Bursledon Church of England Infant School

Bursledon Church of England Infant School Inspection report

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Unique Reference Number 116277 Local Authority Hampshire Inspection number 357929 Inspection dates 5–6 October 2010 Reporting inspector Diane Wilkinson

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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 Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 173 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Hilary Bax Headteacher Alec Smith Date of previous school inspection 11 March 2008 School address Long Lane Bursledon, Southampton Southampton SO31 8BZ Telephone number 023 80402869 Fax number 023 80404628 Email address headteacher@bursledon-inf.hants.sch.uk

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Age group 4–7 Inspection dates 5–6 October 2010 Inspection number 357929 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 visited 15 lessons and observed nine teachers or classroom assistants. They held meetings with governors, staff and pupils and a small number of parents and carers bringing their children to school were also spoken to. Inspectors observed the school's work and looked at analyses of pupils' progress. In addition they also looked at the school's development planning and monitoring, local authority reports, a range of policies and procedures including those associated with safeguarding, curriculum planning documents and a small sample of pupils' work. They also scrutinised questionnaires returned by 74 parents and carers and 21 staff. The inspection team reviewed many aspects of the school's work. It looked in detail at the following:  How successfully leaders and managers are working to reverse the decline in attainment and progress seen in 2009.

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Introduction

 The effectiveness of the provision in improving progress, especially for boys and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.  The extent to which procedures are raising attendance levels.The quality of support for behaviour and how well it contributes to pupils' safety.  The quality of support for behaviour and how well it contributes to pupils' safety.

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Information about the school

This is an average sized infant school with two or more classes in each year group. It became part of a federation with Bursledon Junior School in May 2009, which is managed by a joint governing body. The federated schools share a headteacher who took up his post in January 2010. The school also shares its campus with The Windmill Sure Start Centre which was not part of this inspection. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is above average. The most commonly identified of these relate to specific and moderate learning, emotional, social and behavioural, and speech language and communication needs. A very large majority of pupils are of White British heritage and a few speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average. There are breakfast and after-school clubs which are run by a private provider. These settings were not part of

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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

Bursledon Infants provides a satisfactory standard of education. Although pupils' attainment has been well below average over the past two years it is improving rapidly due to the better progress pupils now make. The school benefits considerably from the strong leadership of the new headteacher, together with effective support from the deputy headteacher and governing body. They keep a very rigorous and regular check on the impact that provision is having on pupils' progress. Their self- evaluation is accurate and they implement effective plans to address weaknesses. Good improvement has been made in key areas. For example, unsatisfactory teaching has been eradicated and pupils benefit from increasingly good and occasionally outstanding lessons. As a result, the quality of learning has improved. There is a clear recognition of weaknesses that remain and exactly how to go about addressing them. Lengthy staff absences and the resignation of key post

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Main findings

holders mean that some middle managers who are new in post are still developing expertise in supporting monitoring and improvement work which is a key factor why the school's capacity for further improvement is judged satisfactory rather than good. Staff commitment and effective teamwork, together with strengths in senior leadership and governance give confidence that the school is securely placed to improve further. Pupils are well cared for and there are an impressive range of procedures in place for supporting those who have specific learning, language, behavioural or social needs. Although some initiatives, such as the creation of a nurture group, are relatively new, pupils' with special educational needs and/or disabilities make good progress because of good quality well targeted pastoral and academic support. All pupils feel safe and happy in school, recognising that adults care for them well. Good induction procedures help

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Main findings

Reception children settle quickly which, together with effective provision, supports their good progress. Pupils' personal development is a strength. Behaviour is good and pupils work well co-operatively or independently. They contribute effectively to school life and the local community. Pupils' attendance remains well below average. The improved teaching and curriculum provide relevant and interesting activities which have helped to raise the rate of pupils' progress. Excellent behaviour management and a very good learning ethos support learning well. Pupils' progress is checked very carefully throughout the year although this is not always done as well during lessons so on a minority of occasions pupils' tasks are too easy for them. This is partly because not all teachers question pupils well enough to gauge their understanding and move them on when this is secure. The curriculum is developing well to ensure pupils build on and

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Main findings

extend their skills. Different activities are provided for the stage at which individual pupils are working, but longer-term planning provides too little guidance for teachers on the expected learning outcomes for each topic.

