Setting

Miss S Raeburn Headteacher Kiwi Primary School Hubert Hamilton Road Salisbury Wiltshire SP4 9JY

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Kiwi Primary School

Following my visit with Paul Rushforth, Additional Inspector, to your school on 27 and 28 April 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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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Kiwi Primary School

The visit was the first monitoring inspection since the school became subject to special measures in November 2009. The monitoring inspection report is attached and the main judgements are set out below.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Kiwi Primary School

Progress since being subject to special measures – inadequate .

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Kiwi Primary School

Newly Qualified Teachers may not be appointed.

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Kiwi Primary School

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

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Special measures: monitoring inspection of Kiwi Primary School

I am copying this letter and the monitoring inspection report to the Secretary of State, the Chair of the Governing Body and the Director of Children’s Services for Wiltshire.

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Additional Inspector

Tribal Group 1-4 Portland Square Bristol BS2 8RR T 0845 123 6001 F 0845 123 6002 T 08456 40 40 40 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk Direct T 0845 6404045 Ofstedhelpline@ofsted.gov.uk Page 2

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Evidence

Inspectors observed the school’s work, including 10 lessons or part lessons and an assembly, and scrutinised documents, including pupils’ work. In addition they met with the headteacher, the vice-chair of governors and a member of the governing body, the advisory headteacher and a senior representative from the local authority, the special educational needs consultant, staff and pupils.

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Context

Since the inspection in November 2009 there have been significant staff changes, resignations and appointments, both permanent and temporary due to short- and long-term absences. Plans are in hand to change the leadership structure of the school. Leadership is supported by an advisory headteacher and the vice-chair of governors has extended his duties to lead the governing body temporarily. The mathematics leadership role is being covered provisionally by the headteacher and the literacy role led by a local authority consultant. The role of coordinator for special educational needs has been led by a consultant. At the start of this academic term, two new teachers were appointed in Years 2 and 3 as a job share. One teacher is leaving at the end of this term. The local authority deployed a teacher for Years 5 and 6 in January 2010 but the teacher left in March, leaving Years 5 and 6 without a substantive teacher. The headteacher resumed teaching Years 5 and 6 for

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Context

three days a week in cooperation with a part-time teacher for the remaining two days. The school roll is declining, largely due to refurbishment of the service family’s accommodation. The number of children from minority ethnic backgrounds has increased.

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

Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make satisfactory progress overall. In the Nursery they get off to a good start, particularly in developing their communication, language and literacy skills and in their personal, social and emotional development.

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

Pupils’ achievement is showing some signs of improvement. The school’s assessment data show that most pupils have made some progress between February and April 2010. The school’s analysis of the current Year 6 pupils shows that a majority are on track to achieve the expected Level 4 in national tests in English and mathematics. The data is reliable and mirrors inspectors’ judgements on pupils’ current attainment. Page 3 However, for too many pupils across the rest of the school there is a legacy of underachievement and standards remain lower than they should be. In lessons pupils’ rates of progress are still too variable, and too many are not attaining well enough or making fast enough progress from their starting points. Pupils’ learning and progress has increased in writing and mathematics, especially in Years 1, 2 and 3. The quality of presentation in pupils’ work in books is improving and the range of

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

writing has broadened with a few good examples of work across the curriculum.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are being identified and supported through additional support, but in lessons work is not always matched to their learning needs. This is the case for pupils in the early stages of learning English; there are early signs that, in Year 4 especially, some are beginning to make better progress than before, but in lessons their progress is too variable. Pupils say they enjoy learning much more, and have a greater say in what they are going to learn.

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Inspectors agree with the staff, governors and pupils that behaviour has improved, and it is satisfactory. Pupils are more engaged in their learning and this has impacted positively on their attitudes, and attendance and exclusions have reduced. The headteacher’s breakfast club, booster groups and individual support are helping develop pupils’ self-esteem and enjoyment of learning. Pupils are also aware of their own safety and that of others and adopt safe practices.

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

Progress since the last inspection on the areas for improvement:

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Other relevant pupil outcomes

 Raise achievement for all groups of pupils in Years 1 to 6, in particular, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, more-able pupils and those who speak English as an additional language – inadequate.

