Tylers Green Middle School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

This is a good school that has made some important improvements since the previous inspection. Attainment has risen and the results of the national tests show that the performance of Year 6 pupils in English and mathematics is high in comparison with national averages. This is because teaching has improved and pupils are being more consistently challenged, especially in these subjects.

Inspectors' analysis of pupils' current work confirms that they are making good progress from their starting points and are achieving well in a wide range of subjects, regardless of background or ability. Underpinning these improvements is a more rigorous and searching analysis of the school's test and assessment data t...hat is accurately informing all aspects of self-evaluation and driving school improvement planning. There is good capacity to improve.

At the heart of this success lies an outstanding commitment to community shared by pupils, staff, governors and parents and carers. The governing body has an excellent oversight of the work of the school and is highly effective in harnessing the talents of individual governors in supporting and challenging the staff team. Stakeholders' views are canvassed regularly and inform priorities for school improvement.

This emphasis on consultation and debate is an excellent preparation for pupils as citizens of tomorrow. The impact of this is evident in the wide-ranging activities undertaken by pupils both in and out of school and their growing appreciation of communities beyond their own. Pupils express high levels of confidence in the ways that adults at school look after them and have an excellent appreciation of the importance of their own actions and behaviour in keeping safe.

They are polite and helpful, and demonstrate considerable enthusiasm for learning. Whilst teachers' day-to-day assessment of pupils is improving it is not yet firmly established in all classes, especially in subjects other than English and mathematics. As a result, work is not always firmly matched to abilities.

Marking supports and encourages pupils, but does not always tell them how to improve their work or enable them to re-visit it to consolidate learning. Governors have provided excellent support to the headteacher and staff in shaping a vision that is successfully driving improvement, most notably in pupils' wide-ranging achievements. A new management structure has been introduced to ensure leadership roles are more fully distributed.

Most middle leaders have made a secure start to their work and can evaluate pupils' attainment, but approaches to monitoring provision and its impact on achievement are inconsistent.

Information about the school

The school is of average size for a primary school. The majority of pupils live in the village and about a third come from further afield.

Most pupils are of White British background. A range of other groups are also represented, the largest of which are Mixed White and Asian, Asian and Asian British Indian. No pupils are at the early stages of learning English.

Very few pupils are entitled to free school meals.The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is slightly below average, but above average for those with statements of special educational needs. A new headteacher took up post in September 2008.

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