YOU may be aware that Tasker Milward School, Haverfordwest, was visited by Estyn in January and they provided us with a useful commentary on our progress.

I have sent this letter to all parents and carers at the school. Could you please print it in your publication as a Letter to the Editor: Recommendation 1: Raise standards in key stage 4 Performance in key stage 4 improved in all indicators in 2014. English and mathematics had their best performance in seven years.

Recommendation 2: Improve behaviour of a significant minority of pupils Most pupils now behave appropriately, as they move around the school and show respect for visitors, staff and their peers. In lessons, most pupils behave well and show a positive attitude to learning.

Pupils feel that behaviour in lessons is generally good and has improved this year.

Recommendation 3: Improve the co-ordination and planning for progression in developing literacy and numeracy skills Since the core inspection the school has identified appropriate opportunities to implement the Literacy and Numeracy Framework.

Recommendation 4: Improve the quality of teaching and assessment and reduce the variation across the school Senior leaders continue to increase the focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning across the school. Suitable strategies to promote the sharing of best practice in the school, such as externally provided training, the school’s triads programme and sharing practice sessions continue to be held.

Leaders have developed a clear and shared understanding of what constitutes good features in teaching.

Observations undertaken by leaders are increasingly rigorous.

There is regular scrutiny of pupils’ work by senior leaders and departments.

Recommendation 5: Improve the effectiveness of behaviour management and anti-bullying policies, ensuring that all staff implement them consistently All staff are aware of the behaviour management policy. For pupils with the most challenging behaviour, a helpful range of interventions are in place. The monitoring visit in June 2014 reported that the school had taken appropriate action to address bullying effectively.

The school continues to manage incidents of bullying well. Pupils state that they feel safe in school and that almost all incidents of bullying are dealt with promptly.

Recommendation 6: Strengthen the link between self-evaluation and improvement planning The school has made suitable progress in improving the quality of its self-evaluation and improvement planning documentation, both at a whole-school and departmental level.

Recommendation 7: Strengthen the partnerships with parents The school has deployed a range of suitable strategies to develop effective partnerships with parents. A range of evidence indicates that relationships with parents continue to improve and that they, and the rest of the local community, have an increasingly positive view of the school.

Recommendation 8: Make sure that pupils are able to contribute to decision-making at all levels Since the last monitoring visit the school has increased the opportunities for all pupils to contribute to decision making.

In order to maintain and improve on this progress, the school should continue to work towards meeting the inspection recommendations.

Estyn inspectors will re-visit the school in about three months’ time to inspect progress against the recommendations.

MRS H LEWIS

Acting Headteacher

Tasker Milward School