School Improvement Forum
Tuesday 2 March 2004
1
PRESENT: Councillors Mrs Pitteway (Chairman), Mrs Hawkes and Wood.
Non-Members: Councillors Mrs Howes and Richards.
Ms Haighes (Deputy Head, Cox Green) Mr Hartland (Chair of Governors, Knowl Hill CE Primary) Mr Hylan (Headteacher, Cox Green), Mrs Paradine (Headteacher, Knowl Hill CE Primary)
Officers: Jeff Smith (Head of Learning & Achievement) Debbie Townsend (Link Adviser), Karen Williams (Democratic Services Officer) Warren Wilkinson (Principal Adviser) and Trevor Woods (Link Adviser)
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
were received from Councillors Adams & Hyde.
COX GREEN SCHOOL
The Chairman welcomed the Headteacher to the meeting and explained the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the main findings of the school’s Ofsted report and Action Plan with members of the Forum.
The Forum invited the school’s Link Adviser to introduce the report, which was based on an inspection that took place on 3-6 November 2003.
The Headteacher informed Members that the school was disappointed with the way their inspection was carried out and had made a formal compliant. Despite these concerns, the Headteacher recognised that the report highlighted a number of areas the school needed to address.
Overall, the report judged the school as satisfactory, with a good sixth form. Governors were pleased, as previous reports had judged the sixth form to be weak. The Headteacher agreed with the areas that had been identified as strengths, including departmental leadership, pastoral care and inclusion. The school’s involvement in a local consortium had enabled the school to offer sixth formers a much wider range of courses.
Governance of the school was deemed unsatisfactory because it did not meet the satisfactory requirements in respect of a daily act of collective worship. However, the Principal Adviser informed Members that Ofsted had decided to renege on the decisions to grade Governors unsatisfactory if a daily act of collective worship was not taking place as so many governing bodies had been graded unsatisfactory under the new framework.
At present, the vacancy in the post of Head of Religious Education undermined the school’s attempts to meet the relevant criteria in the provision of religious education. However, the Headteacher felt that the school provided a cutting edge citizenship syllabus at Key Stage 4.
The rapid increase in numbers in the sixth form had placed intense pressure on school accommodation. This had caused particular problems with behaviour in mathematics lessons. The school were to discuss their plan to alleviate accommodation problems with the LEA. The Headteacher felt that criticism of ICT use was unfair, as the laptops in use had been obtained only six weeks prior to the inspection. The report showed that ICT was used in 55% of lessons.
The Headteacher identified three main areas the school would focus on in their Action Plan:
Ø Achieving greater consistency between faculties in terms of monitoring quality of learning.
Ø Raising standards at Key Stage 3, particularly in English.
Ø Adopting a whole-school approach to attitudes of behaviour and learning.
The LEA recognised that there was a significant minority of bad behaviour among pupils, which needed to be addressed. The Headteacher confirmed that those pupils actively disrupting others were known to all staff. The Action Plan would focus on developing the quality of monitoring across the school. A survey to assess pupils’ attitudes to learning would be undertaken to identify areas to concentrate on. The school, along with the other secondary schools and Holyport Manor Special School had achieved Federation status from the DfES. This collaboration would focus on inclusion and under achieving pupils as well as developing support for managing behaviour.
In response to questions, the following points were made:
Ø Teachers were not participating in enough classroom observations. A certain level was needed to achieve performance management targets.
Ø A programme to monitor how teachers responded to bad behaviour was currently being set up.
Ø As part of the school’s inclusion aims the school would look at children on an individual basis, considering their personal circumstances and background.
Ø A small working group of governors would be established to monitor implementation of the Action Plan.
Ø It was hoped that the visibility of governors in the school would increase.
Ø Cox Green was involved in a local sports partnership with feeder primary schools.
The Chairman thanked the Headteacher for attending the Forum and wished the school good luck in implementing the Action Plan.
KNOWL HILL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
The Chairman welcomed the Headteacher to the meeting and explained the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the main findings of the school’s Ofsted report and Action Plan with members of the Forum.
The Forum invited the school’s Link Adviser to introduce the report, which was based on an inspection that took place on 24-27 November 2003.
