Honeywell Infant School

HONEYWELL INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Honeywell Infant School - 2 February 2000 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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HONEYWELL INFANT SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary 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.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Honeywell Infant School Honeywell Road Battersea London Postcode: SW11 6EF

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1995 Honeywell Infant School - 3 February 2000

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Team members

Chris Rhodes Registered inspector Pam Goldsack Lay inspector Linda Kelsey Team inspector

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Team members

Gemini Inspections Ltd Brinkwells Storrington Road Thakeham West Sussex RH20 3EQ

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Team members

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Honeywell Infant School - 4 February 2000

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL 9

Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes. The overall quality of teaching and learning throughout the school is good, especially in early years and in English lessons. Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school. The high quality of display creates a stimulating learning environment. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to each other, and behave well. The headteacher and senior staff are committed to raising standards.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 13

Mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 and the ways the school judges how well pupils are doing. The use of support staff when the teacher is working with the whole class. Aspects of management relating to the size of the senior management team, extending the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which role of the new governing body will work to meet its responsibilities.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

Honeywell Infant School - 5 February 2000

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a large and popular infants school for boys and girls aged 3-7 years. This former grant maintained school has recently become a foundation school with its own governing body. It has 261 pupils, and 14 full-time and 50 part-time places in the nursery. Taken together, pupils’ attainment on entry is above that found nationally. The number of children on the special educational needs register, 63, is similar to the national average. One pupil has a statement of special need. One in four children comes from either a continental European or other ethnic background and 43 have English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Honeywell Infants School is a successful and very effective school. Standards in English and mathematics are well above the national average because the overall standard of teaching is good and pupils are keen to learn. The headteacher, governors and staff work well together to improve the school and maintain high standards. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes • The overall quality of teaching and learning is good, especially in the early years and in English lessons • Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school • The high quality of display creates a stimulating learning environment • Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to each other, and behave well • The headteacher and senior staff are committed to raising standards

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What could be improved

• Mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 and the ways the school judges how well pupils are doing • The use of support staff when the teacher is working with the whole class • Aspects of management relating to the size of the senior management team, extending the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which the new governing body will work to meet its responsibilities The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in May 1995. Improvement has been good. Standards in English, especially in writing, and mathematics have risen from sound to well above average. Concerns about the standard of handwriting remain. The quality of teaching and provision for children under five has improved. Good standards have been maintained in pupils’ behaviour and in the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding. The new school development plan meets many of the criticisms noted in the previous report. The provision for information technology is much stronger. The procedures for monitoring attendance now comply fully with statutory requirements. The quality of learning has improved but the level of challenge given to more able pupils in mathematics is still not high enough in some lessons. The school now gives good value for money. Honeywell Infant School - 6 February 2000

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

Reading A A A* A well above average above average A B Writing A A A B average below average C D Mathematics B B A* A* well below average E

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Key

The table shows that standards in reading were well above average when compared to similar schools, above average in writing and very high in mathematics. The table also shows that, in comparison to all schools, standards in reading and mathematics have risen during the past three years and that they have been maintained at a level in writing that is well above the national average. Standards in pupils’ books and seen in lessons in Year 2 during the inspection confirm that attainment in English and mathematics is being maintained at a very high level. The positive impact of the introduction of the literacy strategy, the overall good teaching and the strength of the provision for early years can be seen in the very high achievement of older pupils. The school has analysed pupils’ results carefully and has set realistic and challenging targets for individuals, groups and complete years. Standards in mathematics could be even

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Key

higher as teachers do not always realise how much the more able children can achieve and are still at a relatively early stage in the implementation of the new national strategy for numeracy. Standards of presentation and handwriting are sound but are not high enough. The English co-ordinator has this as a target for the current year.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to learning. They want to do well.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are tolerant and work happily in groups or as part of the class and school community.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good and above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils are happy and enjoy coming to school. Relationships with teachers and other adults are relaxed and based on mutual respect. Pupils are interested in learning but become restless if they are bored or have to sit and listen for too long. They work well together and welcome opportunities to improve the quality of their work. There is no racial tension in this ethnically mixed environment. Parents are very supportive of the school and try not to take holidays during term time. Honeywell Infant School - 7 February 2000

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years

Lessons seen overall Very good Satisfactory with a significant proportion of good or very good teaching

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that the teaching is adequate and strengths outweigh weaknesses.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years

