Setting

Aviation House 125 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE T 0300 123 1231 F 020 7421 6855 enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk www.ofsted.gov.uk

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Ms J McCalla Headteacher Wingfield Primary School Moorehead Way Kidbrooke London SE3 9XU

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Early Years Foundation Stage to primary schools

Thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, and that of your staff and pupils, during my visits on 15 September 2011 and 7 March 2012 to look at your work in transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1.

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Early Years Foundation Stage to primary schools

The visits provided valuable information which will contribute to our national evaluation and reporting. Published reports are likely to list the names of the contributing institutions but individual institutions will not be identified in the main text without their consent.

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Early Years Foundation Stage to primary schools

The evidence used to inform the judgements included: responses from parents and carers in Year 1 to a questionnaire; interviews with Year 1 parents, carers and pupils; discussions with senior and middle leaders and teachers in Reception and Year 1; scrutiny of relevant documents; observation of two lessons and visits to other activities and lessons.

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Early Years Foundation Stage to primary schools

Overall, the transition from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 1 is satisfactory.

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Key findings

 Pupils make good progress during the Early Years Foundation Stage, from low starting points, and most reach or exceed age-related expectations. Their skills are developed and assessed well by staff. Thus, most pupils currently in Year 1 started the year able to concentrate, work independently and together, and pursue and explain their own ideas. They have good attitudes to their learning.  The teaching they have received throughout Year 1 is satisfactory, as is their progress. They are performing better in English than mathematics. They have completed a large volume of written work. Formal handwriting activities have enabled them to improve their letter formation and they have made reasonable progress in using punctuation, especially capital letters and full stops. The class teacher has a kind, calm and motivating style, gives clear explanations and engages all pupils through well- organised strategies. She manages pupils’ behaviour well. As a result, they

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Key findings

enjoy their lessons and have sustained their enthusiasm for learning.  However, too often the activities set for them are not as demanding or challenging as they could be, especially given their start in Nursery and Reception. Staff make accurate assessments of pupils’ attainment, which they share together well throughout the transition. But these are not used precisely enough to provide pupils with work which is just right for each of them. Teaching assistants work hard with groups, especially pupils identified with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who speak English as an additional language, but without specific objectives for their learning.  The school’s policy is to move Year 1 pupils away from its style of working in the Early Years Foundation Stage to a more formal approach, using National Curriculum objectives, in January. As a result of accurate school self-evaluation, you are rightly considering if this should be more flexible

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Key findings

in future years, so that pupils who are ready for the National Curriculum earlier can access it sooner. You are also thinking about whether the National Curriculum could be best taught at times in a less formal, teacher-controlled style. This is sensible given pupils’ independent skills, developed so well in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are underused in Year 1.  The Year 1 teacher has had some helpful training and guidance about expectations of pupils in both the Early Years Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1. The mathematics and English subject leaders work closely with the phase leader, so that she receives consistent and clear advice about both subject and age-related aspects.  The curriculum in Year 1 is suitably broad. Some subjects, however, do not have schemes of work to ensure their progression and relevance throughout each year group.  The school has made some well-considered improvements this year. More

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Key findings

robust academic targets have been set for Year 1 pupils, though you are aware that these could be more challenging. Careful analyses of any gaps in pupils’ learning lead to well focused, successful interventions for many pupils in a wide range of areas. The strong teamwork among staff, and the clearly communicated determination from leaders that pupils should achieve well provide a strong basis for future improvement.  Parents and carers are pleased with the transition arrangements, and note how well settled and happy their children are. This is a good achievement for the school, as it is experiencing unusually high numbers of pupils leaving and joining the school, due to huge local changes in housing on the former Ferrier Estate. This is managed well and there are strong induction and initial assessment processes for new joiners. Many pupils have recently joined the school in Year 1, some with little prior education,

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

 raising expectations and pupils’ attainment and progress in Year 1 by:  enabling more pupils, as appropriate, to access learning involving National Curriculum objectives earlier in Year 1  using the accurate assessments from both the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum to match work more closely to pupils’ needs and challenge them to reach more demanding targets  ensure that pupils have improved opportunities to use their good independence and concentration to support more demanding activities  improving pupils’ opportunities for active and deep learning across all subjects in the curriculum.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

I hope that these observations are useful as you continue to develop transition at your school.

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Areas for improvement, which we discussed, include:

As explained previously, a copy of this letter will be published on the Ofsted website. It may be used to inform decisions about any future inspection. A copy of this letter is also being sent to your local authority.

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