Alwyn Infant School

ALWYN INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 th September – 16 th September 1999

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ALWYN INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 2

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Mulberry Walk Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 6EU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Ann Innes

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1994

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, 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. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 3

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Jayne Clemence, Registered Inspector English Attainment and progress Art Teaching Music Leadership and management Special educational needs Efficiency English as an additional language Gill Anderson, Lay Inspector Equal opportunities Attendance Partnership with parents and the community Jackie Cousins Science Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Information technology Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Design and technology Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Religious education Under fives John Laver Mathematics The curriculum and assessment Geography Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. History Physical education

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

QAA Educational Consultants Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester DT2 9PU

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 4

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MAIN FINDINGS

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents’ views of the school

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 3 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 4 - 17 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 18 - 23 Attendance 24

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 25 - 30 The curriculum and assessment 31 - 37 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 38 - 42 Support, guidance and pupils’ we lfare 43 - 45 Partnership with parents and the community 46 - 51

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 52 - 59 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 60 - 64 The efficiency of the school 65 - 67

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 68 - 75 English, mathematics and science 76 - 101 Other subjects 102 - 146

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What the school does well

• High standards are achieved in English and mathematics; a significant and growing proportion of pupils attain higher levels in English, mathematics and science. • Pupils make good progress. A significant minority of higher attainers make very good progress. • Teachers are a competent and effective team, supported efficiently by support staff. Assessment procedures are very good. • The headteacher provides very good leadership. The senior management, including team leaders, co- ordinators and the governing body use very effective strategies for continued improvement in teaching, standards and the quality of education. • There is a very good ethos, setting high expectations academically and socially; relationships between pupils and with adults are very good and pupils develop very positive attitudes towards work. • The quality of support, guidance and pupils’ welfare is good. • The school has very good links with the community that enrich the curriculum and develop pupils’

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What the school does well

understanding of responsibility and good citizenship.

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Where the school has weaknesses

• Information technology resources in the Nursery are old and outdated making it difficult to progress effectively to newer equipment in Key Stage 1. • Some assemblies do not meet the statutory requirements for a daily act of collective worship.

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Where the school has weaknesses

The school has many strengths. There are no key issues for the school to address but, in the context of its many strengths, the minor points for improvement should be considered for the basis of an action plan. The governors’ action plan will be sent to all parents and guardians at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

There has been good improvement since the last inspection that has directly brought about improvements in standards, pupils’ progress and the quality of education overall. There was a gap in response to the previous inspection when changes took place in the leadership and management. On the appointment of a new headteacher, an analysis of progress was carried out quickly and within the first year, many issues identified in the last report were addressed effectively, including a detailed curricular framework and management structure that provided teachers with clear roles, responsibilities and expectations. Strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained effectively. The high standards reported at the time of the last inspection have been maintained, although teacher assessment in science in 1998 reflected a fluctuation in standards. There is a growing proportion of pupils achieving higher levels in English, mathematics and science. High standards have

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

been achieved within the context of a changing and more socially diverse population of pupils with a growing range of special educational needs.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has very good capacity for further improvement. The headteacher and staff have a strong understanding and insight into their own strengths and areas for development as already identified in the school development plan. There is a range of strategies that are proven and effective in improving standards. The staff have a very clear and collective determination to maintain and secure higher standards within a realistic framework of systems and structures that have already brought about change and further developed the quality of education . Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 6

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Standards in subjects

This table shows the standards achieved by 7-year-olds in 1998 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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Key

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

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Key

The 1998 test results showed that by the end of Key Stage 1, standards in Reading, writing and mathematics were above the national average. By comparison with other similar schools, standards in reading were well above average, in writing they were average and in mathematics, they were above average.

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Key

The most recent test results from 1999 show a continued improvement in standards overall. The high standards achieved in reading have been sustained and there has been an improvement in writing. In mathematics, there has been an improvement and a significant proportion of pupils have achieved higher levels this year, over and above the good results achieved previously. Science results have improved and a greater proportion of pupils achieved higher levels in all aspects of science this year.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years

English Good Good Mathematics Good Good Science Satisfactory Information technology Satisfactory Religious education Good Other subjects Good Good Geography Insufficient evidence

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years

Teaching is satisfactory or better in almost all lessons observed. In well over half the lessons, teaching is good and in one in every ten lessons, teaching is very good. In a small amount of lessons, teaching is excellent.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 7

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour The school achieves high standards of good behaviour. Pupils are considerate and respectful towards one another and adults. Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils arrive on time and lessons continue promptly throughout the day. Ethos* There is a very good ethos where high standards are being achieved both academically and socially; relationships between pupils and with all adults are very good. There is a strong and collective commitment to maintaining and improving standards further. Leadership and management The headteacher provides very good leadership and is well supported by the deputy headteacher. Team leaders and subject co-ordinators are effective and have clear priorities for raising standards further. The governing body carries out its responsibilities efficiently. The leadership and management are highly effective at all levels in monitoring standards, identifying strengths and weaknesses and raising standards.

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Aspect Comment

Curriculum The curriculum is broad and well balanced. Planning for the curriculum is very good and activities are well matched to the full range of pupils’ needs. Assessment Assessment procedures are very good and the use of assessment information is systematic and comprehensive. Special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and ensures effective support throughout the school. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and makes a useful contribution to the curriculum and ethos of the school. Staffing, resources and accommodation There is a suitable number of teaching and support staff. Resources are good apart from information technology equipment in the Nursery that is old. Value for money The school provides good value for money

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Aspect Comment

*Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards .

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

• The school achieves high standards both academically and socially. • Parents feel all staff are approachable. • The headteacher is held in very high regard. • The school’s values and attitudes have a very positive effect on their children. • Children like coming to school and their individual needs are carefully considered. • A very small minority of parents feel that there is too much homework at the end of Key Stage 1 with children under unnecessary pressure before national tests.

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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about

The inspection team found all the strengths confirmed during the inspection. Homework is set regularly and forms an important part of partnership between parents and the school. For the vast majority of pupils, the quantity of homework set is suitable. The school is sensitive to the needs of individual pupils and adapts accordingly if it is felt to be overloading unnecessarily. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 8

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

There are no key issues for the school to address but, in the context of its many strengths, the following minor points for improvement should be considered as the basis for an action plan:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• Improve the quality of information technology resources in the Nursery. (paragraphs 63, 71, 108)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• Ensure all assemblies meet the statutory requirement for a daily act of collective worship. (paragraphs 39, 57) Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 9

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Characteristics of the school

1. Alwyn Infant and Nursery is situated in Maidenhead. There are 244 pupils attending full-time; 120 girls and 124 boys. In addition, there is a separate Nursery with 19 girls and 24 boys attending part-time. The school is long established in the area with a new building which was opened in 1992. It is an open-planned design with nine teaching areas. The local junior school is on the same site and a hard surfaced playground and shared playing field surround the buildings. The school has a Nursery admissions policy whereby children may enter the Nursery when they reach the age of four. The usual period of attendance is for two or three terms and attendance is part-time only for five mornings or afternoons a week. There are currently 44 children under five in the Nursery and no children under five in Reception. Pupils come from the surrounding area that is made up of council and privately owned accommodation and an increasing proportion of

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Characteristics of the school

social priority housing that has been built since the previous inspection. Nine per cent of pupils are known to be eligible for free school meals; a figure that is below average by comparison nationally. There are nine per cent of pupils on Stage 2 or above of the school’s register for special educational needs; in addition a further three per cent of pupils are at Stage 1 of the special needs register, a figure that is below average by comparison nationally. Approximately seven per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds and six per cent come from homes where English is an additional language, although only four pupils qualify for additional language support. Pupils’ attainment on entry is broadly in line with that expected for similar aged pupils, as indicated by baseline assessment tests.

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Characteristics of the school

• Encourage every child to develop their potential, academically, physically, artistically and socially; • Provide a range of learning programmes and experiences within a caring and stimulating environment; • Promote a positive self-image and high self-esteem for every child within the school; • Fortify the early training begun at home and develop acceptable behaviour; • Maintain the essential relationship between school and home.

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Characteristics of the school

• To implement the National Numeracy Strategy; • To continue to develop and evaluate the Literacy Strategy; • To improve the provision for information technology throughout the school; • To develop the current good practice in moderating and target setting; • To further develop the whole school policy for monitoring; • To maintain and develop community links; • To further strengthen the links with the junior school; • To implement the new home/school agreement. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 10

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1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 98 38 58 96

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1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 34 30 35 at NC Level 2 or Girls 48 49 50 Above Total 82 79 85 Percentage at NC School 83(80) 83(89) 87(95) Level 2 or above National 80(80) 81(80) 84(85)

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1

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 32 35 31 at NC Level 2 or Girls 49 50 48 Above Total 81 85 79 Percentage at NC School 85(85) 87(94) 83(96) Level 2 or above National 81(80) 85(82) 86(85)

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1

__________________________ 1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 11

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed %

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Attendance

through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 5.3

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Attendance

reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during Number the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: %

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Quality of teaching

Very good or better 13 Satisfactory or better 99 Less than satisfactory 1

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Quality of teaching

_______________________________ 2 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 12

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Attainment and progress

4. In all areas of learning, by the time children are five, attainment meets the expectations of the Desirable Learning Outcomes. Overall, attainment for children on entry to the school is in line with the national average. By the time they begin work on the National Curriculum, pupils have made good progress in all areas of learning and they are well prepared for the next stage of school life.

