Furze Platt Infant School

Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Children have a successful start to school. They enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities similar to those expected nationally. As a result of the good support they receive and the stimulating learning environment they make good progress which continues throughout Years 1 and 2.  High proportions of pupils make more-than- expected progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Teaching is typically good. Both teachers and teaching assistants have high expectations for pupils’ learning and behaviour. Pupils say that the teachers make learning fun.  Pupils have good attitudes to learning and usually behave well around the school.  Pupils are proud of their school and say that they feel safe. Parents also consider that the school cares well for their children.  Leaders, including the headteacher, provide clear direction for the school, resulting in above-average standards. The governing body has a good

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They support and challenge the school effectively.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Middle leaders are not yet fully accountable for the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  There is a small gap between the attainment of disadvantaged boys in writing when compared to that of other pupils in the school.  Pupils do not have enough chances to respond to teachers’ feedback on their work.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 12 lessons and part lessons, four of which were observed jointly with senior leaders. In addition, inspectors heard pupils reading in Year 1 and 2.  Books in every year group were examined, including e-learning journals in the Early Years Foundation Stage.  Meetings were held with a group of pupils. There was a discussion with the vice chair and other members of the governing body and school staff. Representatives from the local authority were interviewed.  Inspectors took account of 12 responses to the online questionnaire Parent View, as well as 99 paper responses. The most recent governor survey of parental views was also considered.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and analysed a large range of documents and policies, including the school’s own data on pupils’ current progress and its planning and monitoring documents. Records relating to behaviour, attendance, risk analysis and safeguarding were also

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Information about this inspection

examined.  The views of staff were analysed through the 13 responses to the staff questionnaire .

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Inspection team

Liz Bowes, Lead inspector Additional inspector

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Information about this school

 Furze Platt Infant School is an average-sized school.  The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for support through pupil premium is lower than the national average. Pupil premium is additional funding provided by the government for disadvantaged pupils.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs on the school roll is below average.  The large majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Develop the role of middle leaders to ensure that they are more accountable for the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  Ensure that the small gap between the attainment of disadvantaged boys in writing and others in the school closes rapidly by providing more chances to write about real-life experiences.  Develop the effectiveness of feedback from teachers to pupils to ensure that pupils have the opportunity to respond to teachers’ comments.

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The leadership and management are good

 The headteacher provides clear educational direction for the school. The impact of this is that standards have been above average for the last three years. She has developed an effective staffing structure where there are opportunities for less experienced staff to learn from others.  The leadership team regularly monitors the progress of pupils. It also makes regular checks on the quality of teaching and provides constructive feedback to teachers. Leaders give teachers ample opportunities for training. They make sure that the progress of pupils is carefully linked to the salary progression of teachers.  Many of the middle leaders of the school are new to their roles. They have not yet gained sufficient experience to enable them to be fully accountable for the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  The subjects taught in the school are varied and interesting and are well planned to develop pupils’ skills

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The leadership and management are good

and knowledge. Staff work hard to ensure that pupils’ learning is deepened through an interesting range of trips and visitors into school. British values and democracy are included in the curriculum and pupils’ cultural awareness is developed through topics such as that on the Commonwealth. All classes in Year 1 and 2 selected a country from the British Commonwealth which they researched. They then took part in a production displaying the diversity of the Commonwealth thRough dance, music and poetry.  All pupils, including those from minority ethnic groups and those in receipt of additional funding, have equal access to the subjects taught and staff strive to ensure that all groups of pupils do as well as they can. Discrimination is not tolerated.  The school has a good capacity to improve further because it is very aware of its strengths and areas for development and leaders act decisively to bring about improvement. For instance, senior leaders are

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The leadership and management are good

aware of the inexperience of some middle leaders and have well-developed plans to increase their expertise. The local authority provides light-touch support.  Relationships with parents are positive and the school works hard to involve them in their children’s learning. Parents who responded to the questionnaire Parent View believe that the school is well led and managed. The school’s own parent survey supports this positive view and parents say how welcoming they find the staff.  The governance of the school:  The experienced and effective governing body is keen to ensure that the school continues to improve. Governors have a good understanding of the school’s work and they robustly hold the school to account.  Governors are fully aware of the school’s achievement data and are able to clearly analyse how well the school is doing when compared to other schools nationally. Governors know about the quality of

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The leadership and management are good

teaching and decide whether staff should be awarded with pay increases based on the progress of pupils within each class.  Financial management of the school is robust and additional funding has been generally well used to improve the provision for sports and enhance the learning for disadvantaged pupils.  Governors ensure that current statutory procedures are met, including safeguarding.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

 The behaviour of pupils is good. The pupils have positive attitudes to learning new things.  The school’s records of behaviour and racist incidents show that behaviour is typically good over time. There have been no exclusions in recent years.  There is a very positive and happy atmosphere in the school, reflecting pupils’ good opportunities for social and moral development. In lessons pupils usually listen carefully to the teachers’ comments and are ready to follow instructions. Around the school, pupils are usually polite and courteous. Leaders and staff work well together to ensure that behaviour remains good. However, behaviour is not outstanding because at times pupils can become boisterous, including at lunchtimes. Pupils informed inspectors that they felt that there are sometimes ‘a few pupils who get overexcited’.  The vast majority of parents who responded to Parent View, as well as those who completed the