As this was a short inspection it was only possible to see 19 lessons. The overall quality of teaching across the school is good. Ninety per cent of lessons were judged sound or better, of which twenty-six per cent were very good, a further thirty-two per cent were good and thirty-two per cent were satisfactory. Two lessons, ten percent of the whole, were unsatisfactory. There is a lively learning environment throughout the school. This is particularly noticeable in the nursery and reception classes, where there is a very good understanding of how to meet the needs of very young children while giving them learning opportunities that match their above average ability. The pace and rigour of the well taught lessons and the very effective pupil management are particular strengths in teaching in all parts of the school, and have a direct and positive impact on the progress pupils make. The successful

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years

implementation of the marking policy helps pupils see for themselves how they can improve. The skilful teaching of basic phonics and the effective use of the literacy hour are raising standards. On the two occasions when teaching was unsatisfactory in mathematics lessons in Key Stage 1, teachers set undemanding work, time was wasted or pupils did not make much progress. The school meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs very effectively through well-differentiated work, appropriate target setting and good quality teaching on an individual basis. Many tasks set for the more able pupils are demanding but in several lessons pupils could have been extended more than the planning permitted. The overall quality of learning is good. It is very good in the nursery. It is good in other parts of the school when the teaching is rigorous, enthusiastic and challenging but is unsatisfactory in the few

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years

lessons when pupils become bored or restless because they lack stimulus.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good in all parts of the school but is particularly well organised for children under five.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Children make good progress and benefit from the extra help.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall. The provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is above average.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school’s approach to pupil welfare is a particular strength. Honeywell Infant School - 8 February 2000 The school provides an appropriate range of good quality opportunities for pupils to learn that are especially strong in the nursery and reception classes. The requirements of the National Curriculum are met in full. Not enough attention is given to monitoring pupil performance in some mathematics teaching, and teachers do not always have the information they need for effective planning of future work. Great care is taken to ensure pupils’ health, safety and general well being.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good overall management by the headteacher and senior staff. They are committed to raising standards and helping the school to become more professionally aware of its own strengths and weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is effective but has not yet had time to establish itself fully as an independent body or to develop all the strategies needed for monitoring and evaluating the daily work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Effective systems for evaluating the outcomes of national tests and assessing the quality of teaching and learning in English and mathematics are being established.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Resources are of a good standard and are well deployed throughout the school. Support staff are not fully involved in all parts of many lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The new headteacher has made a carefully researched analysis of the future needs of the school and has set them out in the well-constructed new school development plan. The current senior management team is committed to raising standards but is too big to be completely effective. The new independent governing body is very supportive and carries out its responsibilities efficiently. It is determined to maintain its close partnership with the governing body for the Junior School, and to share resources and good practice. This is to the benefit of pupils in both schools. The principles of best value are applied effectively.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school • They can talk to staff or the headteacher quickly if they have a question or problem • The school is well led and managed • Behaviour is good • Pupils make good progress and achieve high standards • Information about how well the children are doing • The range of extra-curricular activities

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agree with parents’ positive views of the school. Parents are given a full range of information about pupils’ progress and the school welcomes further enquiries. Some parents are unsure about individual pupil targets. Practice does differ from teacher to teacher, and the school is aware of the need for consistency in the use of language when reporting to parents. The policy towards activities outside of lessons is broadly typical of an infant school. Honeywell Infant School - 9 February 2000

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Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes

1. The nursery and three reception classes provide a vibrant, happy, colourful and very well organised learning environment in which children can begin their school lives. The separate nursery provides a wide range of very well-planned and interesting indoor and outside activities to which children respond very positively. Provision has improved since the previous inspection. Reception classrooms are equally well organised with a central working area where the whole class can come together with the teacher, and a series of very well planned activity areas each focusing on a particular aspect of learning. Wall displays celebrate the past achievements of pupils of all abilities. Even the youngest pupils are confident and have established calm and effective relationships with each other and the many adults who support them. They are able to use paints and brushes to mix colours and make pictures, butter slices

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Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes

of bread using knives correctly and build models using construction equipment accurately. They talk and share experiences with each other and adults confidently, choose one of the well- focused activities and concentrate on a task over a considerable period of time. They can put on overalls, wash their hands, use pencil and paper to draw, make marks and explain to an adult what the ‘writing’ says. They understand how to use a mouse and computer program, and cut and stick paper to make simple objects. The children’s calm concentration on their work is particularly noticeable. Even the very strong winds experienced during the inspection did not make them less attentive or stop their pleasure in parading happily round the playground as part of the Chinese dragon they had made.

