Education Support Officer Mrs. Samantha Hopkins
Dear Parent / Carer,
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our Education Support Officer, Mrs. Samantha Hopkins.
Mrs. Samantha Hopkins works for the Local Authority within the School Improvement team as our Education Support Officer (ESO) for our School. Members of the School Improvement team and I work in close partnership, alongside our governors and Inspectors from Estyn. Mrs Hopkins arranges and delivers support and training to cater for the specific needs of our school. Following our inspection, we are working closely behind the scenes with Inspectors from Estyn to prepare a Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP). Once the draft document has been shared and authorised by Estyn in May, Mrs. Hopkins, the governors and I will share the agreed plan with you in detail.
Just to reassure you of the next steps the Local Authority, Governors and I are working towards in close partnership, which were shared with you on the 1st April:
Estyn will visit the school on regular intervals, judging the progress made against the four recommendations;
R1. Improve leadership at all levels
R2. Improve the quality of self-evaluation and improvement activities so that leaders identify, prioritise and address successfully the areas of the school’s work that are in most need of improvement
R3. Improve the quality and consistency of teaching and ensure that all staff have consistently high expectations of pupils
R4. Ensure that pupils develop their literacy, numeracy and digital skills progressively over time
As the school is in Special Measures, additional support will be needed in order to meet the recommendations, this process can take up to two years. This support will be agreed within the PIAP.
We will consider each aspect of the report and identify any areas of concern. We will celebrate the positive comments and observations noted in the report. We will work together to prioritise any urgent issues in relation to the recommendations and set realistic milestones to achieve improvement at an accelerated rate.
The school will engage with all stakeholders and partners to ensure transparency and improve communication.
Additional training will be made available, once identified through the PIAP in order to support the improvements needed in the recommendations.
We will work together to support the pupils, staff, senior leaders, headteacher, governing body and the local community in order for the school to be removed from Special Measures at the appropriate time by Estyn.
This is a difficult time for all but the staff are dedicated and united in their mission to improve the school. With everyone aligned with a common goal, we know that the impact will be transformative. The staffs dedication is already being reflected in the daily work at school. We have already begun making changes in response to parent feedback to Estyn, such as the after school sports clubs. Particular initiatives and changes which we are prioritizing to bring about positive outcomes will be shared once agreed and approved by Estyn.
I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to both parents and staff for your unwavering support. As we continue moving forward together, your dedication plays a crucial role in helping us provide the very best for our pupils and the entire school community. Together, we can achieve great things, and I am truly thankful.
Kind regards
Mrs. M. Teague
