Tavistock Infant School

School report Tavistock Infant School Broadacres, Calthorpe Park, Fleet, Hampshire, GU51 4EB

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Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Outstanding 1 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

 Leadership and management are good. In recent years, the headteacher and senior leaders, including governors, have successfully supported new staff to secure good teaching across the school.  The above average standards that pupils attain by the end of Year 2 reflect their good progress and achievement.  Teaching is typically good across the school. Some is outstanding, particularly the way teaching helps pupils to excel in reading and numeracy.  The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils welcome the many opportunities for them to share their ideas with each other and apply themselves eagerly to practical work.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Parents and their children warmly praise the high level of care provided by all staff at the school.  Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage enjoy learning. Effective provision enables children to make good progress. This progress is even better

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

when children learn outdoors.. Attendance is above average and has improved since the previous inspection due to the very supportive partnership between the school and parents.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Occasionally, pupils are not always moved on to harder work quickly enough when they find tasks too easy.  Teachers do not always encourage the pupils to follow carefully the advice given in feedback and marking.  At times, when some teachers talk to the whole class they do not stimulate pupils’ interest and develop their listening skills sufficiently.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors looked at learning in 20 lessons and observed eight teachers. The lead inspector was accompanied by the headteacher for most of his observations. Teaching assistants were observed working with individual pupils and small groups. The inspectors talked to pupils about their work and heard individual children from Reception and Years 1 and 2 read.  A wide range of documents was scrutinised, including systems for checking progress, records relating to behaviour and attendance, safeguarding procedures and the school’s analysis of how well it is doing and how it plans to improve. Records of checks on the quality of teaching were examined, along with records of visits to the school made by the local authority.  The inspectors looked at samples of pupils’ work across a range of subjects and classes, especially writing.  Meetings were held with members of the governing body, school staff and groups of pupils, including

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Information about this inspection

members of the school council. Individual pupils were spoken to in lessons and around the school. The school adviser from the local authority also attended a meeting with inspectors at the school.  The inspectors observed two assemblies.  The inspectors took account of the views expressed in the 99 online responses to the Parent View questionnaire and informal meetings with parents at the school during the inspection. The inspectors also received one letter from a parent. Questionnaires from eight members of staff were also analysed.  The inspectors considered the school’s use of the primary sport funding.  The inspectors also examined the school’s work in updating procedures for checking pupils’ progress within the new National Curriculum.

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Inspection team

Alex Baxter, Lead inspector Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 This is an average-sized Infant school.  Most pupils attending the school are of White British heritage.  The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs is very low in relation to the national average.  The proportion of pupils in the school who are supported by the pupil premium is very low in relation to the national average. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to disadvantaged pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or who are looked after.  Children in the early years attend school on a full-time basis in Reception classes.  The school has experienced significant changes in leadership and teaching staff and in membership of the governing body since the previous inspection, especially over the past two years.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the overall quality of teaching and pupils’ learning to outstanding by:  moving pupils on to harder work when it is clear they are ready for it  encouraging pupils to respond more fully to teachers’ marking and checking that they can follow the advice given  more consistently developing the pupils’ listening skills .

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The leadership and management are good

 The passionate and focused headteacher sets high expectations and has secured a supportive atmosphere in the school in which good teaching, achievement and behaviour can thrive.  Leaders have worked successfully during a significant period of change to settle new teachers and secure good teaching across the school. Leaders are, nevertheless, aware that they have not yet established outstanding teaching and learning across the school.  The headteacher promotes strong teamwork between staff and with governors. Together, they share and implement a determined drive for improvement, which continues to move the school forward.  Leaders and managers ensure that safeguarding procedures fully meet statutory requirements and are implemented extremely effectively to keep pupils very safe.  Leaders and all staff work very supportively with parents. The vast majority of parents are happy with the school. Parents who spoke to inspectors expressed great appreciation of the way staff keep them fully

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The leadership and management are good

informed about their children’s progress and welfare. All the parents who responded in the questionnaire agreed that pupils are kept safe and happy. All these parents also recommended the school to other parents..  Leaders check the performance of the school effectively. Senior leaders work supportively with governors and keep them well informed about the work of the school. Together, they identify the right areas for improvement within a comprehensive school improvement plan.  Leaders rigorously check the quality of teaching and the performance of teachers. Teachers’ progression through pay scales is effectively linked to improving teaching and raising pupils’ achievement. Leaders also provide good training for staff; for example, in recent terms this has improved the teaching of phonics (the sounds that letters make).  Middle leaders have received good training and are clear about their responsibilities. They provide good

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The leadership and management are good

leadership working alongside their senior colleagues. For example, they play an effective role in developing outdoor early years provision and strengthening support for disabled pupils and those with special educational needs.  Leaders ensure that all pupils are treated equally and kept free from discrimination. This is seen in the way the headteacher and governors make sure that additional funding, such as the pupil premium, is used effectively to help disadvantaged pupils achieve as well as their peers.  The school uses the primary sport funding well to improve pupils’ skills and fitness through a wide range of sporting activities. The school employs specialist coaches to train staff and improve teaching, and to encourage greater participation by the pupils. For example, there has been a 100% increase in girls taking part in lunchtime multi-skills activities and an increase of 25% in the number of pupils now attending