The Headteacher informed Members that progress since the last inspection was deemed as good. Areas that were highlighted positively in the report included provision of SEN services and the attitude and behaviour of pupils.
Staff held very good relationships with both pupils and non-teaching staff. The Headteacher emphasised the importance of teamwork in a small school such as Knowl Hill. Parents were very supportive of the school and were involved in many of its activities.
The Headteacher outlined the four main areas of the school’s Action Plan:
Ø Individual targets for standards in writing would be set for staff through performance management. The school was working with a Literary Co-ordinator on improving pupils’ ability to talk about their writing. The main problem was identified as the stimulation of ideas, as opposed to the mechanics of writing.
Ø The school experienced problems in integrating the curriculum for the Foundation Stage with the curriculum for Key Stage 1. The Headteacher recognised planning focussed on Year 1 pupils, which did not meet the needs of the Foundation pupils. However, numbers were increasing in the Foundation stage and funding was in place, which would enable better planning.
Ø The report identified a need to raise standards and skills in ITC across the curriculum. The Headteacher asserted that this was a problem experienced by all schools of a similar size to Knowl Hill. The provision of equipment was satisfactory, but dispersed across classrooms; thereby limiting the length of time pupils could use the computers. The school planned to set up a tracking system to monitor pupils’ use.
Ø As a team, staff should assess ways to improve the quality and quantity of pupil’s work. Strategies would be developed to encourage children to produce more work within a given time.
The Chair of Governors outlined to Members the concerns the school held over the conduct of the inspection and the subsequent report. A formal complaint had been made. The Headteacher reported that the last year had been a very challenging one for Knowl Hill and the staff were very grateful for the support received from the LEA.
In conclusion, the Chairman congratulated the Headteacher, staff and Governors on the report and highlighted the importance of the leadership team. The Principal Adviser endorsed the Chairman’s comments, particularly the leadership and management of the headteacher considering the complexities of a small school.
MEETING
The meeting which opened at 6.05pm, closed at 7.15pm.
SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT FORUM
2 MARCH 2004
2 MARCH 2004
PRESENT: Councillors Mrs Pitteway (Chairman), Mrs Hawkes and Wood.
Non-Members: Councillors Mrs Howes and Richards.
Ms Haighes (Deputy Head, Cox Green) Mr Hartland (Chair of Governors, Knowl Hill CE Primary) Mr Hylan (Headteacher, Cox Green), Mrs Paradine (Headteacher, Knowl Hill CE Primary)
Officers: Jeff Smith (Head of Learning & Achievement) Debbie Townsend (Link Adviser), Karen Williams (Democratic Services Officer) Warren Wilkinson (Principal Adviser) and Trevor Woods (Link Adviser)
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE:
were received from Councillors Adams & Hyde.
PART I
COX GREEN SCHOOL
The Chairman welcomed the Headteacher to the meeting and explained the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the main findings of the school’s Ofsted report and Action Plan with members of the Forum.
The Forum invited the school’s Link Adviser to introduce the report, which was based on an inspection that took place on 3-6 November 2003.
The Headteacher informed Members that the school was disappointed with the way their inspection was carried out and had made a formal compliant. Despite these concerns, the Headteacher recognised that the report highlighted a number of areas the school needed to address.
Overall, the report judged the school as satisfactory, with a good sixth form. Governors were pleased, as previous reports had judged the sixth form to be weak. The Headteacher agreed with the areas that had been identified as strengths, including departmental leadership, pastoral care and inclusion. The school’s involvement in a local consortium had enabled the school to offer sixth formers a much wider range of courses.
Governance of the school was deemed unsatisfactory because it did not meet the satisfactory requirements in respect of a daily act of collective worship. However, the Principal Adviser informed Members that Ofsted had decided to renege on the decisions to grade Governors unsatisfactory if a daily act of collective worship was not taking place as so many governing bodies had been graded unsatisfactory under the new framework.
At present, the vacancy in the post of Head of Religious Education undermined the school’s attempts to meet the relevant criteria in the provision of religious education. However, the Headteacher felt that the school provided a cutting edge citizenship syllabus at Key Stage 4.
