Harnham Infants' School

Harnham Infant School Saxon Road, Harnham, Salisbury, SP2 8JZ

p.1

Overall effectiveness

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

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Since the time of the previous inspection, attainment by the end of Year 2 has been above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils make good progress from their different starting points.  Children in Reception make strong gains in developing their communication and language skills.  Pupils are taught effectively and, as a result, they achieve well. Activities are interesting and draw successfully on pupils’ enthusiasm.  Teachers pose challenging questions and promote lively discussion. This helps pupils to develop their ideas and extend their vocabulary.  Teaching assistants contribute well to pupils’ learning through individual support and teaching letters and their sounds (phonics) to groups of pupils.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning and pupils work well together and when on their own. They are very keen to share what they know and understand.  Staff ensure that pupils are safe and feel safe

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

at school. Parents and carers comment very favourably about the level of care provided.  Good leadership and management have ensured that teaching and pupils’ achievement have remained good since the previous inspection. Weaknesses identified in teaching are tackled firmly and improvements made.  Governors have strengthened school leadership. They bring a wide range of expertise to the school and challenge leaders, holding them to account for improving the quality of teaching and pupils’ achievement.

p.1

It is not yet an outstanding school because:

 There are some occasions in lessons when pupils’ learning is not as brisk as it could be. This applies particularly to the more able pupils.  Pupils’ learning is occasionally inhibited when they are given too much help and direction.  Support and monitoring of teaching have not been sharp enough to promote more outstanding teaching.  Pupils supported through pupil premium funding do not make rapid enough progress so that they attain as well as other pupils.

p.1

Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 20 lessons, including some joint observations with the headteacher. They also scrutinised samples of pupils’ work and heard pupils read.  Inspectors held meetings with school staff, members of the governing body and groups of pupils. An inspector discussed the support provided by the local authority with a representative.  Inspectors took account of the 42 responses to the online questionnaire, Parent View. Inspectors also gathered parents’ and carers’ views through informal conversations and letters sent to the inspection team, and the views of staff through discussions.  Inspectors looked at documents, including improvement plans, safeguarding documents, checks on the quality of teaching, records relating to attendance, and the school’s data on pupils’ attainment and progress.

p.2

Inspection team

Peter Clifton, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Penelope Orme Additional Inspector Ian McAllister Additional Inspector

p.2

Information about this school

 Harnham Infant School is an average-sized school.  The pupils are taught in nine classes.  Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported by school action is below average. The proportion supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is average.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for children in the care of the local authority, pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and other groups, is below average. Currently, the school has no pupils who are in the care of the local authority.  Two senior leaders are currently on leave.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching to outstanding so that it enables all pupils to maximise their achievement by:  making sure that activities in lessons enable pupils, particularly those who more able, to make rapid progress and do their best, ensuring that pupils have more opportunities to practise and apply their skills, checking that there is a sharp focus on how different groups of pupils learn and then using this information to close learning gaps.  Speed up the progress of pupils supported by pupil premium funding by reviewing the impact of additional support to ensure that they attain as well as other groups of pupils.

p.3

The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ attainment for the past three years in reading, writing and mathematics indicates that they achieve well.  Inspectors verified that teachers assess the levels of pupils’ work accurately. School records show that pupils who are currently in Year 2 are on track to attain similar results to those in 2013 and to reach above average standards. Pupils are well prepared for their next school.  The school teaches phonics well (the sounds letters make) to help the pupils with their reading and writing. In 2013, the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in the phonics screening check exceeded the national level.  Children start school with knowledge, skills and understanding that are broadly in line with those expected for their age. They make a strong start in Reception. They develop good communication and language skills, listen well and choose activities confidently. In 2013, the

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

proportion of children reaching a good level of development by the end of Reception exceeded the national average.  More-able pupils make good progress, and the proportion of pupils who reach the higher National Curriculum Level 3 by the end of Year 2 is above average in reading, writing and mathematics. Pupils’ current writing in Year 2 is on track to be similar. The more able pupils write with flair using the correct punctuation, grammar and spelling. They write, for example, imaginative letters based on Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make progress which is similar to their classmates’. In lessons, teachers and teaching assistants ensure that tasks are adapted suitably to enable pupils to learn well, for example, to help with counting skills in Year 1.  The results in 2013 for pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium showed gaps in their

p.4

The achievement of pupils is good

performance in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with other pupils; they did not make as much progress. The school records indicate that this group is now making better progress and that gaps in performance have been halved to around a term behind all pupils.  Learning observed during the inspection and the samples of work showed that pupils of different abilities make good progress. However, there are times in some lessons where the pace of learning is not brisk enough, particularly for the more able pupils.

