Durrington Infant School

Durrington First School Salvington Road, Worthing, West Sussex, BN13 2JD

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Requires improvement 3 Achievement of pupils Requires improvement 3 Quality of teaching Requires improvement 3 Behaviour and safety of pupils Good 2 Leadership and management Requires improvement 3

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

 Teaching, including in the Reception classes, does not always ensure that work or questioning is at the right level for pupils, particularly the higher attainers, to ensure they do as well as they can.  The new leaders are working hard to bring about improvements in pupils’ achievement but checks on the quality of teaching and learning are not yet embedded or rigorous enough.  Pupils are not involved enough in assessing their own work and checking for themselves how well they are doing.  In mathematics, there are not enough opportunities for practical problem solving or for pupils to explain their methods to help them achieve higher standards.  There is no clear leadership role within the Early Years Foundation Stage to give support and guidance to staff to improve their practice.  There has been a period of significant change and adaptation during the federation process with the middle school. This has led to a slight

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This is a school that requires improvement. It is not good because

decline in achievement that staff are now working very hard to address.

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The school has the following strengths

 All senior staff and governors are driving improvement forward quickly in order to raise standards.  Good provision in the Nursery ensures children achieve well.  Pupils in Year 3 make good progress in their English.  Progress in reading and writing in the Reception Year and Key Stage 1 is improving due to a strong emphasis on letters and sounds work and regular reading activities.  Pupils enjoy school and feel safe. Their behaviour is good and bullying is very rare.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 16 lessons. In addition, the inspectors made a number of other short visits to lessons.  Meetings were held with several groups of pupils, the Chair of the Governing Body, a local authority officer, the headteacher, deputy headteacher and the leadership team of the federation.  The inspectors took account of the 27 responses to the online Parent View survey.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and the work of the newly established federation and looked at a number of documents, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress, planning and monitoring documentation, records relating to behaviour and attendance and documents relating to safeguarding.

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Inspection team

Janet Sinclair, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Victoria Turner Additional Inspector Stephen Schwartz Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Durrington is much larger than the average-sized first school.  The number of pupils supported at school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups is below average, a small proportion of whom are at an early stage of learning English.  The number of pupils eligible for the additional pupil premium funding because they are the most vulnerable is above average.  The school has a 52 place nursery and children attend on a flexible part-time basis. A high proportion of the children who attend the nursery move into the Reception classes in the school. There are three single-age classes for children in Reception and three single-age classes for each year group in Years 1 to 3.  There is an after-school club for first and middle school pupils, which runs from 3pm to 5.30pm

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Information about this school

daily during term-time.  The school entered into a hard federation with the middle school in April 2011. The senior leadership team for the federation has been in place for two terms. The two schools have the same headteacher and governing body.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve pupils’ achievement through consistently good or better teaching by ensuring that:  the new initiatives that have been introduced are fully embedded to ensure consistency in practice  staff provide more opportunities for pupils to solve problems and explain their methods in mathematics  there is a better match of work to pupils’ needs, particularly for higher-attaining pupils, through more effective short-term planning and targeted questioning  pupils are more involved in their learning, both during lessons and through assessing how well they have done  in the Reception classes, there is greater challenge within activities and more effective questioning to extend children’s learning.  Improve the capacity of leadership and management to sustain improvement by:  ensuring that there is greater rigour in monitoring and evaluating pupils’ learning  ensuring that new initiatives are consistently applied by all staff

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 providing more effective coordination of the Early Years Foundation Stage.

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

 Attainment at the end of Year 2 is below expectations in reading, broadly average in writing and mathematics and in line with expectations for their age when pupils leave the school in Year 3. Given pupils’ starting points, progress across the school requires improvement, because although there is evidence of some good progress, particularly in the Nursery and Year 3, it is not yet consistently good.  Children start in the Nursery with skills and abilities that are well below expected levels for their age and achieve well. Children enter the Reception classes with skills and abilities below the levels expected for their age. Although they make expected progress, their attainment on entry to Year 1 mainly remains below that expected for their age, although there is some variation year on year.  Disabled pupils, those with special educational needs and pupils who need extra help because English is not their first language get appropriate support for their specific needs and this

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

enables them to access the curriculum and make progress in line with their peers.  The school leaders are ensuring that pupil premium funding is being used effectively to provide additional support for pupils who are eligible, both in the classroom and through one-to-one teaching. This is having an increasingly positive impact on the achievement of these pupils.  A good emphasis on letters and sounds work ensured that pupils in Year 1 successfully completed the National Phonics Screening Test in June 2012. The school is working hard and effectively to improve provision in this area in order to accelerate progress.  The use of specific resources to help pupils recognise the different sounds in words and to help them spell new words are now being used across the federation and this is helping continuity.  Regular opportunities for reading, through both individual and group reading, ensure that pupils

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The achievement of pupils requires improvement

develop their confidence and enjoyment in reading. This was obvious when pupils read to the inspectors. Trained parent and carer helpers listen to pupils read on a regular basis and this is also helping to accelerate pupils’ progress.  Pupils enjoy the opportunities they get for writing but sometimes a lack of effective questioning means that pupils do not have enough opportunities to reflect on their learning. This was noticeable in a Year 2 lesson on ‘Superheroes’ where the teacher did not question pupils enough about their work or encourage them to consider how their writing could be improved.

