Sundorne Infant School and Nursery

Sundorne Infant School

Unique Reference Number: 123395 Inspection Number: 186812

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Sundorne Infant School

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 14 th October 1999

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Sundorne Infant School

Inspection carried o t nder Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 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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Sundorne Infant School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Corndon Crescent Sundorne Road Shrewsbury Shropshire SY1 4LE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body at the above address

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. Derek Preece

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1996

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs. M. Langdale Registered Inspector Mathematics Design and technology Physical education Provision for pupils with special

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Leadership and management Th ffi i f th h l Mrs. J.A. Butler Lay Inspector Equal opportunities Attitudes, behaviour and personal

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Attendance Partnership with parents and the

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Ms. J. McEntire History Geography Art Attainment and progress Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs. S. Noble Science Information technology Music Areas of learning for children under five Teaching

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs. G. Walton English Religious education The curriculum and assessment Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Shropshire Education Services Performance Review and Research Unit The Shirehall Abbey Foregate Shrewsbury Shropshire SY2 6ND

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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

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MAIN FINDINGS

While the full ability range is represented in the intake, overall attainment on entry to the nursery class is below average for the majority of children. The high-quality provision in the nursery ensures that by the time they are five years old the children have made good progress and that attainment is average for the majority in all aspects of provision.

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What the school does well

• . The school has raised attainment in information technology, mathematics, writing, art and physical education. • . The leadership and management of the school is good. • . The quality of provision in the nursery is high. • . There is a high percentage of good and very good teaching and a clear commitment to raising standards further. • . Provision for children with special educational needs is very good. • . The children’s attitudes to learning are very positive and their behaviour is very good. There is a strong work ethic. • . Provision for the children’s personal development is very effective. • . Relationships within the school are excellent. • . The school provides a high-quality and well-resourced learning environment which has a very positive impact on the children’s learning.

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What the school does well

I. The findings from statutory baseline assessments need to be used more fully to ensure that all children are challenged during the work in literacy. II. There is a need to further refine the process of assessment by moderating all of the children’s work in the core subjects to ensure consistency of expectation between year groups. III. There is a need to ensure that all children are provided with enough opportunities to undertake practical activities.

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What the school does well

This is a good school with significant strengths which far outweigh the weaknesses identified above. The weaknesses will however, form the basis of the governors’ action plan. The plan will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

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What the school does well

· How the school has improved since the last inspection

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What the school does well

The headteacher, deputy headteacher, five of the eleven teachers and six classroom support assistants have been appointed since the last inspection and the school has developed well. It has built upon the positive features highlighted in the previous inspection and all the areas identified for action have been addressed. Attainment in information technology has been raised from unsatisfactory to good and this subject is now a strength of the school. Attainment in writing, mathematics and art, also identified as in need of improvement, have risen. Attainment in science has been sustained at an above-average level and in physical education attainment has risen from average to above-average. The quality of teaching is more consistent and there is a high percentage of good and very good teaching. The roles and responsibilities of the governors, the new senior management team and curriculum co-ordinators have

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What the school does well

been clarified and strengthened and they work together well. The headteacher has established a comprehensive system of monitoring and this, together with the regular analysis of data, is used effectively to direct the work of the school. Continuity and progression between the nursery and reception classes have been improved in almost all areas of provision. The appointment and training of additional classroom support assistants has resulted in very good provision for children with special educational needs.

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What the school does well

The school has been redecorated and refurbished to a high standard and provides an environment for learning in which the children are made to feel secure and encouraged to do their best.

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What the school does well

The good-quality leadership evident during the inspection should ensure that the school continues to improve.

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What the school does well

This table shows the standards achieved by 7-year-olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests.

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similar schools

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

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similar schools

The information shows that in the1999 end-of-key-stage tests the pupils’ aggregated scores in reading were below average when compared with all schools nationally and with similar schools. In writing their scores were average when compared with all schools nationally but below average when compared with similar schools. In mathematics they were well below average when compared with both all schools nationally and similar schools. These results which show an overall drop in performance from 1998, were affected by an above-average percentage of pupils (32%) in the year group with special educational needs. They do not reflect inspection findings and, in reading and writing, are not consistent with trends in performance in comparison with national averages over the three years from 1996 to 1998. These trends show that standards in writing are improving steadily and those in reading are being maintained at or above the national average. Test result in mathematics show a drop in performance

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similar schools

against national averages over the same period with well-below-average levels recorded in both 1998 and 1999.

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similar schools

Inspection evidence shows that by the end of the key stage attainment in reading and writing is average. Attainment in mathematics shows a very significant improvement. It has been raised from the well- below-average levels recorded in 1998 and 1999 to average. Attainment in science, information technology, physical education and religious education is better than that expected for children of the same age. In all other subjects except music, where there was insufficient evidence to make a judgement, attainment is as expected for children of the same age.

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similar schools

· Teaching in Under 5 5 – 7 years 7 – 11 years

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similar schools

English Satisfactory* Good Mathematics Satisfactory* Very good Science Good Good Information technology Very good Religious education Good Other subjects Good Good

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similar schools

*Whilst the teaching was good or very good in the nursery, it was satisfactory for the under-fives in the reception classes.

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similar schools

The teaching is satisfactory or better in 98.5% of lessons. It is good or better in 74% of lessons, with 34% of lessons being very good. In Key Stage 1 the impact of the teachers planning collaboratively what is to be taught within year groups is good. The beneficial effects of whole-school development and training in the teaching of information technology and mathematics are clearly evident. Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses

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similar schools

Behaviour Very good throughout the school.

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similar schools

Attendance Good; systems are in place to ensure that any absence is followed up properly. Ethos* A strength of the school. Very good attitudes to work are promoted and relationships are excellent. Leadership and management Leadership of the curriculum is good. Routine and pastoral leadership is very good. The governing body supports the school well. Curriculum The curriculum is broad and balanced. It is supported well by schemes of work and detailed planning. The school has worked hard to maintain a focus on all areas of the curriculum. Pupils with special educational needs Provision is very good. Teachers and support staff work together very well to support the children, whose needs are identified early. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good overall; moral and social development are strengths of the school. Staffing, resources and accommodation Very good overall; very effective deployment of non-teaching

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similar schools

staff. The accommodation, including the playground, is used very well to promote the children’s learning. Value for money Good. *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

most things, and in particular: IV. that their children enjoy school; V. that the people who work in the school are approachable; VI. the high levels of care and concern shown for the children; VII. the support provided for children with special educational needs. VIII. security in the large, open play

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

Inspection judgements support the parents’ positive views. The school is addressing the issues relating to reports and security. · KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

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

To build on the many improvements made since the last inspection and to raise standards further, the governors, headteacher and staff should now:

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

1. use information from statutory baseline assessments more fully to ensure that all pupils are challenged during the work in literacy by:

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

• . providing a wider range of opportunities for children to write independently in a range of contexts, reviewing the balance between the teaching of handwriting and spelling and the composition of writing; • . planning more challenging reading activities; (see paragraphs 11, 36, 116, 119, 135, 137)

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

1. refine the process of assessment by the moderation of pupils’ work to ensure consistency of expectations between year groups by:

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

• . identifying more precisely the current level at which children are learning in order to specify the next steps and to accelerate the pace of progress; • . ensuring that all children are aware of what they need to do to improve their work; (see paragraphs 47, 113, 133)

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

1. ensure that all children are provided with enough opportunities to undertake practical activities by:

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

• . reviewing the balance between whole-class teaching and group or individual activities; • . increasing pupil participation in practical work, for example in science throughout the school and in the literacy hour in the reception classes. (see paragraphs 110, 113, 158)

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

In addition there is a need to ensure that the governors’ annual report to parents and the prospectus contain all of the statutory information required. (see paragraphs 81, 91) · INTRODUCTION

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

1Sundorne Infant School is situated to the north of Shrewsbury town centre in a suburban area of established council and privately-owned property. It provides for pupils between three and seven years of age. Almost all of the pupils attending the school live within the immediate area. They represent a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds and abilities.

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

2The school was opened in 1949 and has recently celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. It was last inspected in February 1996 and since that time a new headteacher has been appointed. A new deputy headteacher, five of the eleven teachers and six additional classroom support assistants have also been appointed.

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

3There are currently 207 pupils on roll in the main school, 112 boys and 95 girls. There are an additional 90 part-time places in the nursery class. 15% of pupils are entitled to free school meals which is broadly in line with the national average. The 32% of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs is above the national average. There are two children for whom English is an additional language.

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

4Assessments carried out when children start in the nursery class show that for the majority of children attainment on entry to the school is below average. The results of statutory baseline assessments completed during the children’s first half term in the reception classes indicate average levels of attainment. Both sets of assessment data are accurate. The average results of baseline assessments undertaken in the reception classes are representative of the good and very good teaching and good progress made by children in the nursery class.

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

5Recent school development plans have, as one of their priorities, focused on tracking the implementation of strategies for ensuring that the key issues identified in the previous inspection report have been addressed. Other significant developments have also been undertaken, including a major and continuing focus on mathematics, the purchase of numerous resources to support work in all subjects and a comprehensive, ongoing programme of redecoration and refurbishment. The current school development plan identifies a number of key priorities including the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy and the further raising of attainment in mathematics, the further raising of attainment in writing, extending the use of information technology within literacy and numeracy and improving the school grounds. Other areas identified for development in 1999/2000 include physical education and design and technology.