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The leadership and management are good

sports clubs at the school.  The school provides a suitably broad and well-balanced curriculum. Teachers ensure that activities stimulate pupils’ interest and place an effective focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills and promoting their good achievement.  The school website provides comprehensive information to parents about the curriculum and themes, such as the current ‘Space Topic’, which link subjects together. Parents appreciate this information because it helps them to support their children’s learning at home.  Assembly themes such as ‘helping others’ and regular ‘sing-a-long’ assemblies for parents promote the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Visits to the local community and ‘Bounce Back’ activities, when pupils reflect about how to relate to other people, also help to prepare them for life in modern Britain. Values such as respect and tolerance of different faiths and cultures are promoted well

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The leadership and management are good

across the school.  The local authority supports the school effectively in bringing improvement, through specialist support for new teachers and training opportunities for staff and governors.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  Governors fulfil their duties effectively. They have welcomed new members and have strengthened their roles and procedures in recent years. Governors have completed an audit of their skills and keep them up to date through regular training, for example in safeguarding pupils. As a result, governors meet their statutory obligations successfully. They have a secure grasp of the quality of teaching and receive detailed reports about its impact on pupils’ learning from senior leaders. Governors thoroughly examine information about pupils’ progress to ensure that staff are taking steps to prevent underachievement.  Governors visit the school regularly to see the work of the school and to talk to staff, pupils and their parents, for themselves. Consequently, they know where teaching and pupils’ learning are strong and where improvements are needed. Governors hold the headteacher to account in ensuring that teachers’

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The leadership and management are good

performance is managed effectively. They check that teachers’ movement along pay scales is linked to improving the quality of teaching, addresses any underperformance and raises pupils’ achievements.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good.  Pupils work very well together and show respect for each other and all adults. They engage well in their learning, especially when sharing and discussing ideas and learning with each other. They enjoy explaining their ideas and know that everyone in their class, adults and pupils alike, will value what they have to say.  Pupils’ work is neatly presented. This reflects their positive attitudes to learning, which contribute strongly to their good progress.  At times, pupils are extremely enthusiastic learners, especially when challenging lessons inspire them. Behaviour is not outstanding though as, occasionally, when teachers are talking to the whole class, some pupils get too excited and do not listen carefully enough.  Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, for example as members of the school council who try to help other pupils act responsibly at break times.

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Behaviour

 Attendance has improved over the past year and is now above average. The headteacher has worked hard to promote the importance of good attendance. Parents are highly supportive of the school and work very cooperatively with staff to ensure that pupils attend regularly and punctually. The pupils’ love of school and the very friendly relationships pupils enjoy with adults and with each other also underpin their good attendance.

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Safety

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding.  The school’s procedures for safeguarding pupils fully meet the statutory requirements and are implemented very diligently and effectively by all staff.  Pupils know what bullying is. They know about physical and verbal bullying, for example, and say that there is no bullying. Pupils know how to stay safe and have confidence in talking to adults if they have any worries ‘because they are very caring’.  Pupils appreciate the class discussions, known as Circle Time, which take place at the beginning of each afternoon when they can tell their teachers about any concerns. Pupils also say that if anyone is naughty, adults would quickly sort it out.  Inappropriate behaviour is rare and the school takes swift and highly effective action on the very few occasions it occurs. Staff work very supportively with families whose circumstances might make them

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Safety

vulnerable. One parent reflected the views of others when commenting, ‘The school has provided amazing support for our son.’  The unanimous appreciation expressed by parents in their questionnaire responses also reflects the excellent care shown to their children by all staff at the school.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good, and improving; this is quickening pupils’ progress.  Teachers are updating the way they check pupils’ progress so that their achievement matches the raised expectations within the new National Curriculum. Pupils learn well because teachers make good use of the information they gather about pupils’ developing skills to plan and organise their lessons effectively.  Teachers make good use of teaching assistants to ensure that disabled pupils and those with special educational needs have effective support. Teaching assistants also provide good quality support for disadvantaged pupils.  Most of the time, pupils are challenged well, but occasionally some pupils, including the most able, are not moved on to harder work quickly enough, when it is clear that they have the ability to do so, and this constrains progress.  Pupils enjoy expressing their ideas. Teachers and teaching assistants question pupils well to draw out

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The quality of teaching is good

these ideas and extend their understanding. For example, pupils in Year 2 demonstrated their understanding of alliteration by confidently answering the teachers’ questions and then applied this well when writing their ‘Revolting Recipes’.  Pupils also learn well through sharing their views and explaining their ideas with each other. Pupils listen carefully to each other and this helps to extend their speaking skills.  Overall, teachers manage pupils’ behaviour well. At times though, when staff talk to the whole class, they do not stimulate pupils’ interest and secure their full attention well enough. Consequently, there are occasions in lessons when the learning and listening skills of a few pupils are limited.  Pupils particularly enjoy working practically and problem solving contributes well to pupils’ good learning and progress in mathematics. For example, pupils in Year 1 became engrossed looking at photographs

