Welcome and Agenda

1. Welcome and Agenda Shirley Ward Chair of Governors Roselands Primary School Ofsted Parent Meeting – 23rd February 2012

2. Agenda Welcome and introductions Shirley Ward - Chair of Governors Background Marc Boucherat – Head of Achievement, Primary Summary of Inspection Jane Carson Headteacher Governors’ response Shirley Ward - Chair of Governors Key Issues and LEA support Geraldine Louch Hertfordshire Improvement Partner Opportunity for questions Marc Boucherat - Head of Achievement, Primary

3. Background Marc Boucherat Head of Achievement, Primary Hertfordshire

4. Background A challenging overall outcome and a serious message for the school and community This meeting as the next step in a positive and shared response and a rapid exit The LA role in supporting and working with the school, its experience and expertise An unusual position, a new framework with a different emphasis Some challenging circumstances for the school to manage A lot of very positive aspects recognised. 3

5. Background BUT… a significant decline in attainment and progress in core subjects at KS2 over a three year period and an identified need for a very robust leadership response Before the inspection and since, the Headteacher, governors and senior leaders have been working closely with the Local Authority to address improvements The team identified that improvements had started but they were critical of the pace and rigour of actions given the pace of the decline in achievement. They will want to see rapid impact and improvement Many initiatives are already underway, or have already been started or enhanced. 4

6. Background During the last year the school has commissioned increased LA support including; Advice and guidance on assessment Support on setting up the new EYFS provision Teaching and learning support in literacy As well as undertaking its own training and development on marking and feedback, calculation and SEN. Since the inspection the school has already; Reviewed and changed its development plan and some key leadership roles Focussed more strongly on applying more rigorous judgements to monitoring, evaluation and observation Established maths focus group for targeted pupils Reorganised staff meetings and training to address inspection issues. 5

7. Summary of Inspection Visit Jane Carson Headteacher

8. The Inspection The Ofsted team came into the school for two days on 12th and 13th February, 2012, to make their first inspection under the new framework Inspectors spoke with governors, staff, and children Inspectors analysed questionnaires completed by all key stage 2 pupils, all staff and the majority of our parents and carers

9. The Inspection Inspectors observed lessons or parts of lessons taught by different teachers and support staff Some pupils workbooks and additional paperwork were scrutinised The team also reviewed the actions being taken, how well teachers use assessment to plan teaching, the extent to which leaders and managers evaluate performance and take action to improve provision and the school’s strategies to improve attendance.

10. The Report • We are disappointed with the outcome of the inspection but as you would expect we are determined to rapidly and professionally address the issues it raises. • However, as you read the report, you will have seen the inspectors found many strengths and good qualities within the school.

11. What the school does well The school provides pupils with a calm, well-ordered and harmonious environment. Pupils are very positive that they feel safe in school, which is a view echoed by their parents and carers The governing body is rigorous in ensuring that safeguarding policies are fully implemented The pupils’ behaviour around the school is often exemplary

12. What the school does well Bullying and other forms of harassment are very rare because of the school’s focus on dealing swiftly and sensitively with any incidents that do occur School leaders are strongly committed to promoting equality of opportunity Music and art make a major contribution to school life Assemblies are used well to foster the pupils’ spiritual development and to encourage them to aspire to greater heights

13. What the school does well In the Early Years pupils basic skills in literacy and numeracy are now developing at a good pace because teaching is sharply focused on their individual needs. Successful practices in reading have been recognised – including focused phonics teaching and inspiring visits by authors Marking of written work in English has improved and pupils are much clearer about how well they are doing and how to improve their work Successful attention is paid to promoting the pupils’ social and moral development.

14. The Report Under the new framework, the inspection team identified a significant need for us to raise attainment, particularly in mathematics, and that we need to accelerate pupils’ progress in lessons so that it is consistently good. As a result of the combination of a dip in recent SAT results and the other three main inspection judgments the overall judgment for the school is inadequate. The inspectors have highlighted areas that need to improve.

15. The Report To ensure that we make the necessary progress against the areas identified HMI will visit on a termly basis to give advice and support We would like to reassure all our families that our whole school team is fully committed to the action identified in the report, which will enable us to make these improvements rapidly We have evidence indicating that this is already happening in all areas and that children are now making expected progress Our intention is that all our children will make accelerated progress

16. Governors’ Response Shirley Ward Chair of Governors

17. Governors Response Governors recognise the significance of the outcome for our school We fully acknowledge the paramount importance of a systematic approach for monitoring the achievements of pupils We are fully committed to addressing the actions identified in the report and will become more rigorously involved in the systematic evaluation of the schools performance Governors remain committed to supporting our school and recognise the ethos in providing a safe environment and ensuring an attitude of respect for all

18. Governors • Governors are working closely with school leaders and the LA and we have already begun work on a focused plan of actions to secure the necessary improvements • Governors are supportive of the school and have a strong determination that improvements will be made quickly • Governors are also determined to ensure that we work with stakeholders and keep parents/carers fully informed about the school’s progress • We will continue our regular visits with a priority focus taken from the revised action plan to enable effective monitoring and evaluation, raising our level of challenge

19. Key issues and LA support Geraldine Louch Hertfordshire Improvement Partner

20. Improvement 1 Increase the proportion of good and better teaching, in order to accelerate progress, by: developing the staff’s expertise in teaching mathematics developing teachers’ questioning skills consistently challenging the more able pupils so that they achieve to the best of their ability ensuring that support staff are deployed to maximise learning throughout each lesson ensuring marking provides more effective feedback on the steps pupils need to take to meet their targets.

21. Improvement 2 Develop the curriculum so that pupils improve their basic skills by: introducing a coherent plan to link learning between subjects more closely providing more interesting and engaging contexts for pupils to write in different subjects giving pupils more opportunities to work independently planning for pupils to solve problems and undertake investigations in mathematics and to develop their numeracy skills through topics and themes.

22. Improvement 3 Extend the capacity of the school’s leaders to drive improvement by: sharpening the accuracy of self-evaluation ensuring that planning to tackle key priorities is based on challenging targets for improving the pupils’ achievement providing structured training in order to develop teachers’ skills and expertise developing the role played by the governing body in holding the school to account.

23. What happens next ? The school plan will be amended by the school, in conjunction with the Governors and the Local Authority (LA) to address the issues raised by the Ofsted report The LA will submit a statement of action to Ofsted, which will outline how it intends to support the school Action starts straight away in fact it has already started

24. LA support and monitoring A programme will be devised involving: Additional training for all staff Regular support from the school effectiveness adviser dedicated to helping remove the school from ‘Special Measures’ In addition the Local Authority (LA) creates an Action Group which meets half termly to co-ordinate the additional support the school receives and monitors the school’s progress Visits by LA subject advisers and consultants Leadership support

25. Questions Marc Boucherat Head of Achievement, Primary Hertfordshire 24

26. Monitoring progress For schools in ‘Special Measures’ monitoring includes

27. The Way Forward Staff, governors and Local Authority (LA) are committed to improving standards and to sustaining the best possible education for all the children Experienced District School Effectiveness Adviser to visit the school regularly We are already taking action to respond to the issues.