Field End Infant School

Field End Infant School Field End Road, Eastcote, Ruislip, HA4 9PQ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils make excellent progress in reading, writing and mathematics. From below expected levels when they start in the Early Years Foundation Stage, they leave at the end of Year 2 having achieved significantly above average standards. This has been the same picture over the last five years.  The school’s promotion of equality and diversity is exemplary. All leaders, governors and staff are exceptionally skilled at checking how well pupils are doing to make sure that no individuals or groups are falling behind and that all have the same first rate opportunities. As a result, achievement for all groups is outstanding.  Teaching across all year groups is consistently strong because members of staff know the pupils extremely well. Teachers, teaching assistants and other staff work together very closely to plan lessons so that they are always really interesting, challenging and meaningful.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils are really enthusiastic learners and talk very confidently about their learning. They love coming to school; consequently, attendance has risen and is currently high.  The school’s positive promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development means that pupils work together exceptionally well. They are extremely considerate of each other, valuing and celebrating each others’ differences. They feel really safe and try to make others safe around them because of the school leaders’ outstanding focus on the school’s ethos and values. Parents, carers and staff all overwhelmingly agree.  The extremely strong leadership of the headteacher and senior leaders, very ably supported by leaders at all levels, has created an approach based on constantly striving to reflect on best practice and still looking for ways to improve teaching and pupils’ achievement. Parents, carers, staff, governors and the local authority all acknowledge the

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

high quality leadership. Maintaining this level of effectiveness as the school expands and moves on from the inspection is the key priority for the leaders, staff and governing body.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 27 lessons or part lessons. They were accompanied by the headteacher or one of the other three senior leaders for half of these.  The inspectors took account of the 49 responses to the on-line Parent View survey as well as talking to parents and carers informally during the inspection. They took account of a letter and email received from parents during the inspection and reviewed the school’s own parental surveys.  They held meetings with pupils, staff, school leaders and three members of the governing body. A telephone call was held with two representatives of the local authority. The views of staff were also taken into account from 36 responses to the staff questionnaire.  The inspectors listened to pupils in Years 1 and 2 read individually as well as observing pupils reading during lessons in all classes.  The school’s work was observed and inspectors looked at documentation such as policies,

p.2

Information about this inspection

including those relating to safeguarding, information on pupils’ progress, attendance figures, the school’s improvement planning and records of checks carried out by leaders on the quality of teaching. They scrutinised work in pupils’ books, looked at the school’s website and visited the breakfast club.

p.2

Inspection team

Jacqueline Marshall, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Jim Eshelby Additional Inspector Clementina Olufunke Aina Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 This is a larger than average-sized infant school. The school is full in many year groups. It is increasing in size from a three- to a four-class entry. Reception classes are due to move into their new buildings in September.  The majority of children are from a wide range of minority ethnic heritages. Just under a third of the children speak English as an additional language, with eight different home languages spoken. When they join the Nursery, the majority are at the early stages of learning English.  The proportion of pupils receiving the pupil premium is rising. It is currently below average. The pupil premium is extra money given to schools by the government to support pupils in the care of the local authority, known to be eligible for free school meals and those from service families.  The proportion of pupils who are disabled or have special educational needs and receive support through school action is above average. The proportion being supported through school action

p.3

Information about this school

plus or who have a statement of special educational needs is below average.  Very few pupils attend alternative off-site provision.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Make sure the next phases of the school’s expansion are managed effectively and all staff continue to work closely together in order that pupils’ achievement is maintained and further enhanced.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Pupils show considerable enjoyment in every aspect of school life. In lessons, they talk about what they have learnt and what they want to learn next confidently and increasingly act independently as they move up through the school.  Children in the Nursery and Reception classes make considerable gains, both in their personal, social and emotional development and academically. This is because staff have a really good understanding of children’s next steps and plan a wide range of activities that enthuse and engage. They have a strong focus on developing children’s speaking and listening skills. This means children, including those at an early stage of learning English as an additional language, make very good progress in their literacy skills, having closed the gap with their peers nationally, and they join Year 1 broadly average in their communication, language and literacy skills.  Leaders and teachers use very thorough systems to check pupils’ progress. This allows them to

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

support the pupils’ needs and tailor teaching extremely effectively, whether in small groups, individually or in lessons. It ensures that pupils from all backgrounds, as well as disabled pupils and those with special educational needs and those attending alternative provision, achieve as well as their peers.  Standards in writing, reading and mathematics are consistently high by the end of Year 2 because teaching is consistently strong and all staff share leaders’ high expectations of what all pupils can achieve, both personally and in their learning. Above average proportions of pupils meet and exceed the expected levels for their age and make better than expected progress. For example, in 2012, those pupils supported by the pupil premium funding matched the levels reached by their peers nationally in writing and exceed them in reading and mathematics.  From an early age, pupils really enjoy reading and sharing books, for example, when parents

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

and carers volunteer to read stories in their home language. They are successfully encouraged to draw on a range of strategies to help if they are stuck. Systematic teaching of phonics (the sounds letters make) from the Nursery means that whilst in 2012 fewer pupils reached the national average scores in the Year 1 phonics check, pupils of all abilities, including those new to learning English, use their phonic skills confidently to sound out unfamiliar words.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 Staff are particularly adept at challenging pupils to try new things, work together and take responsibility for their own learning. These are key factors in pupils’ extremely positive attitudes towards learning. For example, in a Year 1 mathematics lesson, one pupil used an alternative word for ‘subtract’. As a result of being praised by the teacher, other pupils, without being asked, looked to the mathematical wall display before answering the next question with a variety of words, including ‘minus’ and ‘take away’, whilst in an outdoor mathematics session, a Year 2 pupil explained, ‘I’m doing a number sequence but making it harder this time.’  Pupils make significant gains in learning because teachers use information on pupils’ progress very effectively to add additional challenge where needed as pupils demonstrate their understanding. Learning is moved forward extremely well as adults demonstrate activities,