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Attainment and progress

5. The 1998 national test results at the end of Key Stage 1 showed pupils achieving above the national average in reading and the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels was well above by national comparison. In writing, pupils achieved close to the national average and the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels was above average by comparison. In mathematics, pupils’ attainment overall was close to the national average and the proportion of pupils attaining higher levels was well above by national comparison. In science, the assessments by teachers showed pupils achieved levels below the national average overall, although in life and living processes and physical processes, the pupils’ attainment was in line by national comparison. The proportion of pupils achieving higher levels in science was broadly in line with the national average. In comparison with similar schools, based on the 1998 test results, pupils’

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Attainment and progress

attainment was above the national average in reading and in line with the average in writing and mathematics. In science, standards were below average by national comparison and also with similar schools.

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Attainment and progress

6. The most recent test results from 1999 show a continued improvement in standards overall. The high standards achieved in reading have been sustained and there has been an improvement in writing. In mathematics, there has been an improvement and a significant proportion of pupils achieved higher levels this year over and above the good results achieved in the previous year. Science results have improved overall and are now close to the national average and a significantly greater proportion of pupils achieved higher levels in all aspects of science this year.

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Attainment and progress

7. Children under five develop well socially and personally. They grow in confidence and security from the time they start school, gaining useful language and increasing listening skills. The vast majority of pupils express their needs and preferences effectively. All children realise the importance of books and that print has meaning. Children use their mathematical skills formally and informally throughout the day. They make comparison using number, shape and capacity and use mathematical language appropriately. Children show a developing awareness of shape and pattern as they order and categorise equipment. The school and local environment, including the wildlife area and pond, are used regularly to extend the children’s understanding and experience of the world. Children under five develop increasing physical control and use small apparatus with confidence for climbing and jumping. The good quality outdoor

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Attainment and progress

facilities add further to their growing confidence on larger apparatus and climbing equipment. They show increasing ability to use their imagination, for example in role-play at the ‘vet’s surgery’ as well as through art, design and technology and music. Children under five use tools and equipment for cutting, sticking and making purposes with growing control. The Nursery provides a good start for children and prepares them thoroughly for the next stage of school life.

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Attainment and progress

8. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment, as observed in lessons and by scrutiny of work, is above national expectations in English and mathematics and close to national expectations in science and for a significant minority, it is well above. Standards are in line with expectations for similar aged pupils in science, information technology and geography and above expectations for similar aged pupils in all other subjects. Trends over time show a pattern of high standards being achieved in English and mathematics and in science there is an improving trend, notwithstanding some fluctuation in the 1998 results. There is no significant difference in attainment between girls and boys.

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Attainment and progress

9. By the end of Key Stage 1, in English, pupils use a wide range of reading strategies that successfully help them to read unfamiliar words. They understand the terms ‘glossary’ and ‘index’ and this enables them to find out information using the contents with growing confidence. Pupils write for a wide range of purposes and their work is presented carefully with clearly shaped letters and words that are evenly spaced and Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 13 legible. Pupils speak confidently and many are willing to express their preferences in a considerate manner.

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Attainment and progress

10. By the end of Key Stage 1, in mathematics, pupils are working with multiplication and division problems with increasing accuracy. They use this information usefully when working out problems with volume, capacity and shape. Many understand the basic principles of fractions and demonstrate this readily with halves and quarters. Pupils use a variety of measures when collecting data such as in surveying and comparing different types of transport through constructing bar charts and pictograms.

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Attainment and progress

11. By the end of Key Stage 1, in science, pupils conduct investigations accurately and make predictions, for example when jelly cubes are heated in a microwave oven. They make detailed observations about the life in their school pond, such as the development and life cycle of a frog. They further develop their skills by naming the parts of plants accurately and draw diagrams to show how bulbs and wires can be connected to form a complete circuit.

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Attainment and progress

12. By the end of Key Stage 1, in information technology, pupils use a mouse and cursor precisely and many draft and redraft their work with good results when producing a local newspaper. Many pupils use their information technology skills to produce graphs, for example about the weather.

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Attainment and progress

13. By the end of Key Stage 1 in religious education, pupils recognise the importance of respecting other’s beliefs and understand some of the similarities and differences between major faiths such as Christianity and Islam. They identify an increasing range of religious symbols alongside their significance at different times of the year, associated with different specific celebrations.

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Attainment and progress

14. Pupils use literacy skills effectively in many different ways throughout the school day. Many are proficient readers and use these skills to find out more information from the library and from the computer. Pupils gain a clear understanding of the importance of number in mathematics. There are many other opportunities where number is encouraged, for example when counting rhythm and beat and when composing and performing music.

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Attainment and progress

15. Pupils, including children under five, make good progress. A significant minority of higher attainers make very good progress as they are challenged to surpass their own personal achievements. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, particularly in their reading skills. In Key Stage 1, pupils make satisfactory progress in science, information technology and geography and good progress in all other subjects. Pupils’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening are being developed effectively over time and this, along with their numeracy skills, ensures they make good progress.

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Attainment and progress

16. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. They have suitably detailed individual education plans and the support is systematic and focused precisely to assist this good progress further. Higher attaining pupils make good progress and a significant minority make very good progress as seen by the proportion of pupils attaining higher levels in reading, mathematics and science for example. Standards since the last inspection have been sustained and the strengths identified previously have also been maintained within a changing population of pupils with more special educational needs than before.

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Attainment and progress

17. Standards have improved since the last inspection where they were judged to be at least sound. There are many examples where the school is already achieving high standards and in all areas there is continued improvement and pupils make consistently good progress.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

18. Pupils have good attitudes and behaviour and relationships between themselves and all adults are very good.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

19. The children in the Nursery have good attitudes to learning and are eager to find out about new topics such as their project on pets and animals. They behave well, listen attentively to instructions and concentrate for growing lengths of time. They show a good level of independence, when for instance, they select the library book they will take home. They show sensitivity to others and share bicycles in the play area. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 14 They happily make room for each other on the carpet where they are sitting. They treat resources and other pupils’ property with care from a very early age, handling artefacts and farm animals gently.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

20. At Key Stage 1, pupils are interested in their work and mostly sustain good levels of concentration. They participate well in discussions and confidently seek help when necessary. They usually persevere well to complete their tasks and enjoy receiving stamps and stickers for good work and behaviour. Pupils take considerable pride in being sent to the headteacher to have their name recorded in the ‘Golden Book’ recognising achievement.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

21. Standards of behaviour are good and pupils have been well trained as to what is expected of them inside the school building. Pupils always walk around the building and know that this is a school rule. The disciplined enthusiasm and co-operative efforts of the pupils enhance the quality of learning for all. In the playground, pupils generally play safely and sensibly. The large apparatus is used well by all pupils and they understand the importance of taking turns and sharing. The pupils enjoy playing with brightly painted games on the playground and in a mathematical game, mentally finding the total of their scores. Pupils line up at the end of break time and walk into school in an orderly manner. There have been no exclusions in the past twelve months.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

22. The pupil’s personal development is good. They take on increasing responsibility willingly as they progress through the school and this contributes to their good personal development. Pupils throughout the school are courteous and friendly; allowing visitors to precede them. They research and write booklets about animals for themselves. They take on responsibilities sensibly and return registers to the office promptly. However there is no system which encourages older pupils to support Nursery children as they start school life.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

23. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good. The latter are characterised by mutual respect and trust. Pupils show high regard for others’ values and beliefs in religious education lessons. Since the last inspection the strengths of these aspects have been maintained.

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Attendance

24. Attendance is satisfactory at nearly 95 per cent and has fallen minimally since the last inspection. Most pupils arrive punctually, and lessons start promptly through the day. Unauthorised absence for a small minority of pupils is recorded inaccurately. Attendance makes a suitable contribution to attainment and progress.

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Teaching

25. The quality of teaching was satisfactory or better in almost all lessons observed. In well over half the lessons, teaching was good and in one in ten lessons, teaching was very good. A small amount of teaching was excellent. Teaching is good overall for children under five. The quality of teaching in literacy and numeracy is good throughout the school. Teaching is satisfactory in information technology and good in all other subjects. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good and all teachers use a consistent strategy to support them individually. Teachers use a consistent approach to teaching reading, writing and spelling that has a direct impact on the pupils’ progress.

