King's Furlong Infant School and Nursery

King’s Furlong Infant School and Nursery Upper Chestnut Drive, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 8YJ

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Overall effectiveness Good

Effectiveness of leadership and management Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

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Overall effectiveness Good

Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Good

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This is a good school

 The headteacher and senior leaders ensure that, from the start of their time at the school, pupils make good progress and leave ready to succeed in Key Stage 2.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability thrive in the school. Carefully planned support, led by skilled adults, ensures their swift progress.  Leaders provide staff with high-quality support which successfully improves teaching and develops effective leadership skills.  Teachers help pupils to improve their work by showing them what they need to do next. As a result, pupils’ skills, knowledge and understanding improve at a good rate.  Pupils enjoy using their basic skills across the curriculum. Themes stem from their interests, inspiring a genuine love of learning.  Considerate behaviour is supported strongly by the school’s core values. These are carefully modelled by all adults, who reinforce these at every opportunity.  Parents value the work of the school. Regular

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This is a good school

communication helps them to know how they can support their children to make the most of all of the opportunities that the school provides.  The provision in early years is good. Children develop their early reading, writing and number skills well through a rich and engaging curriculum. This enables them to make a successful start to Key Stage 1.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Some pupils miss school more regularly than they should.  Some teachers in Key Stage 1 do not fully capitalise on the good start pupils make in early years.  Boys are not as well prepared for Key Stage 1 as girls in the school.  Some disadvantaged pupils do not have secure skills in phonics (the sounds that letters make).

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Strengthen further work with parents to reduce the number of pupils who miss school regularly.  Develop leaders’ use of performance information to inform improvements to teaching so that:  gaps between boys’ and girls’ achievement close in early years – all teachers capitalise on the good start made in early years, set consistently high expectations and reshape activities appropriately to help pupils make rapid progress – a higher proportion of disadvantaged pupils secure the expected standard in phonics.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

 The headteacher has driven improvements decisively in key areas of the school’s work. She has developed a strong leadership team who act swiftly to remedy any areas of weakness. Underperformance is challenged to ensure no pupil is disadvantaged by poor-quality teaching, and current rates of progress are good.  All adults in the school community champion children and nurture their talents and interests. Consequently, children are happy, enjoy learning and succeed. Leaders make sure that everyone in the school feels valued and included and this leads to pupils showing great care and consideration of others in their work and play. Pupils develop a strong sense of moral courage through the curriculum, which prepares them well for life in future adult society.  Leaders’ actions make a difference. Changes to the delivery of phonics, mathematics and writing have improved the current achievement of pupils across the school. Leaders have strengthened teaching,

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

leadership and training to ensure that all current pupils are well placed to make consistently good gains from their starting points.  Parents rightly highlight the strength of the school’s work to support pupils who have special educational needs or disability. Skilled adults plan and deliver high-quality support which meets the needs of these pupils very well.  Curriculum design capitalises on pupils’ interests and helps them to develop their skills across a number of subjects. Pupils show a good sense of historical enquiry, for example, and use their reading and writing skills to research and respond to questions about the past. In a recent topic on the Titanic, pupils wrote letters and diary entries as passengers, showing empathy for the people and the event. Their art work captured the time and place well through their use of different materials such as pastels, chalk and charcoal.  The number of pupils engaging in sporting activities has increased because there are widened

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

opportunities for pupils to try activities such as judo and dance after school. The sports premium has been effectively targeted to improve the quality of physical education (PE) within the school. Gymnastics and dance teaching have been strengthened to ensure that pupils make good progress in their development of skills in these areas.  Pupil premium funding impacts strongly on closing gaps in the achievement of disadvantaged pupils in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 2. However, attainment for these pupils in phonics last year was much lower than in any previous year, because teaching was inconsistent. Leaders have strengthened teaching appropriately and ensured that pupils who are currently in Year 1 are well placed to meet the expected standard at the end of the year.  Parents who spoke with inspectors felt that they receive helpful information about the progress their children are making. Pupils showed great enjoyment of parents’ contributions to the weekly celebration

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

assembly where pupils receive awards and certificates for both their social and academic achievements.  The local authority know the school well and have provided appropriate additional support at the school’s request during a period of turbulence in staffing. Additional training to help leaders make swift improvements to the teaching of phonics has been effective.  The governance of the school – Governors have ensured performance management arrangements reward good teaching and swiftly tackle underperformance. They check leaders’ actions are effective through regular meetings and scrutiny of the school’s performance information. They ask important and challenging questions of leaders when this shows any possible decline in standards. They build a helpful picture of the school’s provision through the regular visits they make. – Governors ensure that additional funding is targeted well to best meet the needs of the pupils for whom

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

it is meant. Their careful, evaluative reporting ensures parents know exactly how this extra resource is spent and the difference it makes.  The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders ensure that staff are alert to signs of risk and act quickly to raise any emerging concerns. These are followed through promptly with appropriate external partners and records detail clearly how these partners will work together to support vulnerable families.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