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

6The school is also continuing to develop its work in the use of data to support the process of setting targets for end-of-key-stage attainment in reading, writing, and mathematics. The school has particularly targeted those pupils who, without additional support, would be unlikely to achieve Level 2 in the year 2000. 7 Key indicators

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

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

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Test/Task Results

Number of pupils Boys 34 38 35 at NC Level 2 or Girls 38 48 36 above Total 72 86 71 Percentage at NC School 76 (86) 91 (92) 75 (78) L l 2 b N ti l 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Test/Task Results

7 Teacher Assessments Reading Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 36 42 45 at NC Level 2 or Girls 40 41 43 above Total 76 83 88 Percentage at NC School 80 (88) 87 (86) 93 (93) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Test/Task Results

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year: %

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Test/Task Results

Authorised School 4.3 Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.2 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Test/Task Results

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Test/Task Results

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 34.0 Satisfactory or better 98.5 Less than satisfactory 1.5

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Test/Task Results

1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year (i.e. 1998) 7 PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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Test/Task Results

7 EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

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Test/Task Results

1The percentage of pupils in Key Stage 1 reaching Level 2 and above in the most recently published end-of-key-stage tests (1999) shows that in comparison with all schools nationally, pupils’ attainment in reading was below average. In writing it was average and in mathematics it was well below average. When compared with schools with similar characteristics attainment in reading and writing was below average. It remained well below average in mathematics. In science, which is evaluated by teacher assessment, pupils’ attainment was above average when compared with all schools nationally and with similar schools.

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Test/Task Results

2These results, which show an overall drop in performance from 1998, were affected by an above- average proportion of pupils (32%) in the year group with special educational needs. They do not reflect inspection findings and, in reading and writing, are not consistent with trends in performance in comparison with national averages over the three years from 1996 to 1998. These trends show that standards in writing are improving steadily and those in reading are being maintained at or above the national average. Test results in mathematics show a drop in performance against national averages over the same period, with well-below-average levels recorded in both 1998 and 1999.

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Test/Task Results

3There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls. However, for the past two years the school has monitored the children’s progress in English and mathematics by age and gender. The monitoring has resulted in the early identification of under-attaining summer-born children who have since received targeted support. This support is having a positive impact on the children’s attainment which should be reflected in future test results.

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Test/Task Results

4Assessments carried out when children first enter the nursery class indicate that attainment in speaking and listening, reading, writing and mathematics is below average for the majority of children. Inspection evidence and statutory baseline assessments completed after the children have transferred to the reception classes show that by the time the children are five years old the attainment of most is average. It is in line with the desirable learning outcomes for children on entry to compulsory schooling in all the recommended areas of experience. Given the levels of attainment on entry to the nursery, the children make good progress overall. However, in the reception classes, in reading and writing, progress is slower for some average and above-average attainers when baseline assessments are not fully used to identify the next steps in the children’s learning.

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Test/Task Results

5Although not legally required to do so the school has set targets for 2000 in reading, writing and mathematics. These are challenging, but, given the school’s determination to succeed and its well- informed approach to raising standards, the indications are that the targets will be achieved.

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Test/Task Results

6Inspection evidence indicates that by the end of the key stage current attainment in reading, writing, speaking and listening is average and that the children have made satisfactory progress overall. In Year 1 there is evidence of the pupils making good progress and attaining above-average standards.

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Test/Task Results

7The National Literacy Strategy has been adopted by the school and is having a positive effect on the children’s reading and writing.

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Test/Task Results

8In mathematics inspection findings show a very significant improvement in both the 1998 and 1999 National Curriculum test results. By the end of the key stage attainment in mathematics is now average. Although the overall progress observed in Year 2 mathematics lessons was good, the children’s attainment represents satisfactory progress over time. In Year 1, as in literacy, there is evidence of good progress and above-average attainment. 9Attainment in science and information technology is above average and progress is good throughout the school. Information technology was identified as an area of significant weakness in the last inspection report with below-average standards and unsatisfactory progress being made by the pupils. Inspection evidence confirms that the school has addressed this key issue very successfully.

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Test/Task Results

10In religious education the standards achieved are good. They exceed the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Progress in religious education is good throughout the school.

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Test/Task Results

11In physical education attainment is better than expected for children of the same age. Overall progress is good although there were some variations in the lessons observed.

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Test/Task Results

12In history, geography, art and design and technology the children achieve the standards expected for their age and make satisfactory progress. In art this represents an improvement since the last inspection, when attainment was below average and overall progress unsatisfactory.

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Test/Task Results

13In music there was insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about standards. However, the quality of the children’s singing is good.

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Test/Task Results

14The children’s developing skills in literacy and numeracy are supported very well across the curriculum. For example, in Year 2 the big book that the children were sharing with their class teacher was used as a starting point for mathematics and information technology as the children used tallying to show which of the tricks they were reading about they liked the best. Subsequently they were taught how to use information technology to present their results in the form of block graphs and pie charts. Other examples include science and design and technology for the application of skills in number, measures and data-handling, and history and religious education for the application of reading and writing skills.

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Test/Task Results

15Information technology is taught well and is used effectively to support the work in a range of subjects, but particularly in literacy and numeracy lessons.

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Test/Task Results

16Currently there are 66 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs. These pupils make satisfactory and often good progress in all areas of the curriculum and they achieve standards commensurate with their capabilities. They are supported very well by teachers and classroom support assistants. This effective support has led to several children being removed from the register as a result of the good progress they have made.

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Test/Task Results

23 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Test/Task Results

17Parents say their children like school, and the inspection indicates that the children are very keen to learn. They concentrate well in all lessons and markedly in literacy and numeracy. Children in the nursery concentrate very well for significant periods when working in small groups. The vast majority of children persevere well with new or difficult tasks, for example when using their newly-acquired skills in information technology to access the ‘I can write’ program. Good foundations for personal study are laid in the nursery, where each child is directly involved in planning and evaluating his or her activities. Whether working independently or in small groups children throughout the school demonstrate the ability to work conscientiously without the need for significant intervention by adults.

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Test/Task Results

18Children take pride in their work, try hard with their handwriting, keep their books tidy and show a genuine sense of pleasure in achievement, whether it be singing a solo to the rest of the class, or receiving a commendation for good written work.

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Test/Task Results

19Behaviour throughout the school is very good and is a strength. Children keep to the school rules, listen carefully to instructions and remember to walk along the long corridors. They treat property with care, share the playground toys well and demonstrate a maturity and common sense beyond their years. Relationships in the school are excellent. There is a calm atmosphere where everyone is valued and staff and children show mutual respect. Children are friendly, polite and happy to help one another. They value the contributions and feelings of others. Pupils with behavioural difficulties are tolerated and helped by their classmates.

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Test/Task Results

20Provision for the children’s personal development is very effective. They conduct themselves responsibly with self-control and show consideration for others. Those chosen as daily class leaders carry out their duties conscientiously and some have been trained as pupil librarians.

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Test/Task Results

21Independence is nurtured and encouraged in the nursery and to varying extents throughout the school. Children are taught to take responsibility for clearing away after an activity. They grow in confidence and by Year 1 some are prepared to perform in front of the class. By Year 2 most children have become very capable of making choices, for example in selecting appropriate materials for design projects. They demonstrate good awareness of safety issues in and around the school.

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Test/Task Results

22Attendance is good, with figures above the national average for primary schools. Pupils are punctual for school and most have very good attendance records. Absences are recorded carefully using an electronic system. The few children whose attendance gives cause for concern are monitored closely. Over recent years there have been marked fluctuations in attendance figures although the overall picture remains good. These variations have been caused by social problems in a few families from time to time.

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Test/Task Results

23The need for good punctuality has been emphasised by the introduction of new security procedures.

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Test/Task Results

24The quality of teaching is satisfactory or better in 98.5% of lessons, good or better in 74% and 34% very good. The teaching was unsatisfactory in only one of the 65 lessons observed.

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Test/Task Results

25The teaching of the children who are under five ranges from very good to, in one instance, unsatisfactory. Teaching in the nursery class is a strength of the school. It is never less than good and frequently very good. In the reception classes the teaching is mainly satisfactory or good.

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Test/Task Results

26Across the school the teaching of English, mathematics and science ranges from very good to satisfactory. The overall quality of teaching in information technology, religious education, physical education and personal and social education is good. Due to the constraints of timetabling a limited number of lessons was observed in other subjects but the teaching was mainly good.

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Test/Task Results

27The very good teaching in English has a number of key characteristics. For example, in the nursery imaginative contexts for learning are provided as a matter of course and there are well-established daily routines for writing, developing phonological awareness and for allowing the children to evaluate their own performance. In the reception classes the teaching of spelling and handwriting benefits from very careful planning and close attention to how the children are forming their letters. In Year 1, very good teaching exists where teachers have good subject knowledge of the National Literacy Strategy and there is direct teaching of a range of writing skills, for example when the children use a word bank and write to a set structure in order to recall their recent visit to Acton Scott Working Farm Museum. All the very good teaching is characterised by the skilful use of questioning.

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Test/Task Results

28Generally, the difference between the very good and the good teaching of English is the extent to which questioning is used well. Also the strategies used to involve all the children, although good, are not focused quite as sharply. 29Where the teaching is satisfactory, there is sometimes a lack of challenge for some average and more able pupils as tasks are not always matched well enough to ability and there are insufficient opportunities for the teaching of extended writing, for example illustrating story characters when the children are able to form letters and spell simple words.