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

governors’ survey, reported that behaviour was good and that their children felt safe and happy in the school.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is good. Pupils have a good understanding of the risks that they may face. They say that they feel safe in the school because teachers are always there to care for them. Pupils understand about the different forms of bullying and say that bullying is rare, but should it happen they know who to go to for help. Pupils have a good moral awareness and know that it is wrong to hurt people’s feelings by name calling. Pupils’ understanding of keeping safe on the internet is very strong.  Social development is well supported by the school. For example, in the celebration assembly, pupils were rewarded with the headteacher’s award for both academic achievement and social awareness, such as being a good friend.  Families are very supportive of the school and, as a result, the rates of attendance are improving year by

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are good

year and are now higher than the national average. Punctuality is also good for the majority of pupils.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Teaching is typically good and teachers have good relationships with pupils.  Teachers regularly check on pupils’ progress both within lessons and by looking at work in books. They have high expectations of their pupils’ achievements. In most cases teachers challenge pupils of different ability levels with work that meets their needs. This enables most pupils to make more-than-expected progress. Those who are more able are set demanding activities and, as a result, they do well. As one more able pupil said, ‘I know that I can do the work because my teacher tells me I can do it, but at first it can seem quite difficult. I am really happy when I get it.’  Pupils do not always have the chance to respond to teachers’ feedback to say how easy or hard they found a piece of work.  Pupils acquire knowledge rapidly because they say that teachers always try to make the subjects interesting. Teachers make sure that pupils have lots of visitors. The visits by a dinosaur expert and a

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The quality of teaching is good

circus professional were fascinating to pupils.  Learning support assistants make a good contribution to the learning of pupils who have a disability or special educational need. They work closely with teachers to ensure that they provide targeted support both in and out of the classroom. Parents were very complimentary about how well both teachers and assistants supported their children’s development.  Wall displays around the school are well used to demonstrate what pupils have been investigating. Their paintings after the style of the painter Van Gogh showed that they had carefully considered how he created his paintings. Such opportunities enhance pupils’ cultural development. Classroom displays on mathematics and writing help remind pupils of important facts. As one pupil said, ‘I find it very useful to look at the wall display to understand tricky division and multiplication problems.’

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is good

 Pupils achieve well at this school. From average starting points they leave with above-average standards in reading, writing and mathematics. This prepares them well for the next stage in their education. By the end of Year 2, pupils are confident and articulate learners. The trend is of continually rising standards. This is because of strong leadership and teachers having high expectations of what pupils can achieve.  Those who are more able often achieve significantly better than the national average. The proportions gaining the top grades exceeded the national average in the last three years in both English and mathematics.  Pupils read from a wide range of texts and are encouraged to draw on a range of strategies to help them if they are stuck. They have a good understanding of phonics (sounds that letters make) and read with confidence, expression and fluency. In the Year 1 phonics reading check, pupils consistently perform

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is good

above the national average.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress from their starting points because they receive good support that is well targeted to their needs.  Most gaps are closing between disadvantaged pupils, who are eligible for additional funding, and others. In 2014, disadvantaged pupils in this school achieved similarly to other pupils nationally in mathematics and they were approximately a term behind in reading and writing. When compared with their peers in the school, disadvantaged pupils were about two terms behind in reading and mathematics. The gap was slightly wider for writing. Disadvantaged pupils, particularly boys, do not achieve as well as their peers in writing as they do not have enough chances to write about real-life experiences that mean something to them.  Additional funding for sports is used to increase pupils’ participation in physical activities and give them

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is good

greater chances to take part in competitive sports.

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is good

 Most pupils enter the Early Years Foundation Stage with skills and abilities that are overall in line with national expectations. A few children have skill levels below those expected for their age, particularly in communication and language.  Children settle well into school life because of the warm and positive relationships established with adults. This enables good social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.  Teachers make effective use of information from detailed learning observations to provide clear next steps for each child’s development and so ensure good progress.  Children make good progress because of the large number of interesting activities available to them, both indoors and outdoors. For example, the outdoor wooded area gives children experience of den building. Children really enjoyed watching the development of chicks and were able to follow from home as there was a live webcam. Activities such as these help technology skills as well as language and number

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is good

development.  The school prepares children well for a seamless move into Year 1 as there is a gradual change in routines to prepare them for the change.  Leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage has been effective. Standards have improved considerably from 2013 when results were more in line with the national average. In 2014 a larger proportion than the national average reached a good level of development.  Parents say that they like the way that they are included in their child’s education. For example, they like the ‘Stay and Play’ activities.

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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 failing

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Grade Judgement Description

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 109846 Local authority Windsor and Maidenhead Inspection number 448387

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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 Infant School category Community Age range of pupils −7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 268 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Hay Headteacher Marjorie Clementson Date of previous school inspection 10 February 2010 Telephone number 01628 624385 Fax number 01628 784566 Email address office@fpis.org 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 and 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

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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School details

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

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