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PARENT FORUM 25TH FEBRUARY 2010 AT 6.00pm
Present (on behalf of school): Liam Donnison, Chair of IEB
Lindsay Jackson, Vice Chair IEB
Prue Barnes, Headteacher
James Biddulph, Deputy Head
Lisa McIntyre, Deputy Head
Gill Lloyd, Acting Assistant Head
Rebekah McIntyre, Assistant Head
Joan Ede, Business Manager
Parents: 30-35 attended
Mr Donnison introduced himself and Lindsay Jackson to the parents. He advised parents that:-
- Interim Executive Board started 9 months ago;
- Lots of changes have happened in that time the most important of which is the new Leadership Team;
- All Governors have 100% confidence in the strength/effectiveness and commitment of the new Leadership;
- The survey results from parents/pupils have given the Governors confidence in what is being put into place;
- Weekly IEB meetings now down to monthly at which PB/Deputy Heads report on what has and will happen in School;
- Key issue from the Ofsted report is that the right things are being put into place;
- Unfortunately due to timing of the Inspection no other outcome was possible;
- IEB confident that the School on track to get best provision for your children.
Liam Donnison handed over to Prue Barnes who said she would take the parents through the Report. She will also be available at coffee morning on 26th February if anyone has any further questions and parents are always welcome to come and see her or either of the Deputy Heads if they have any further concerns. Prue stressed that she is unable to discuss any cases of individual pupils or members of staff due to confidentiality. She explained that the Ofsted measuring system has changed since the last Inspection in October 2009. This means that although the School was judged outstanding in one area, because the pupil attainment was not good enough we cannot be awarded outstanding in any area. Prue went through the Report as follows:-
· Introduction and Information – shows the history of the School and details of the last Inspection;
· Inspection judgements
o Overall effectiveness - 4
If pupil attainment and progress is a 4 then the overall effectiveness has to be a 4;
(As this is a new Ofsted measuring system there is constant feedback being made and some adjustments have already been made to the criteria and more are likely to follow.)
- Capacity – 4
Again this has to be a 4 but we are in discussion with Ofsted about this.
Main findings
- We are within the highest area of deprivation;
- Pupils on entry in Foundation Stage are below the national levels;
- However area contains highest level of graduate parents;
- Encourage any family to apply for Free School Meals if they are entitled as this directly impacts and increases the funding of the School;
- Pupils do not make enough progress by the time they leave the School;
- Progress satisfactory at the end of EYFS but peters out across KS1/KS2;
- Have moved an experienced member of staff from nursery to reception to aid improvement;
- Making ground in 2 main areas in EYFS – CLLD (Communication, Language) and PSE (Personal, Social, Emotional);
- EYFS is a strong team with a good EYFS leader;
- Prue is confident about what we offer for EY and is considering moving Reception to Block 3 to increase outside play curriculum;
- Report shows behaviour is satisfactory – sounds average but a good outcome;
- Pupils are exceptionally friendly and welcoming;
- Outstanding for moral, social, community and spiritual development and this is a credit to all parents;
- Boisterous play in the play kept behaviour at satisfactory level;
- Considering staggered play and lunch times to lower number of children and provide better outside play facilities;
- Intend to invest in lunchtime provision;
- Any concerns about lunchtime please talk to Lisa McIntyre and pupils can talk to their class representative;
- Teaching was judged as broadly satisfactory against last academic year’s judgement of unsatisfactory;
- The shift to satisfactory has been accomplished in one term;
- Leadership are rigorously monitoring this term and developing school resources;
- School is providing Continuing Professional Development through external and internal training;
- Marking needs to develop and this is a key priority this term;
- Introduced reports and termly pupil progress meetings;
- Marking monitored weekly and quality checked;
- Curriculum judged to be satisfactory;
- New National Curriculum to be introduced by current Government in 2011;
- Subject areas decreased from 6 to 11 but broadly the same objectives;
- Extra Inset day during academic year 10/11 to deal with the change;
- New Curriculum to be drafted for School including discussion with parents and pupils (2012 Olympics to be included);
- Developing middle leaders in improving pupil attainment.
What does the School need to do to improve further?
- 3 areas identified
- Raise standards
- Improve teaching learning – teacher higher aspiration for children and encourage pupils to aim higher themselves;
- Assessment for Learning – improve marking/level work/teacher to provide challenge for pupils.
It is difficult for any School in this type of area to gain the National Average. We are judged on our progress not just our attainment. The School have already introduced systems to address some of these requirements:-
- In house CPD;
- Marking system;
- New traffic light system for AFL;
- Working walls.
Outcomes for pupils
- This section talks about standards and how we care for children;
- Pupils feel safe – Grade 2;
- Behaviour satisfactory – Grade 3;
- Health lifestyles – Grade 2;
- Contribute to School & wider community - need to develop global citizenship – Grade 3;
- Working skills – Grade 4 as standards not high enough;
- Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development – Grade 2.
How effective is the provision?
- Assessment system excellent;
- Good system of review and monitoring in place and rigorously addressed;
- Quality of Teaching – Grade 3;
- Use of assessment – Grade 4;
- Meeting pupils needs – Grade 3;
- Care, guidance and support – Grade 3.
How effective are leadership and management?