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Test/Task Results

30Teaching in mathematics is very good when questioning challenges as well as extends thinking and when the learning objectives identified in teachers’ planning is communicated clearly to the children and revisited not only during the plenary session but briefly as the lesson progresses.

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Test/Task Results

31Throughout the school the teaching of mathematics has benefited from the significant amounts of monitoring and in-service training undertaken. It has further benefited from the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy and the concentration, at the beginning of each lesson, on mental calculation. In Year 2 the setting of pupils across classes according to ability has sharpened the focus of lessons.

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Test/Task Results

32Overall, science is taught well throughout the school. Good use is made of visitors, artefacts and the local environment to support the children’s work.

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Test/Task Results

33The most effective teaching observed during the inspection is characterised by high levels of pupil participation, differentiated questioning and a brisk pace to lessons. These elements are evident in the teaching of the process of investigation and fair testing in science which is carried out particularly well in Years 1 and 2. The teaching is less effective when explanation for illustrative purposes is over-long and pupils are passive for extended periods of time. Also, on occasion there is a lack of opportunity for pupils to solve problems and find things out for themselves, for example in investigative work when teachers select the materials to be tested and undertake practical work as a whole-class activity. The teaching of science in Years 1 and 2 is supported well by detailed, year-group planning which includes clear and progressive learning objectives taken from the school’s scheme of work. These objectives are

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Test/Task Results

taught consistently well across year groups in Key Stage 1 as a result of detailed curriculum planning, progression highlighted in the scheme of work and clear learning objectives which are communicated well to the children.

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Test/Task Results

34The teaching of information technology is good. Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations that all children will make good progress during lessons. Very good use is made of the newly-refurbished information technology suite. Further, the children are provided with a good range of opportunities to use the skills they have been taught to support their work in a number of subjects. The one instance of unsatisfactory teaching observed was due to lack of challenge and the slow pace of the lesson.

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Test/Task Results

35The teaching observed in all other areas of the curriculum is characterised, in most instances, by secure subject knowledge, creative use of schemes of work, good links across subject areas and good use of visitors, visits and of the immediate, high-quality learning environment.

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Test/Task Results

36Very good standards of discipline are maintained by all teachers who create a purposeful classroom atmosphere in which pupils work conscientiously.

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Test/Task Results

37The quality of the teaching carried out by all members of staff in the nursery class is a significant strength of the school. The staff capitalise on the high-quality learning environment they have created and use it very well. They plan effectively and make pertinent assessments of the children’s curricular, personal and social needs.

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Test/Task Results

38Overall, teachers’ planning is thorough and very helpful. It enables teachers to structure their lessons effectively by indicating what is to be taught, how learning resources will be used and how learning objectives will be achieved. Schemes of work and policy documents are informative and they are being updated as identified in the school development plan. More attention needs to be paid to planning in literacy for some of the average and higher-attaining pupils.

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Test/Task Results

39Children with special educational needs receive very effective teaching. There is good liaison between the well-deployed support staff, class teachers and the co-ordinator for special educational needs. All staff are aware of the specific needs of individual children. Pupils are sometimes withdrawn from class to work individually or in small groups, but support is most frequently provided within the class and this has a positive effect on the social and emotional development of these pupils. Pupils with special educational needs are supported particularly well in literacy and numeracy lessons.

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Test/Task Results

40The teachers’ use of assessment is satisfactory, as is the recording of what has been learned by individual pupils. The school does not yet use assessment fully to modify what is planned for the future or to review specific targets which are set for individuals or groups of pupils. Teachers’ use of homework is consistent with the school policy and provides regular opportunities for either consolidation or extension of what the children are learning in school.

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Test/Task Results

41The quality of teaching has been monitored regularly since the last inspection and the outcomes of monitoring acted upon. Systems now need to be put in place to ensure that the very good teaching is shared across the school.

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Test/Task Results

42The curriculum for pupils under five is broad and balanced and planned according to the desirable outcomes for children’s learning on entering compulsory education. It is linked appropriately to the National Curriculum and to the teaching objectives in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Baseline assessments are carried out during the children’s first half-term in the reception class. This information indicates that by the time the children reach compulsory school age attainment for the majority is average.

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Test/Task Results

43The curriculum in Key Stage 1 is broad and balanced. Subjects are planned and taught separately or as part of thematic work. The school has agreed an appropriate allocation of time for all subjects of the National Curriculum and, with the exception of geography, history and design and technology which are taught as blocked units, they are all taught every week. All children are taught literacy and numeracy on a daily basis. During the inspection the teaching of literacy and numeracy was observed in all classes. Statutory requirements relating to the curriculum are met in full.

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Test/Task Results

44There are curriculum policies and schemes of work for all subjects and the school has a programme for review and update where appropriate. The policies and schemes of work provide helpful guidance for teachers. The school has adopted the National Literacy Strategy and the National Numeracy Strategy to supplement the existing schemes of work for English and mathematics. It has adopted the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. There is also a policy for teaching and learning which includes a common format for medium and short-term planning and ensures that progression and continuity are planned for effectively in each curriculum area. Good links are made across curriculum areas, for example in Year 2 a geography visit to Upton Magna led to observational drawings completed during the visit being developed in art lessons.

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45Curriculum planning is carried out by teachers in year groups and this, together with a consistent format, contributes to the overall consistency in the quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2. The medium- term planning provides detailed guidance for the teaching objectives in each subject, although the features of continuity and progression are not always clearly identified in the foundation subjects. Planning is monitored regularly by the headteacher, subject co-ordinators and year leaders.

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46All children have equal access to the curriculum and children with special educational needs are fully integrated into all aspects of school life. There are currently 66 children on the special needs register, 2 of whom have an individual statement of educational needs.

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47Provision for these pupils is very good and is a strength of the school. They receive effective support from the special educational needs co-ordinator, the special support assistants and additional support staff and parent helpers, both within the classroom and in withdrawal situations. Children included on the special educational needs register have very detailed individual education plans which are used effectively by class teachers and by special support assistants. The school’s investment in additional support staff is having a significant impact on the progress that these children make, particularly in literacy and numeracy. This initiative has contributed to the removal of a few children from the special educational needs register. The school’s policy for special educational needs complies in full with the requirements of the code of practice. Parents of children on the special educational needs register are

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fully involved in regular reviews of progress and in the statementing process.

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48The policy for personal, social and health education includes provision for sex education. Drugs education is to be addressed in Spring 2000. Personal and social education is a part of the curriculum which is specifically planned.

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49The curriculum is enhanced by a very good range of outside visits. Children visit Acton Scott Farm Museum, the theatre, local churches, Shrewsbury Castle and Haughmond Abbey. Children in Year 1 participate in a shared writing project with Year 7 pupils from the local secondary school. Visitors to the school include local church ministers, artists and storytellers. All children have access to games equipment at break and lunchtimes. The children’s ability to organise themselves as they use this equipment and to establish sets of rules to which they adhere, reflects the success of the policy for social education

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50Currently there are no extra-curricular activities.

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51Children take home reading books, spellings to learn and work related to other curriculum areas. The school provides a good range of information about the curriculum and parents are regularly invited into school to learn about new curriculum developments, for example in literacy and numeracy. These initiatives are appreciated by parents.

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52There is a comprehensive policy for assessment which identifies clearly various levels of assessment and the recording of pupils’ progress to be carried out by staff.

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53Initial assessments are carried out in the nursery and these are detailed and of good quality. Baseline assessments, using the local education authority scheme, are carried out in the reception class. These assessments are accurate but currently are not used sufficiently to ensure continuity and progression in the children’s learning as they begin compulsory education.

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54In Key Stage 1 assessments focus mainly on pupils’ progress in English, mathematics and science. The outcomes of these assessments are monitored by the headteacher. Samples of unaided writing are kept as a record to show development over time, and to identify the next steps to be taught. This process could be extended to the formulation of a moderation portfolio so that features of attainment are identified at each National Curriculum level and targets set to raise standards further in writing. There are detailed analyses of SATs results and reading and spelling tests and these are used to focus on areas of need for particular children, specifically summer-born reception children, whose progress is currently monitored by the headteacher as they move through the school.

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55Since the last inspection the issue of consistency in the marking of children’s work has been addressed so that all teachers mark the work conscientiously and make written comments to indicate what has been achieved. However, the comments do not consistently identify what the children need to do next in order to improve the quality of their work. 56Formal consultation evenings are held twice a year. Annual reports meet statutory requirements and parents are invited to visit the school to discuss their children’s progress in the summer term. An open evening is held in the spring term and regular opportunities are provided to inform parents of what is to be learnt each term.

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63 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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57Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. The planning for assemblies includes the spiritual issues of celebration, relationships, personal qualities and thanksgiving. Regular opportunities are planned for children to engage in personal reflection in an atmosphere which is calm and supportive. Acts of worship are held daily and provide opportunities for the children to listen to bible stories, to learn about some of the Christian festivals and to consider the relevance of Christianity to their own lives. The assemblies provide opportunities for the children to consider their own feelings and emotions, for example when discussing special people in their lives. Stories are used well to help children reflect on their own experiences.

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58Music is used to create a calm atmosphere as children gather for worship, and hymns and prayer are a regular feature. Links with local churches are strong and are supported by the visits of local ministers to assembly.

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59There is an agreed set of principles which underpin the act of worship and there are detailed guidelines about the ways in which spiritual development can be fostered in different curriculum areas.