 The vast majority of teaching in the school is consistently good and all teaching is improving strongly. Additional adults provide effective support and promote independence of learners. Current work shows increasing proportions of pupils in all year groups across the school are making good progress.  Progress in pupils’ work is strongest in those classes where teachers use carefully framed explanations to ensure pupils’ understanding deepens and strengthens. Questioning is well supported by strong subject knowledge. This enables teachers to check pupils’ misconceptions promptly. There is a regular dialogue between pupils and teachers about any improvements needed and, as a result, pupils’ work is more accurate.  Teachers ensure that reading is given high priority. A welcoming, well-stocked library is used regularly by pupils. Each class has a bright and attractive reading area that promotes regular engagement with books.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Pupils have the opportunity to be part of the ‘Extreme Reading’ club, where pupils read a shared text and review it together. More-able pupils particularly benefit from this approach and their participation is high.  Phonics teaching has strengthened this year, in response to disappointing outcomes for disadvantaged pupils in 2015. Sessions reinforce sounds systematically, moving promptly from hearing and saying sounds into reading and writing. Teachers ensure they help pupils to develop improved discrimination of sounds and consider how they are written in individual words.  Recent changes to the teaching of writing have ensured that pupils have a clearer sense of what they need to do to write effective and accurate sentences. Pupils in Year 1 were able to check their sentences to ensure they were correctly punctuated and contained an improving range of words to join their ideas together. There are also helpful opportunities for pupils to rehearse what they are going to write and to

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

develop a wider selection of relevant and interesting vocabulary prior to their independent writing. In some classes, however, teachers are not taking forward the skills pupils acquired in early years or focusing activities on addressing gaps in learning quickly enough. Where this happens, pupils’ progress slows and those that are at risk of falling behind do not catch up quickly enough.  In mathematics, teaching provides opportunities for pupils to explain their thinking and try a range of approaches to solving problems. Assessment is being used well to capture what pupils know and can do and this is shaping teachers’ planning appropriately. Some teachers are also able to use ongoing observations and questioning of pupils to check understanding during lessons so that any errors can be swiftly corrected.  Pupils who have special educational needs or disability receive well-targeted support. Expectations are

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

rightly high for these pupils and resources are expertly matched to their needs.

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Personal development and welfare

 The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good. Parents agree, and say that King’s Furlong is a happy and positive place for their children.  Pupils say they feel safe and they know how to keep safe in a variety of situations, including when learning or playing online. The school council showed great maturity in tackling the issue of parents parking on yellow lines outside the school.  The school community works and plays together very well because shared values permeate through a number of aspects of school life. Pupils understand how they show courage in their learning and consideration of others in the choices they make. As a result, pupils feel included and able to be themselves.  Attendance is improving as a result of leaders’ persistence and determination to give all pupils the very best chances to access their education by reducing lateness. However, some groups of pupils, including

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Personal development and welfare

those in receipt of free school meals, miss school more regularly than they should. Leaders recognise there is more to do with some families who do not bring their children to school regularly.

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Behaviour

 The behaviour of pupils is good. Pupils say that name-calling and unkind behaviour are rare and school records confirm this is the case. Parents overwhelmingly agree and are proud of their children’s behaviour.  Pupils show care with their work in the majority of classes, responding positively to the high expectations set by their teacher. They enjoy challenging themselves to meet their targets. Occasionally, pupils lose focus in lessons when they are given less guidance about how to be successful in their learning. Where this happens, pupils begin to busy themselves in other ways and do not make as much progress as they should.  Pupils respond well to rewards for demonstrating positive behaviour, such as good listening or cooperation. They enjoy being selected for the ‘rainbow box’ each week or being able to sit at the ‘top table’ during lunchtimes.  The dining hall exemplifies the school’s family feel. Tables are covered with bright tablecloths and shared

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Behaviour

platters of fresh fruit and puddings help pupils to take turns and cooperate. Pupils chatter happily to their friends, enjoy their lunches and develop good social manners as a result.  At breaktimes, pupils’ behaviour is appropriately active, with pupils using a range of equipment safely and responsibly. They almost always respond promptly to adult requests and show consideration and respect for others so that the playground is a happy place to be.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

 Pupils make good progress from starting points that are lower than average, particularly in communication, language and literacy when they begin school. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ achievement is as good as or better than the national average in reading, writing and mathematics.  Overall, current pupils are making good progress in all year groups. Additional support is now closing gaps effectively because it is precise and sharply focused. Variability in teaching over the previous academic year meant that some pupils who are currently in Year 2 did not catch up quickly enough from lower starting points at the end of early years. Carefully shaped support, strong leadership and strengthened teaching is ensuring that these pupils are now making progress and are beginning to make good gains in their learning. Current performance information shows that a higher than anticipated proportion of these pupils are now

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Outcomes for pupils are good

on track to meet age-related expectations for reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 2.  The proportion of pupils securing the expected standard in the phonics check fell below that nationally for the first time in 2015 because disadvantaged pupils did not achieve as well as in the past. Currently, more pupils are on track to meet the expected standard in phonics at the end of 2016, because teaching has been strengthened successfully.  The proportions of more-able pupils securing higher standards of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 have shown continuous improvement and are above those found nationally in reading, writing and mathematics.  Achievement for pupils who have special educational needs or disability is rapid and is improving further, particularly in mathematics. Adults’ high expectations for these pupils are ensuring any gaps with other pupils nationally are closing.  Disadvantaged pupils make good progress from their starting points in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Outcomes for pupils are good

At the end of Key Stage 1, these pupils’ achievement is close to that of other pupils nationally.