- Ofsted confident that Leadership aware of requirements;
- Middle leaders are encouraged to gain experience for leadership;
- Will discuss with parents next term the changes in the Strand system;
- Strands have not had responsibility for behaviour/assessment since September;
- A lot of unnecessary movement around School stopped;
- Low incidence of challenging behaviour in classes;
- Pupils respond to issues of behaviour management;
- Highlight of day when pupil achieves Gold and phone calls home give a great deal of pleasure;
- Ofsted reported excellent relationships and high level of commitment across the School;
- Whole School focussed on the future not the past;
- IEB being effective and would have been outstanding if results had been better;
- Prue feels supported by IEB and also held to account by them too.
- Effectiveness of leadership – Grade 2;
- Teaching & Learning leadership – Grade 3;
- Responsibilities met – Grade 2;
- Engagement – Grade 3;
- Partnerships – Grade 3;
- EOPs – Grade 4 (due to Standards being 4);
- Safeguarding – Grade 3 (due to pupils not being aware of keeping themselves emotionally safe). Parents invited to SRE meeting next week;
- Community cohesion – Grade 3;
- Value for money – Grade 4 (due to Standards being 4).
EYFS
- Overall effectiveness – Grade 3;
- Outcomes – Grade 3;
- Quality of provision – Grade 3;
- Leadership – Grade 2.
Views of parents and carers
- Happy with education provided;
- Felt teaching good;
- Do not deal well with unacceptable behaviour;
The next step is for the school to rewrite the School Development Plan, which it has completed, to take account of the new 3 main objectives. Due to confidentiality unable to provide parents with a copy of the entire SDP but will put synopsis on School website.
QUESTION TIME
Q Are Special Measures in place and how long will they last?
A Yes Special Measures are in place and the school can remain in this category for a maximum of 2 years. To come out of Special Measures, HMI need to be satisfied with the pupils’ progress. HMI will visit in the next 4-6 months. The date of this visit will set the timescale for further visits. Prue will receive a phone call in the morning, visit in the afternoon and the inspection will take place the next day. On a subsequent visit the School will be informed at the end of he first day that this inspection is now under Section 5 and is no longer a monitoring visit but an actual inspection.
Q Does Special Measures mean more funding and support for the School?
A Liam Donnison explained that the Local Authority has to provide Central Government with a Statement of Action for agreement. This will show the extra support being given to the School to improve teaching and learning. Prue said that Special Measures does not necessarily mean more money but she has received additional funding from City Challenge of £30,000 for teacher development (teachers from outstanding schools coming to model lessons, etc) and £12,500 for Ethnic Minority funding (to be used to employ an Urdu speaking family support worker). We are also starting a Discovery Group in the Summer Term 2010 to work with identified pupils to provide a creative curriculum (eg film making, etc).
Q It is good to hear that although this is classed as a deprived area, that account is being taken that there are pupils at the School who are at the national levels of attainment.
A Prue agreed and that we have to take on the challenge of our ‘more able pupils’. We need to change the image of the School in the local community. We have introduced the Prefect system. We had 40 applicants, 13 interviews and 9 prefects selected. These are paid positions (£10 book token received per term) encouraging pupils to take responsibility for certain areas. We need to give all our pupils the opportunity to develop and learn.
Q I would like to query the inadequate grade for ‘the effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination’.
A This is talking about the School not challenging all its learners. We deal very well with pupils having special educational needs but not so well with other learners. All our learners need to be given the same opportunities to learn for whatever level they are at. This is not about individual discrimination.
Q This is the first time my child has been at a School and when I read the report I was horrified. I wondered whether I had done the right thing by letting my child attend this School. I am encouraged to hear the efforts that are being made by the Leadership and implore them to carry on. The image of the School needs to be changed.
A Lindsay Jackson said that she had a child in Year 1 and could understand the concerns of this parent. She says that there is clear evidence of improvement but timing of inspection meant that data not available. She is confident in the dedication of all those involved in running the School and foresees a good future for the School. Liam Donnison also stressed that he feels strongly that the right things are happening at the School and we can stay firm and confident for the future.
Q The School is not just the pupils, it is the staff as well. How are they feeling?
A Prue said that there was good feedback on the staff forms and there are excellent relationships within the School. Staff are committed to moving the School forward and willing to develop and grow with it. Staff are welcoming and ready to engage and respond. There has been excellent support for all school events and a newly created staff social committee has run some excellent gatherings for staff.
Q How do the number of pupils in school measure up to the number of completed questionnaires?
A Responses to the questionnaires are from families only – not per pupil About 500 families in school and the number of forms completed was considered good. Need to maintain high quality relationships with all stakeholders at the School.
Q Would like to query passive learners in report who are not being stretched?
A The Deputy Heads are leading in Learning & Teaching training. Children are encouraged to look at characteristics of learning to ensure that their ability is stretched. Our extended school provision has greatly improved and enriches the learning outside of the curriculum. We have a 60 place Saturday School for Year 6 taking place. We have to show that this provision has an impact on the learners and hope to extend it next year. We have changed planning to address different levels of ability and challenge for pupils. The Junior School has previously been in Special Measures and the School is suffering from falling standards since amalgamation. If we do not challenge our learners they become lazy. We need to raise the bar and set high expectations which are inclusive/safe for all/respectful. The Student Council/Prefects/Class Ambassadors are all helping in the role. The Government is implementing a national agenda for more able learners and we have 1:1 tuition taking place for 20 learners.
Prue thanks the parents for coming to the meeting. Meeting closed at 7.00pm.
Minutes of the
previous meeting
16.09.2009