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

provide encouragement or pose open questions. This stretches the learning even further and gets pupils thinking more deeply.  Staff use their knowledge to build on pupils’ learning to maximise learning opportunities. Pupils respond with remarkable concentration and perseverance and are really keen to explore and investigate all that is on offer. For example, following a phonics session in the Nursery, a group of more able children asked if they could take some words cut up into letter sounds outside. Once there, they took on the role of teacher as they practised putting back together and reading simple words.  Pupils receive high quality advice on how to improve, both through marking in their books and comments from teachers and other adults during lessons. This is used particularly effectively to make sure pupils know just what they need to do next to improve and what they are aspiring to achieve. For example, in one Reception class, the teacher encouraged the children to think

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

about whether they had remembered and used their target words ‘first’, ‘next’ and ‘then’ in their activities that morning. Before they chose their next activity, she skilfully reminded them where they might use them in their learning. As a result, a group of boys in the construction area explained to one another as they played, ‘First you need to get a hat, next you need to get one of these and then you can stick it here.’

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils greatly enjoy school and are extremely positive about the many interesting learning activities that are on offer both during lessons and after school.  Pupils are playful at the appropriate times; they are lively and alert while being caring and observant of each others rights. The youngest can be seen trying very hard to behave well and older pupils consistently show the respect that they have for others.  Incidences of bullying, such as name-calling or unkind behaviour, are very rare and dealt with quickly. The overwhelming majority of parents and carers feel that any problems they and their children may have are dealt with positively. Pupils agree, and know whom they could turn to for help if required.  They take on extra responsibilities enthusiastically whether in the classroom or as mini road safety officers, school councillors or eco warriors. Pupils agreed they felt safe, know who to go

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

to if they need help and are proactive in looking after others. For example, the mini road safety officers take their roles seriously, deciding parking needs to be improved to make it even safer for pupils coming to school.  Pupils understand how to work safely with information and communication technology (ICT) and the school’s policy for e-safety works exceptionally well. Pupils know exactly what to do if they have any concerns when they use the internet. This means that pupils are interested in what they can find but are using ICT safely in lessons and clubs.

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

 The extremely strong leadership of the headteacher and senior leadership team provides the relentless drive and very clear vision of how the school can constantly develop and improve. Together they have been instrumental in ensuring that the school has continued to provide an outstanding learning environment. They are determined to make sure that this continues as the school expands and the building project is completed.  All leaders are clear about exactly what they need to do next and they share this with staff, parents and carers. Along with governors and staff, they use information about pupils’ achievement particularly well to identify areas that might be further developed and take action swiftly. They do not make changes without careful planning to make sure their actions are what is best for the pupils in the school. For example, the introduction of a cursive script from the Nursery has increased the fluency of pupils’ writing and further raised achievement, especially

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

for the least able writers.  Leaders are committed to improving the quality of teaching and building on the wealth of best practice already in the school so that pupils continue to make the best possible progress. As part of the management of teachers’ performance, the whole staff team have used the national guidelines, Teachers’ Standards, particularly effectively to set targets for their performance. Staff feel the school is particularly good at offering them the chance to develop their skills through training and the opportunity to take on new challenges and responsibilities.  The school is held in high regard within the local authority, which provides light touch support to this successful school. The school ensures that it tailors the little time it is allocated to maximise its effectiveness, for example using four and a half of its five days to develop the skills of a new subject leader. Both leaders and staff are asked regularly to share their expertise and

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

disseminate best practice with other schools.  Parents and carers are unanimous that the school is well led and managed. They are highly appreciative of all the school does for their children and the opportunities provided for them to support their children’s learning and be involved in the school. For example, the school has a ‘parent ambassador’, who has encouraged parents to volunteer to read to children in their mother tongue and who regularly shares updates on pupils’ achievements on the school’s website.  The governance of the school:  Governors are able to very effectively challenge as well as support school leaders and hold them to account for pupils’ achievement because they have a very thorough working knowledge of pupil progress information. They use this along with their knowledge of how well the school is doing in relation to other schools nationally to regularly evaluate the school's

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

performance. They have a good understanding of the strengths and weakness in teaching and how teachers’ performance is closely linked to the progress pupils make and how this is reflected in the salary structure. Governors can explain how the pupil premium budget has been planned to enable a wider range of strategies, including attendance at the popular breakfast club, to help eligible pupils get ready to learn each day and accelerate their progress. Governors make sure safeguarding arrangements meet statutory requirements, for example during the recent building works. They check their own skills and seek training such as the recent bespoke training from the local authority on the new inspection framework to maintain their effectiveness.

p.6

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

p.7

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.

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 102379 Local authority Hillingdon Inspection number 412410

p.8

School details

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

p.8

School details

Type of school Infant School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 381 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Ian Davies Headteacher Dorothy Chappell Date of previous school inspection 22–23 January 2008 Telephone number 0208 866 6163 Fax number 0208 426 2034 Email address enquiries@fieldend-inf.hillingdon.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 .

p.8

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.

p.9

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

p.9

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

p.9

School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

School details

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

p.9