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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

The school benefits considerably from its federation with Bursledon Junior School. Strong governance, the sharing of staff expertise and resources and the rolling programme for introducing common policies and procedures are all helping to drive forward improvement. The school's effective partnership with parents and good liaison with a comprehensive number of other schools and agencies support pupils' education and welfare well.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils' progress and raise attainment through: developing the curriculum so that planning clearly identifies the expected learning outcomes for different groups targeting questions to specific pupils in group or class lessons in order to gauge whether their tasks are too easy or too difficult ensure that, within lessons, teachers regularly check whether pupils have achieved their lesson target so that they can move on to more challenging activities when ready  Build on and extend the procedures in place for promoting good attendance, especially through ensuring parents recognise the importance of this in supporting their children's education.  Enhance middle managers' skills in supporting monitoring and development in order to increase their contribution to improvement work.

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

Attainment on entry has declined over the past few years and is well below the level expected for children of entering the Reception class. Children's good progress in the Reception class helps them to develop important skills at a good rate although only a minority reach average levels by Year 1. In the last two years weaknesses in provision, especially in the quality of teaching, led to slow progress across Years 1 and 2 resulting in attainment being well below average in the last two years. However since federation, particularly subsequent to the arrival of the new headteacher, this situation is being turned around well. Progress in Years 1 and 2 has much improved and attainment is rising rapidly. The legacy of inadequate progress made in the past means achievement is currently only satisfactory although increasingly good progress is evident in lessons. Fun activities and good use of resources help Year 1 pupils to gain a secure understanding

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Outcomes for individuals and groups of pupils 3

of simple addition. Year 2 pupils now work confidently, for example, in identifying shapes such as pentagons and hexagons. Progress in science is supported by an investigative approach although pupils still need help with recording their work. Pupils' handwriting is good and even Year 1 pupils do 'joined up' writing although their spelling is often inaccurate. However, the relatively new programme for learning the sounds in words is helping develop this skill, and also reading skills. Year 2 pupils enjoy writing, increasingly using the correct sentence punctuation including question and exclamation marks. Staff and governors are rightly proud of pupils' moral and social development. Pupils are polite and helpful, showing consideration to others. Their sense of responsibility develops well through the school council's work and their contribution to school life; for example, by caring for plants in the tubs at the school entrance. Pupils are well informed as to how

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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

they can contribute to the local and wider society, including through fundraising. Pupils develop a good capacity for spiritual reflection, especially in the very well-planned assemblies.

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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?

Skilful leadership has helped staff to develop provision which focuses on the needs and interests of pupils. The curriculum is rich and interesting, relevant to pupils and motivates them well, although staff are well aware that planning could be enhanced to help raise attainment further. The new nurture group supports pupils who find school life difficult. Good professional development, teamwork and commitment amongst all staff has resulted in a common approach to classroom practice, most notably in the excellent behaviour management and effective use of pupils' individual targets to help them improve. Although there is some inconsistency in important areas, such as in regularly checking how well pupils are doing in lessons, most teaching observed during the inspection was good. The more experienced staff exhibit considerable strengths. Despite these improvements, staff are still having to make up for gaps in learning in the past and the overall impact of

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How effective is the provision?

teaching on pupils' achievement is satisfactory. The current system for tracking pupils' progress provides clear information regarding individuals or groups and there is swift intervention when this slows. This has allowed staff to ensure that boys achieve as well as girls and that pupils with specific needs do well. In

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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

the latter, classroom assistants play a key role, both in class and in small group work. Support for personal development is very good, especially with regard to behaviour, helping to ensure that pupils are safe at all times including on the playground. The work undertaken to support parents' and carers' involvement in their children's education, including through that provided by the Parent Support Advisor, is very good. For example, a considerable number of parents or carers are enrolled on a course to promote this.

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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?