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Teaching

26. All teachers have a good knowledge of the National Curriculum framework, including the Literacy and Numeracy strategies. Teachers have suitably high expectations for pupils, ensuring activities are well matched for the full range of needs. They set challenging tasks for higher attainers and this is most evident in English and mathematics, with a high proportion of pupils reaching higher levels in national tests as a result. Teachers’ planning is good. They plan co-operatively and share ideas to ensure good coverage of the curriculum. Planning for children under five is satisfactory although long-term planning is at its early stages. There are well-established classroom routines that are known and followed by everyone and the management of pupils is good. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 15 27. Teachers organise the space effectively. There are many open-planned areas and teachers manage these

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Teaching

with consideration and sensitivity. This ensures that there is no distraction or disruption when pupils move around the many public areas between their classes. Teachers ensure that pupils achieve high standards of good behaviour in every area of the school and throughout the day and this is sustained successfully by everyone. The special assemblies held weekly further support the pupils by celebrating high standards in their work, attitudes and behaviour. There are very good relationships between pupils and with adults and this has a positive effect on standards as pupils are encouraged to reach higher levels than previously without undue pressure.

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Teaching

28. Teachers use their time efficiently and resources are selected carefully to support the pupils’ learning. The quality of day-to-day assessment is good. In the best lessons, there are good opportunities for evaluation and pupils reflect on the quality of their work, progress made and ways for further improvement. Teachers use assessment procedures that are straightforward and manageable whilst maintaining detailed samples of individual pupils’ progress over time. Teachers mark the pupils’ work regularly and during lessons discuss the work in hand immediately. This information is used informatively for future planning and therefore ensures work continues to be well matched to the pupils’ needs. All teachers have a thorough knowledge of the pupils, even at the earliest stage of the new academic year as information is shared regularly about pupils within and between year groups. Activities are consequently carefully matched and no time is lost

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Teaching

at the beginning of the year establishing a baseline of information upon which to build future work.

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Teaching

29. Teachers make very good use of the support assistants. All support staff are fully aware of the lesson aims and the expectations of them during the session. Communication books are used regularly between the teaching and support staff and this ensures a focused and precise level of support is offered with minimum time spent clarifying the lesson’s organisation. The communication book is a useful tool for support staff to record their own observations of pupils during the lesson and this information further enhances the quality of day-to-day assessment that takes place. Teachers and support staff make a very positive impact on the very good ethos and high quality working relationships around the school. There is very good co- operation and collaboration between staff in planning, assessment, use of resources and sharing expertise.

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Teaching

30. Teachers are competent and effective in their work and they are using effective strategies to maintain high standards and continue to raise standards overall. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. Strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained and the overall quality of teaching has improved with a higher proportion of teaching judged to be good or very good.

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The curriculum and assessment

31. Pupils in the Nursery benefit from a good curriculum that provides them with a firm foundation on which to build upon entering the main school. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements. There is adequate time given to the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, the foundation subjects and religious education. Sex education and drugs education are integrated into the curriculum as appropriate. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs are given appropriate targets and their progress is closely monitored; higher-attaining pupils are also given appropriate targets.

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The curriculum and assessment

32. The curriculum has been effectively restructured to meet the requirements for the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Suitable time is given for enrichment in areas such as speaking and listening. Planning for the curriculum is satisfactory in the Nursery and very good in Key Stage 1. Collaborative planning is undertaken effectively on a weekly basis involving all teachers, and the senior management team is closely involved in long-term strategic planning in collaboration with subject co-ordinators. These co- ordinators have a developing role in monitoring planning and supporting the teaching of the curriculum, thus ensuring a high degree of consistency in the planning and quality of delivery in all subjects.

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The curriculum and assessment

33. A strong feature of the curriculum is the attention paid to ensuring that pupils’ learning is built on systematically from the time they enter the Nursery until they leave the infants school. There are also close links with the local junior school on curricular matters thus ensuring a smooth transition between the schools. The coherent and thorough whole-school approach to planning, monitoring and evaluating the curriculum is an important factor in achieving high standards.

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The curriculum and assessment

34. Provision for clubs beyond the school day is satisfactory. Pupils enjoy the dance club and it enables them to go out into the community and represent the school there. The curriculum also benefits from visitors coming into the school, for example to demonstrate music and cookery. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 16 35. Procedures for assessing children’s attainment are good in the Nursery and very good in Key Stage 1. The good quality of assessment procedures is a strength of the school and ensures work is well matched for the full range of pupils’ needs, including more challenging work for higher attaining pupils. The school has developed effective procedures for assessing children as they enter the school and this helps to identify the needs of pupils from a very early age. Pupils’ work is regularly assessed at Key Stage 1 and individual pupil’s rate of progress can also be tracked efficiently. National tests are administered effectively.

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The curriculum and assessment

Assessment procedures are of a high quality, for example English and physical education. Portfolios of pupils’ work and achievements are passed on to the junior school, and parents receive reports which provide adequate detail about their children’s progress and achievements.

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The curriculum and assessment

36. The school analyses its assessment data very effectively and uses it as an aid to future learning. Data from regular assessments is used not just to record progress but to influence curricular planning. The thoroughness of this procedure allows for effective target setting for individual pupils, especially in English and mathematics, and the provision of appropriate tasks and strategies in the classroom. The effective use of assessment in this way has been an important factor in the raising of already creditable standards of attainment in the school.

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The curriculum and assessment

37. In the last inspection, the school was commended for the breadth and balance of the curriculum and the good quality of its assessment. These strengths have been maintained, and since the last inspection the detail of curricular planning, the procedures for monitoring and evaluating the curriculum, and target setting for pupils have all been successfully developed further. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

38. The school’s provision is for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good and strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained effectively. Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted well in many aspects of the curriculum, including music, art and dance.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

39. There is an underlying emphasis upon the spiritual dimensions of life with importance placed upon kindness, love, peace and an awareness of God given prominence in the school. There is a carefully considered approach to leading pupils towards an understanding of personal worship although assemblies do not always strictly meet the statutory requirement because there is not always a daily act of collective worship and this aspect is unsatisfactory. Pupils gain a strong sense of right and wrong through clear expectations of the school’s rules and everyone working together to emphasise moral values across the curriculum. The school provides pupils with a broad understanding, knowledge and insight into Christian values and beliefs as well as considering the similarities and differences in other faiths and customs. Pupils are encouraged to contribute to discussions and their ideas are valued. Visits to places of worship and

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

other places of religious significance further develop the pupils’ understanding. Music is often used around the school to create an atmosphere of calm and tranquillity at different times of the day and this helps pupils to think beyond their own immediate practical circumstances into feelings, atmosphere and the spiritual dimensions of life. There are frequent opportunities to widen and reinforce an awareness of spirituality when pupils’ feelings, insights and a sense of awe and wonder are explored. This was demonstrated most successfully when a grandparent brought in a prize winning onion that was larger than the pupils’ own heads and they discussed how it had grown to such an enormous size and weight.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

40. Provision for pupils’ social development is good and there are regular opportunities for them to think of others in practical and thoughtful ways, for example by visiting a local day centre for the elderly and a nearby hospital. In addition, pupils have been encouraged successfully to gather items in response to current world issues and crises such as Kosovo.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

41. There are good opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of their own and others’ cultures through the curriculum. Pupils’ own cultures are celebrated sensitively and used as a resource, where for example, parents share their skills in cooking and handpainting. There are regular musical events whereby pupils grow to appreciate a wide range of musical styles and live performances from accomplished musicians. In turn, pupils themselves perform to others and become involved in the local community carnival. The weekly dance club provides many good opportunities for pupils to develop a growing understanding and first hand experience of folk, barn and Morris dancing. All adults provide very good role models for pupils. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 17 42. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall with many of the strengths maintained over sustained periods of time.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

43. The school’s caring approach and its procedures for pupils’ welfare are good. The procedures for monitoring progress and personal development are very good. The assessment system and the setting of short-term targets monitor academic progress effectively for individual pupils. All staff know pupils well as individuals and monitor their personal development as rigorously as their academic progress. The very youngest children in the Nursery are well supported by staff and their transition to the Reception classes is smooth because of regular integration with the main school for assemblies.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

44. Procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour are good. The school has a positive attitude to the management of pupils’ behaviour and works successfully to create a well- organised, supportive and caring atmosphere. In the very rare instances of poor behaviour or bullying, these are recorded and monitored by the headteacher. At present, good work and behaviour are not only rewarded with stickers and stamps, but also by inclusion in the ‘Golden Book’, as names are read out in a good work assembly. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are satisfactory. The registers are marked in accordance with the school’s policy and the school follows up the absence of pupils efficiently. In a few cases, unauthorised absence has been marked inaccurately, although this is now rectified.

