Bounds Green Infant School

Bounds Green Infant School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 102081 Local Authority Haringey Inspection number 355126 Inspection dates 16–17 November 2010 Reporting inspector Madeleine Gerard

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

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Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 234 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Jill Dix Headteacher Will Wawn Date of previous school inspection 12 February 2008 School address Bounds Green Road London N11 2QG Telephone number 020 88888824 Fax number 020 83658368 Email address admin@boundsgreen.haringey.sch.uk

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Age group 3–7 Inspection dates 16–17 November 2010 Inspection number 355126 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 after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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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 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out by three additional inspectors. The inspectors observed 22 lessons taught by 7 teachers. They held meetings with groups of pupils, staff and members of the governing body. They observed the school's work, and looked at work in pupils' books, tracking data showing pupils' attainment and progress, and the school's development plans. They also considered the 84 responses to the questionnaire received from parents and carers. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following:  How effectively is pupils' progress tracked and assessment information used to ensure that all groups of pupils are appropriately challenged to make rapid progress in their learning?  How accurately does the school monitor the quality of its work and ensure consistency of provision through the school so that all pupils learn and progress well?  Is the Early Years Foundation Stage a strength of the school?

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Information about the school

This is an average-sized school. The Early Years Foundation Stage is made up of Nursery and Reception class provision. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average. Most of these have moderate learning difficulties, or speech, language and communication difficulties. The proportion of pupils speaking English as an additional language is higher than average and almost all of these pupils are at an early stage of learning English. The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is above average. The school is federated with Bounds Green Junior School which shares the same site. The headteacher also leads the junior school. The two schools share the same senior and middle leadership teams, and governing body. The breakfast club is operated by the infant school, in partnership with the junior school, and welcomes pupils in both schools. The after-school club, which shares the school site, was not part of

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Information about the school

this inspection because it is not managed by the school. There is also a children's centre on the school site.

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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

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Main findings

Bounds Green Infant School provides a satisfactory standard of education. Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Pupils make satisfactory gains in their learning in Years 1 and 2 to reach average standards of attainment by the end of Year 2. The school has strengths in the personal development of the pupils, the curriculum and in the pastoral care that the pupils receive. The curriculum ensures that pupils have a wide range of interesting work to do and promotes their good personal and social skills. Pupils appreciate the wide variety of enrichment activities that the school organises linked to topic themes. Extra-curricular clubs are popular, including cooking, book club, art club and multi-sports. Pupils' have positive attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons and around the school. They are keen to contribute to the school and local community. For example, they sing for local elderly residents, and pupils in Year 2 work together with

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Main findings

older pupils in the junior school on the joint school council. Pupils have a good awareness of how to keep themselves safe, fit and healthy. Relationships between adults and pupils are positive and friendly. Teaching is satisfactory and enables pupils to make satisfactory gains in their learning. In some classes pupils learn and progress well because teaching is good. The progress of pupils is regularly tracked and reviewed. Teachers' planning does not always use assessment data well enough to ensure that all groups of pupils are set appropriately challenging work to do. As a result, the pace of learning is not always as rapid as it should be because expectations of what pupils can achieve are not always high enough. Some pupils know their targets, although these are sometimes quite general and do not identify specifically how pupils can move up to the next level in their work. Self-evaluation is generally accurate and the review of teaching and provision identifies

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Main findings

the appropriate areas for improvement. The impact of this evaluation is satisfactory because the monitoring of teaching and learning does not systematically involve leaders and managers at all levels in checking that sustained improvements are made. Some middle leaders are recently appointed and have not had time to develop their roles in the evaluation process to secure further enhancements. This is why the school's capacity to improve is satisfactory. Partnerships are used successfully to support pupils' learning and well-being. Links with the junior school in particular are well established and the school also works closely with the children's centre to support families and their children.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise attainment and ensure all pupils make consistently good progress and learn well by:

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

using information from assessments to plan work that is consistently well matched to all pupils' needs ensuring teachers have a shared understanding of the challenge, pace and expectation required to ensure all pupils make consistently good progress.  Develop the role and skills of middle leaders in monitoring and evaluating the school's work, particularly teaching and learning, and pupils' achievement, to secure faster improvements.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Children join the school with a range of skills and capabilities that are generally below those expected for their age. Pupils' achievement and enjoyment in their learning are satisfactory. The reason why this is not better was illustrated in an English lesson when tasks were not explained clearly enough to enable pupils to set to work straight away. This meant that time was lost while further instructions were given. During another lesson, the work was not matched to the full range of pupils' abilities in the class. In some lessons, pupils were observed to make better progress. For example, in a mathematics lesson about money, pupils made good progress because tasks were particularly well matched to pupils' needs. Activities were interesting and varied, including games using real coins as well as computers. The teacher checked regularly how well each group of pupils was doing and was able to address misunderstandings quickly and reinforce new learning. Pupils