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The effectiveness of provision

The quality of teaching and learning is fragile; teaching observed during the inspection ranged from inadequate to good. Teachers have begun to plan work for pupils at different levels of ability, but this is at very early stages and is too variable in its quality. There is not enough good teaching yet to accelerate pupils’ progress and close the gaps in their learning. The monitoring of lessons, coaching and support from the local authority is just beginning to help teachers have a better understanding of pupils’ skills and the progress they should make from their starting points. Better use is being made of teaching assistants to support teaching and learning. Teachers know that they are accountable for the progress pupils make and appreciate the support and guidance given. This is resulting in improvements in teachers’ use and understanding of data about pupils’ progress. Teachers also now share the purpose of lessons with pupils, and provide more opportunities for pupils

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The effectiveness of provision

Page 4 to develop basic skills in a more meaningful and enjoyable way through whole- school topics. Marking is improving, especially in English. The best examples clearly point out what pupils need to do to improve their work and pupils are more involved in evaluating their own success. Nonetheless, there is a continuing lack of challenge for more-able pupils in lessons.

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The effectiveness of provision

Good support and shared good practices from educational consultants are beginning to help raise teachers’ expectations, although there is still variable impact. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities has just been reviewed by the special educational needs consultant. Pupils’ specific learning needs are now identified and an increasing range of interventions are being put in place to support learning. The specialist language teacher has focused on the importance of the learning environment and is raising teachers’ awareness of the particular needs of those in the early stages of learning English. Through staff training, teachers’ understanding of their needs is developing, but this is at a very early stage. Accurate assessment data is now in place; while this and the use of such information is beginning to improve, it is not sufficiently developed to ensure all teachers plan

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The effectiveness of provision

appropriate work to meet the broad range of learning needs within their classes. With no overall curriculum plan the curriculum is not yet coherent and does not systematically build on pupils’ previous knowledge and skills well enough.

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The effectiveness of provision

Progress since the last inspection on the areas for improvement:

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The effectiveness of provision

 Ensure that teaching is matched to the needs of all pupils, and is judged good in at least 60% of lessons and make sure pupils are continually aware of what they need to do to improve and are taught basic skills in a meaningful and enjoyable way – inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Many actions are hampered by staffing instability despite the best efforts and determination of the headteacher and local authority. The school’s capacity to improve is fragile because it is too reliant on the headteacher and support from the local authority. Strategic development, including the school’s improvement planning, is significantly inhibited without suitably experienced and trained staff to delegate responsibilities. The headteacher is ambitious; she has worked tirelessly on all fronts, but with an increased and substantial teaching commitment her current input is unsustainable and she is restricted in driving forward improvements. Until this is rectified and her leadership and management roles are prioritised, she is unable to effectively monitor and evaluate the school’s performance. Essential quality checks on teaching, learning, provision and future development planning are constrained,

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

and are not systematically or sufficiently reviewed to move the school forward. The headteacher knows the strengths and weaknesses of the school and with support from the local authority, especially from personnel and a ‘removing barriers to learning’ consultant; she has developed important mechanisms to improve the Page 5 provision for pupils. Because of the review of provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, and the support and advice given for those who speak English as an additional language, the school is more aware of the urgent priorities in these areas and of the work required to ensure provision meets their needs. The school is not yet in a position to use progress data to give relevant insight into the performance of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities to gauge their progress against their peers or from their starting points. The governing body is better informed, are committed and are keen to extend their

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

expertise. While they offer good support, they are not yet in a position where they can challenge the school, hold it to account or plan strategically.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Safeguarding procedures are much improved, including the statutory welfare requirements for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Risk assessments are in place for regular assessments of the premises and the relevant staff have completed first aid training appropriate for the age range in their care.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

Progress since the last inspection on the areas for improvement:

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

 Establish an effective leadership team and governing body in the next three months that monitors, evaluates and makes strategic interventions to improve the quality of assessment for learning and the provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, those who speak English as an additional language and more able pupils – inadequate.

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The effectiveness of leadership and management

 Ensure that all statutory procedures for safeguarding, including the statutory welfare requirements for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are established as a matter of urgency – good.

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External support

The local authority statement of action meets requirements. It demonstrates a satisfactory understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and sets appropriate timelines for the local authority and senior leaders to monitor the effectiveness of actions taken to drive forward school improvement. However, these are dependent on the school securing a leadership team which it currently lacks. The local authority is providing a good range of support, including consultants for literacy and for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as specialist support for those at early stages of learning English. The school improvement advisory service is also providing good advice. However, at this stage there is limited evidence of measurable impact in terms of moving the school forward on the key issues identified in the previous inspection report. Governors have benefitted from

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External support

training which is contributing to their improving understanding of their roles and responsibilities to hold the school to account for its performance.

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Priorities for further improvement

Page 6  Appoint as a matter of urgency an experienced and skilful substantive Year 5/6 teacher.

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