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60Provision for moral development is very good. It is underpinned by the consistently high expectations of all staff and the examples they set, both in the quality of relationships established and in behaviour. In lessons there are frequent opportunities for the children to consider their classroom rules and the effect of their behaviour on others. Good behaviour and positive attitudes to work are rewarded and these occasions are a regular feature of assemblies. The behaviour of the children is of a consistently high standard and contributes positively to the ethos of the school. The school has a clearly-defined policy for behaviour which is implemented consistently.

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61Pupils’ social development is also very good. The relationships between the staff and children are excellent. Children are encouraged to collaborate well in groups and to respect each other’s views. They are friendly and polite when talking to the staff and to visitors. They develop an awareness of the experiences of others, for example when discussing the childhood toys of a visiting grandfather, and in Year 2 as they participate in a shared writing project with Year 7 pupils from the local secondary school. The children are developing an awareness of the needs of others, for example through fund- raising for charity.

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62Playground arrangements are well-developed and children devise their own games and rules. The work of the lunchtime supervisors contributes effectively to children’s social development.

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63The pupils’ cultural development is good. They learn to appreciate their own cultural heritage, for example through visits to Acton Scott Farm Museum, Shrewsbury Castle and to Haughmond Abbey. They recently celebrated the school’s fiftieth anniversary and through role-play learned about the early days of the school’s life and about the changes that had occurred since.

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64The children’s awareness of other cultures is raised in religious education as the study of major world faiths. They are currently learning about the main features of the Islamic faith through artefacts, photographs and stories.

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65The school subscribes to a ‘Valuing the Arts’ project and this provides opportunities for the children to watch live performances of music, dance and storytelling. The project also provides the children with opportunities to take part in a range of activities, for example working with artists, and by doing this they encounter traditions from a range of cultures.

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72 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

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66The school provides a safe, secure and caring environment and gives good support and guidance to the children. The headteacher and members of staff know the children well and monitor their academic progress and personal development carefully. The marking of children’s work, which was identified as an issue for improvement during the last inspection, has been addressed. Marking should now be developed further so that children are aware of what they need to do next to improve their work.

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67The school has a good personal and social education programme which provides a framework for offering support and guidance to the children. Personal and social education lessons teach children the skills that they need to acquire confidence and independence and to get on well with others.

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68There are effective procedures in place for the induction of the youngest children into the nursery. Preparation for transfer to the junior school is also good.

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69Children with special educational needs receive very effective support which enables them to make at least satisfactory, and often good, progress, according to their capabilities.

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70Very good measures are in place to promote positive behaviour. Good behaviour and good work are noticed and praised. An effective behaviour and discipline policy gives helpful guidance which is implemented by all staff. In particular the staff use very successful strategies to help children with behavioural difficulties to behave well. Arrangements for outdoor play are good and the use of play equipment and the teaching of playground games encourages good behaviour during morning and lunchtime breaks.

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71The procedures to promote good attendance are successful. There are appropriate arrangements in place for recording attendance and for following up unauthorised absence or lateness.

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72Child protection procedures are in place and staff have received appropriate training. Health and safety and first aid procedures are rigorous.

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79 Partnership with parents and the community

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73The quality and effectiveness of the partnership with parents and the local community have improved since the last inspection. For example, teachers are more accessible and welcome parents who accompany their children into the classroom before registration.

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74The information provided for parents is good. Formal documents are well-presented and readable, but the prospectus and the governors’ annual report to parents lack a few legal requirements of which the school is now aware. The pupils’ annual progress reports are thorough. However, they do not make clear the targets for improvement to help parents support their children’s progress. Parents attending the meeting held prior to the inspection acknowledged that the reports are thorough but several do not like their general nature. This was attributed to the fact that they are produced by computer.

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75Parents are encouraged to be active partners in support of their children’s learning through a learning together booklet, regular newsletters, reading diaries and invitations to half-termly information evenings. These cover a wide variety of subjects including parenting skills, combating headlice and the curriculum. There are also three open evenings a year for discussions between parents and teachers.

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76Parental involvement in their children’s learning is very good. Parents are fully supportive of the school’s policies, and ensure that their children attend regularly, punctually and properly equipped. A recent celebration of the school’s golden anniversary demonstrated the level of parental support, when nearly every child was dressed in period costume. 77Several parents help regularly in classrooms, providing good-quality assistance. Parents hear their children read at home, and many contribute helpful comments in reading diaries. Parents of children with special educational needs are fully involved in the reviews of progress. Since the last inspection the Sundorne School Association has been established, with parents, friends and staff joining together in social and fund-raising activities which have raised a significant sum of money to help purchase school resources.

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78Contributions to the life and work of the school made by the community are very good. Most subject areas are enriched by specialist experiences provided by visitors or by outside visits to places of interest such as a local farm museum. The school makes good use of the local and wider community in the programme of termly visits for each year group. Recent visitors to the school have included a grandfather who spoke about old-fashioned toys, three enthusiasts who demonstrated specialist clothing and the community policeman. Voluntary workers in school contribute greatly, especially to the increased support for literacy.

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79The refurbishment of the information technology suite benefited from donations from the business community. A grant from the business trust enabled children to visit a garden centre, purchase seeds and compost and, at a subsequent sale, to raise funds to buy trees for the school grounds.

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80The neighbouring secondary school provides worthwhile partnership when Year 7 pupils enter into a shared writing project with some of the infants to enhance their interest in books and literacy. Other local community venues, including the health centre and a church, have exhibited displays of the children’s work.

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87 THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL

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81The leadership and management of the school is good. The headteacher, who was appointed the term after the last inspection, leads with energy and enthusiasm. She has a clear vision for the educational direction of the school, provides good support for members of staff and gives strong pastoral leadership. She works in close co-operation with an able deputy, also appointed since the last inspection, a new senior management team and an increasingly well-informed governing body. With them she has agreed a set of aims for the school and ensured that they are met well. She has also ensured that the key issues highlighted in the previous inspection have been addressed and that a set of challenging but achievable long and shorter-term targets have been identified. These are clearly focused on raising standards in the context of a strongly positive and supportive ethos and are detailed in the school development plan.

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This is a very effective working document agreed by staff and governors which sets clear priorities within a three-year time-scale and covers a wide range of subjects and aspects of school life.

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82Recent school development plans have been monitored closely by the headteacher, senior management team and governors and, with the action plan arising from the previous inspection to which they have been linked, have resulted in a number of significant improvements. Standards in writing, information technology and art have risen and, whilst mathematics remains a major target for 1999/2000, there is evidence of significant improvement in the children’s work. The revision of major policies and schemes of work, the introduction of monitoring by the headteacher, the establishment of a senior management team, members of which lead weekly year group planning meetings, the introduction of a system of shadow co-ordinators to support the lead co-ordinator for each curriculum area and the strengthening of the roles of co-ordinators to include aspects of monitoring and staff development have led to increased

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levels of subject knowledge and greater consistency in the quality of teaching, much of which is now good or very good. Continuity and progression between the nursery and reception classes have been improved in almost all respects. There is, however, a need to ensure that the children’s previous learning experiences and ways of working are built upon in all areas of provision. Closer working relationships are developing with the local junior school. There are meetings between co-ordinators, heads and deputies, joint professional development days and staff meetings, and a new induction programme has been introduced for Year 2 pupils. Further, the use of financial savings for the appointment of additional classroom support assistants has contributed to the satisfactory and often good progress made by children with special educational needs.

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83Other improvements include the refurbishment of the nursery, the relocation and extension of the library, which is now used regularly, and the purchase of additional resources to support work in the foundation subjects. The lunch break has been reduced, more lunchtime supervisors, all of whom have received training in behaviour management, have been appointed and there is a wider choice of meals. Subsequently more children are having a school dinner and the school reports that behaviour at this time is much better.

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84The involvement of governors in managing the school has increased since the last inspection. They take their responsibilities very seriously and, with the exception of ensuring that all necessary information is provided in the prospectus and in their annual report to parents, they meet them well. They play a significant part in financial planning and are involved in a number of key areas, for example the analysis of attainment patterns across the school, target-setting and decisions relating to buildings and staffing. They receive termly curricular presentations from members of staff and are well-informed about the outcome of monitoring undertaken by the headteacher and local education authority. Governors have attended relevant in-service training courses, for example in school development planning, literacy, numeracy and special educational needs and they use the information well. There are

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regular formal and informal meetings between the headteacher and chair of governors and several governors are frequent visitors to the school. Those governors who are able also give freely of their time to support the work in classrooms.

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85There is very good provision for children with special educational needs who are supported well by class teachers and special support staff as they engage in specific planned activities. Parents attending the meeting held prior to the inspection and those responding by questionnaire were very supportive of this aspect of provision, highlighting in particular the early identification and sensitive handling of problems. Provision for other aspects of equal opportunities is also very good.

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86Job descriptions are in place for all members of staff and those of curriculum co-ordinators are reviewed annually to include specific tasks linked to the school development plan. The annual review also provides for the identification of specific in-service training needs which, together with training linked to the school development plan, is provided for very well. The professional development of all staff is given a high priority by the headteacher and governors, and opportunities for training are extended to all members of non-teaching staff whose work has benefited considerably from such provision.

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87Classroom and shared areas are attractive and are managed very well with a good range of displays of children’s work and artefacts. They provide a safe and very secure learning environment in which the children are encouraged to do their best.

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88The school is very well-regarded by parents. The vast majority are very positive about its work and appreciate the commitment shown to their children. They particularly like the approachability of the headteacher and staff and the way in which their concerns are handled.