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

speaking English as an additional language were supported well by the additional adult so they were able to complete similar work on the topic of money. Pupils speaking English as an additional language receive appropriate support, including lunchtime reading groups for targeted pupils, so that they make satisfactory progress. More-able pupils are sometimes set work that is insufficiently challenging. This is why the proportion of pupils reaching above average attainment at the end of Year 2 is similar to the national average and not better. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make satisfactory progress, but this is variable because of the quality of support they receive. Pupils enjoy school as parents and carers responding to the questionnaire confirmed. Pupils know the importance of drinking water and do so regularly in class. Social and emotional skills are particularly strong and promoted through opportunities to get to know

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

pupils in the junior school. For example, the breakfast club fosters friendships across the infant and junior schools. Year 2 classrooms are in the junior school building and this ensures that pupils are well supported to move up to the junior school at the end of Year 2. Cultural development is supported well, for example through the celebration of a wide range of festivals throughout the year. During Black History Month, pupils have celebrated the achievements of people from a variety of cultures.

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for pupils' outcomes

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

Taking into account: Pupils' attainment¹

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of pupils' learning and their progress 3

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Pupils' achievement and the extent to which they enjoy their learning 3

The quality of learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and their progress

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3

Taking into account: Pupils' attendance¹

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The extent of pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

1 The grades for attainment and attendance are: 1 is high; 2 is above average; 3 is broadly average; and 4

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How effective is the provision?

In lessons, teachers make good use of resources including computers and plan engaging activities. This helps to motivate pupils. Teachers use effective approaches to encourage consistently good behaviour. Pupils' good social skills are promoted successfully through opportunities to discuss their learning in pairs and small groups. In some lessons, when pupils spend too long listening to the teacher or when questioning only involves only a few pupils, the pace of learning slows. Although additional adults are sometimes used well in lessons to contribute to pupils' learning and progress, this is not consistent. The curriculum in Year 1 ensures pupils are well supported as they transfer into the next phase of education. The topic-based curriculum captures pupils' interests. For example, pupils in Year 2 have increased their knowledge of the capital through exploration of major London attractions, making a model London bus, designing symbols for the city and

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How effective is the provision?

enjoying a riverboat trip along the Thames. During the inspection, they were learning about rotation using a model of the London Eye. Pupils particularly appreciate the opportunity they have each year to choose for themselves one of their class topics. However, opportunities to ensure pupils practise and develop their basic literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects are sometimes missed. Pastoral care is good and contributes to pupils' security and self-confidence. The breakfast club ensures a friendly start to the school day. Here, a variety of games promotes pupils' personal and social skills. Pupils with complex needs receive specific support through links

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

with a wide range of outside agencies and therapists. The learning mentor effectively helps pupils who need additional guidance. Vulnerable pupils and their families are supported well. However, the quality of classroom support for pupils who need extra help with their learning is rather more variable.

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the quality of provision

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The quality of teaching 3

Taking into account: The use of assessment to support learning

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How effective are leadership and management?

The school has taken positive steps to improve. Close partnerships with the junior school and the children's centre have been particularly successfully established, and the staff work well together as a team with the junior school staff. The school works effectively to harness the support of parents and carers, such as sharing with them what their children will be learning each term. Workshops and courses, for example in literacy for parents and carers speaking English as an additional language, support them in developing their own skills as well as in helping their children's learning at home. The school's systems to ensure that monitoring secures sustained improvements in teaching, learning and outcomes for pupils are not always as effective as they should be. This is why leaders and managers as a whole group drive improvement and embed ambition soundly. The governing body is supportive, has a good knowledge of the school and ensures that

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How effective are leadership and management?

safeguarding procedures are rigorous. Staff are well trained and have a detailed awareness of safeguarding issues. Quality assurance and risk assessments are good. Community cohesion is promoted well at school and local level. Pupils have a good awareness of themselves as part of the school and local community. Through links with a school in Durham, some pupils have had the opportunity to meet other pupils who live in a contrasting community within the United Kingdom. However, the governing body has not ensured that the school is systematically evaluating its work to promote community cohesion in order to plan further developments. The school's work to tackle discrimination and promote equality is satisfactory because there are some inconsistencies in ensuring that all pupils make consistently good progress.