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Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes

2. The quality of teaching is a particular strength of the early years provision. Teachers and support staff enjoy helping children to learn. Four out of the six observations made during the inspection were graded as very good. Teachers have a very good understanding of the academic, social and developmental needs of young children and how best to stimulate their learning. Teachers and support staff place an appropriate and high priority on the development of language and extend children’s imagination and use of vocabulary through skilful questioning and personal example. Pupils quickly become competent and confident talkers and listeners, looking after a patient in the ‘hospital’ or working quietly with a teacher to prepare the snacks. They soon develop the early skills of reading and writing, as was seen when a nursery nurse told a story. The children clearly understood that the events took place in a

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Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes

certain sequence and that books set out the episodes in order.

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Children are given a very good start in the nursery and reception classes

3. The particular skill shown in the best lessons in reception classes is that teachers are introducing the early stages of the National Curriculum within a learning programme that is firmly rooted in the best practice for the achievement of the desirable outcomes for young children. This stimulates the learning at a level that reflects the above average ability held by many pupils. Children using a computer program, for example, not only worked at a high level by adding numbers to 20 in their heads, but also discussed and explained to each other why errors occurred. Planning is very well developed in most classes. Pupils are well behaved because they are busy and happy. It is a great and deserved credit to the school and staff concerned that teachers from other schools in the borough regularly visit Honeywell to observe the good practice that is found in the school. Honeywell Infant School - 10 February 2000

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lessons

4. The overall quality of teaching seen in the 19 lessons observed during the inspection was good. Five of lessons were judged to be very good, six were good and a further six were sound. The quality of teaching in the nursery and reception classes is very good and a particular strength of the school. Teachers speak calmly but firmly, are very well prepared and use their considerable understanding of the needs of young children to provide a stimulating and appropriate curriculum. Although some lessons in Key Stage 1 were also of a high quality, there was some unsatisfactory mathematics teaching and pupils did not make enough progress. The overall quality of teaching across all lessons was sound and nearly half the lessons seen in Years 1 and 2 were good or even better.

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lessons

5. The standard of marking is a considerable strength throughout the school. Teachers correct work conscientiously, with the pupil when possible, and take care to write comments that praise high achievement or show pupils how they can improve their work. The pupils take the comments seriously and try to carry out the teacher’s advice. Teachers make good use of end of term assessments to set individual work and behaviour targets, so that each pupil has a clear understanding of what he or she has to do in order to improve. Praise is given when targets are met.

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lessons

6. The best teaching occurs in lessons that are carefully planned and teachers are confident enough to make adjustments if they find that pupils need work of a higher challenge or require more time to consolidate their understanding. In such lessons, teachers know their pupils well and communicate their own enthusiasm. A very good example was seen in Year 2 when the teacher told the class how much she had been looking forward to the session herself all week. The pupils were keen to work and learn before they even knew what the lesson was to be about. Questions are asked skilfully to test understanding and make pupils think. Planning is detailed and materials are always ready on the tables, no time is lost in organising the work and pupils start to learn straight away. In such lessons the work is differentiated so that higher attaining pupils are set work that is more challenging. In the best lessons there is an insistence on high

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lessons

quality, support staff are integral members of the class ‘team’ and are fully involved throughout the lesson. Good teaching also occurs when teachers’ own confidence with the subject content is communicated to the pupils, as was seen when Year 1 children learned effectively how to program a floor robot so that it followed a particular route across the floor. Good use was also made of pupils’ numeracy skills in estimating distance and explaining angles of turn.

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lessons

7. The literacy hour has been introduced and implemented effectively. The best lessons have pace and rigour, and pupils make good progress. Basic phonic skills are taught skilfully. The pupils are taught to use a varied vocabulary when writing, as was observed in a small group task in Year 2 where pupils enjoyed changing over-used words like “said” into more imaginative text. The activity was successful and good learning took place because the task was very appropriate, interesting, hard work but fun. Pupils with special educational needs are taught with the same rigour. They make good progress because their individual sessions move along at a good pace, with appropriate changes of activity to keep interest levels high and contain an emphasis on success. Teachers use the lessons learned in the literacy hour effectively in other areas of the curriculum, as can be seen in their reading and writing in history and geography,

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lessons

and written accounts of science investigations.