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89The information provided for parents about day-to-day organisation and pastoral issues, induction procedures and special events and the opportunities planned for them to attend meetings related to specific curriculum areas are good.

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90The school administrator and other members of support staff provide calm, effective and efficient support to the headteacher and help to ensure that the school runs smoothly on a day-to-day basis. 97 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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91The number, qualifications and experience of the teaching staff are appropriate to meet the demands of the National Curriculum. The teaching and non-teaching staff form a dedicated, caring and competent team. The governing body has decided to provide more than double the allocated time for special educational needs classroom support assistants, and the increased hours available mean that all lessons in literacy and numeracy benefit from additional support. Classroom assistants are trained well and work effectively with class teachers. Their input has resulted in improved standards of attainment for the children with special educational needs. The classroom assistants bring their expertise in behaviour management and the promotion of good social skills to their dual roles as lunchtime supervisors, and this has a very beneficial effect on the quality of the lunchtime arrangements.

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92The job descriptions for all staff have been improved since the last inspection and are subject to annual review. Arrangements for the induction of new staff, appraisal and professional development are very good. All staff, teaching and non-teaching, attend professional development days which are related to whole-school developments. There has been a significant impact on standards in mathematics through the concentration of staff development in this area.

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93The quality of the accommodation has been improved considerably since the last inspection. The governors and staff are rightly proud of the condition and maintenance of the building, although the two classes outside the main block are still a considerable distance from the toilets. The school has been carpeted and decorated to a very high standard which, together with attractive and well-presented displays of pupils’ work and school activities, provides a very good environment in which to work and learn. The nursery has been refurbished and the outdoor play area has been improved to provide safer play areas for wheeled vehicles. An excellent suite has been created to increase pupils’ access to information technology. The new floor in the hall provides a safe and hygienic surface for this room which is used for a number of purposes. The accommodation is managed well and meets the needs of the National Curriculum.

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94The school is now very well-resourced. Since the last inspection there has been major spending on resources, which, together with borrowing collections from the county library service, has overcome the previous shortcomings in history, religious education, information technology and physical education. The resources for information technology, in the nursery in particular, are very good. The library has been extensively restocked to meet the requirements of the National Literacy Strategy and alterations to the layout have made it more accessible to pupils.

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95The headteacher manages the budget together with the governors’ finance committee. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and administrative assistant monitor the budget on a day-to-day basis. Longer-term monitoring is carried out by the governors’ finance committee with regular feedback to the full governing body.

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96Spending is linked to the curricular and non-curricular targets identified in the school development plan. These are discussed and agreed by the headteacher, staff and governors. The headteacher has been granted an independent spending limit of £5000 by the finance committee. Co-ordinators are allocated funding according to the current school development plan.

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97Recent purchases include a commercial scheme to support mathematics, library resources and computers. A significant amount of money has been allocated to the employment of additional support staff. The decision to employ these staff was made following the monitoring of progress of children with special educational needs. An additional administrative assistant has been appointed for ten hours a week. Future major expenditure is planned to celebrate both the millennium and the school’s fiftieth anniversary with a school grounds project. 98There is a recent audit report with a small number of minor recommendations. The headteacher reports that these have been addressed properly.

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99By setting deficit budgets to support increased levels of staffing the previously significant savings are gradually being reduced and now stand at £8000. Sundorne Infant School Page 25 1Taking into account the children’s attainment on entry to the school, the standards achieved by the end of the key stage, the very positive and supportive ethos, the quality of provision in the nursery class, the very good provision for children with special educational needs, the significant levels of good and very good teaching, the very positive attitudes encouraged in the children, the high- quality and well-resourced learning environment and its beneficial impact on the children’s learning, the school gives good value for money.

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107 PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

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107 AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

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2The children who are under five are taught in the nursery and two reception classes. They transfer from the nursery to the reception classes in the term in which they become five. At the time of the inspection there were 90 children attending the nursery on a part-time basis. In the reception classes there were 29 children in their first term of statutory schooling.

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3Provision for the children who are under five ranges from very good to satisfactory. Teaching in the nursery class is a strength and it is never less than good.

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4Good teaching in the reception classes takes place in physical education, science and art lessons and is characterised by clear learning objectives, a brisk pace to lessons and good subject knowledge. Where the teaching is satisfactory rather than good, children are not given enough opportunity to plan or review their work, tasks are not consistently challenging and children are inactive for overlong periods of time. Children with special educational needs are given good support.

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5Very good teaching in the nursery is characterised by a good balance between child-led activity and the focussed teaching of skills, good use of assessment, meeting the needs of specific groups of children, a well-established work ethic and very good subject knowledge. All members of staff demonstrate good and very good teaching skills and work together very effectively as a team.

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6The indoor and outdoor teaching space is very attractive and is used well. Resources for children under five are very good in the nursery and good in the reception classes. Parent helpers and nursery staff are deployed very well.

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7Children experience a good induction to the nursery. This takes the form of a visit to the school with parents or carers, a further induction session and a staggered start date. Nursery children also participate in school events and special assemblies, and one of the nursery teachers regularly works with children in the reception class. Children also settle quickly into the reception classes. The smooth transfer from nursery to the reception classes is aided by consistent expectations of what constitutes good behaviour and good strategies for establishing social skills. These procedures for ensuring greater continuity between pre-Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 1 have been put in place since the last inspection when it was identified as a key issue for action and have had a significant impact on progression. However, there is still a need to address continuity in the teaching of literacy and the balance between focused teaching and opportunities for the practical application of skills when

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children transfer from the nursery into the reception classes. Sundorne Infant School Page 26 8Lesson observations, the scrutiny of work and the assessment profile undertaken on entry to the nursery indicate that children’s attainment is generally below average. High expectations, careful teacher assessment and very effective teaching results in the majority of children making good progress in all areas of the curriculum. Statutory baseline assessments carried out during the children’s first term in the reception classes are accurate and confirm that at the end of their time in the nursery attainment is average for the majority of pupils in language, reading, writing and mathematics. Children make satisfactory progress in the reception classes in language and literacy, mainly satisfactory, but some good, progress in mathematics and physical development and good progress in knowledge and understanding of the world, creative development and personal and

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9The curriculum for under-fives is based on the desirable learning outcomes, with some account taken of the National Curriculum programmes of study for Key Stage 1. Planning in the nursery is undertaken by all staff and is very thorough. Effective curriculum planning and well-established nursery routines ensure a very good balance between focused teaching and child-led activity. The children themselves are skilful at planning their work in a variety of ways. The children are adept at making both written and oral plans. The children have daily opportunities to develop skills relating to literacy and numeracy. Activities prepared for children’s differing stages of development and careful assessment of what is to be taught next ensure that the children receive a broad, progressive and stimulating curriculum.

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10Nursery records are used appropriately to inform baseline assessments. However, the baseline assessments are currently not fully utilized to inform the pupils’ future needs, for example where baseline assessments indicate that some children can write recognisable letter shapes and words, they are not given enough opportunity to do so.

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11The provision for personal and social development is very good. Children respect each other’s views. They take turns, share, respond very well to adults and enjoy school. Many children have well-developed skills of independence, concentrate for long periods and have good self-control, for example during physical development in the nursery and at playtime in the reception classes, where a wide variety of outdoor play equipment is used properly, and during whole-class work in literacy and numeracy in the reception classes, where behaviour is very good.

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12A strong emphasis is given to the development of language and literacy skills in the nursery. Children are given daily opportunities to plan and review their work and to develop good oracy skills. Nursery staff use a variety of resources and ways of working to create opportunities for speaking and listening, for example the use of animal puppets to create a farmyard story, where a member of staff assumes an imaginary role and models appropriate ways of responding to creative story-making.

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13Children in the reception classes experience a literacy hour each morning and are offered appropriate opportunities to consider characters and events in stories. Opportunities are regularly provided for the children to extend their range of vocabulary and sentence structure both during the literacy hour and during whole-class work. The children are provided with frequent opportunities Sundorne Infant School Page 27 to enjoy books. They handle them carefully and understand how they are organised. They recognise familiar words and letters of the alphabet by name, and some of the more able children are beginning to use their knowledge of letters and sound-symbol relationships to read words and to establish meaning when reading aloud. The majority of children are attaining average standards in reading and make satisfactory progress. They are provided with regular opportunities to develop phonic skills and handwriting, spelling and sentence-level work during the main activity time of the

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literacy hour. At times, the teaching of handwriting and spelling skills is over-emphasized within the hour. On some occasions, literacy-related activities lack challenge and are slowing progress, for example when children draw or colour in pictures of story book characters. The oldest children need more opportunities to write for themselves in a range of purposeful contexts.

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14An appropriate range of activities is used in both the nursery and reception classes to develop the children’s mathematical understanding. Children can use mathematical language to describe shape, position, size and quantity. The youngest children can recognise and sequence numbers to 10. Good use is made of everyday routines to consolidate their understanding of number. Children recognize and recreate pattern and can sequence and count using everyday objects. Children can sort and classify objects into sets when they observe the colour of small toys.

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15Planning in the nursery and reception classes is detailed, has clear learning objectives and takes appropriate account of differentiation for various ability groups. All children have regular opportunities to work on number and to use and apply their mathematics. The older children in the reception classes are beginning to recognise more and less than when working with number lines. The time allocated for the teaching of mathematics is used effectively and children make satisfactory and sometimes good progress. The school will need to further consider the programme of study for some average and higher-attaining pupils in the reception classes because some nursery children are currently achieving many elements of the National Numeracy Strategy objectives for reception-aged children. Resources for teaching the full range of mathematical experience are good.

