary about the support and guidance they had received and how they now felt greater empowerment to carry out their roles. They have monitored the planning and are working with subject advisers to extend their role to classroom observation and scrutiny of work in books.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Governors have increased their work in holding the school to account. Governors attached to subject areas have started their programme of observations and monitoring. They have been supported by the local authority. The school complies with current requirements for safeguarding.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Judgement Progress since the last visit on the area for improvement:

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

 Make sure that leaders at all levels monitor the school's work rigorously and take effective action to drive school improvement – good Page 5

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External support

The local authority continues to provide good support for the school. Primary consultants and subject advisers work alongside subject leaders to support improvements to the teaching within curriculum areas, subject knowledge and to enhance the leadership qualities of middle managers. The school adviser, who is also the school improvement partner, ensures the school is continuing to improve. Good joint working with local secondary schools helps extend the curriculum.

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