Yaxley Infant School

Age group 4–7 Inspection date(s) 12–13 March 2012 Inspection number 378151 Yaxley Infant School Inspection report

p.1

Unique reference number 110713 Local authority Cambridgeshire Inspection number 378151 Inspection dates 12–13 March 2012 Lead inspector Peter Sudworth

p.1

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.1

Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 170 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Diana Watson Headteacher Belinda Ourtilbour Date of previous school inspection 4 October 2006 School address Main Street Yaxley Peterborough PE7 3LU Telephone number 01733 240918 Fax number 01733 240918 Email address office@yaxley.cambs.sch.uk achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked

p.1

after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.2

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when.

p.2

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.2

Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. The inspectors observed teaching and learning in 20 lessons or parts of lessons and saw seven teachers. They had discussions with pupils, staff and a member of the governing body, listened to pupils reading and analysed their work. Inspectors took account of the responses to the on-line questionnaire (Parent View) in planning the inspection, observed the school’s work, and looked at various documents, such as those relating to safeguarding and progress. The inspectors read the parents’ and carers’ comments on the 65 questionnaires returned and also considered responses from staff.

p.3

Information about the school

This is a smaller than average primary school with six classes. The children enter the Reception classes, initially part-time for three weeks, in the September preceding their fifth birthday. Most pupils are White British and a few have minority ethnic heritage. No pupil is at an early stage of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is slightly below the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is average. The school has the Activemark, Eco-School silver and Basic Skills awards and Healthy Schools status. The headteacher was absent on sick leave during the inspection following a major operation and the school was being led by the deputy headteacher. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.3

Key findings

 This is a good school. Parents are strongly supportive. As one wrote, ‘I have nothing but praise for the school. All the teachers and staff are caring and committed to provide the best care and education for the pupils. The staff are friendly but maintain professionalism.’ The school has made good progress since the previous inspection. It is not yet outstanding because graph work in mathematics and handwriting and spelling can be improved further. The organisation and management of pupils’ loose-leaf work are not fully effective. The arrangement of this work does not ensure ready checking of the pupils’ progress or enable them to have sufficient pride in their previous work.

p.4

Key findings

 Attainment on entry meets age-related expectations and pupils achieve well to reach above-average standards by the end of Year 2. However, the quality of their work is sometimes affected adversely because they do not always hold their pencils correctly.

p.4

Key findings

 The favourable staff: pupil ratio enables the pupils to receive the help that they need. Good relationships ensure that the pupils are confident to contribute in lessons. Very occasionally teaching is outstanding. The staff teach reading with phonics (learning letters and sounds) well.

p.4

Key findings

 Pupils enjoy school. They form their own class charters for behaviour and follow the rules well. When occasional incidents of misconduct occur, pupils are sorry and quickly realise their misdemeanour. They have a good knowledge of important aspects of safety.

p.4

Key findings

 Leaders and managers adopt effective strategies to develop staff and teaching quality further. Performance management and the oversight of teaching are well organised. The school’s performance is well managed and the curriculum is thoughtfully devised to link areas of learning together and to engage all pupils’ interests. The supportive governing body takes a purposeful interest in the school and members visit regularly. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.4

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment in writing and mathematics by:  ensuring that pupils hold their pencils correctly so that handwriting and neatness are of a higher quality  improving spelling by picking out words for pupils to learn which they use regularly but spell wrongly  being more insistent that pupils are more accurate and neat when they draw graphs in mathematics.

p.5

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Ensure that pupils’ loose-leaf work is properly collated, dated and ordered so that progress in it can be tracked carefully, and pupils can take a greater pride in what they have completed.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Pupils’ above-average attainment by the end of Year 2, including in reading, is marked by a rising trend and reflected in the Basic Skills award. Pupils make good progress in the Early Years Foundation Stage because attention is paid to developing their basic skills. Attainment at the end of the Reception Year has risen sharply and been above the national average for two years. Whole-school themes stimulate the pupils’ imaginations. One Reception girl, referring to the current ‘Infinity and Beyond’ theme said, ‘We’re pretending we are going to the real moon.’ In the activities, children ordered ‘moon stones’ by weight and designed their own rockets.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

Brisk phonic sessions throughout the school help all pupils. Pupils understand the technical terms – such as ‘trigraphs’ (three sounds together) – which assist their learning and the interaction they have with their teachers in these sessions. Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics throughout the school, although the elements of graph work in mathematics, spelling and handwriting are not always good enough. Parents’ and carers’ views that their children make overall good progress are accurate.