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lessons

8. Pupils respond very positively to the good teaching. The quality of learning improves because they know what they have to do and are keen to be successful. They move quickly and quietly to their work places and start their tasks without reminders. They concentrate for considerable periods, allowing the teacher to work uninterrupted with a particular group. Many children in Honeywell Infant School - 11 February 2000 Year 2 have work habits typical of much older pupils. They try hard to improve their work as they go along and take their own marking and corrections very seriously. In the best lessons, tasks are intellectually challenging, and teachers encourage reflection and thought, within an environment in which it is acceptable to make mistakes, as it is through correcting one’s own errors that effective learning takes place.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school

9. Pupils have achieved results in national tests in the last three years that are consistently above average. 1999 was a particularly good year as results in reading and mathematics were very high in comparison with national averages and well above average in writing. Ninety-eight per cent of pupils reached the expected national standard for reading, ninety-nine per cent for writing, and one hundred per cent for mathematics. Results in mathematics were very high when compared with similar schools, above average in writing and well above average in reading. The percentage of pupils who reached the higher level 3 in reading [59%] and mathematics [51%] was very high, and was above average in writing [12%]. These results have been analysed very carefully by the headteacher, including a comparison of the relative achievement by boys and girls. They have been used as the basis for setting appropriate year

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school

group targets for the current Year 2 and for reviewing teaching methods, especially in English where special efforts have been made to increase the quality of pupils’ writing. These same very high standards were also evident in pupils’ books and in the English and mathematics lessons seen in all Year 2 classes during the inspection.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school

10. Standards in English are well above national averages. Higher attaining pupils are working confidently and successfully in all aspects of language work at level 3, which is the national target for pupils at the end of Year 4. Some are working effectively at even higher levels, for example in the accurate use of the apostrophe. Pupils of average ability for this school are working securely at level 3 in reading and at level 2b and above in writing. Lower attaining pupils are confident at level 2. Pupils have benefited from the successful introduction of the literacy hour. They talk to each other and staff very confidently, exploring and communicating their ideas effectively. They listen with concentration and use an increasingly mature vocabulary. They use grammatical constructions correctly in their writing and spelling is usually accurate. The school’s focus on extended writing has been very successful and is

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school

evident in the quality of the imaginative writing, the extended stories written by many pupils, and the use of literacy in other areas of the curriculum. Pupils have written, for example, informative and lively accounts of their recent visit to a local church as part of their religious education. They read fiction and non-fiction easily and accurately, are aware of punctuation, and have a secure understanding of character.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school

11. Good progress is apparent when comparing pupils’ work completed last September with current standards. Formal writing skills have developed strongly, sentences are more complex, ideas are extended more imaginatively and basic punctuation is used more accurately. The only exception to the school’s very high standards is the quality of handwriting. It is largely unjoined and is occasionally careless. Similar concerns were noted in the previous inspection report, and have been identified by the English co-ordinator as an area for development during the current year.

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Pupils achieve very high standards in English and mathematics by the time they leave school

12. Overall standards in mathematics at the end of Key Stage 1 are equally high. Higher attaining pupils are working securely at level 3 and some within level 4, especially in understanding number and in using and applying their mathematical knowledge in problem solving. They have a good recall of basic tables and money facts, can count in 5s and 10s accurately and have a good understanding of symmetry using mirrors. Pupils judged as average within the Honeywell Infant School - 12 February 2000 school are working successfully within level 3, adding and subtracting numbers up to 100 accurately. They know their number sequences and the difference between odd and even. They can tell the time using a digital clock. Lower attaining pupils have a secure knowledge of mathematics at level 2. They can count accurately, add and subtract to 10 and understand place value. They can identify halves and quarters accurately in number and area.

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The high quality of display creates a stimulating learning environment

13. All parts of the school contain evidence of the high standard of pupils’ work and create a feeling of success and the importance of learning. Displays in corridors and on staircases are carefully mounted, sometimes in Perspex frames, valuing the work of pupils of all abilities. Classrooms are lively and exciting places in which to learn. In reception classes and the nursery, for example, each area of learning has its own base and children’s past successes are celebrated in well-mounted displays. The emphasis is on recognising pupils’ achievements rather than filling space. The ways in which the activity bays in reception classes are organised round a central carpeted area are particularly successful and create a sense of purpose as soon as the pupils enter the room. The classrooms for older pupils are equally well organised and full of interesting examples of current and past work. Teachers’ own displays are part of the