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Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

45. Procedures for child protection and promoting pupils’ well-being, health and safety are very good. There is a named teacher responsible for child protection who undertakes this role in a dedicated and very sensitive manner. All members of staff understand procedures. The pupils’ welfare is further safeguarded with rigorous health and safety routines. There is a clear health and safety policy that is known and followed by everyone. Staff show particular diligence in observing potential risks both in lessons and around the school, for example they discuss safety rules with the class, before going out to use the pond area. The pupils’ health, safety and well-being are uppermost in the practices and procedures carried out by all staff and this ensures a thoroughly considerate, safe and caring atmosphere is created within which the pupils can work. Strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained and the school remains

p.17

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

diligent in this area. Improvement since the time of the previous inspection has been good.

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Partnership with parents and the community

46. The partnership with parents and the community is good and has remained so since the last inspection. Since then, good liaison has developed with the junior school and the links with the community have become a strength of the school.

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Partnership with parents and the community

47. The quality of information provided for parents is satisfactory. The prospectus and newsletters for parents are comprehensive and informative and well distributed to include staff and the governing body. Multicultural support services are used effectively for support where English is an additional language. Satisfactory help is given to help parents understand the teaching of the school through information about topic webs and evening presentations on literacy and numeracy. There are good home/school agreements that demonstrate a collective commitment to the pupils’ achievement and behaviour. Reports for parents are informative, although targets are discussed informally, they are not recorded more formally. Annual reports to parents have satisfactory information on attainment and progress but insufficient information on what a pupil needs to do to improve. An open evening follows up the annual reports and appointments can

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Partnership with parents and the community

be made for individual consultation supported by the informal day-to-day exchange of information. These provide good opportunities to discuss individual pupils in more detail. There are at least termly meetings for all parents and good opportunities for individual consultative meetings.

p.17

Partnership with parents and the community

48. The involvement of parents in their children’s learning is good. A new and useful homework policy has just been produced with an emphasis on reading. Parents are very responsive and homework has had a very marked and positive impact. Where homework is considered to be inappropriate due to individual family circumstances, there is good, sensitive support in school ensuring all pupils are well catered for. Reading record books can be used more generally for communication between home and school. Parents bring a wide range of versatile support to the school and this is used readily to enrich the curriculum and Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 18 celebrate cultural diversity. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are involved systematically in their formal reviews.

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Partnership with parents and the community

49. The school has very good links with the community and the contribution this makes to the attainment of pupils and their personal development is also very good. The school places great emphasis and importance upon developing a greater understanding of society and citizenship in pupils and they do this very effectively. Drama is used to teach ‘Why We Need Rules’, caring for others and valuing individuals. This is reinforced through the Golden Book. Contributions to charity are good. Pupils care about the community through taking their plays to the local old people’s home and nearby hospital. The dancing group makes similar visits which include going to local play groups. The local Carnival is given good support and pupils, together with their families and the governors participate and dress up according to the theme. ‘Caring for people outside the school’ is a theme in religious education and pupils support the

p.18

Partnership with parents and the community

homeless and children with specific needs. Pupils are encouraged to respond supportively to world issues sending play and school packs to Kosovo. There is very good enrichment of the curriculum through use of the community. Visitors support the teaching of comparative religion and bring experience of the fire brigade, police services and many other areas. There was a very successful visit from a musical group, Earth Song, that ran sessions for all children whereby they worked together with the musicians.

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Partnership with parents and the community

50. There are good links with other local schools that take pupils from Alwyn Infant School. They are thorough, well established and involve curricular planning discussions that build on pupils’ previous learning and liaison on assessment information. The school now has its own Nursery and this is having a very positive impact on standards overall.

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Partnership with parents and the community

51. The Parent Teachers Association is jointly run with the local junior school. It is very supportive and very active in raising funds and organising enjoyable communal events. Each class has a volunteer ‘link parent’ to help disseminate information, often to do with events being organised by the association but valuable too as a useful link between parents and the school. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good and very good in the development of community links.

p.18

Leadership and management

52. The headteacher provides very good leadership and management to the school with clear educational direction that is carefully documented. There is a strong emphasis upon maintaining high academic standards, whilst continuing to set challenging yet realistic targets for the future. The deputy headteacher, more recently appointed, has already made a useful contribution to the overall strategic direction of the school through monitoring and assessment activities, with energy and enthusiasm. The headteacher and deputy headteacher make a strong and complementary partnership. Team leaders are highly effective in their leadership of year groups, ensuring a systematic overview of the curriculum, as well as similar planning and standards for pupils in classes within the same year. All teachers with responsibility for developing subjects carry out their roles most effectively and have priorities that centre on improving the

p.18

Leadership and management

quality of education, alongside improving standards.

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Leadership and management

53. The governing body is well organised and ably led by an experienced chair of governors. Governors are active in their roles and strategically involved in decision making and monitoring the school. There is a sensitive balance achieved between support for the school and rigour in challenging its performance. The governing body is focused appropriately on important issues of standards, pupils’ progress and ensuring value for money.

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Leadership and management

54. Special educational needs provision is well managed and pupils are identified at the earliest opportunity in order to organise additional support efficiently. Procedures for identification and systems for developing individual education plans are well established and effective. The management of provision for children under five is efficient and effective. The co-ordinator for Nursery provision is very recently appointed and has established a strong team already within a very short time.

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Leadership and management

55. The monitoring and evaluation of teaching and curricular development is good. Teachers’ plans are reviewed regularly to ensure all aspects of the curriculum are covered and teaching is monitored effectively through the more recently established appraisal system. Teachers have areas of strengths Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 19 identified alongside aspects for their own professional development that is linked closely to the priorities within the school development plan. There is a high level of professional support given by the senior management and between teachers themselves in a practical and co-operative manner, where ideas are shared and expertise offered generously. The evaluation process is built in regularly to the school development plan and suitable opportunities are created for reflection and refining of future targets. Teachers with responsibility for subjects have clear monitoring opportunities, particularly through reading

p.18

Leadership and management

curricular plans and taking in samples of pupils’ work from different year groups. They monitor effectively and show a breadth of understanding for what is taking place in each of the classes, as well as the standards being achieved by pupils.

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Leadership and management

56. The implementation of the school’s aims, policies and values is very good overall. All staff work to ensure a high degree of consistency and this has a very positive impact on the ethos established. The school development plan is very good. It is clear and comprehensive, covering all priorities relevant to sustaining and further improving standards. Actions are suitably precise and dates are identified for targets to be monitored, completed and their impact on standards evaluated.

p.19

Leadership and management

57. There is a very good ethos, based on achieving high, yet realistic standards both academically and socially. Relationships between pupils and with adults are very good and there is a high degree of harmony regardless of the pupils’ backgrounds or individual differences. The atmosphere for learning is purposeful and productive and this may be seen consistently throughout the school. All pupils have very good opportunity for equal access to the curriculum. Statutory requirements are met apart from some assemblies that do not meet the requirement for a daily act of collective worship.

p.19

Leadership and management

58. Improvement since the last inspection has been good. There was a gap in response to the previous inspection when changes took place in the leadership and management. On the appointment of a new headteacher, an analysis of progress was carried out quickly and within the first year, many issues identified in the last report were addressed effectively, including a detailed curricular framework and management structure that provided teachers with clear roles, responsibilities and expectations. Strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained effectively. The high standards reported at the time of the last inspection have been maintained, although teacher assessments showed a fluctuation in science in 1998. High standards have been achieved within the context of a changing and more socially diverse population of pupils with a growing range of special educational needs.

p.19

Leadership and management

59. The school has very good capacity for further improvement. The headteacher and staff have a strong understanding and insight into their own strengths and areas for development as already identified in the school development plan. There is a range of strategies that are proven and effective in improving standards. The staff have a very clear and collective determination to maintain and secure higher standards within a realistic framework of systems and structures that have already brought about change and further developed the quality of education.

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Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

60. There are a good number of teachers who are well qualified and experienced to deliver all aspects of the curriculum. In addition, there is a good number of support staff who are experienced and trained to assist both individuals and larger groups and carry out their responsibilities in a highly effective manner.

p.19

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

61. Arrangements for appraisal and professional development for all staff are good and make a useful contribution to their effectiveness and impact on pupils’ standards and progress. The links between in- service training, the school development plan and current initiatives are very secure and appropriate costs for training included. In addition, staff meetings are used efficiently to address training needs and subsequently, information is shared that contributes directly to the school’s overall improvement. New staff are very well supported through informal induction arrangements and they become familiar with school routines quickly.

p.19

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

62. The accommodation is good and best use is made of the open–planned building. The space for teaching is used well and areas for other activities are incorporated creatively into the overall space. Library areas are often used as an integral part of the lesson and space between classes is shared to best effect. The accommodation for children under five is very good with separate and secure areas for outside play as well as spacious indoor facilities. The buildings are in good decorative order and very well maintained by the Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 20 caretaker and cleaning staff. This adds to the bright and attractive environment in all parts of the school. The grounds are spacious and have the benefit of playground markings and games that develop pupils’ skills during playtime. The environmental area including a pond, is a rich resource for many activities, including science, that further enhances the school’s accommodation and capacity to teach the curriculum

p.19

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

63. Resources are good. The range of books has been extended since the last inspection and now provides a wide variety of reading materials, both fiction and non-fiction, at many different levels as well as interests. Equipment for children under five is good, apart from information technology where the current computer is old and out-of-date and not wholly compatible with the technology used in the rest of the school. Resources to support pupils with special educational needs are good. All equipment is very well cared for and treated with respect by pupils. Resources are easily accessible to adults and pupils alike with many clearly labelled and stored tidily. This enables pupils to work independently on tasks where possible and take further responsibility.

p.20

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

64. Since the last inspection, there has been good improvement in the opportunity for younger children to develop role-play and there is a growing range of information technology software throughout the school.