Since the arrival of the new headteacher a reflective ethos and a strong commitment to improvement has been established amongst all staff. Aided by rigorous monitoring, self- evaluation is now at the heart of all the school's work with staff continually looking for ways to help the school improve. Weaknesses are systematically and determinedly tackled so that, since January this year, there has been rapid improvement in key areas. This positive and successful approach is recognised by parents and carers and helps to ensure that no pupil is discriminated against and their equality of opportunity is assured. The school also benefits considerably from strong leadership provided by the deputy headteacher when the headteacher is off site. Underpinned by good governance, federation has brought benefits to both schools. Skilled and knowledgeable governors provide expertise in areas such as health and safety. They support development planning

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How effective are leadership and management?

well, wisely recognising that as aspects have to be prioritised, some goals still have to be achieved. While these features are positive, they are relatively new and have yet had time to provide a consistent level of impact across the school. Pupils are kept safe and free from harm. Some safeguarding policies and procedures, although satisfactory, are still being developed to provide a consistent approach across the federation. Cooperation in other areas such as financial planning are well established. The school is good at finding provision from outside the school to enhance pupils' education and welfare. For example, a fund raising event at a local secondary school helped raise resources for a school in Africa as well as for the federated schools. Community cohesion is promoted well including through church links with Uganda. The school works closely with parents and carers, ensuring they are well informed about its

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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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Views of parents and carers

A very large majority of parents and carers are appreciative of the school. In particular they agree that their children enjoy school, make progress and are well prepared for the future. They also think that their children are kept safe and learn how to keep healthy. Parents and carers think teaching is good and that the school is well led and managed. Most of those spoken to or who sent written comments to inspectors made positive comments about the school and felt that staff are very approachable and the induction procedures very good. Several parents or carers of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities praised the quality of their support. Inspectors agree that the school has improved in many areas although they feel that some things still need to be done. Only a few parents and carers raised concerns, mainly with regard to the information they receive and the way that they are helped to support their children's learning. Inspectors found

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Views of parents and carers

that the information the school provides about its work and pupils' progress is good and that staff provide many ways to help parents support their children's learning.

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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 Bursledon Church of England 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 74 completed questionnaires by the end of the on-site inspection. In total, there are 173 pupils registered at the school.

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child enjoys school 50 68 22 30 1 1 0 0 The school keeps my child safe 45 61 28 38 1 1 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My school informs me about my child's progress 24 32 43 58 6 8 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

My child is making enough progress at this school 26 35 40 54 4 5 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The teaching is good at this school 29 39 39 53 2 3 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps me to support my child's learning 33 45 33 45 6 8 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school helps my child to have a healthy lifestyle 41 55 28 38 2 3 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) 32 43 33 45 1 1 2 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school meets my child's particular needs 31 42 38 51 3 4 0 0

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school deals effectively with unacceptable behaviour 25 34 43 58 3 4 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school takes account of my suggestions and concerns 26 35 39 53 3 4 2 3

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

The school is led and managed effectively 39 53 30 41 1 1 1 1

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Total % Total % Total % Total %

Overall, I am happy with my child's experience at this school 43 58 26 35 2 3 1 1

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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 include 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 Bursledon Infant School, Southampton, SO31 8BZ

Thank you for welcoming us to your school. We very much enjoyed our time talking to you and seeing all the things you do. I particularly want to thank the pupils who gave up their lunchtime to talk to us. We think your school is satisfactory. However it is improving very quickly and a number of things are good already. Here are some of the things we found out were especially good about the school:  We were very impressed by how much you enjoy school, your good behaviour and how friendly, polite and helpful you are.  You were right to tell us adults look after you well. They do, and they help you to make good progress in your personal development. You work well together and do lots of things to help your school and local community.  Those of you in Reception get off to a good start.  Teachers plan interesting lesson activities that help you make better progress.  Staff work well with your parents and other schools and groups, especially the

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Inspection of Bursledon Infant School, Southampton, SO31 8BZ

Juniors, to help your education.  Your headteacher, deputy headteacher and governors are working well with all staff to help your school improve further. Here are some of the things we have asked the school to improve:  Although you are now making better progress, we have asked staff to carry on improving this so that you can reach the levels you should by Year 2. You can help by always working as hard as we saw during the inspection.  Some of you do not attend school regularly enough and we have asked staff to work with your parents to make sure you do.  We think staff should carry on developing the skills that will allow them to play an important role in helping the school to improve.

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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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