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

 Teaching over time requires improvement. It is too variable and not enough is good or better. As a result pupils do not learn well enough.  Where teaching is good, lessons are well planned and organised, teachers have good subject knowledge and challenge pupils well through effective questioning and good match of work. In these lessons, pupils are excited by their learning, work well together, are fully engaged and keen to improve their work.  Where teaching requires improvement, work is not well enough planned to meet pupils’ needs, particularly higher-attaining pupils, and questioning does not challenge them fully or give them opportunities to explain what they know or understand. As a result, pupils lose interest and this slows their learning.  Although most teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and give guidance on how to make it better, they rarely ensure pupils respond to their comments and do not involve them enough in

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

assessing how well they are doing. This limits pupils’ involvement in making their work better.  In mathematics, pupils are now grouped by ability as a strategy for accelerating their progress. However, pupils do not always get enough opportunities to solve problems related to real-life situations or discuss what they are doing and this slows their progress. When they do, as was seen in one Year 3 class, pupils were fully engaged and used their mathematical skills and knowledge well to solve problems.  The federation and pupil premium funding have enabled the school to have an increased number of teaching assistants. These teaching assistants have been well trained and provide effective small-group support for pupils who need extra help and those at an early stage of learning English to meet their specific learning needs. They also give good support for sounds and letters work.  Teachers in the Reception classes ensure children have regular opportunities to use the well-

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The quality of teaching requires improvement

resourced outdoor area that develops their physical skills well. Relationships are good and children are confident, happy learners. Although teachers provide a range of activities within the classrooms, these sometimes lack challenge and questioning is not always used well enough to extend their ideas and this slows progress.  The nursery staff provide exciting learning activities for the children within a well-organised calm and purposeful learning environment that fully engages the children and meets their needs well.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. Most parents and carers, staff and pupils agree that behaviour is good.  Pupils are clear about the expectations for their behaviour and the sanctions that apply should they misbehave. Year 3 pupils say that they are expected to set a good example for behaviour and are keen to do so.  Behaviour over time has been good. There is a clear behaviour policy and logs are kept to monitor practice. Pupils speak of the happy atmosphere and the very few incidents of misbehaviour.  Pupils have good attitudes to school and enjoy their learning. They say that lessons are fun and teachers help them with their work. They work well together on tasks, when given the opportunity. For example, Year 3 pupils worked well together when measuring body parts in a mathematics lesson.  Pupils say that there is no bullying of any kind in the school. There are no recorded incidents of

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

bullying and the small number of parents and carers who responded to the online Parent View survey confirm pupils’ views. The school’s anti-bullying week ensures pupils are aware of the different forms of bullying.  The school ensures a safe environment for pupils who say they feel very safe in school and confident of adult support should they need it. They are aware of how to stay safe both at play and in the classroom.  Parents who responded to the online Parent View survey considered their children to be safe in school.  Attendance has improved and is now average. This is due to significant action taken by the school through systematic checking and follow-up on low attendance and celebrating good attendance through the award of individual certificates.  A small number of pupils benefit from the well-organised after-school club.

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The leadership and management require improvement

 The revised leadership team for both schools is strengthening and improving provision. The headteacher, together with other senior leaders, has set a clear and decisive direction of improvement. They have put much in place to ensure agreed systems across both schools although these are not embedded fully so at times this limits their impact. Leaders have shown their capacity for improvement through successful changes brought about within a short space of time.  Leaders, including governors, know the school’s strengths and priorities for improvement thoroughly because of a secure programme of monitoring and evaluation activities. However, not all monitoring of teaching focuses consistently or rigorously enough on how quickly pupils are learning to help bring about more rapid and sustained improvements.  Leaders have ensured that there is an increasing focus on sounds and letters work and reading,

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The leadership and management require improvement

in response to previous slow progress. This initiative has been successful in accelerating progress and engaging pupils’ interests. School leaders have not however ensured a dedicated leader for the Early Years Foundation Stage in order to better coordinate provision and support and guide staff.  The local authority has had limited involvement with the school but its support has encouraged the school to look more closely at pupils’ progress.  Training and development opportunities support teachers’ continuing professional development appropriately and are beginning to ensure that staff have greater accountability for the progress of pupils in their class.  Regular evaluation of assessment data ensures that any pupils falling behind get targeted support to accelerate their progress. This demonstrates the school’s determination to tackle any discrimination and to promote equality of opportunity.  The curriculum is broad and balanced but is not always sufficiently well matched to pupils’

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The leadership and management require improvement

needs, especially through high-quality short-term planning that helps ensure all pupils make good progress. There is good enrichment through visits, visitors and after-school clubs.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well. Pupils have a good awareness of the diversity of life in Britain and the wider world through, for example, links with a school in Africa and visitors from different faiths and cultures. This is a good improvement since the previous inspection.  There are good links with parents and carers through newsletters, workshops and regular parent and carer meetings to ensure they are well informed. There is an effective partnership with the local football club that provides sports coaching for pupils.  The governance of the school:  Governance of the school is a strength, led by an effective chair. They have been proactive in promoting the federation between the two schools and have worked tirelessly to improve

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The leadership and management require improvement

provision for all pupils through this process.  Governors are not afraid to tackle difficult issues and hold leaders to account for the school’s work. They are actively involved in monitoring the school’s work including the performance of all staff and how this links to increases in salary. Governors regularly evaluate how pupil premium is being used to bring about improvements in pupils’ achievement. They ensure safeguarding procedures are secure so that pupils and staff are kept safe.

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

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Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors.

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School details

Unique reference number 125862 Local authority West Sussex Inspection number 403744

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school First School category Community Age range of pupils 3−11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 392 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ged Harbinson Headteacher Alison Cornell Date of previous school inspection 20−21 January 2010 Telephone number 01903 260138 Fax number 01903 693057 Email address office@durringtonfirst.w-sussex.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', 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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School details

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 and as part of the inspection.

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School details

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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School details

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. 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

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School details

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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