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The early years provision is good

 Children make good progress in the early years because effective leadership ensures that teaching and provision meets pupils’ needs across all areas of learning. Leaders’ self-evaluation is accurate. They know, for example, that boys did not achieve as well as girls in 2015, particularly in writing, and are adapting their provision accordingly to better meet their needs.  The very youngest children show skills below those typical for their age in their communication and literacy. A language-rich environment and confident teaching of early phonics enable pupils to improve their ability to hear, say and write sounds quickly.  All areas of the provision, including nursery, stimulate children’s curiosity and enthusiasm for learning. Teachers promote problem-solving and challenge children’s thinking through a range of well-planned learning opportunities. Children’s work is of high quality, for example their painting of fruit such as kiwis

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The early years provision is good

and pomegranates carefully captured details such as the way the seeds were patterned.  Learning stems from pupils’ interests and adults use questioning well to extend thinking. In one session, children were enabled to select appropriate materials to construct an underground train by choosing from a range of resources. Questions such as ‘How will you join these together?’ and ‘Which would work best?’ helped children to explain their choices clearly. Outside, children worked with adults to locate coins in the sand to make unusual amounts such as seven pence. Children were given opportunities to consider which coins they thought would make this amount and whether there was more than one possibility.  Leaders’ thorough and accurate self-evaluation has ensured that actions improve outcomes for pupils. Consequently, the proportion of pupils securing a good level of development at the end of early years is

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The early years provision is good

now above the national average.  Across the early years, children show care and consideration for others. They listen and respond carefully when their friends share ideas. They play courteously, sharing equipment and taking turns. They show confidence in their interaction with adults because they trust them to help them in their learning and play.  Parents who spoke to inspectors are pleased with the good start their children make in early years. They feel able to contribute to their children’s progress because leaders communicate regularly about activities their children are experiencing. Parents increasingly use children’s online learning journey to add comments and share their views about the progress their children make.  All procedures to protect children from harm are robust. Risk assessments have been carefully considered, particularly where children move across a number of indoor and outdoor learning spaces. Equipment is

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The early years provision is good

used sensibly and children know how they can help keep themselves and others safe.

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School details

Unique reference number 116230 Local authority Hampshire Inspection number 10001308 This inspection was carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. The inspection was also deemed a section 5 inspection under the same Act.

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School details

Type of school Nursery and infant School category Community Age range of pupils 2–7 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 303 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Colin Wallace Headteacher Elizabeth Wyatt Telephone number 01256 327024 Website www.kingsfurlong-inf.hants.sch.uk Email address adminoffice@kingsfurlong-inf.hants.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 24–25 November 2010

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Information about this school

 King’s Furlong is an average-sized infant school and nursery provision.  The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium (additional government funding for pupils who are eligible for free school meals or who are looked after by the local authority) is lower than the national average.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language is higher than average.  The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs or disability supported by the school, including those with a statement or EHCP (education, health and care plan), is below average.  Children in the Reception class attend full time. Children in receipt of 2-year-old funding or who are in the pre-school provision attend part time. This provision is managed by the governing body.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspectors observed 28 sessions, some of which were individual support, including eight observed jointly with senior leaders.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, other leaders in the school and two governors including the Vice-Chair of the Governing Body. Inspectors also met with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors gathered pupils’ views through talking to pupils around the school, in lessons and by meeting with groups of pupils. Pupils’ behaviour was observed in lessons and around the school at break and lunchtimes.  Pupils’ work in all year groups and across the wider curriculum was analysed to look closely at their current achievement. Inspectors heard a sample of pupils in Year 2 read.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including the school’s checks on its own effectiveness, information about current pupils’ achievement and attendance, behaviour logs, minutes of governing

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Information about this inspection

body meetings and the school development plans. Inspectors checked the school’s procedures for keeping pupils safe, including the checks made on staff.  Inspectors looked at 21 responses to Ofsted’s online survey (Parent View), including 10 free text responses. In addition, inspectors spoke to parents before school. Inspectors also considered the responses from 65 pupil questionnaires and 21 responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Abigail Wilkinson, lead inspector Her Majesty’s Inspector Hilary Goddard Ofsted Inspector Joanne McSherrie Ofsted Inspector Rosemary Beattie Ofsted Inspector guidance 'Raising concerns and making a complaint about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.gov.uk/government/publications/complaints-about-ofsted . 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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Inspection team

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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Inspection team

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.gov.uk/government/organisations/ofsted .

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Inspection team

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, further education and skills, 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. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence , write to the Information Policy Team,

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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

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