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The efficiency of the school

65. The financial planning in the school is good. There are efficient and effective means whereby initiatives are costed carefully, suitably prioritised and closely linked to the overall school development plan. Grants for specific purposes, including special educational needs, are used prudently and targeted appropriately. The surplus finances carried over from the previous year’s budget are already allocated for staffing in the new academic year. There are appropriate procedures to control spending and the administrator manages the finances well.

p.20

The efficiency of the school

66. The use of teaching and support staff is very good and they are very well deployed throughout the school. They use their time efficiently, for example all support staff know the purpose of the lessons and their roles within them. The use of message books between teachers and support staff works very well and ensures smooth communication as well as maximising opportunities to support pupils. The accommodation both inside and outside is used extensively for the purposes of learning. All space is used to the full and organised to encourage pupils to take an active interest in their surroundings. Teachers with responsibility for developing subjects have separately identified budgets and budget tightly for necessary equipment and consumable items. The day-to-day administration of the school is very good and practical routines are carried out with quiet efficiency. Recommendations from audits have been addressed fully.

p.20

The efficiency of the school

67. The school provides good value for money. This takes into account the socio-economic circumstances of the pupils, the broadly average attainment of the children on entry and the good progress made by all pupils. In addition, the good attitudes of pupils, the high standards achieved, particularly in English and mathematics and the overall good quality of teaching, not withstanding the slightly higher than average expenditure per pupil. Strengths in the efficiency of the school since the last inspection have been sustained successfully. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 21

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

68. The provision for children under five ensures that all children have a positive start to their school life and they are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Attainment on entry is judged to match what would be expected for the majority of similar aged children. By the time they begin work on the National Curriculum at statutory school age, children have made good progress, attain the Desirable Learning Outcomes and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Children under five are taught in a specialist Nursery unit. The Nursery children attend for either a morning or afternoon session, and are mainly taught by one teacher and supported by a Nursery assistant Teaching in the Nursery is good overall and activities are well monitored. The Nursery team has only been together for a very short time and already have established effective routines with children who started at the beginning of the term. They

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

have also demonstrated themselves to be a cohesive team that works well together.

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Language and literacy

69. The quality of teaching in the area of language and literacy is good, with high expectations of the pupils’ ability to cope with demanding language work through literacy lessons. Children make good progress, and by the time they are five, most attain the recommended outcomes for children of this age in language and literacy. They have good listening skills and listen attentively to teachers when they are reading stories. They sit quietly, follow instructions carefully, put up their hands and answer questions enthusiastically about objects beginning with the letter ‘f”. They enjoy playing memory games where one object is hidden and they have to call out the names of animals and objects, which are left. They practise writing the letter ‘f” accurately, using felt tip pens when given large cut outs of the letter. They trace over pictures with increasing control and form lines by joining dots. They use role-play well, for instance when they pretend

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Language and literacy

to be vets and develop writing skills when they enter facts about sick animals in the vet’s diary. Staff speak to children encouragingly and use praise and stickers to good effect.

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Mathematics

70. By the time they are five, most children attain the recommended outcomes for children of this age in mathematics. The quality of teaching in mathematics is good. A strength of this teaching is good planning at an appropriate level and incorporating a variety of activities to stimulate the children. Children in the Nursery make good progress. Most can recognise the numbers one to six. They roll a dice with the numbers one to six on, recognise the numbers and complete puzzles using this information. They sing delightful number rhymes with alternative words. The majority match cards accurately and some can sort animals on the farm into types. A small group of children thread beads and make simple patterns. They are developing their knowledge of shape well, especially when they match shapes; cut them out and stick them down, as well as when they roll and cut playdough into a range of circular shapes. However, the use

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Mathematics

of extension activities does not always provide sufficient challenge for the most able pupils.

p.21

Knowledge and understanding of the world

71. By the time they are five, most children attain the recommended outcomes for children of this age in their knowledge and understanding of the world. The quality of teaching is good. The children make good progress when they discuss the needs of pets and identify a variety of objects linked to their care; including a lead, water bowl or water bottle and pet cage. Resources are well-chosen enabling quality conversations to develop around the theme. Stories are used well and incorporated the pet care items creatively. During the inspection the children used the computer to type and print out their names satisfactorily. Information technology resources are old and out-of-date and are not compatible with equipment elsewhere in the school, this is a weakness.

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Physical development

72. By the time they are five, most children attain the recommended outcomes for children of this age in their physical development. The quality of teaching physical education is good. Lessons are planned appropriately with warming up exercises, followed by the main activity and time for cooling down. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 22 Children in the Nursery have good opportunities to play with large or wheeled apparatus in their own fenced playground. They make good progress in developing manipulative skills when they go into the school hall and move around, finding their own space to carry out tasks, which increase body control. They make sound progress in learning to use scissors when they cut out shapes they have coloured.

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Creative development

73. By the time they are five, most children attain the recommended outcomes for children of this age in creative development. The quality of teaching in creative development is good. Good progress is made in developing creative skills. A good variety of experiences have been planned for the children. In the Nursery there is a pretend pet surgery, where children can bandage up toy pets and give them medical care. The children develop painting skills when they create paintings of real oranges and zebras, where they use only white paint on black paper. They colour pictures of gingerbread men using wax crayons. They create texture pictures using sand, paint and glue. They create collages using materials for particular colours as well as gingerbread men using paper, material and buttons. They use moldable materials to good effect, such as salt dough to make model faces of themselves. They learn how to mix ingredients

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Personal and social development

74. By the time they are five, most children attain the recommended outcomes for children of this age in personal and social development. The quality of teaching in personal and social development is good. The children make good progress. They quickly become accustomed to the school environment and are well prepared for entry into the main school. Children in the Nursery work well together and share the frogs in the compost tray fairly. They co-operate and hand cookery tools to others. They look after each other, bringing a toy for themselves and an extra for a friend. They have positive attitudes to learning and join in activities happily, particularly enjoying the mixing of ingredients. They show independence in selection of tasks in the sand area. The teaching is based on establishing friendly relationships between children and with adults. The children understand the difference between right and wrong.

p.22

Personal and social development

75. There was no Nursery in the school at the time of the last inspection, so no comparison can be made as to improvements. There are however, many benefits from the recently acquired provision that are having a direct impact on the pupils’ progress further up the school, for example in their speaking and listening skills and in being trained in good work habits and school routines.

p.22

English

76. The 1998 test results show that pupils’ attainment by the end of Key Stage 1 is above the national average in speaking, listening, reading and writing. A significant proportion of pupils attain higher levels in reading and writing by comparison with the national average. Many pupils attain above average by comparison with other similar schools. This is because of the school’s effective analysis of national test results, strategies to target weaknesses and build on strengths and the whole school’s determination to raise standards further for all its pupils. There are no significant differences in attainment between boys and girls. There is a steady improvement in standards over time.

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English

77. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills on starting school are generally in line with expectations, although a small minority are identified with skills below that expected, for example their articulation is poor and sentences are very limited. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening is above national expectations. Pupils make good progress over time. Younger pupils develop their speaking and listening skills effectively in role-play areas as well as in drama sessions. These activities are carefully designed to focus on language development. Pupils learn to listen carefully and by the end of Key Stage 1, pupils speak confidently using correct grammar and punctuation in many instances. During assemblies and other larger group activities, all pupils listen attentively and understand the use of humor.

p.22

English

78. Pupils throughout the school develop a genuine appreciation and enjoyment of books and reading. They make good progress and attainment in reading is above the national expectations by the age of seven. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 23 Children begin to understand the purpose and use of books from the earliest opportunity in the Nursery and gain a very good foundation in developing early reading skills. All pupils distinguish the print from pictures and many offer opinions and preferences about books they have enjoyed. By the end of Key Stage 1, many pupils read with confidence and growing fluency. They understand the different parts of books and their purpose, for example the index and glossary. The quiet reading sessions that happen daily are well used to promote a very positive attitude and enjoyment of books. There are many good opportunities for pupils to change their reading books from a wide variety of carefully chosen books that are interesting

p.22

English

79. Pupils’ writing skills are well developed by the end of Key Stage 1 and their attainment is above the national expectations. They move quickly from making marks at the start of school life to producing more carefully controlled and legible writing. Many write for a growing range of purposes, for example postcards were written from all over the country depicting their holiday activities. Many pupils present their work tidily with clearly shaped letters that are well formed by the end of Key Stage 1. They make good progress and have very good role models from the teachers’ own handwriting. Literacy sessions are used effectively to further the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of punctuation, grammar and accuracy in spelling. Younger pupils identify patterns in words and letter blends that help their accuracy in spelling. Pupils have regular opportunities to revise their work, for example, weekly spellings are taken very

p.23

English

seriously. Pupils are increasingly able to identify ways in which they may improve their own writing through the use of more interesting and imaginative vocabulary.