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K nowledge and understanding of the world

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16Knowledge and understanding of the world is well-represented in the curriculum and all aspects are well taught in both the nursery and reception classes. Attainment and progress is good. Good use is made of visits to local farms and places of interest and of visitors to school.

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17Children are given regular opportunities to explore and recognize the features of living things, objects and events in the natural and man-made world. For example, children in the nursery learn about caring for animals, health, hygiene, food and exercise when they care for the class guinea pig. Children in the reception classes are able to describe the properties of clothing according to their similarities and differences, for example when three visitors dressed as a diver, fitness trainer and car mechanic visited the class the children were able to articulate why features of certain materials are more suitable for some clothes than others. Clear teacher exposition and effective questioning contributed to the pupils’ good scientific knowledge and understanding.

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18There is very good provision for sand and water play and the use of construction material in the nursery. Supervision of these activities is good. Opportunities are regularly taken to extend the Sundorne Infant School Page 28 children’s vocabulary and experience of the wider world when they are working with these materials. The children have regular opportunities to cook. The immediate locality is used well to develop an understanding of the purpose of some of the features of the area in which the children live. Children have regular access to computers, which they use well. For example, children in the nursery class use the mouse to select and move different types of fruit and can name the main parts of the computer. The children in the nursery are able to use the function keys on a tape recorder accurately when listening to stories.

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19Children in the reception class have a weekly lesson in the computer suite. They can write their name using a word-processing program and know how to use the backspace key. At times teacher exposition on the use of the computer is over-long and the children need more time to practise the skills being taught.

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20Children take part in a good range of physical activities in both indoor and outdoor environments. Activities are designed to develop both fine and gross motor skills. Children move confidently with increasing control and co-ordination. They have developed a good awareness of space and of each other. They manipulate a range of small equipment and larger toys well. They respond well to instructions during physical education sessions. The teaching of physical development is good overall. Teachers have clear learning objectives, which are communicated well to the children, and high expectations of their responses in terms of both discipline and quality of movement.

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21Regular opportunities are provided for the children to take part in art, craft, music and imaginative play. Children experience a wide range of materials, suitable tools, instruments and other resources. Opportunities are provided for the children to express themselves through painting, printing, drawing, model-making and singing. Children in the reception classes are able to design and make a print to transfer onto a tee-shirt with a good deal of technical control and imagination.

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22A stimulating range of role-play areas and the use of puppets help to develop creativity and imagination in the nursery class. Nursery children have regular opportunities for creative play to express ideas and to communicate their feelings as part of the planning and review process. Opportunities for developing these skills in the reception class are sometimes lost because they are not part of the daily/classroom routine

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23Attainment in speaking and listening, reading and writing is average and the majority of pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. Currently, progress in Year 1 is good. Sundorne Infant School Page 29 24The results of the 1999 standard assessment tests indicate a drop in performance in reading and writing from 1998 and are untypical. Trends in attainment over the three years from 1996 to 1998 show steady improvement in writing and, in reading, standards are being maintained at or above the national average. Although patterns have varied over time, there is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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25Attainment in speaking and listening is average for the majority of pupils across the key stage. Most of the pupils listen attentively and contribute well in whole-class discussions. Pupils are able to identify different types of text and to use appropriate terminology. For example, a class of Year 2 children discussed the organisation and purpose of a non-fiction text, using appropriate terms to describe the contents page, index and glossary and were able to describe the layout and sequence of an instructional text. They answer the teachers’ questions well, recount experiences and express their opinions, for example when responding to a story they have read. Pupils are consistently encouraged to use appropriate vocabulary in different curriculum areas, and to articulate their ideas. For example, in a religious education lesson, Year 1 children confidently posed their own questions about the significance of the prayer mat to members of the Islamic faith. As they move

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through the school, children gain confidence in speaking in different contexts, including more formal situations such as assembly, when they share their work with the school.

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26Attainment in reading is average by the end of the key stage. There is a comprehensive programme to ensure that children have regular opportunities for whole-class, group and individual reading, and most pupils make satisfactory progress. They learn phonics and whole-word strategies and take home words to be learned. In Year 1 pupils use phonic knowledge to read unfamiliar words and they recognise familiar words in their reading books. In Year 2 most pupils read accurately and use a range of strategies to decode new words. A small proportion of pupils read fluently and with expression and take note of punctuation when reading aloud. Pupils are able to talk about the story and identify characters but have difficulty in considering some of the detail, for example by explaining why they think a character behaves in a particular way. Many pupils talk enthusiastically about their reading and regularly take books home to read to parents. Pupils’

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progress in reading is regularly monitored by teachers and the next step for development is identified in teachers’ records. However, this information is not shared consistently with parents in the reading diaries which children take home. The attainment of pupils achieving the lower levels is monitored carefully and these children develop phonic and word-recognition skills and identify aspects that they like in their reading. There is evidence that they are beginning to develop wider reading skills, for example the ability to predict what will happen next, through the teaching of reading in whole-class reading sessions and through the additional support from classroom assistants. A regular focus on the repeated sharing of the same text ensures that children’s sight vocabulary is extended and that they understand the structure and organisation of different types of text. Many children in Year 1 and Year 2 confidently identify the differences between fiction and

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27Most children’s writing is organised and clear. They learn to write in a wide range of forms, for example stories, instructions, recounts and retellings. They plan their writing well, often through detailed discussion with the teacher in guided writing sessions, and many pupils write at length. They use capital letters and full stops well although their vocabulary is often limited and their stories simple in structure. Some pupils begin to use other punctuation, including speech marks. Children’s spelling develops well. They spell many words correctly and use a range of strategies to attempt new words. Handwriting is usually neat and legible, and by Year 2 many children write Sundorne Infant School Page 30 legibly in a joined script and their written work is well-presented. Progress in writing is assessed regularly and the next steps are identified in the teachers’ records. Day-to-day assessment within

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the lessons is good and children are given feedback regularly. Pupils’ work is marked regularly and comments summarise what has been achieved. There are good examples of next steps expressed as targets in pupils’ books but this practice is not yet consistent throughout the school.

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28Pupils make satisfactory progress as they move through the school. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is good. They are supported well and the activities planned ensure that they are appropriately challenged.

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29Overall progress is satisfactory in the reception classes. However, the planning for reading and writing does not take sufficient account of earlier learning and some of the activities lack challenge, particularly for the more able pupils. There are too few opportunities for pupils to interact with the teacher and with each other, particularly during the whole-class session and, although children are able to listen for sustained periods, they are not sufficiently encouraged to extend their oral responses. The pace of progress increases in Year 1 and children’s confidence and independence develop accordingly. In Year 2 progress is at least satisfactory and sometimes good, although some more able pupils could be further challenged to develop their writing in terms of vocabulary choices and story structure, and to discuss the quality of what they have written.

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30The quality of teaching is good overall. It ranges from satisfactory to very good and is never less than satisfactory. Where the teaching is very good, expectations are high, and very good strategies are used to involve all the pupils. Questions are used skilfully to challenge the wide range of abilities and there are many opportunities for pupils to participate. For example, Year 1 children learnt how to use alphabetical order by searching for their own names in a dictionary adapted by the teacher. The good teaching is characterised by good subject knowledge, clear learning objectives and effective classroom management. The plenary session is used well to remind children what they have learned and what they need to do next.

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31In the satisfactory lessons observed, group tasks were not always matched well enough to the needs of some children, in particular the more able. The pace of the lesson slowed down when pupils took turns to write on the board and some pupils became restless. In some lessons in reception there was an over-emphasis on spelling and handwriting and this limited the amount of time available for the composing element of writing.

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32Children’s response to their English lessons is always positive. They are well-motivated and attentive, particularly when they are actively involved, for example through role-play. They concentrate well and can work independently when required. Occasionally, some children’s attention is lost when the pace of the lesson is too slow or when tasks set are not sufficiently challenging.

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33The introduction of the literacy hour in 1998 has enabled staff to begin the implementation of the National Literacy Strategy effectively and to build on the work undertaken previously. A daily literacy session is in place and is beginning to have a positive effect on standards, particularly in Year 1 and Year 2. The teachers’ planning reflects the clear learning objectives of the literacy strategy and ensures that all the elements of the strategy are in place. The headteacher and subject co-ordinator monitor the planning and teachers’ assessments effectively. The planning is having a positive impact on whole-class teaching and on the plenary sessions and ensures a balance between Sundorne Infant School Page 31 whole-class, group and individual work. There are occasions when planning for group work is less successful, because insufficient account is taken of prior attainment, and activities therefore are not

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differentiated sufficiently well, particularly for the more able pupils.

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34English is co-ordinated well and planning and teaching are, in the main, monitored effectively by the headteacher and subject co-ordinator. A good range of resources has been purchased to meet the demands of the literacy strategy. Enlarged texts, sets of group readers, core reading schemes and a wide range of other fiction and non-fiction texts are stored in the recently refurbished library and in each classroom. The library is used well to teach individuals and small groups and a rota is planned for whole-class lessons.

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35The requirements of the National Curriculum are met.

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36Observations in classrooms, discussions with pupils and the scrutiny of current and previously completed work confirm that attainment in relation to national expectations is average by the end of the key stage.