p.5

Achievement of pupils

The good choice of themes is encouraging boys to engage more purposefully in their learning. The gap between the attainment of boys and girls, which had been in favour of the girls, is closing quickly and is now insignificant. Year 2 pupils wrote sensitively in poetry about the seasons. One wrote, ‘In winter beautiful feathery flakes of snow fall to the ground.’ Pupils use their writing and mathematics skills well in different subjects. In science, for example, pupils wrote about their experiment with cars down a ramp, measured and recorded the distances different vehicles travelled when they came off it and used these measurements to draw conclusions. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.5

Achievement of pupils

because they are picked up quickly through progress-tracking meetings and they receive effective small-group support to help them overcome their learning difficulties. Special sessions to help less confident readers successfully speed up reading progress for those involved. Pupils develop speaking and listening skills well through the opportunities provided. Year 2 pupils studied a sample of artefacts created in different ways, such as a sculpture and a painting, and worked as a team to devise questions for the creators of those objects, learning to frame their questions by using key-question words. This lesson also contributed well to pupils’ spiritual development.

p.6

Quality of teaching

The overwhelming majority of parents’ and carers’ state that teaching is good and this is confirmed by the inspection. Staff create attractive learning environments which uplift pupils. Walls effectively display a mixture of pupils’ work and items which support learning, such as ‘tricky word lists’ (words which do not follow a spelling pattern). Such reminders support the pupils’ writing skills well. Other reminders contribute to pupils’ understanding of respect and morality, enhancing their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Work is well planned and the thematic curriculum interests the pupils in their learning, developing a range of skills progressively.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teachers create pleasant and calm atmospheres in which the pupils are enabled to do their best. Pupils develop a confidence to contribute to discussions. In some lessons, teachers facilitate opportunities to discuss ideas in groups or in pairs. These promote pupils’ speaking and listening skills purposefully and also their social skills, such as listening to others and taking turns. They manage the pupils confidently and kindly. Lessons proceed smoothly. Good planning and good use of assessment ensure that work is well matched to pupils’ learning needs, including those who are disabled and those who have special educational needs. The teaching assistants play an important role and they have been specially trained so that they can be successful in what they do with small groups. Marking is good. It appreciates the good features of the pupils’ efforts and provides simply written comments which guide further

p.6

Quality of teaching

improvement. However, insufficient attention is given in marking to words which individuals frequently spell wrongly.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Staff do not always have high enough expectations of the way that the pupils present their written work and handwriting is not always well formed. This is often because some pupils do not hold their pencils correctly. In mathematics, graph work is not always completed well enough and with sufficient accuracy. Procedures to organise the storage and use of loose-leaf work are not yet sufficiently refined.

p.6

Quality of teaching

Teaching in the Early Years Foundation Stage is well planned and the children have a range of activities that support the requirements for this age, enabling them to show good levels of independence when they choose activities for themselves. This independence is also seen throughout the school as pupils check their work against pictorial symbols which indicate to them how well they have done. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.6

Behaviour and safety of pupils

Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive and they are cooperative and courteous in class. Teachers respond quickly to any minor incidents. The vast majority of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire correctly state that behaviour is good. Pupils, too, indicate that it is mainly good. Records indicate that it has been good over time. When pupils move around the school and enter and leave assemblies they do so in an orderly fashion. They play well together at playtimes. Incidents of bullying are rare and are dealt with swiftly. The pupils say that they feel safe. Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying for their age and know that they should contact a member of staff if anyone makes them unhappy. Attendance is above average and pupils appreciate the rewards system for good attendance. They have an appropriate knowledge of how to keep themselves safe for their age and know simple road-safety rules, such as the use of zebra

p.7

Behaviour and safety of pupils

crossings, looking both ways and holding an adult’s hand when crossing roads. They are less familiar with computer safety. They join in the extra activities, which together with healthy eating, are reflected in the Healthy Schools status and the Activemark. Some pupils act as eco members and ensure that unnecessary lights are switched off. Such activities have contributed to the Eco-School silver award.

p.7

Leadership and management

The school is well led and staff work well as a team. The well constructed school development plan puts a good emphasis on raising attainment even further and the initiatives are the correct ones. Progress towards the priorities is reviewed regularly at governing body meetings. Governors follow up the priorities on their visits and so they are well informed to challenge the school over its performance.

p.7

Leadership and management

There is a clear focus on improving teachers’ skills in different ways, such as through teachers observing one another in lessons and planning together. The sharing of expertise in this way enhances the curriculum and staff learn from one another. Equal opportunities are provided for all pupils through the curriculum, extra activities and the lessons, enabling all groups to progress equally well. There is no evidence of discrimination.

p.7

Leadership and management

Safeguarding is well managed and requirements are met. Arrangements are effective because policies in this regard are well written, guiding staff practice and cover an extensive range of situations. Staff undertake regular child protection training.

