Setting

Mrs Rosemary Daniels Headteacher Goodyer’s End Primary School Bowling Green Lane Bedworth Warwickshire CV12 0HP

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

Thank you for the help which you and your staff gave when I inspected your school on 8 March 2010 , for the time you gave to our phone discussions and for the information which you provided before and during my visit . Please convey my thanks to the pupils, Chair of Governors and local authority officers for their contributions.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

The high staff turnover reported at the time of the last inspection has been reduced. Currently, two members of the teaching staff are newly qualified. After falling in 2008, the number on roll has increased, resulting in the appointment of additional staff.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

As a result of the inspection on 28 and 29 February 2008, the school was asked to:  raise standards in English, mathematics and science, particularly for higher attaining pupils in writing in Key Stage 1 and all pupils in Key Stage 2, by matching work more closely to children's learning needs and expect more of higher attaining pupils throughout the school  improve the quality and consistency of the school's monitoring and evaluation of teaching and learning to enable teachers to receive precise guidance as to what they need to do to continue to improve  improve the long-term financial planning to ensure the financial reserves are used to improve the school.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

Having considered all the evidence I am of the opinion that at this time the school has made inadequate progress in making improvements and inadequate progress in demonstrating a better capacity for sustained improvement.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

In the 2009 teacher assessments at the end of Year 2 (Key Stage 1), standards were below average in reading and writing and broadly in line with the national average in mathematics. Results show a downward trend over the last three years. Although the proportion gaining the higher Level 3 in writing exceeded the national average, Serco Boundary House 2, Wythall Green Way Wythall Birmingham West Midlands B47 6LW T 0300 123 1231 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk September 2009 Page 2 significant proportions of pupils were below the national averages in writing and the higher levels in reading. At the end of Year 6 (Key Stage 2), standards in the 2009 tests continued their upward trend from the low point in 2007. They were significantly above the national average in English but below the national averages in mathematics and science. The sharp rise in English reflects pupils’ improved performance in writing, particularly by boys, which has closed the gap between

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

results in reading and writing. However, compared with the national averages, too few pupils gained the higher levels in mathematics and science.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

While lower and average attaining pupils in Year 2 are making good progress in reading, writing and mathematics, higher attaining pupils are mostly making satisfactory rather than better progress. At Key Stage 2, pupils’ progress this year is satisfactory but over time it is inconsistent, particularly in mathematics where it is inadequate. Since the last inspection, the school has developed a more creative curriculum which links subjects and, as confirmed in discussion, has greater appeal to pupils’ interests, particularly for boys. In addition, the school’s budget reserves have been reduced by the appointment of additional staff which has increased the number of adults working with pupils. However, there remain inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and learning that are barriers to raising standards further. Teachers’ expectations are too variable, often as a result of a lack of confidence in

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

the rigour and reliability of assessment information. Lesson intentions, while shared with pupils, are invariably too general, with the result that pupils are not sure of exactly what they are learning. Although there are examples of good practice, the provision for pupils who learn at different rates is not sufficiently tailored to meet their needs. Similarly, while there are exemplars of good marking of pupils’ work, the overall quality is too variable and pupils are not sufficiently aware of what they need to do to improve.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

The school’s senior leaders have not acted promptly enough to improve arrangements for monitoring and evaluating teaching and learning. The recommendations from the last inspection aimed at raising standards have not been the specific focus of the school’s improvement and development plans. Middle managers have not been empowered to drive up standards because their roles have not been clearly enough defined or leadership and managerial responsibilities sufficiently delegated. Following its monitoring visit in January 2010, the local authority has intervened but it is too early for the impact of these initiatives to be measured.

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Ofsted monitoring of Grade 3 schools

I hope that you have found the visit helpful in promoting improvement in your school. This letter will be posted on the Ofsted website.

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