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for leadership and management

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3

Taking into account: The leadership and management of teaching and learning

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Early Years Foundation Stage

Children settle quickly when they start in the Nursery because induction arrangements are good. Home visits made by staff and opportunities for parents and carers to spend time with their children in the Nursery at the start of the day ensure that they are involved in their children's early learning experiences. Close links with the children's centre also foster strong partnerships with parents and carers. The breakfast club for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage is based in the well-resourced children's centre day room. Children enjoy a healthy breakfast, play well together and do activities that are appropriate for their age. The leadership encourages staff to plan a wide variety of interesting activities for children to do and make good use of the inside and outside areas. During the inspection, children in the Nursery were making models of their own faces with salt dough. They used mirrors to observe their own features and they practised numbers,

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Early Years Foundation Stage

for example by counting their ears and eyes. In Reception, children were learning about the world through examining a pile of ice cubes and recording their findings in photographs. Another group of children enjoyed finding out about the jobs people do through role play in a post office. Here, some children wrapped parcels in brown paper and practised writing their names on them, while others were selling stamps and using the cash till. Ongoing records of observations are made, although this information is not always used to ensure that activities are suitably matched to the next steps in all children's daily learning.

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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

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Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

These are the grades for the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

Taking into account: Outcomes for children in the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The quality of provision in the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

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Overall effectiveness of the Early Years Foundation Stage 2

The effectiveness of leadership and management of the Early Years Foundation Stage

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Views of parents and carers

Parents and carers responding to the survey evaluated many aspects of the school positively. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers who responded to the questionnaire confirmed that they are happy with their child's experience at the school and that their children enjoy school. They are also particularly confident that the school keeps their children safe.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

Ofsted invited all the registered parents and carers of pupils registered at Bounds Green Infant School to complete a questionnaire about their views of the school. In the questionnaire, parents and carers were asked to record how strongly they agreed with 13 statements about the school.

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Responses from parents and carers to Ofsted's questionnaire

The inspection team received 84 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 234 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 68 81 15 18 1 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 53 63 28 33 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 35 42 41 49 5 6 2 2

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 46 55 32 38 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 47 56 34 40 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 39 46 42 50 0 0 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 44 52 36 43 3 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school makes sure that my child is well prepared for the future (for example changing year group, changing school, and for children who are finishing school, entering further or higher education, or entering employment) 39 46 33 39 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 43 51 33 39 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 42 50 28 33 2 2 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 31 37 42 50 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 51 61 28 33 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 61 73 22 26 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The table above summarises the responses that parents and carers made to each statement. The percentages indicate the proportion of parents and carers giving that response out of the total number of completed questionnaires. Where one or more parents and carers chose not to answer a particular question, the percentages will not add up to 100%.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding These features are highly effective. An outstanding school provides exceptionally well for all its pupils' needs.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 2 Good These are very positive features of a school. A school that is good is serving its pupils well.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 3 Satisfactory These features are of reasonable quality. A satisfactory school is providing adequately for its pupils.

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Grade Judgement Description

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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

New school inspection arrangements were introduced on 1 September 2009. This means that inspectors now make some additional judgements that were not made previously. The data in the table above are for the period 1 September 2009 to 31 March 2010 and are the most recently published data available (see www.ofsted.gov.uk ). Please note that the sample of schools inspected during the autumn and spring terms 2009/10 was not representative of all schools nationally, as weaker schools are inspected more frequently than good or outstanding schools. Percentages are rounded and do not always add exactly to 100. Secondary school figures in clude those that have sixth forms, and sixth form figures include only the data specifically for sixth form inspection judgements.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Achievement: the progress and success of a pupil in their learning, development or training.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

Capacity to improve: the proven ability of the school to continue improving. Inspectors base this judgement on what the school has accomplished so far and on the quality of its systems to maintain improvement.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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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.

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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. The following judgements, in particular, influence what the overall effectiveness judgement will be.

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Common terminology used by inspectors

 The school's capacity for sustained improvement.  Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils.  The quality of teaching.  The extent to which the curriculum meets pupils' needs, including, where relevant, through partnerships.  The effectiveness of care, guidance and support.

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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.

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

main findings from the inspection of their school.

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Inspection of Bounds Green Infant School, London N11 2QG

Thank you for your friendly welcome and for helping us when we visited your school recently. We really enjoyed our visit and were particularly pleased to see how closely you work with pupils in the junior school. I am writing to tell you about the judgements that we reached. Bounds Green Infants is a satisfactory school.  You like coming to the school and your parents and carers told us they like the school too.  You behave well, are keen to learn and get along with one another and the adults.  You have a good understanding of how to keep yourselves fit, healthy and safe.  The youngest children get off to a good start in the Nursery and Reception classes.  Although you make satisfactory progress in Years 1 and 2, many of you could do better.  You appreciate the interesting work the teachers plan for you.  You are well looked after by the adults. To make the school even better, we have asked the staff to make sure that all of you are

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Inspection of Bounds Green Infant School, London N11 2QG

set work that is the right level of difficulty for you. We have also asked the school to make even more checks on its work to make sure that it is consistently as good as possible. This is because we would like all the lessons to be good ones. Finally, I would like to thank you again and wish you well in the future.

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www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please

telephone 0300 1234 234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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