p.7

Leadership and management

The well-planned curriculum links subjects together effectively and meets requirements. In the theme ‘To Infinity and Beyond’, pupils studied a range of related fiction and non-fiction texts, designed their own rockets and studied the properties of materials. Good attention is given to creative aspects, for example in art and music. Work in philosophy lessons gives pupils good opportunities to think independently and makes a good contribution to their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development – as does religious education. Approaches in these lessons also Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

p.7

Leadership and management

help to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills effectively. For example, pupils look at creation and in groups consider what questions they might ask the creator and what answers might be given. In religious education, pupils study the Hindu faith. A Hindu visitor has explained about Divali and pupils later made ‘Happy Divali’ cards. Year 1 pupils have developed their own class charter which includes, ‘Be good, work hard and don’t waste time.’

p.8

Leadership and management

Very good links with parents encourage their support. Information booklets ahead of the term’s work are informative and suggest activities that parents can do at home to complement the work done in school. There are also good links with the pre-schools and the juniors which ease transition.

p.8

Leadership and management

The school makes accurate evaluation of its performance and demonstrates a good capacity to improve further, shown in the good progress since the last inspection, good teaching, rising attainment and the pupils’ good progress.

p.8

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well. Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils. Grade 4 Inadequate These features are not of an acceptable standard. An inadequate school needs to make significant improvement in order to meet the needs of its pupils. Ofsted inspectors will make further visits until it improves.

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Nursery schools 46 46 8 0 Primary schools 8 47 40 5 Secondary schools 14 38 40 8 Special schools 28 48 20 4 Pupil referral units 15 50 29 5 All schools 11 46 38 6

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements have been introduced from 1 January 2012. This means that inspectors make judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2010 to 31 August 2011 and represent judgements that were made under the school inspection arrangements that were introduced on 1 September 2009. These data are consistent with the latest published official statistics about maintained school inspection outcomes (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). The sample of schools inspected during 2010/11 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Primary schools include primary academy converters. Secondary schools include secondary academy converters, sponsor-led academies and city technology colleges. Special schools include special academy converters and non-maintained special schools.

p.9

Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100.

p.9

Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning and development taking account of their attainment.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Attainment: the standard of the pupils’ work shown by test and examination results and in lessons.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Attendance the regular attendance of pupils at school and in lessons, taking into account the school’s efforts to encourage good attendance.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Behaviour how well pupils behave in lessons, with emphasis on their attitude to learning. Pupils’ punctuality to lessons and their conduct around the school.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving based on its self-evaluation and what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Leadership and management: the contribution of all the staff with responsibilities, not just the governors and headteacher, to identifying priorities, directing and motivating staff and running the school.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Learning: how well pupils acquire knowledge, develop their understanding, learn and practise skills and are developing their competence as learners.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Overall effectiveness: inspectors form a judgement on a school’s overall effectiveness based on the findings from their inspection of the school.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Progress: the rate at which pupils are learning in lessons and over longer periods of time. It is often measured by comparing the pupils’ attainment at the end of a key stage with their attainment when they started.

p.10

Common terminology used by inspectors

Safety how safe pupils are in school, including in lessons; and their understanding of risks. Pupils’ freedom from bullying and harassment. How well the school promotes safety, for example e-learning.

p.10

carers to share with their children. It describes Ofsted’s

main findings from the inspection of their school.

p.11

Inspection of Yaxley Infant School, Peterborough, PE7 3LU

Thank you for your help when we visited your school, for sharing your work with us and talking to us about what you do. We enjoyed our visit very much. You attend a good school and you behave well. Your teachers take good care of you. Your parents are pleased that you attend Yaxley Infant School. The staff work hard to ensure that you make good progress in your work. You reach a standard above that which we often see. You behave well and enjoy your lessons.

p.11

Inspection of Yaxley Infant School, Peterborough, PE7 3LU

While we were pleased with your progress, there are just a few things that we have asked your school to do to improve further. You do not all hold your pencils correctly so that your handwriting is not always as neat as it could be. You can help in this by remembering how to hold your pencils in the right way and forming your letters correctly. We also noticed that some of your spelling could be better. We have asked the teachers to pick out the words which you often use but spell wrongly so that you can learn these and so improve your spelling. In mathematics, you do not always finish your graphs with enough accuracy and we have asked your teachers to make sure that you do.

p.11

Inspection of Yaxley Infant School, Peterborough, PE7 3LU

As you know some of your work is done on individual sheets of paper rather than in your exercise books. It is not always brought together well enough in files so that it is presented neatly and in order. Again we have asked your teachers to attend to this.

p.11

Inspection of Yaxley Infant School, Peterborough, PE7 3LU

Thank you once again for your help when we visited. We wish you well for the future and hope that you will carry on working hard and helping to improve your school, of which you are very proud, even further.

p.11

Inspection of Yaxley Infant School, Peterborough, PE7 3LU

Peter Sudworth Lead inspector procedures set out in the guidance 'Complaining about inspections', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.11