Inglehurst Infant School

Age group 3–7 Inspection date(s) 21–22 March 2012 Inspection number 379933 Inglehurst Infant School Inspection report

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Unique reference number 120015 Local authority Leicester Inspection number 379933 Inspection dates 21–22 March 2012 Lead inspector Jo Curd

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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 298 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Charlotte Woodward Headteacher Kathryn Parsons Date of previous school inspection 21 January 2009 School address Ingle Street Leicester LE3 9FS Telephone number 0116 2622479 Fax number 0116 2625191 Email address office@inglehurst-inf.leicester.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

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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’.

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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.

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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

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Introduction

This inspection was carried out with two days' notice. Twenty-four lessons were observed and twelve teachers seen. Discussions were held with parents and carers, groups of pupils, members of the governing body and staff. 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 pupils’ books, assessments of attainment and progress, lesson plans, documents relating to safeguarding, health and safety, the school development plan, 21 questionnaires from staff and 54 from parents and carers.

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Information about the school

The school is slightly larger than most infant schools. The number of entrants is growing. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is much higher than in most other schools. About three quarters of the pupils are of White British background. The proportion from the very wide range of minority ethnic heritages represented is higher than in most other schools. Few pupils are at early stages of learning to speak English. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is higher than average. Most of their additional needs are moderate learning and or speech, language and communication difficulties. The proportion of pupils who have statements of special educational needs is higher than in most other schools, most of these needs are learning, social and communication difficulties. Inspection grades: 1 is outstanding, 2 is good, 3 is satisfactory, and 4 is inadequate

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Information about the school

Please turn to the glossary for a description of the grades and inspection terms

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Key findings

 This is a good school. Children are well cared for and flourish. They make good progress in their learning and are well prepared for later life and learning. As one parent said, ‘This school provides a firm foundation for my daughter’s learning.’ It is not outstanding because achievement is good rather than higher, and school leaders have not yet ensured teaching is outstanding.

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Key findings

 Pupils achieve well because teaching is good and the curriculum vibrant, relevant and fun. Pupils with disabilities and those with special educational needs make good progress because they are supported well by teachers and skilled teaching assistants in class and in intervention groups.

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Key findings

 Teachers have good subject knowledge and prepare well. They work well with teaching assistants to support children’s learning, social and emotional needs. Lessons are well organised and run smoothly. Teachers do not always use their detailed assessments carefully enough, however, to ensure that activities are finely tuned to meet pupils’ varying learning needs, consistently challenge the more able or always allow enough time for pupils to respond to, and learn from, corrections. Marking is up to date but does not always show pupils exactly how they can improve.

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Key findings

 The vast majority of pupils behave well in and out of lessons. They are courteous, considerate and kind. The few pupils who have challenging behaviour are usually managed well. Relationships are good and pupils feel safe.

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Key findings

 Leaders know the school well and use their accurate self-evaluation effectively to drive improvements. The school’s performance is well managed and the monitoring of lessons and assessments has successfully ensured that teaching and progress are good. Teaching is well led, but lesson monitoring is not sufficiently frequent to ensure that the strengths of teaching are shared and consistent across the school. 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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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching by:  making better use of assessments to ensure that work is finely tuned to pupils’ learning levels  ensuring that pupils who learn more quickly or easily are consistently extended in their learning  ensuring that pupils have time to respond to marking and clearly know how they can improve their work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Monitor and evaluate teaching more frequently to ensure that strengths are shared and consistently implemented in all lessons.

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Achievement of pupils

The vast majority of children start at this school with knowledge, skills and understanding below those expected for this age, particularly in communication, language and literacy and in aspects of personal and social development, including social relationships. Some children start with far less well-developed skills and few start with those above expectations for this age. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage make good progress because of a good range of interesting activities, opportunities to learn inside and out, and high levels of support.

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Achievement of pupils

Despite a rise, attainment at the end of Year 2 is lower than the national average and very few pupils reach the highest levels in reading, writing or mathematics. By the end of Year 2, attainment in reading is about a term behind the national average. This represents good progress from such low starting points.