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English

80. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress through the carefully focused support from assistants and work that is matched to their needs. Higher attaining pupils are also set challenging work that extends their reading and writing skills even further.

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English

81. The pupils’ literacy skills are developed systematically in other subjects and many sessions enable pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills effectively. In history, for example, pupils discuss the differences between objects used currently and compare them to those used in the past. They read a range of history books and write using interesting and descriptive language.

p.23

English

82. Pupils have good attitudes towards their work. They are considerate and respectful towards the contributions from other pupils and show enthusiasm and motivation towards reading and writing. Many show obvious enjoyment and pride in their work and many are keen to discuss the end results with adults. Pupils show a real interest in books and the library is an area where they enjoy spending time both for work and pleasure.

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English

83. Teaching is good. Teachers have good knowledge of the subject and set challenging, yet realistic targets for the full range of pupils’ needs. Time is used efficiently and lessons are planned carefully. Assessment procedures are very good and there is a most comprehensive collection of pupils’ work, sampled over time, that demonstrates progress as well as the levels at which they are working. Teachers mark the pupils’ work alongside them during lessons and this provides immediate and useful ways for further improvement. Homework is used well to support school activities. It is set regularly and chosen to help pupils revise and extend knowledge already gained. Parents are very actively involved in their children’s reading and they complete the home school diaries regularly. The teachers attach great importance to the teaching of English and statutory requirements are met. They create a very positive learning environment

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English

with high quality areas for encouraging pupils to read independently. Teachers provide realistic evaluation of the pupils’ work and challenge all pupils to surpass their own personal best in achievements.

p.23

English

84. The English co-ordinator is highly effective in setting and tracking standards as well as in maintaining samples of work to chart progress over time. Resources are good with many books that have been purchased recently to supplement the library and literacy store. The library areas are an integral part of the open-planned areas and used regularly to support a wide variety of activities. Pupils use the library for research and reading purposes and this further extends their reading skills.

p.23

English

85. The strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained and more pupils are reaching higher levels in reading and writing as a result of carefully targeted work and focused support. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 24

p.23

Mathematics

86. The standard of attainment in mathematics, as observed during the inspection, is above national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1. The end of key stage assessments for 1998 showed that the proportion of pupils achieving higher levels was well above by national comparison. Results are broadly in line with those of similar schools. The most recent assessments for 1999 show that standards are even higher for higher-attaining pupils and there is therefore an improving trend built upon already good foundations. There is no significant variation between the attainment of boys and girls.

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Mathematics

87. Pupils of all levels of ability, including those with special educational needs, make good progress by the end of Key Stage 1, and higher attaining pupils often make very good progress. Pupils learn to count, order and sort numbers with increasing accuracy, younger pupils up to twenty and many younger and older pupils beyond this. In examining place value, pupils learn to use hundreds, tens and units successfully. They use appropriate practical aids such as counting blocks, charts and number grids, and learn to make calculations both mentally and on paper with increasing confidence. Many pupils make very good progress in developing their mental reasoning processes and looking for alternative strategies, and this is directly related to skilful and imaginative teaching which encourages high expectations. Pupils from an early age make good progress in developing an understanding of mathematical concepts and

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Mathematics

language such as ‘greater than’ and ‘lesser than’. Younger pupils learn to write numbers with increasing accuracy. By Year 2 many pupils are successfully working on multiplication and division, for example multiplying in twos and fours and dividing by four and five. Although during the inspection there was less evidence in lessons of problem solving, it is evident from their written work and from talking to pupils that they are increasingly proficient in working out problems to do with volume, capacity and shape, for example finding quarters and halves. They also make good progress in measuring, for example making estimates and then making personal measurements of parts of the body; and they use mathematical concepts and measures in collecting data, surveying and comparing different types of transport through constructing bar charts and pictograms.

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Mathematics

88. Pupils’ attitudes towards learning in mathematics are good. In whole-class sessions, most pupils are very responsive to questioning and the opportunity to do mental arithmetic. They persevere in working out problems and many are quite articulate in explaining their reasoning. When working individually, pupils concentrate well and enjoy reporting back. A small minority of pupils finds it difficult to concentrate in whole-class sessions during numeracy lessons. Most pupils enjoy opportunities to make up number stories, and to find hidden answers to problems.

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Mathematics

89. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory and mainly good in the great majority of lessons; it is good in half with a small amount of excellent teaching seen during the numeracy lessons. The good quality of this teaching, along with target setting for pupils, has a direct impact upon the good progress made by pupils. Where teaching is good, it is characterised by several features. There is careful planning with clear objectives directly linked to the Numeracy Strategy. Lessons are effectively divided into whole-class sessions, individual work and plenary sessions to summarise and evaluate progress. Teachers use a variety of tasks and different worksheets appropriate to different abilities, and they display secure knowledge of the subject. Teachers sustain a brisk and purposeful working atmosphere to which pupils respond positively. Support staff are used effectively with groups of pupils. On the very few occasions where

p.24

Mathematics

aspects of teaching are unsatisfactory, the pace of activities slackens, and there is insufficient extension work to keep more able pupils fully occupied.

p.24

Mathematics

90. Mathematics is very effectively co-ordinated. The co-ordinator has put much effort into preparing for, and implementing, the Numeracy Strategy, with the result that teachers feel confident about their approach. The co-ordinator has good opportunities to monitor planning and develop the subject, and plans are in hand to extend her monitoring role. The effort put into developing mathematics is particularly evident in the quality of assessment in mathematics. This assessment is appropriate, detailed, and is used to set targets for pupils and thereby raise standards.

p.24

Mathematics

91. The quality and quantity of resources for mathematics are good, reflecting the priority which the school has placed upon preparing for the Numeracy Strategy. Books, worksheets and other resources are appropriate and suitably varied.

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Mathematics

92. Numeracy skills are applied well in other subjects: for example the counting out of notes in music lessons and the use of graphs in science. There are many examples during the day where the use of number is evident more informally, for example counting numbers for lunch and milk and the number of boys and girls in a class. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 25 93. The last inspection report showed that standards in mathematics were in many cases above national averages at Key Stage 1. These high standards have been maintained and indeed improved upon, especially for higher attainers. The rate of progress has been increased by the commitment of staff, the attention given to assessment and target setting, and the thorough preparation for the implementation of the numeracy strategy. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good.

p.24

Science

94. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is broadly in line with the national expectations and a growing proportion of pupils are achieving higher levels. In 1998, pupils’ attainment was below the national average, and below by comparison with similar schools. This has improved in 1999. The teachers’ own assessments in 1998 were, on reflection, seen to be overly harsh and underestimated the levels of pupils’ attainment at that time. There was no significant difference in attainment between girls and boys.

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Science

95. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils carry out challenging investigations, where they make their own predictions about what will happen, for instance when solid jelly cubes are heated in a microwave. They carry out good investigations for themselves concerned with which towel would be the most absorbent. They describe their observations of moving objects accurately, and make further analysis of the objects travelling down a slope, recording the findings using simple tables. The pupils’ scientific knowledge is sound and they use a widening scientific vocabulary. They make interesting booklets about frogs and the development of tadpoles to adult frogs. Pupils label diagrams correctly to show the different parts of plants. They draw accurate diagrams of how bulbs and wires can be connected to form a complete circuit. The majority of pupils know that chocolate changes to a liquid when it is heated, and if left to cool

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Science

96. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall. A significant minority of higher attainers make good progress as they achieve higher levels in science. A strength of the subject is the good progress pupils are making in their knowledge of living creatures due to the imaginative use of the pond area, particularly when they use this area to observe the differences in pond life and plant growth over a six-week period. Pupils produce accurate diagrams of the water cycle and recognise that living creatures breathe, feed, move, grow and reproduce. They describe the properties of jelly thoughtfully and discuss what will happen to jelly when it is mixed with hot water. Pupils make good progress when they sort materials into living and non-living groups. Pupils draw clear diagrams to illustrate which objects float and which sink in water. They enjoy visiting the ‘Look Out Discovery Park’ and carrying out experiments using scientific equipment. Pupils

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Science

investigate carefully what conditions are necessary for the growth of cress seeds. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress.