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The high quality of display creates a stimulating learning environment

learning and not just for decoration. The vocabulary for current themes, such as the use of symmetry, is visible as a reminder to pupils of the technical language they should be using. Work in progress is displayed and extended, as in the Year 2 class where work on temperature is extended by offering pupils opportunities to carry out further investigations using the materials provided. Some classes also contain boards showing individual targets for improvement. These remind pupils of what they should be doing, and encourage them to support their friends in achieving their targets as well. Teachers use agreed class targets, for behaviour for example, as reference points should noise levels become too high. There are very helpful boards near most classrooms that contain information for parents, and encourage them to be active partners in the learning. Year 2 parents collect their children from the playground

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The high quality of display creates a stimulating learning environment

for safety reasons, but have the same type of information on their own board.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to each other, and behave well

14. Pupils like coming to school, a view that was endorsed by nearly all of the parents who responded to the questionnaire. They come into classrooms ready to start work and want to learn know how to improve. They are conscientious and have very positive attitudes to school, each other and learning. They settle to group tasks in lessons without needing a second reminder. Relationships are very good. Even the youngest pupils work and play collaboratively, sharing and taking turns when appropriate. Good examples were seen in the nursery as children worked together to paint and make a Chinese dragon, and when reception children listened carefully to each other in ‘circle time.’ Year 1 pupils worked very well together in pairs to control a floor turtle and program it so that it followed a correct course across the carpet. Year 2 pupils mark their own work honestly, and see correcting errors as a way of learning.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to each other, and behave well

Relationships between staff and pupils are also of a high quality, based on mutual respect. The pupils’ good manners are extended to helpers and visitors who are welcomed and made to feel part of the class community.

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Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and to each other, and behave well

15. Behaviour is good in classrooms, in corridors and on the staircases. Pupils are very careful to follow the rules, and no incidences were seen of children running or behaving inappropriately. Good behaviour is rewarded through positive comments and praise. The only examples of less than satisfactory behaviour occurred when some pupils become restless and chattered in lessons when the teacher’s introduction went on for too long. There was no apparent racial tension in this ethnically mixed community, and parents reported that the school dealt quickly Honeywell Infant School - 13 February 2000 and effectively any type of unacceptable behaviour. Circle time is used sensitively to discuss feelings and to develop high standards of personal conduct, behaviour and attitudes.

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The headteacher and senior staff are committed to raising standards

16. The headteacher has been in post for four terms and has used the time effectively, not only to steer the school successfully through the transition from grant maintained to foundation status, but also to carry out a series of accurate analyses of current provision and make plans for the future development and continued success of the school. She is committed to raising levels of attainment, and has been successful in involving senior staff in her determination that standards will continue to rise. Curriculum priorities are set out in the new development plan with success to be measured in terms of improved standards of attainment. The headteacher is determined that the school will be officially accredited as a self-evaluating school by July 2000 so that it can monitor and review its own improvement. She has carried out analyses of all aspects of school performance, and reports of the school’s strengths and weaknesses are presented

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The headteacher and senior staff are committed to raising standards

annually to governors and staff. She is fully aware of the need to ensure that schemes of work deliver the full requirements of the National Curriculum and the government curriculum changes planned for the autumn.

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The headteacher and senior staff are committed to raising standards

17. Priority targets in the school development plan include improved standards in religious education, information technology and the successful implementation of the national numeracy strategy. The school already has a successful strategy for evaluating standards of teaching and learning in English, including classroom observations by the English co-ordinator and headteacher. This has given the co-ordinator excellent first hand information on which to build future success, and to identify handwriting and creative writing as targets for further improvement. She is very keen to raise standards and is currently testing ways in which attainment in guided reading and writing can best be measured. The religious education co- ordinator is also very enthusiastic about her responsibilities and keen to see the subject develop successfully. She has achieved a great deal since her appointment in 1998, and has well

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The headteacher and senior staff are committed to raising standards

considered plans to monitor standards through work sampling. She and her colleagues with responsibilities for other subjects have established a wide range of good resources in terms of books and artefacts, and strengthen curricular provision through visits and visitors, such as the local Vicar. The mathematics and information technology co-ordinators have similar well considered views of how their subjects should develop and be strengthened over the next few years. The keenness of senior staff to raise standards is very encouraging.