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Achievement of pupils

Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, those with particularly low starting points and those known to be eligible for free school meals make particularly good progress due to good teaching, an effective, practical curriculum and very good quality of care and support. Gaps between the low starting points of these groups and the national average are narrowing. Pupils in the ‘smarties’ nurture group, named by pupils because ‘we like smarties and we are smart’, made good progress in a mathematics lesson observed because activities were visual, practical and well matched to their individual learning levels. Parents and carers recognise and appreciate this good practice, and as one said, ‘I have two children with special educational needs; they are both very happy and settled and continue to thrive.’ Almost all parents and carers are positive about rates of pupils’ progress and are right to be so.

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Achievement of pupils

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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Achievement of pupils

Boys and girls – irrespective of their ethnic background – achieve at similar levels to those with the same starting points and other strengths or needs. More-able pupils have sometimes made slightly less than good progress because they have not always been challenged enough. Leaders have recognised this and teachers are now responding by providing more challenging work and occasionally teaching pupils of similar abilities in different groups. For example, in the Early Years Foundation Stage children are taught about the names and sounds of letters in such groups, so that activities and discussion are pitched at an appropriately challenging level. Similarly, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, more-able pupils were given more challenging mathematical problems to solve and more complex concepts to learn than those given to others. This practice does not happen in all lessons, and work is occasionally too easy or too difficult for some pupils.

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Quality of teaching

Parents and carers are unanimous in thinking that teaching is good. Teachers enthuse and motivate pupils well. Activities are interesting and pupils are keen to do their best. For example, Year 2 pupils worked hard in a weekly session of ‘best writing’, creating stories about pirates entering a cave to find some treasure and a dragon. They acted out different scenarios with the pirate and the dragon at the beginning of the lesson, discussed some effective ‘wow’ words and each had individual targets to prompt them to write enough, choose interesting words and to use particular punctuation. Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs were supported and prompted by a skilled teaching assistant. Pupils worked studiously and quietly, trying their best at this task which was relatively challenging for many. These positive attitudes show how well adults promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers know pupils well and usually provide different tasks for the needs of different groups. However, they do not always use their detailed assessment of individual pupils’ learning levels well enough to ensure that these are finely matched to the work set. Some tasks are occasionally slightly too difficult for some pupils – for example, one boy struggled to read and write some words in a reading lesson. Sometimes more-able pupils are not challenged sufficiently. For example, they occasionally spend time going over concepts, such as mathematical processes or the names or sounds of letters, they already know or doing activities which consolidate rather than develop their skills and understanding.

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Quality of teaching

Teachers have good subject knowledge and prepare lessons well. They prioritise key skills such as reading, writing and mathematics and successfully incorporate other subjects into engaging topics. The curriculum is interesting and well enriched. Marking is up to date and praises pupils for what they have achieved. It endorses pupils’ successes but does not always show them how they could develop their work further. Although teachers give verbal feedback and prompts, these are rarely recorded for pupils to think about and respond to. When written guidance is given, pupils are not always given time or encouragement to address the errors and learn from their mistakes. 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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Behaviour and safety of pupils

Discussions, inspection questionnaires and school records show that behaviour is consistently good. The vast majority of pupils behave well in and out of lessons. Parents, carers and pupils think behaviour is good, but recognise that a few pupils have challenging behaviour. Behaviour is well managed and the school is calm and orderly. Regular, consistent routines are particularly helpful to some pupils who have communication and social difficulties. Almost all parents and carers are satisfied that when they raise issues or concerns, these are dealt with openly and promptly. Relationships are good. Staff provide a positive role model to pupils. Lessons run smoothly. Even when work is occasionally slightly too difficult or easy, pupils try hard and remain settled. Pupils respond quickly to staff requests and tackle tasks speedily. Time in lessons is used well for learning. Pupils are polite, respectful and considerate.