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Science

97. Pupils have good attitudes towards their work and respond sensibly to experimental and investigative activities. They work diligently and independently on individual animal projects. They take an interest in how the pond has changed since July and they ask questions related to their work. Pupils show respect for animals, plants and the environment when using the pond area. They behave well when walking to and from this area and may be relied upon to act safely and maturely. Pupils work with sustained concentration when drawing diagrams of how jelly is made and take pride in their work, particularly when the teachers, praise their work orally.

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Science

98. Teaching is satisfactory overall and occasionally good. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the subject and its requirements. The teachers set high expectations when they ask pupils to observe living organisms carefully. Good teaching is characterised by the use of open-ended questioning, which deepens pupils’ thinking. This was particularly evident in a lesson where pupils were asked to say what would happen when liquid jelly was placed in a fridge. The teachers plan carefully using clear learning objectives and use questioning to carry out initial assessment of pupils’ knowledge. Resources are used to good effect to bring science lessons to life, for example in the extensive use of the local and immediate wild life area in the school grounds. Teachers manage their time efficiently and plan the resources in order to support the lessons effectively. Equipment is stored for easy access and ensures

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Science

that pupils are as independent as possible when carrying out their practical work.

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Science

99. The curriculum covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. Assessment is used effectively to identify pupils’ knowledge in science, however it is not yet used comprehensively to create individual targets for pupils. The national test results have been analysed carefully to create graphs, which demonstrate the Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 26 performance of pupils in different aspects of the National Curriculum. These graphs have been used effectively to assess the strengths and weaknesses in pupils’ knowledge and understanding. The school is using assessment effectively to target a number of pupils who are not yet reaching national expectations in science.

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Science

100. The co-ordinator has been off on long-term sickness, however it is well managed in her absence. A scrutiny of the scheme of work she has planned, clearly indicates which parts of the programmes of study teachers should cover each year and this is linked effectively with the new national guidance.

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Science

101. Resources are good. They are stored centrally in one area and are easily accessible, being housed in sealed topic boxes. The school has made satisfactory improvements since the last inspection and the new scheme of work and policy document, guide staff well.

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Information technology

102. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are in line with expectations for similar aged pupils. This indicates an overall improvement since the time of the last inspection.

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Information technology

103. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils use a mouse well, such as when they draw pictures carefully. They use the computer for word processing and redraft their writing accurately in order to produce a newspaper. They handle data with growing confidence and produce graphs about weather. Pupils make satisfactory progress throughout Key Stage 1. They make satisfactory progress when using a mouse to select countries and position them correctly in relation to a map of England. They carry out personal research efficiently to find out about the earth, the equator, the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. They use word processing skills to present information about the humming bird and toucan and develop their numeracy and information technology skills when counting the number of teddies on the screen and press the correct number key.

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Information technology

104. Pupils enjoy using the computers and share the mouse fairly when working in pairs. They concentrate well when using computers and read about the world on the screen fluently, helping one another if they get stuck. They listen carefully to the teacher and other pupils, answering questions keenly and offering demonstrations readily.

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Information technology

105. The teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have sound knowledge of information technology. They write clear instructions to remind pupils of the steps involved in using current programs. Teaching is good where planning has clear learning objectives and previous topics are revised at the beginning of lessons, also where teachers are very familiar with the programs. They organise time for information technology well, time-tabling lessons to introduce new programs. They use the computer screen well to show pupils what they have to do. They manage the class thoughtfully so that pupils demonstrate how to do particular tasks. This in turn provides useful assessment information about the pupils’ levels of understanding.

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Information technology

106. The curriculum is well planned and the scheme covers most aspects. However the use of simulations and adventure software is underdeveloped. There are suitable programs on all subjects of the National Curriculum now.

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Information technology

107. The subject is led effectively by the co-ordinator, who has worked hard to support staff with a booklet of guidelines, which include useful information about progress in the subject The co-ordinator monitors planning regularly and leads useful in-service training. However there has not yet been opportunity to monitor teaching although there are plans in the school development timetable for this to happen.

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Information technology

108. There are satisfactory resources in Key Stage 1, however the Nursery equipment is old and out-of-date and does not provide a useful basis upon which to build information technology skills in Key Stage 1. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 27 109. Since the last inspection more up to date hardware has been purchased with appropriate software, which include programs for art, history and geography. There is also a new booklet to assist staff in the planning and assessing of the subject. Overall, satisfactory progress has been made since the previous inspection.

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Religious education

110. Standards achieved in religious education are above expectations in the agreed syllabus for similar aged pupils. Pupils make good progress in their understanding of Christianity as well as other faiths as they move through the school. They gain good knowledge of the various festivals, special celebrations and ceremonies throughout the year as the school makes particular emphasis upon them. The school follows the Local Authority Locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education and has made suitable modifications for its own purposes. Assemblies make a useful contribution to pupils’ knowledge of religious education.

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Religious education

111. Pupils understand stories from the Bible and their application and meaning to present day circumstances. They learn to recognise symbols and artefacts that are seen to be special to people of different faiths and in so doing, learn to respect one another regardless of differences in religious views or backgrounds. Pupils in Year 2 understand that there are different people who are important to certain faiths, for example that Jesus is the Son of God for Christians.

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Religious education

112. Pupils have good attitudes towards religious education. They are keen to use the range of artefacts and treat them with care and respect.

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Religious education

113. It was only possible to see a very small amount of teaching during the inspection, however scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ plans and discussions with pupils show a picture of good progress throughout the school.

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Religious education

114. The co-ordinator is effective in carrying out her responsibilities and has a clear idea of the standards being achieved by pupils across the school. Strengths from the previous inspection have been sustained successfully and good progress has been made.

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Art

115. Standards achieved in art by the end of Key Stage 1 are above expectations for similar aged pupils and they make good progress.

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Art

116. There are many good examples of detailed drawings from real life observations including some very high quality work on different types of shoes, including trainers. Pupils work with a wide variety of materials including clay, print, collage and three-dimensional work. In addition, there are patchwork pictures and large art posters made up of a collection of tiles that have been designed and compiled as a whole-school project with some very good results that are displayed as features within the school. Pupils build on previously acquired techniques in printing, drawing and modelling with very good results.

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Art

117. Pupils have very good attitudes towards art work and enjoy all art activities. They concentrate hard and use materials carefully with due attention to safety and respect for equipment. They select from a range of materials and resources and choose which are appropriate for any given task. Pupils enjoy discussing their work with adults and show an understanding of an increasing range of art processes that they have experienced and enjoyed.

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Art

118. Although only a few art lessons were observed, the quality of art teaching is good overall. Teachers have a secure knowledge of the subject and continuously extend their own art skills. Pupils are well managed when using a range of materials and teachers choose equipment and resources effectively in order to support the lessons. Assessment is used systematically and samples of pupils’ work are saved regularly in order to make useful comparisons about standards and progress over time. Resources are readily available and efficiently stored for easy access.

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Art

119. Art is effectively co-ordinated and pupils’ work is carefully collected and sampled over time by the co- ordinator. This provides a rich resource of the range of work completed. Art makes a good contribution to Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 28 the cultural provision across the school and the varied displays also add to the overall high quality of the surroundings. Pupils’ art work is used imaginatively and there are many good examples of art work completed collectively and displayed as a joint enterprise. Art was seen to make a useful contribution at the time of the last inspection and strengths identified previously have consequently been sustained effectively. Improvement since the last inspection has been good overall.

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Design and technology

120. Standards achieved in design and technology are above expectations for similar aged pupils. A strength of this subject is the Technology Week organised annually for pupils, when pupils plan, make and evaluate a variety of challenges well. This week culminates in a display, where parents are invited to view the achievements on the Friday afternoon.

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Design and technology

121. Pupils make good progress and produce complicated models. Pupils in Year 1 work hard to create model boats. They use recycled material well when making model animals and villages, robots, musical instruments and pizza boxes, also when they make puppets and toys using fabric and wood. The pupils develop considerable skills in the use of clay when they make fish soap dishes and glaze them. They use construction kits accurately to form models of machinery. Their design and technology skills are further developed as they mix ingredients and bake to make cookies and bread with good results.

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Design and technology

122. Pupils’ response to technology is good they enjoy cooking and baking cookies as well as bread. They are pleased with the models made during Technology Week and show their parents what they have made with pride. They work well independently and in small groups to generate ideas and persevere to solve problems. Pupils work carefully with tools and share them fairly.

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Design and technology

123. Very little teaching was observed during the inspection, which prohibits any conclusions being drawn to the quality of teaching in this subject. However, the scrutiny of work from the Technology Week carried out during the previous term shows high quality work completed to a good standard throughout the school.

