Inglewood Infant School

Inglewood Community Nursery and Infant School School Road, Harraby, Carlisle, Cumbria, CA31 3LX

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Good 2 Leadership and management Good 2 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 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

 The exceptionally caring school community is highly valued by pupils and their families.  From a young age, children develop a love of learning in the early years. They achieve well.  From their individual starting points, most pupils make good progress throughout their time at school.  They reach expected standards in reading, writing and mathematics and are well prepared for the next stage in their education.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together to provide a good level of support for pupils who have additional needs.  The behaviour of pupils is outstanding. Pupils are extremely courteous and polite. They are eager to learn in lessons and exceptionally well behaved around school and at playtimes.  The school works exceptionally well with families and external agencies to support pupils whose circumstances might put them at risk. As a result pupils say that they feel very safe.  The inspirational headteacher is effectively

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

supported by the deputy headteacher and they have the full confidence of staff and governors. All staff work well as a team and are passionate about ensuring pupils’ personal development as well as their academic achievement.  The curriculum provides an extensive range of stimulating experiences for pupils within and beyond school. Trips and visitors to the school bring learning to life.  School leaders, including governors, have maintained pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching since the previous inspection. The school is improving.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Teaching is not yet outstanding across the school.  Pupils often use incorrect grammar when speaking and this is reflected in their writing.  Pupils do not always correct work, after it has been marked, in order to learn from their mistakes.  Some pupils lack accuracy in assessing how well they are progressing.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed teaching in 12 lessons. In addition, the inspectors made a number of short visits to lessons and listened to pupils read.  Discussions were held with: school staff; groups of pupils; the headteacher; governors; parents; and a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors observed the school’s work and looked at a wide range of documentation, including safeguarding documents, the school’s procedures for gaining an accurate view of its own performance, its development plans, records of pupils’ standards and progress, documents relating to attendance and behaviour, and pupils’ work in their books.  There were 37 parental responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) which the inspectors took into account. Inspectors met with parents as they brought their pupils to school. Thirty-two responses to the inspection questionnaire for staff were also taken into account.

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Inspection team

Naomi Taylor, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 Inglewood is larger than the average-sized primary school.  The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium is slightly lower than that found nationally. (The pupil premium is additional government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after by the local authority.)  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs supported through school action is higher than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is lower than that found nationally.  Most pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils belonging to minority ethnic groups is lower than that found nationally but it is increasing.  There is an increasing proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.  The Nursery provision in early years is part-time.

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Information about this school

 Since the previous inspection, there have been several changes in staffing. The headteacher was seconded to work for the local authority and returned as headteacher in September, 2013. During this time the deputy headteacher was leading the school.  The headteacher is a local leader in education and supports other schools. She and other teachers are moderators who work with other schools to ensure the accuracy of assessment of pupils’ work.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve teaching to outstanding in order to raise pupils’ achievement further by: – encouraging pupils to use correct grammar when they are speaking in order to help them improve their grammar when they are writing – developing pupils’ accuracy in assessing how well they are progressing with their work – checking that pupils always correct and edit their work so that they can learn from their mistakes.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school is exceptionally well led by the headteacher.  Priorities are clearly stated in the school’s improvement plan, and self-evaluation is both realistic and rigorous. This is because school leaders effectively check on the quality of learning and teaching in the school and have a clear view of how they can continue to raise standards.  One staff member commented on how staff are ‘listened to, appreciated and professional development is given high priority’. Teachers are well supported to improve the quality of their teaching, particularly through staff appraisal and the training that they receive. Middle leaders are growing in confidence and developing their skills in checking on the quality of teaching and the progress of pupils in their areas of responsibility.  The progress that pupils make is carefully tracked against the targets set for them. Any differences in the progress of the different groups of pupils are effectively closed as they progress through the school. Pupils

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The leadership and management are good

with additional needs, including the most able and least able, are identified quickly and supported through intervention activities that are closely matched to their learning needs.  Since the previous inspection, the local authority has provided support in developing both the early years and the staff at all levels. Currently, low-level support is provided, reflecting the strength of the leadership teams.  Pupil premium funding is used to support those pupils for whom it is intended and spending has a positive impact on eligible pupils. This confirms the school’s commitment to making sure that all pupils have the same opportunities to succeed.  The curriculum meets well the needs of all pupils. It is made more exciting by many outdoor opportunities and a range of trips and visitors to school that provide pupils with memorable experiences.  The primary school sport funding is used to broaden sporting opportunities for pupils, while developing