The rapid increase in numbers in the sixth form had placed intense pressure on school accommodation. This had caused particular problems with behaviour in mathematics lessons. The school were to discuss their plan to alleviate accommodation problems with the LEA. The Headteacher felt that criticism of ICT use was unfair, as the laptops in use had been obtained only six weeks prior to the inspection. The report showed that ICT was used in 55% of lessons.
The Headteacher identified three main areas the school would focus on in their Action Plan:
Ø Achieving greater consistency between faculties in terms of monitoring quality of learning.
Ø Raising standards at Key Stage 3, particularly in English.
Ø Adopting a whole-school approach to attitudes of behaviour and learning.
The LEA recognised that there was a significant minority of bad behaviour among pupils, which needed to be addressed. The Headteacher confirmed that those pupils actively disrupting others were known to all staff. The Action Plan would focus on developing the quality of monitoring across the school. A survey to assess pupils’ attitudes to learning would be undertaken to identify areas to concentrate on. The school, along with the other secondary schools and Holyport Manor Special School had achieved Federation status from the DfES. This collaboration would focus on inclusion and under achieving pupils as well as developing support for managing behaviour.
In response to questions, the following points were made:
Ø Teachers were not participating in enough classroom observations. A certain level was needed to achieve performance management targets.
Ø A programme to monitor how teachers responded to bad behaviour was currently being set up.
Ø As part of the school’s inclusion aims the school would look at children on an individual basis, considering their personal circumstances and background.
Ø A small working group of governors would be established to monitor implementation of the Action Plan.
Ø It was hoped that the visibility of governors in the school would increase.
Ø Cox Green was involved in a local sports partnership with feeder primary schools.
The Chairman thanked the Headteacher for attending the Forum and wished the school good luck in implementing the Action Plan.
KNOWL HILL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
The Chairman welcomed the Headteacher to the meeting and explained the purpose of the meeting was to discuss the main findings of the school’s Ofsted report and Action Plan with members of the Forum.
The Forum invited the school’s Link Adviser to introduce the report, which was based on an inspection that took place on 24-27 November 2003.
The Headteacher informed Members that progress since the last inspection was deemed as good. Areas that were highlighted positively in the report included provision of SEN services and the attitude and behaviour of pupils.
Staff held very good relationships with both pupils and non-teaching staff. The Headteacher emphasised the importance of teamwork in a small school such as Knowl Hill. Parents were very supportive of the school and were involved in many of its activities.
The Headteacher outlined the four main areas of the school’s Action Plan:
Ø Individual targets for standards in writing would be set for staff through performance management. The school was working with a Literary Co-ordinator on improving pupils’ ability to talk about their writing. The main problem was identified as the stimulation of ideas, as opposed to the mechanics of writing.
Ø The school experienced problems in integrating the curriculum for the Foundation Stage with the curriculum for Key Stage 1. The Headteacher recognised planning focussed on Year 1 pupils, which did not meet the needs of the Foundation pupils. However, numbers were increasing in the Foundation stage and funding was in place, which would enable better planning.
Ø The report identified a need to raise standards and skills in ITC across the curriculum. The Headteacher asserted that this was a problem experienced by all schools of a similar size to Knowl Hill. The provision of equipment was satisfactory, but dispersed across classrooms; thereby limiting the length of time pupils could use the computers. The school planned to set up a tracking system to monitor pupils’ use.
Ø As a team, staff should assess ways to improve the quality and quantity of pupil’s work. Strategies would be developed to encourage children to produce more work within a given time.
The Chair of Governors outlined to Members the concerns the school held over the conduct of the inspection and the subsequent report. A formal complaint had been made. The Headteacher reported that the last year had been a very challenging one for Knowl Hill and the staff were very grateful for the support received from the LEA.
In conclusion, the Chairman congratulated the Headteacher, staff and Governors on the report and highlighted the importance of the leadership team. The Principal Adviser endorsed the Chairman’s comments, particularly the leadership and management of the headteacher considering the complexities of a small school.
MEETING
The meeting which opened at 6.05pm, closed at 7.15pm.