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Mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 and the ways the school judges how well pupils are doing

18. Although pupils are achieving standards in mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1 that are well above the national average, the standard of teaching in two of the lessons observed was unsatisfactory. Teachers plan lesson activities very thoroughly but learning objectives are not always set out as statements of what the pupils will know or be able to do by the end of the lesson. This means that pupils are not always clear what they are aiming to achieve and it is harder for teachers to assess how successful the learning has been. In an example of good practice in an English lesson, plans were changed midweek when the teacher realised pupils were learning more quickly than she had anticipated and needed further challenging work. In an unsatisfactory example of mathematics teaching, the teacher realised that the lesson content was too easy and told the class, but did not alter what she was doing. The headteacher is aware

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Mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 and the ways the school judges how well pupils are doing

that this is an area of the school’s work that needs to be strengthened.

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Mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 and the ways the school judges how well pupils are doing

19. The school started to implement the new national strategy for teaching numeracy last September. Not all staff are yet completely confident about how to make best use of the various elements such as the quick fire mental work that starts each lesson. Teachers know that their pupils are capable of work at a high level, but some underestimate the level of challenge that Honeywell Infant School - 14 February 2000 the pupils need. This was evident in lessons during the inspection when it was clear from discussion with pupils that they were capable of working at a higher level. In one example the teacher’s plan required pupils to find one line of symmetry in a regular shape but higher attaining pupils were not challenged to find out if there were more. In such lessons the teachers’ lack of awareness of how much the pupils could do and understand limited the opportunities given for effective learning and good progress.

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Mathematics teaching in Key Stage 1 and the ways the school judges how well pupils are doing

20. There was a mismatch between teachers’ own assessment of how well pupils would do at higher levels in the national English tests in 1999. Teachers were very accurate in estimating how many pupils would reach the national target of level 2. However, the percentage of pupils reaching level 3 or above in reading was fifty-nine per cent but teachers’ own estimate had been forty-one per cent. They over-estimated the percentage likely to reach level 3 or above in writing by nine per cent and by twenty per cent in mathematics. The headteacher is aware that this is an area of the school’s work that needs to be strengthened, but feels strongly that teacher assessment is a more accurate estimate of a pupil’s actual knowledge than performance in a test situation. The school is currently working to reduce the gap between teacher assessment and test results through professional development and a closer scrutiny of pupils’ previous

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The use of support staff when the teacher is working with the whole class

21. Every class benefits from the help given by the enthusiastic and skilled support staff, especially in the nursery. On occasion, the team is increased by using a parent helper or student. The quality of the work they do with pupils is consistently high. This increases pupil confidence, allows teachers time to concentrate on work with a particular group, and increases the overall achievement made by all pupils. A very good example was seen in a reception class when the support assistant worked skilfully with pupils learning about money by helping them to price and create a shoe shop for children to use in later lessons. However, in many classes, the support staff are not involved or are hardly involved, when the teacher is talking to the whole class. There are too many occasions when skilled staff are sitting watching the lesson and doing little more that keep an eye on a restless child. Sometimes they carry out administrative tasks,

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The use of support staff when the teacher is working with the whole class

which although valuable, can be obtrusive and affect the learning. An example was seen when the circle of children had to be changed so that support staff could move around the room more easily. Good practice does exist in a minority of lessons. In one particularly good example, the classroom assistant sat with the pupils during the whole class teaching and whispered encouragingly to a small group of lower attaining pupils. She made sure they understood the questions, encouraged them to put up their hands with answers and enjoyed being part of their success. The positive effect on these pupils’ learning, sense of achievement and concentration was noticeable. It was also very satisfying for the support assistant herself.

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the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which the new

governing body will work to meet its responsibilities.

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the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which the new

22. The school is well managed by the headteacher and senior staff. The new headteacher has used the time since her appointment wisely in steering the school through the change from grant maintained status to that of a foundation school with its own separate governing body. She has also had a change in her own senior staff during the temporary absence of the deputy headteacher. The headteacher has correctly identified that the senior management team is too large in its present form for effective decision making at a strategic level. Currently there is no small management group, representing the whole school, to set out the main ways in which the school is to develop, or to share responsibility with the headteacher for monitoring and evaluating how well the school is meeting its academic and pastoral aims at a senior level. It is planned that a small senior management team will be re-established as a priority when the