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The leadership and management are good

the expertise of staff, using specialist coaches. This has, for example, led to increased opportunities in activities such as gymnastics, multi-skills and dance. As a result more pupils are taking part in a wider range of sporting activities to help them stay healthy and promote their well-being.  The promotion of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Pupils from overseas gain a good insight into British values through a range of topics. In one lesson, pupils were transported to a mosque through a 360 degree virtual tour, using new technology in the classroom. When a pupil asked where the stairs were leading to, they could explore and found that this was where the imam was based. Pupils in this lesson made exceptional progress in their knowledge of a different faith.  The governance of the school:  Governors are highly committed to and supportive of the school. They attend training so that they have

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The leadership and management are good

the knowledge and skills needed to hold school leaders to account for standards at the school. The governing body has an accurate view of pupils’ achievement and the quality of teaching because its members receive comprehensive reports from the headteacher which they question and challenge. Governors check that systems to manage staff performance are implemented and that teachers’ pay reflects how effective they are. Governors make sure that statutory requirements are met, that pupils and staff are kept very safe and that the budget is prudently spent.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is outstanding.  All the parents who spoke with the inspectors shared this view as did almost all who responded to Parent View. Records also show that this is the case.  There are many pupils whose parents and grandparents attended this school and a growing number of pupils who have come from overseas. They all get on well together and are happy to come to school. This is reflected in their good and improving attendance and punctuality.  Older pupils are trained as play leaders and encourage the younger ones to learn new games at breaks and lunchtimes. When they return to their lessons, they help each other to take off their wellingtons and coats, form orderly lines outside their classrooms and then settle quickly to their work, which they clearly enjoy. Children and pupils of all ages demonstrate very positive attitudes to learning.  One pupil was overheard telling her friend how much she enjoyed being a ‘Special Helper’ as they

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Behaviour

carefully took the class register to the designated collection point. They carried out their duty with pride.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  The exceptionally strong links with professional agencies beyond school contribute to supporting pupils and their families who may be vulnerable. Highly qualified and experienced school staff make great strides in developing pupils’ social and emotional resilience through sometimes traumatic experiences.  Pupils welcome the support from the nurture team who encourage pupils to share their feelings through ‘Star Time’ when they talk about, for example, what makes them happy or sad. Parents are invited to call into the nurture room on ‘Friendship Fridays’ to share any concerns they may have about their children. This means that staff can take swift action, when necessary, that helps pupils to feel safe and concentrate better on their work.  Pupils have a good understanding of different types of bullying and clearly know how to stay safe when

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Safety

using computers in school and at home. They say that bullying is very rare, and this is backed up by school records. Incident logs show that there are very few incidents of poor behaviour.  The school council has been proactive in undertaking a traffic survey in the local community and gathering the views of shop owners to help make the area a safer place for everyone.

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The quality of teaching is good

 Pupils make good progress because the teaching of reading, writing and mathematics is of good quality across the school. This is confirmed by observations made in lessons, work in pupils’ books and the school’s records of pupils’ progress.  Changes have been made across the school to the teaching of phonics (the links between letters and sounds) and this has led to year-on-year improvements in the Year 1 screening checks. Pupils develop a love of books from an early age. For example, once a week, parents and grandparents are invited to read with their children in class, and the vast majority of parents welcome this opportunity. This demonstrates the value that the school puts on family learning.  In Reception, children excitedly recalled the story of ‘The Bear Hunt’ to help them in creating their own ‘Spooky Story’. With their talk partners, well supported by adults, they enthusiastically discussed

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The quality of teaching is good

characters they might find in the castle and described what they might look like. They made good progress in developing their speaking and listening skills while extending their bank of vocabulary.  Throughout the school, teachers and teaching assistants have developed skilled questioning techniques to help pupils explain things and build on their knowledge. For example, in early years, one child was using role-play in the house area. As he was ironing, he was asked, ‘Will the iron be hot or cold?’ With his response of ‘hot’ the adult then asked him to explain what steps he would need to take to keep safe. As a result the child made good progress in expressing his understanding of keeping safe in the home.  Despite this good level of questioning, occasionally, adults do not correct pupils’ grammar when they are speaking and this is reflected in grammatical errors in pupils’ writing.  Since the previous inspection, leaders have firmly embedded a whole-school approach to teaching