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37This finding represents a very significant improvement in performance when compared with the results of the end-of-key-stage tests carried out in both 1998 and 1999 which were well below average in relation to all schools nationally and to those with similar characteristics. The rapid improvement seen during the inspection can be attributed in part to the recent focus on setting by ability for mathematics in Year 2 and the development and use of mental calculation strategies with all of the children. The successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy throughout the school, coupled with significant levels of staff in-service training, a major review of resource provision and close monitoring by the headteacher and co-ordinator, has also been a significant contributory factor to improvement. Mathematics rightly continues to be a major target for development and is identified as a priority in the school development plan for 1999/2000.

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38Children are provided with a solid mathematical foundation in the nursery and make good progress. From below-average starting points the vast majority demonstrate broadly average levels of attainment on entry to one of the two reception classes.

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39Progress is maintained at a satisfactory-to-good level in both reception classes. In Year 1 children of all abilities make good progress and currently in Year 2 satisfactory-to-good progress is made.

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40In Year 1 the children show confidence as they read, write and count on and back from numbers to 20. They understand the operation of simple addition and subtraction and are able to use their developing skills to solve straightforward problems relating to their everyday experience. Several children can use doubling as an aid to addition. Most children are able to sort sets and classify them according to given criteria, for example the direct comparison of size, and are able to describe two and three-dimensional shapes with accuracy.

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41By Year 2 children are confident in the use of a range of strategies for addition and subtraction. They are able to select the most appropriate operation to solve problems and can describe what they have done. Children of average ability have begun to understand the place value of each digit Sundorne Infant School Page 32 in numbers to a hundred whilst the more able can identify the value of each digit in numbers to 1000. Most children recognise sequences of numbers, including odd and even numbers and are able to identify and use halves and quarters, for example a half of 10 or a quarter of a rectangle. They use standard and non-standard measures with increasing accuracy. The more able are almost secure in their mental recall of the 2, 5 and 10 times tables and can use these in their everyday work. Throughout the school children of all abilities use correct subject vocabulary. They also use their developing skills in numeracy in a range of curriculum areas including English, science,

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design and technology, geography and history. Information technology is used effectively to develop the children’s understanding of number, shape and space. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, the children were taught how to produce block graphs and pie charts to show the relative popularity of magic tricks described in the book they were sharing with their teacher.

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42Children with special educational needs are supported well by class teachers and classroom support assistants. They make satisfactory and often good progress and achieve standards commensurate with their capabilities.

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43The children invariably show very positive attitudes towards mathematics. They show good levels of concentration and perseverance and listen carefully to the teacher and each other. They are eager to answer questions and join in discussions. They particularly enjoy the mental calculation sessions which characterise the beginning of each session and engage in these with great enthusiasm hoping that they will be chosen to answer the questions posed and to explain the strategy they have used. In one of the Year 1 lessons observed several children could hardly contain themselves as they were so excited about this part of the lesson.

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44The quality of teaching in mathematics has improved since the last inspection and is now mainly good or very good. The impact of the school’s focus on monitoring, and of the training undertaken to support the teaching of mathematics in general and of the numeracy strategy in particular, is clearly evident. Teachers have good subject knowledge. Lessons are invariably well-planned with a good balance of whole-class teaching and focused teaching to individuals and groups. Precise learning objectives are shared with the children at the beginning of each lesson and reviewed with them as the lesson progresses. There is an expectation that the children will succeed, and ongoing feedback, which is mainly oral, is used well to encourage the children and to challenge them to do better. All the teachers and classroom support assistants use correct subject vocabulary and expect the children to do the same. A good range of activities is provided across all aspects of

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45The difference between the very good and the good teaching observed is the extent to which questioning is used skilfully to extend mathematical reasoning and the involvement, at a brisk pace, of all of the children all of the time.

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46The subject is led well by the joint co-ordinators, both of whom have a clear understanding of how to continue to raise standards and, with the headteacher, to further support teachers in their planning and classroom practice. They have produced a helpful booklet for parents which explains how they can help their children at home and very recently have led a mathematics information evening.

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47The next stage of development is to analyse closely the results of the formal assessments of all pupils due to be completed prior to the autumn half-term break and to use these to make any Sundorne Infant School Page 33 adjustments necessary to the composition of sets in Year 2 and to the grouping of pupils in mixed-ability mathematics lessons in Year 1. This, and the tracking of progress within the two types of organisation, will be an important exercise in terms of monitoring the outcomes of provision and sustaining the rapid improvement witnessed during the inspection.

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48Resources for mathematics are plentiful and are used well. The requirements of the National Curriculum and those of the National Numeracy Strategy are met.

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49By the end of the key stage overall attainment in relation to national expectations is above average. Pupils have a good understanding of scientific knowledge and of the investigative and experimental aspect of science. The 1999 teacher assessments for Key Stage 1 show that the number of children achieving Level 2 or above is above average in relation to all schools nationally and average in relation to schools with similar characteristics.

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50In Years 1 and 2 all children make good progress in lessons. They know and understand many aspects of physical processes, life processes and living things and materials and their properties. Careful planning ensures a logical progression in what is taught. Children in Year 1 demonstrate a good range of scientific knowledge. They know that exercise affects the body and are able to make simple predictions, investigate and record and review results. The Year 2 children make particularly good progress when their work on physical processes is linked to investigation, for example when they are finding out how friction slows movement. They are able to suggest ideas, provide explanations and articulate findings. These children also have a well-developed understanding of the use of prediction and fair testing and know how to use a range of equipment.

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51Throughout the school children are well-motivated and show a keen interest in science. They behave very well in lessons and work collaboratively when required. They use scientific vocabulary well and are willing to articulate their opinions in whole-class work. They listen very carefully to their teachers and support staff and discuss their work enthusiastically. Children show pride in their work and their standards of presentation are good.

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52The quality of teaching ranges from very good to satisfactory and overall it is good. All lessons are planned in detail and have clear learning objectives. In the very good and good lessons teachers intervene to move children forward in their thinking by the use of skilled questioning and discussion. Scientific vocabulary is taught well. In the satisfactory lessons there is limited opportunity for children to use their initiative or select resources when planning investigations. Teachers have good subject knowledge and use resources, visitors to school and the local environment well. The process of investigation is taught thoroughly and effectively integrated into many aspects of science.

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53Science is resourced with a range of equipment that is neatly stored and easily accessible. Careful use of schemes of work and detailed planning ensures balanced curriculum coverage and progression across the key stage. Children with special educational needs are supported effectively by the teachers. The science co-ordinator regularly supports planning and leads in-service training. To raise attainment further throughout the school there is a need to monitor the teaching and to link the monitoring with the continuing analysis of test results. Sundorne Infant School Page 34 159 OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

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54During the inspection two art lessons were observed. A scrutiny of children’s current and completed work was undertaken and consideration was given to the school’s portfolio of children’s art work and to displays of their work.

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55Attainment in art is at the level expected for children of this age. This finding represents an improvement since the last inspection when attainment was judged to be below average. Children can match colours and know how to mix them. This skill was demonstrated by Year 2 children as they mixed colours to accurately represent the brick, stone and thatch in their paintings of the buildings observed on a recent visit to Upton Magna. Children use tools and techniques appropriately. For example, in the reception class children used fabric pens to transfer designs onto clothing. Children learn to use a range of printing techniques including sponge, vegetable and linoleum.

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56The children make satisfactory progress in art. They develop an understanding of the work of a range of artists and designers as they progress through the school and they apply this knowledge to their own work. Children in the reception classes have been inspired by Van Gogh’s sunflowers to draw flowers in pastels. In Year 1 the children have experimented with collage, having studied George Braque’s use of the technique and in Year 2 the children have worked in the style of Degas. Their paintings showed movements of jumping, hopping and dancing similar to the technique used by Degas in his paintings of ballet dancers.

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57The children show positive attitudes to their work. They concentrate well, enjoy their work and co-operate well when sharing materials.

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58The standard of teaching was good in the two lessons observed. The lessons were paced well and in order to extend the children’s understanding they were built on techniques learned previously.

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59Children with special educational needs are supported well within lessons and make satisfactory progress.

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60The school is well-resourced for the teaching of art. Materials and equipment are accessible and well organised. Good use is made of loans of prints from the library service, which are displayed well and support the themes that children are studying. Children’s art work is also displayed to a high standard. Good use is made of visiting artists who contribute to the teaching of art through working with the children. Visiting artists have included a potter, who led a project to make clay tiles, and an author, who combined artwork with story and poetry based on Eastern European folklore.

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61A detailed scheme of work produced in 1997 has contributed to improved standards in art. The co-ordinators have produced a helpful portfolio of children’s work to monitor pupils’ progress across the key stage and have led a workshop for staff. Sundorne Infant School Page 35 62Helpful links are made between art and other subjects including geography and design and technology.

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63During the inspection three lessons in design and technology were observed. Further evidence was gained from teachers’ planning, discussions with pupils, a scrutiny of current and previously completed work and displays within classrooms and shared areas around the school. The combined evidence indicates that by the end of the key stage pupils are attaining standards appropriate for their age.

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64Work in design and technology is usually linked to other subjects and this results in a range of design briefs, for example castles, musical instruments, puppets and moving vehicles. Each brief incorporates the need for focused practical tasks, such as joining, which are developed incrementally as the children move through the key stage. This is a positive feature which ensures that all aspects of designing and making are covered and that they are built upon at an appropriate level. By the end of the key stage the children can generate their own designs and translate them into finished products which they are able to evaluate in terms of fitness for purpose. They can also suggest ways in which their products might be improved. The children make appropriate choices from the wide range of materials available to them and use basic tools safely. The progress of all children, including those with special educational needs, is satisfactory in all aspects

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of design and technology. The very effective support that the children with special educational needs receive in literacy and numeracy helps them to record their ideas and measure accurately.