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the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which the new

deputy headteacher returns to school. Honeywell Infant School - 15 February 2000 23. The school has many experienced governors on its new governing body. Most, including the Chair, are also members of the body for the Junior School. This brings many advantages, not least because they share the building and can make best use of common resources. This is very evident in the effective way in which the school administration meets the needs of both schools and gives parents and staff a sense of continuity between key stages. The Chair, who chairs both bodies, is determined that the separation that occurred in January does not mean that either school ceases to work in active partnership with the other. However, the school has not yet had time to evolve its own independent structures and working practices that the governing body will need in order to have an appropriate depth of understanding of the early years and

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the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which the new

24. The headteacher is determined to raise standards further, and has set up a system through which she and senior staff are able to evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in literacy and numeracy lessons in all classes. The school has developed an agreed system so that judgements are consistent, good practice can be recognised and spread, and teachers can be supported in aspects of their work where they lack expertise or confidence. The observations also give the headteacher good information on which to base overall judgements of standards. The current arrangements do not yet extend to subjects other than English and mathematics. This makes it very much harder for the other co-ordinators to be aware of standards, spread good practice or know best how to support their colleagues.

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the role of subject co-ordinators and the further development of detailed ways in which the new

25. The headteacher has used the opportunity of her appointment and the formation of two governing bodies to re-establish the school development plan. This is a very useful document that sets out the school’s intentions, covers all aspects of its work, and says what they will cost and how the school will know whether they have been successfully achieved. The main emphasis is on the next twelve months, which makes it harder for senior staff and the governing body to see how current priorities form part of a longer strategic programme of improvement. The headteacher has recently written a very helpful overview so that all staff and parents understand how the school is seeking to move forward. It is also to act as the basis for a monitoring programme undertaken by members of the senior management team and the governing body. Honeywell Infant School - 16 February 2000

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The headteacher, governing body and staff should continue to work together to raise standards even higher by

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Raising the quality of the satisfactory and unsatisfactory teaching to the level of the best by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• using focused learning objectives as the basis for lesson planning and measuring how well pupils are doing (paragraph 18) • raising even higher teachers’ expectation of what pupils can do (paragraph 18, 19) • raising the level of challenge in pupils’ work while remaining aware of their age and level of maturity (paragraph 19)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• extending the use and implementation of the national numeracy strategy (paragraph 19) • extending teachers’ understanding of higher National Curriculum levels in order to support the most able pupils (paragraph 20)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Extending the role of support staff in reception and infant classes

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• by developing the good practice already evident in the school (Paragraph 20) • through professional development

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Strengthening the leadership and management of the school even further by

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reducing the size of the senior management team (paragraph 22) • continuing to develop the governing body as an independent body responsible for the Infant School without losing the benefits of close association with the Junior School (paragraph 23) • extending the monitoring and evaluating role of subject co-ordinators to all subjects (paragraph 24) • continuing to refine the school development plan as the senior staff’s and governing body’s principal planning tool (paragraph 25) Honeywell Infant School - 17 February 2000

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 6

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

0 26% 32% 32% 10% 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 39 261

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 24 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 63

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 44

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 12 Honeywell Infant School - 18 February 2000 Attendance

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 37 49 86

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Boys 35 36 37 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 49 49 49

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Percentage of pupils School 98 ( 93) 99 (96) 100 ( 96) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Boys 34 37 37 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 49 49 48

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Percentage of pupils School 97 ( 92) 100 ( 94) 99 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Honeywell Infant School - 19 February 2000 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Black – African heritage 4 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Any other minority ethnic group 12 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Teachers and classes Financial information Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 1999

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.3

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure Total number of education support staff 10 Expenditure per pupil 2637

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Total aggregate hours worked per week 223 Balance brought forward from previous year Balance carried forward to next year 50217

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) Number of pupils per qualified teacher 5.4

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Total number of education support staff Total aggregate hours worked per week Honeywell Infant School - 20 February 2000 Number of pupils per FTE adult 19.5 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Strongly agree Tend to agree Tend to disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 45 48 2 0 5

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 55 43 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 48 8 2 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 47 22 1 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 65 33 1 1 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 45 41 6 1 6

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 49 41 6 1 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 60 34 3 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 41 4 1 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 19 35 21 7 11

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Some parents are unsure about individual pupil targets. Practice does differ from teacher to teacher, and the school is aware of the need for consistency in the use of language when reporting to parents. The policy towards activities outside of lessons is broadly typical of an infant school.

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