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The quality of teaching is good

mathematics. In a Year 1 class, the range of activities ensured that all ability ranges were challenged and pupils were working well, either in groups with an adult or independently, adding one digit, and for some, two digit numbers together. Teachers in most classes encourage pupils to check how well they are progressing with their work but they have yet to provide them with the skills to do so with accuracy.  The books of the most able pupils, who work with a specialist to develop their writing skills, demonstrated rapid progress from their starting point in Key Stage 1. Visits to Carlisle Cathedral and Castle, together with an author recently visiting the school, have brought learning to life for these and other pupils in school and helped to develop a purpose for writing.  Teachers and teaching assistants work well together as a team to provide a good level of support for all pupils including disadvantaged pupils, the most able, disabled pupils, those who speak English as an

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The quality of teaching is good

additional language and those with special educational needs.  Teachers regularly mark pupils’ work. However, they do not yet insist that pupils consistently respond to the marking in order to correct and revise their work and to help them learn from their mistakes.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Following a good start in early years, pupils continue to make good progress throughout Key Stage 1.  The proportion of Year 1 pupils reaching the required standard in phonics has increased again this year and is now in-line with national levels. What is more, pupils who spoke to inspectors were positive about reading and felt that they had plenty of opportunities to read to adults in school.  Standards reached by the end of Year 2 are usually in line with age-related expectations in reading, writing and mathematics. Given their starting points, this represents good, and for some boys in particular, better, progress. In 2014, there was a dip in the standards reached in reading, writing and mathematics at the higher levels but this, in part, was as a result of robust moderation. Current Year 2 work shows an improving picture.  Pupils who speak English as an additional language make the same good progress as their classmates.

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The achievement of pupils is good

Having bi-lingual staff helps these pupils to settle quickly into school life and strengthens communications with families.  Disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs make good progress. This is because their different needs are quickly identified. Good levels of support from teachers, teaching assistants and external agencies helps each of them to make good progress in reaching their challenging targets.  Pupil premium funding is effectively directed towards supporting disadvantaged pupils so that gaps between the standards they reach and that of other pupils in school are closing rapidly. In Year 2 in 2014, disadvantaged pupils attained standards in reading, writing and mathematics very similar to non- disadvantaged pupils both in the school and nationally. It is evident that gaps narrow as pupils move through the school.  Like their classmates, the most able pupils make good progress. They are challenged to aim high. For

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The achievement of pupils is good

example, because of the current intervention work for writing with a specialist teacher, these pupils are tackling work at the highest Year 2 level.

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The early years provision is good

 Staff visit parents and children in their own home before they start in school so that they can all get to know each other. This, together with visits to school, helps children settle well into school routines when they start Nursery.  Parents are able to speak with staff at the start and end of each day so that everyone can share any relevant information. Staff provide advice to parents on how to continue to teach their children at home and this supports children’s learning and helps them to achieve well.  Children are effectively taught by a dedicated staff team which is well led by the early years manager. The staff understand the importance of developing children’s communication skills.  The learning journeys, which are records of a child’s achievements during the early years, are highly informative for parents and staff. Parents are encouraged to contribute to them by sharing the milestones

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The early years provision is good

that children achieve at home. Learning journeys build a good picture of each individual child and are used well by teachers to help them to plan activities that support children to make progress. What is more, they help parents, staff and children to identify clearly the progress that each child is making.  The early years environment is generally well resourced both indoors and outside. The outdoor area for the Reception children covers all the seven areas of learning well and really helps to develop children’s physical skills. There are also plenty of opportunities provided for children to investigate and explore.  The early years provides good quality care. Children know how to keep themselves safe. For example, children who were cycling observed the rule to stay on the cycle path so that they did not cause a hazard to those on foot. Pupils demonstrate exceptionally good levels of self-control and respect for others when

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The early years provision is good

working cooperatively together.  The skills of most children when they start early years are below those that are typical for their age, particularly in their communication and language. Those with speech and language difficulties are mostly boys. Boys generally start school at a lower level of development than girls, especially in communication and language. Many children access support from the nurture team to develop their social and emotional skills. Given their starting points, children make good progress in early years. The proportion reaching a good level of development is generally lower than the national figure but improving. In 2014, almost two- thirds of children reached the expected level in mathematics and over half did so in writing. Children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning.

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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 112217 Local authority Cumbria Inspection number 448427

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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 Primary School category Community Age range of pupils 3–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 300 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair George Seward Headteacher Amanda Evans Date of previous school inspection 9 November 2009 Telephone number 01228 558774 Fax number N/A Email address admin@inglewood-inf.cumbria.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 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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