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Design and technology

124. The whole-school planning is well organised to produce a broad and balanced curriculum, with the exception of fabric technology and this is underdeveloped. Check lists are used well to assess pupils’ achievements and pupils are assessed annually as to the level of their attainment, which is recorded on the overall sheet. This information is used systematically to plan for the future.

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Design and technology

125. The co-ordinator is effective and has worked very hard to develop a booklet of guidance for staff. Within this framework, topics are planned which link closely with new national guidance. This booklet also includes useful reminders concerned with developing skills in different aspects of the subject. The co- ordinator monitors teachers’ planning effectively, but has not yet monitored the teaching of the subject.

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Design and technology

126. Resources are good, but there are too few construction kits for the number of pupils. Since the last inspection the booklet to guide staff has been produced, with a map of how topics should be incorporated into the school year. Improvement in design and technology has been good overall with the Technology Week providing a highlight during the year.

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Geography

127. The standard of attainment in geography by the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with the expectations of pupils of a similar age nationally both in the acquisition of geographical skills and the acquisition of knowledge and understanding about place. It was possible to observe only one geography lesson during the inspection and therefore judgements are based upon the previous work of pupils and discussions with pupils and teachers.

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Geography

128. Pupils make satisfactory progress as they acquire basic geographical vocabulary such as river and hill. They learn to follow directions correctly and add specific landmarks to maps, for example of Edinburgh. They improve their knowledge of place and of factors such as the weather. Pupils, particularly in Year 2, acquire skills such as making travel surveys about how they get to school, and these also involve numeracy skills. Pupils increase their basic geographical knowledge of the United Kingdom. Literature, such as Rosie’s Walk, is used to stimulate pupils’ imagination in devising basic plans and learning about Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 29 direction. They learn how to interpret map symbols accurately.

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Geography

129. It is not possible to comment upon pupil response or the standard of teaching of geography. However, the available evidence shows a satisfactory coverage of the National Curriculum. Assessment in geography is thorough: there are useful examples of work in geography, and these illustrate standards. The co-ordinator is effective, committed and enthusiastic and plans are in hand to develop the subject and its monitoring. The quality and quantity of resources, including information technology programs, are good.

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Geography

130. The previous inspection showed that standards in geography were at least in line with expectations of pupils of a similar age nationally, and the evidence of this inspection shows that this is still the case. Improvement since the previous inspection has been satisfactory.

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History

131. Standards of attainment in history by the end of Key Stage 1 are above the expectations for pupils of a similar age. This is particularly evident in the key elements of historical knowledge and understanding and pupils’ ability to investigate the past. Pupils describe some basic differences between everyday life in the past and today and have a basic grasp of chronological development, to the extent of an awareness of before and after.

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History

132. Pupils make good progress in history by the end of Key Stage 1. For example, with the aid of artefacts such as household items like toasting forks and electric toasters, they learn to sequence objects and to describe the basic differences between life in the past and today, although less able pupils sometimes experience difficulties in writing about the differences. Pupils learn to describe differences across time in social behaviour such as holidays. Many pupils begin to learn the reasons why things change and the causation of important events like the Fire of London. Pupils in Year 2 learn to consider different interpretations of events or personalities such as Guy Fawkes, George Stephenson, Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole.

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History

133. Most pupils enjoy their history lessons. They respond well to questioning about the past, and enjoy talking about artefacts. They respond enthusiastically to recreations of Victorian life, dressing up and learning about Victorian songs and toys. They enjoy talking about the past and many take pride in the presentation of their work.

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History

134. The teaching of history is always at least satisfactory and good in one third of lessons. Teachers’ planning identifies the relevant key concepts and teachers are secure in their subject knowledge. Imaginative strategies are adopted, such as using a range of household artefacts to stimulate pupils’ curiosity about the past. Teachers manage the pupils effectively and time is used productively.

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History

135. The history curriculum is effectively co-ordinated. It is well resourced, although the use of information technology in history is limited. The quality of assessment is good, with historical material used as examples to illustrate standards. Good use is made of the local community to enhance pupils’ understanding of history, for example by bringing in senior citizens to demonstrate cookery.

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History

136. The high standards in history identified in the previous inspection report have been sustained and successfully built upon. There has been good improvement overall since the previous inspection.

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Music

137. The standards achieved in music are higher than expectations of similar aged pupils nationally. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils perform unaccompanied with confidence and realise the importance of good breathing and posture in order to produce tone and volume. They sing tunefully and with expression and follow the teacher’s instructions quickly and sensitively. Many play simple percussion, both tuned and untuned, to good effect and the majority of pupils read simple musical notation by the end of Year 2 with confidence and fluency. Pupils use a wide range of skills including dance and song to accompany musical presentations. They perform enthusiastically and confidently.

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Music

138. Pupils develop a genuine appreciation of music and this is further enhanced by other performing arts work such as dance and drama. Music is a central feature to the school performances and pupils look forward to such events with anticipation and enthusiasm. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 30 139. Teaching is at least satisfactory and mainly good. Occasionally teaching is very good, particularly when taught by specialist musicians who have a thorough understanding of techniques and musical pitch, rhythm and vocabulary. All teachers have a growing expertise in music as a result of the carefully planned in-service training enabling them to be supported in every component throughout the year; this works most effectively. The specialist music room enables all teachers to use a wide range of musical resources to good effect and thus support their lessons effectively. Pupils are well managed and the time spent on

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Music

musical activities is both productive and enjoyable.

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Music

140. The music co-ordinator is highly effective and has an infectious enthusiasm for the subject that clearly impacts upon pupils and teachers alike. The strengths identified in the previous report have been sustained effectively. There have been successive musical events and good improvements since the previous inspection.

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Physical education

141. It was only possible to observe gymnastics in physical education lessons during the inspection and judgements of standards are made on this basis. Standards of attainment in physical education by the end of Key Stage 1 are above the expectations for pupils of this age group. Most pupils show a high standard in their ability to devise and carry out controlled movements without apparatus, and balance well with co- ordination.

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Physical education

142. The progress of pupils of all abilities in physical education is good. Pupils make good progress in devising and refining a series of movements when travelling around the hall, often with progressive levels of difficulty. They develop confidence in movement and also learn to evaluate their own performance and that of their peers. Many pupils start to become less dependent on the teacher when devising sequences of movement.

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Physical education

143. Pupils’ attitudes towards physical education are good. They enjoy the subject and participate enthusiastically. Pupils mostly listen well to instructions and enjoy not just participating but also improvising. Most pupils work to the best of their ability. Many pupils are active in the dance club, which operates not just in school but goes out into the community.

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Physical education

144. The teaching of physical education is mostly good and occasionally excellent. All teachers have good knowledge of the subject. Teachers work from appropriate plans which take pupils through the stages of warm-up, activities and cool-down, often with progressive stages of difficulty. Teachers encourage pupils to show initiative in devising simple gymnastic sequences. They also encourage pupils to evaluate themselves and sometimes draw attention to the health-related benefits of exercise, and also question pupils about their progress. This builds a continuous challenge to all pupils.

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Physical education

145. The physical education curriculum meets statutory requirements and is effectively co-ordinated. The co- ordinator has further developed the sports day, and this is popular with pupils and parents. There are adequate resources and accommodation for physical education both inside and outside the school is good. There is also a detailed and effective scheme of assessment, so that pupils’ progress is recorded efficiently.

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Physical education

146. The last inspection report commended the standards in physical education and these standards have been maintained and built upon. Improvement since the previous inspection has been good. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 31

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

147. The inspection was carried out by a team of four inspectors, including a lay inspector, over a period of 12 days. In all, 53 lessons or parts of lessons were observed and evidence was gathered during a total of 75 hours. Every teacher was observed teaching and interviews and discussions took place with the subject co- ordinators, class teachers and senior management about their work. The chair of the governing body discussed the role and work of the governors and discussions took place with pupils including hearing them read and talking about their work and school life. Pupils’ work from all year groups was scrutinised and teachers’ plans, assessments and records were read. A meeting was held for parents to express their views and a questionnaire circulated to all parents. There were 14 parents at the meeting and 67 replies to the questionnaire. Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 32

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Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals

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Qualified teachers (R - Y2)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 10

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Qualified teachers (R - Y2)

Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 24

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Education support staff (R - Y2)

Total number of education support staff: 7

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Education support staff (R - Y2)

Total aggregate hours worked each week: 105

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Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1

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Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 22

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Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of education support staff: 1

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Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total aggregate hours worked each week: 37

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Financial data

Balance brought forward from previous year 18,809

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Financial data

Balance carried forward to next year 25,790 Alwyn Infant and Nursery School - 33

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 63 33 3 1 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 66 28 4 1 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 26 56 16 2 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 36 49 10 4 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 36 52 9 3 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 39 58 3 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 35 48 14 3 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 42 49 3 4 1

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 55 40 4 0 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 40 52 4 3 0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 70 30 0 0 0

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