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

They are pleased to help others and make visitors feel very welcome. From an early age they begin to develop independence. For example, children in the Early Years Foundation Stage take it in turns to be ‘special helpers’ and do various jobs, including taking the register to the school office. Some pupils serve as school councillors, playground friends and mediators. They readily take up these responsibilities and know that their job is to be ‘friends with anyone who looks lonely or upset and to play with them or to help them explain any problem to an adult’. Pupils understand types of bullying and examples of any kind are very rare. Children feel safe because they know staff are there to help them, guidelines on behaviour are consistent and clear, and they are taught how to stay safe around the school, on visits and on the computer. Expectations and guidelines for behaviour effectively promote positive

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Behaviour and safety of pupils

attitudes and the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of all. Attendance has risen and is now broadly in line with the national average. The number of persistent absentees has declined.

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Leadership and management

Leaders are good role models for children and staff. They are positive, passionate and caring. All questionnaires from staff were positive and morale is high. The vast majority of questionnaires from parents and carers were also positive and almost all said they would recommend the school to others.

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Leadership and management

The school’s capacity to sustain improvement is good. Leaders have an accurate understanding of its strengths and weaknesses, and have a positive track record in sustaining pupils’ good achievement and positive behaviour. Improvements also include better attendance rates, a more stimulating outdoor environment, especially in the Nursery, and more opportunities for independent and collaborative work.

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Leadership and management

The governing body is very supportive and increasingly challenging as members learn more about the school through reports and first-hand visits to classes and special events. They use this information increasingly well to introduce initiatives and question potential under-performance. Systems and procedures for safeguarding are up to date, secure and well organised. Safeguarding requirements are met. 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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Leadership and management

Leaders work well with other professionals and agencies. For example, two full-time teaching assistants have been trained by a professional speech therapist to help address the difficulties of the high number of pupils requiring such support and successfully work with the education welfare officer.

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Leadership and management

Accurate monitoring and frequent pupil-progress meetings have helped sustain a good quality of teaching. Monitoring is not sufficiently frequent to ensure that strengths are shared and consistent across all lessons to raise teaching quality and speed of progress even further. The curriculum is relevant and well enriched. It successfully promotes pupils’ learning, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Leadership and management

Leaders successfully promote equality and tackle discrimination. Gaps between groups with low starting points and the national average are narrowing and pupils’ attitudes and behaviour stand them in good stead for later life and learning.

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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. 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.

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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

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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.

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Type of school Outstanding Good Satisfactory Inadequate

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

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Common terminology used by inspectors

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

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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

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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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.

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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 Inglehurst Infant School, Leicester, LE3 9FS

Thank you for helping us to feel so welcome at your school when we visited recently. We were pleased to meet so many of you. All the things you told us about your school really helped us with our work – thank you.

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Inspection of Inglehurst Infant School, Leicester, LE3 9FS

We think, along with you, that yours is a good school. We can see why most of you are so happy and settled there. You make good progress in your learning because teaching is good and you do so many interesting things. We are so sorry that we could not stay and join your special pirate day. It sounded great fun. We know that nearly all of you behave well in and out of lessons and the few that find this difficult are supported and managed well.

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Inspection of Inglehurst Infant School, Leicester, LE3 9FS

Your progress sometimes slows down because work is a bit too easy or difficult for some of you. Those who learn quickly or easily are not always challenged sufficiently, and many of you do not always know how or have time to improve your work. We want your teachers to make sure work is always at the right level for each of you and you have time to respond to their marking.

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Inspection of Inglehurst Infant School, Leicester, LE3 9FS

School leaders know the school well and are always trying to make it even better for all of you. They do not look at lessons often enough, however, to make sure you all learn as well as you can. We have asked them to check lessons to make sure that work is suitable for you all. Those of you who learn more quickly are challenged and that you know how to, and have time to, improve your work.

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Inspection of Inglehurst Infant School, Leicester, LE3 9FS

You can all help by telling your teachers when activities help your learning, or if they are a bit too easy or difficult. You can also help by continuing to try really hard when work is challenging.

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Inspection of Inglehurst Infant School, Leicester, LE3 9FS

Jo Curd 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 .

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