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The quality of teaching is good

and showed good levels of understanding when making their own three-dimensional shapes.  Teachers provide regular and detailed guidance to pupils, both orally and when they mark pupils’ work. For example, teachers clearly indicate to pupils what has been done well and what needs to be improved and this aids progress. Pupils are not always required to respond specifically enough to show their understanding and some do not follow carefully the advice given by their teachers. This is now being addressed by some teachers, but has not been implemented long enough to secure even quicker progress.  Teachers, especially in Reception and Year 1 classes, have strengthened the focus on developing pupils’ phonic and reading skills. They also link this work effectively with the development of pupils’ basic handwriting and spelling skills. This has ensured that pupils now have the skills to make good use of their

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The quality of teaching is good

well-developed spoken vocabulary to record their ideas and to have confidence and enjoy story writing.  Teachers promote very productive links with parents and strongly support work at home, especially with reading and enjoying books, and this significantly aids pupils’ learning.

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The achievement of pupils

 Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics as they move through the school. Over time, checks of pupils’ skills show that many pupils make rapid progress in reading during their time in Year 2.  As a result, attainment by the end of Year 2 continues to be well above average in reading and above average in writing and mathematics. These levels of attainment represent good achievement by the pupils in relation to their starting levels of skill on entry to the school.  Pupils develop very good speaking skills. Sharing and explaining their ideas contributes strongly to their learning.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make good progress and achieve well due to the well-planned and effective adult support they receive. Pupils now have their needs identified and tackled at an earlier stage than in previous years. As a result, they are making quicker progress, especially in

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The achievement of pupils

reading in Year 1, compared to previous years.  Disadvantaged pupils supported by the pupil premium funding have their confidence boosted by being fully included in all that the school has to offer, and are making better progress than in previous years. They achieve well because good quality additional adult support addresses their personal as well as their academic needs. The attainment of disadvantaged pupils currently in Year 2 is on course to match that of other pupils nationally and represents good progress from their starting points.  The most able pupils make good progress. Increasingly, these pupils are making even better progress, especially when teachers set high expectations and require pupils to think for themselves at a higher level. For example, during a mathematics lesson in Year 2, the most able pupils relished and rose to the challenge of rounding three digit numbers to the nearest hundred. However, at times, the most able

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The achievement of pupils

pupils’ learning slows because these pupils are not moved on to harder work quickly enough.  Pupils develop very good reading skills by the time they leave the school. Pupils’ progress is quickening across the whole school now in response to increasingly better teaching of phonics. Pupils benefit from plentiful opportunities to read for pleasure and to learn both at school and at home. Consequently, they enjoy books and talk knowledgeably about favourite stories and characters, as in Year 2 where pupils love reading their own ‘Space Stories’ together.

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The early years provision is good

 The leadership and management of early years provision are good. The school has significantly improved the facilities to support children’s learning, especially outdoors, since the previous inspection.  Staff are diligent in making sure that safeguarding procedures are fully implemented to keep children very safe.  Most children start in school in the Reception classes with knowledge and skills that at least match, and are often better than, those typical for their age. Occasionally, the personal and social skills of some children are less developed.  All children, including disabled children, those with special educational needs and the most able, make good progress in the three Reception classes. Children achieve well across all areas of learning and often excel in their language and mathematical development.  Children behave well and share excellent relationships and these help them to enjoy their learning. By the

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The early years provision is good

time they complete their year in Reception, an above average proportion of children reach a good level of development. This shows that children are well prepared for the next stage of their learning as they enter Year 1.  Teaching in the early years is good. All staff work closely to make sure that learning is interesting and motivating. This is especially the case when children from the three Reception classes mix and learn happily together when choosing learning activities for themselves.  The children’s good achievement reflects the stimulus to children’s learning, which flows from the increasingly successful use of the new outdoor learning area. For example, children had fun and extended their speaking, social and creative skills as they set up shop in the play house and talked excitedly about their ‘ice-art’ prints.  Children are encouraged to write about their choices and to note down their ideas about their practical

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The early years provision is good

activities. For example, children talked and wrote notes about how much they enjoyed riding large wheeled toys and this is highly beneficial in developing their early writing skills.  The excellent quality of the communication and mutual support between staff and parents ensures that children’s needs are well known and addressed to secure their good learning. For example, school checks of the children’s learning are shared at first hand, and through the latest computer technology, to ensure a swift response to any needs should they arise.

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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 116044 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 453165

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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 4–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 256 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Caroline Copley Headteacher Joanne O'Connor Date of previous school inspection 1–2 July 2009 Telephone number 01252 616778 Fax number 01252 614345 Email address j.cox@tavistock.hants.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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