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching across the school is good, promotes good progress and gives pupils opportunities to achieve equally well.  Pupils are clear about their learning and well prepared. For example, pupils in Year 2 quickly learned how to make their writing interesting by varying how they started sentences. This was because they were very clear how they might do this before they started to write.  In Reception, stories are used especially well to explore vocabulary, promote speaking and listening and develop children’s writing skills.  Pupils enjoy responding to the right sort of questions because they help clarify their learning, encourage them to share their ideas and to have confidence in explaining their thoughts.  Relationships between staff and pupils are strong across the school and this helps to promote positive attitudes to learning. Pupils’ contributions are valued by staff.  Teaching assistants successfully provide support for different groups of pupils, including less-

p.4

The quality of teaching is good

able pupils, disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs, to get the most out of the work they are set.  Marking helps pupils to improve their writing because comments identify their next steps. The school is working to improve the impact of marking by extending the time available for pupils to respond to these comments.  Pupils’ learning does not always proceed quickly enough in parts of some lessons because too little is expected. For example, in Year 1, more-able pupils spent time adding numbers together which they found easy and completed quickly. On some other occasions, pupils’ progress is inhibited because they are given too much direction and help to complete tasks.

p.4

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 Pupils’ behaviour is good. Good learning habits are firmly established in Reception; children speak with growing confidence in front of the class and are attentive. Across the school, staff use pupils’ positive attitudes to help promote good achievement.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. The school keeps detailed records of incidents, and logs show that instances of poor behaviour or bullying are rare.  Pupils get on well together. They know that discrimination is wrong and they do not see that those from other backgrounds are any different.  Pupils understand about keeping themselves safe. They are given clear information about the rules for trips and visits and know that it is important to follow these. Playtimes are well supervised.  The responses of parents and carers to their survey show that they think pupils’ behaviour and safety are strengths of the school. Many parents and carers spoken to at the start of the school

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

day commented positively about the school and how helpful staff had been in resolving any issue raised.  Good presentation of work in books is encouraged by teachers and pupils’ writing is typically well set out. Similarly, mathematics work in Year 2 is tidy and well presented. Mathematics work in Year 1 is mostly completed on worksheets and this means that opportunities are missed for pupils to set out work for themselves.  Pupils’ attendance has improved steadily over the past three years and is average. Pupils are punctual to lessons.  There are occasions in lessons when the concentration of some pupils lapses and they do not do enough because they are distracted. This is the main reason why behaviour is not outstanding.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

 Good teamwork is evident, for example, in the way staff plan activities and work together in lessons. Teaching assistants are deployed well to teach phonics to small groups of pupils.  Leaders demonstrate a strong capacity to improve. They have the confidence of parents and carers who would recommend this school to others. Pupils’ good achievement has been maintained and current planning for improvement focuses on the right issues. Middle leaders, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage, are knowledgeable about strengths and weaknesses.  Additional pupil premium funding has been used to boost pupils’ basic skills in reading and writing and to support their emotional needs. Attainment gaps are being closed, but leaders are rightly reviewing the effectiveness of this funding to check that it is used to maximise achievement.  Leaders regularly check on the quality of teaching to promote improvement. However, these

p.5

The leadership and management are good

checks have not been sharp enough to tackle occasions in lessons when the pace of learning slows for some groups, or to promote sufficient routinely outstanding teaching.  Leaders have used the additional primary school sports funding effectively to provide specialist coaches and training for staff and to increase pupils’ participation in sport, for example, through an after-school multi-sports club. This club is very popular and pupils attend very regularly.  The school provides good opportunities for pupils to develop their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well through different subjects, assemblies and performances.  A local authority representative provides appropriate light-touch support for the school. Additional checks have confirmed the accuracy of the results at the end of Year 2.  The governance of the school:  The governors bring a wide range of additional skills to school leadership and management.

p.5

The leadership and management are good

Reports to governors by the headteacher provide useful information about the progress and attainment of different groups, including those who are supported through the pupil premium, and how these compare to the national picture. Reports are discussed regularly at meetings and understood. Governors recognise that the recent results for pupils supported by pupil premium funding were not strong enough and this is currently a priority for improvement. Governors have undertaken training in order to extend their knowledge and expertise, for example in relation to safeguarding children and understanding data. They monitor the budget carefully and fulfil their statutory requirements. Governors know about the quality of teaching from the information they receive as well as making visits to lessons. They have approved the targets set for teachers and decisions about whether or not teachers should move up their

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 126206 Local authority Wiltshire Inspection number 439600

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 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 259 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Michael Osment Headteacher Suzanne Clarke Date of previous school inspection 24–25 June 2009 Telephone number 01722 327338 Fax number 01722 341004 Email address admin@harnham-inf.wilts.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