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65The children enjoy design and technology and demonstrate very positive attitudes to their work. They listen attentively, persevere with practical tasks and collaborate sensibly when asked to work with others.

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66Too few lessons were observed during the inspection to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching, which ranged from good to satisfactory. There were, however, certain key features evident in the teaching. These included detailed planning with clear learning objectives, the effective use of a range of behaviour management strategies, clear explanations and instructions and well-prepared resources. The good teaching was characterised by the more effective use of questioning which not only elicited understanding but extended the children’s thinking and encouraged them to ask questions of themselves and of each other. Time was also used particularly well with frequent, albeit brief, opportunities provided for the children to review progress, and reminders from the teacher about the quality of work expected. Where the teaching was satisfactory the use of time was appropriate but the context for learning was not quite as

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67It is some time since design and technology was a major focus for curriculum and staff development, and the opportunities for the joint co-ordinators, both of whom have good subject knowledge, to take the lead have been limited as time has been directed to raising standards in the core subjects. Design and technology is, however, identified as a subsidiary target for improvement in the 1999/2000 school development plan when policy and practice will be reviewed in preparation for the introduction of new guidelines for staff in September 2000. Co-ordinators have supported colleagues well with their curriculum planning. Sundorne Infant School Page 36 68Resources for design and technology are appropriate and are used well to support the children’s learning.

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69Two geography lessons were observed during the inspection. Further evidence was gained through a scrutiny of children’s work, discussions with the co-ordinators and with children and an examination of teachers’ planning.

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70Attainment in geography is at the level expected for children of the same age. It is supported by the children’s developing expertise in using geographical terminology correctly. Children in reception classes use geographical terms such as river, path and bridge when recording features observed on a visit to Attingham Park and in Year 2 the children describe housing observed when visiting Upton Magna, using terms such as cottage and village. By the end of the key stage the children can identify features of land use such as farming, housing and transport from the study of photographs of an island landscape.

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71The children make satisfactory progress in geography. In mapping, for example, children in the reception classes can draw picture maps of their journeys to school. Year 1 children draw more detailed maps of their routes to school and are able to write directional instructions, and in Year 2 the children use co-ordinates to locate features of the playground and the wild area as they map the school grounds.

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72Children show positive attitudes towards their work in geography. Year 1 children enjoyed talking about a recent farm visit and Year 2 children co-operated well when working together using computers to record their visit to Upton Magna.

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73The standard of teaching in the two lessons observed during the inspection was good or satisfactory. The good teaching was characterised by the helpful use of resources, including photographs, by modelling the use of correct geographical terminology and by building effectively on the skills that the children had learned previously.

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74Children with special educational needs are supported well in geography and make satisfactory progress.

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75The school is well-resourced for the teaching of geography. Resources include collections of photographs, globes, maps and atlases. Good use is made of the school grounds, and fieldwork is carried out in the locality and further afield. Well-chosen visits are made, including to Telford Town Park, Attingham Park, Acton Scott and Upton Magna, which enable children from all age groups to observe, describe and map a range of geographical features.

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76Children’s numeracy skills are supported by their work in geography through the use of co- ordinates in mapwork. Their literacy skills are supported by opportunities to write in different styles, for example when writing directional instructions to follow a route and when writing a post card message to describe an imaginary visit to a desert. Sundorne Infant School Page 37 182 History

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77During the inspection two history lessons were observed. Further evidence was gained from discussions with children and co-ordinators, the scrutiny of children’s work and an examination of teachers’ planning.

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78The children’s attainment in history is at the level expected for this age. They can use various sources of information to find out about the past, for example photographs, artefacts from museum collections and listening to adults talking about their own past. They are developing the ability to ask relevant questions in order to extend their understanding. For example, when studying toys from museum collections, they ask about the materials from which they are made, knowing that this can indicate whether the toy is old or contemporary.

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79The children make satisfactory progress in history. Their understanding of chronology develops as they progress through the school. Children in the reception classes learn about the past and present by comparing toys they had as babies with toys they have now. In Year 2 the children have experienced role-play as servants working in the kitchen of Shugborough Hall. They made detailed observational drawings of Victorian kitchen artefacts during their visit and have compared these with modern kitchen equipment.

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80The children have very positive attitudes towards their work in history. They show interest when examining historical artefacts and talk enthusiastically about visits they have made to historical sites.

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81The teaching was at least good in the two history lessons observed during the inspection. It was characterised by good pace and by the good use of artefacts and discussions which helped the children to develop their understanding of the subject.

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82Children with special educational needs are supported well and make satisfactory progress in history.

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83The school is well-resourced for the teaching of history. Resources include wall charts, poster packs and artefacts and are supplemented by museum loans. The school organises a good range of visits to historical sites and invites visitors into school to enable children to learn from direct experience. Year 1 children have visited Shrewsbury Castle, Haughmond Abbey and Blists Hill Museum, and in Year 2 they have visited Shugborough Hall. The school’s recent fiftieth anniversary was used as an opportunity for children to learn about life fifty years ago. They dressed in clothes appropriate to the era, ate a meal typical of the time, and experienced a day without modern technology. Local people, including grandparents, have talked to children about their own childhood.

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84The children’s numeracy skills are supported by the use of time lines in history. Their literacy skills are enhanced by opportunities for writing inspired by historical visits. For example, in Year 2 the children have written empathetically about the life of a Victorian kitchen maid based on their experiences at Shugborough Hall. Sundorne Infant School Page 38 190 Information

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85Information technology is a strength of the school. Significant progress has been made in the teaching and learning of this subject since the last inspection when it was identified as a key issue for action.

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86The children’s attainment by the end of key stage exceeds national expectations. They acquire good levels of knowledge and understanding of the many forms of information technology and of the skills needed to help them in their learning in many areas of the curriculum. Children in Year 2 have good word-processing skills. They successfully write, save, change font and text size, insert and delete words and print. They can use data to create simple bar charts and interpret their findings, for example when they use data collected during registration to create bar charts. Children work confidently with a range of programs and use a variety of keyboard functions well.

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87The children have very positive attitudes to learning about information technology. They behave very well when working on computers or at listening centres. They use equipment with care, stay on task for long periods of time, show very good concentration and high levels of interest in their work. They listen carefully to teacher exposition and follow instructions. They work well with partners, are proud of their work and use the correct terminology as they explain what they are doing.

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88Overall, the progress which children make between the beginning and end of Key Stage 1 is good. Very good progress is being made by the children in Year 1 because of the regular opportunities provided for them to practise skills and the high levels of new learning evident in lessons. Detailed planning and consistency in teaching across year groups ensures that work on word-processing, data-handling and control progresses in appropriate levels of difficulty as children progress through the school. Following a visit to a local farming museum children in Year 1 manipulated text using a word-processing programme to develop their writing. They used the mouse with good control, understood the use of the backspace key and entered words and letters on the keyboard using the pointer to select information. Children with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in information technology.

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89Overall the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 is good, with some very good teaching in Year 1. Where the teaching is very good there is a good pace to the lesson, the teacher’s modelling of the program is effective and learning objectives are communicated clearly to the children. In almost all the lessons observed the teaching of skills during whole-class work was undertaken well. It was most effective when teacher exposition was not overlong. Work is well-planned and all teachers make good use of opportunities for the use of information technology in other subjects, for example recount writing in literacy, data-handling in number work, design in art work and in geography, where information technology is used to increase children’s understanding of the physical and human features of contrasting localities.

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90The co-ordinator provides very effective support for the subject and is clear about future needs and developments. She has worked effectively with staff to devise planning which provides for the systematic development of skills and good practical applications for learning. Resources are very good, well-organised and accessible and have been considerably enhanced by the recent installation of an impressive information technology suite. Sundorne Infant School Page 39 196 Music

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91Three music lessons were observed during the inspection. The teaching during these lessons focused upon singing, listening to music and developing a sense of rhythm. The children sing with good control of pitch, dynamics and rhythm. In Year 2 the children are able to maintain and alternate a beat and identify a pause in a simple melody. Throughout the school children have a very good repertoire of songs, which in the main they sing from memory. Singing in assemblies is tuneful and creates an atmosphere of calm and quiet reflection. Attainment and progress in singing is good. There was insufficient evidence to judge overall attainment and progress in other aspects of music.

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92The children collaborate well when singing. They listen carefully to instructions and demonstrate enjoyment and pride in their performance. A number of children in Year 1 can sing solo parts confidently.

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93The quality of teaching in singing and in developing the children’s listening skills was good or very good in the lessons observed. Where the teaching is very good teachers have good subject knowledge, conduct lessons at a brisk pace and employ a range of teaching strategies. For example, during a Year 2 lesson the children sang several songs well, learnt new songs quickly, developed an awareness of the use of pause, maintained a steady beat in a variety of ways and followed simple notation. A number of teachers model new tunes and songs effectively with their children. Children with special educational needs make good progress and attain average standards in singing.

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94The co-ordinators give effective support and guidance to colleagues. Resources are stored well and are easily accessible. The recent purchase of a published scheme of work has increased staff confidence and ensured progression across the key stage.

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95Lessons in gymnastics and dance were observed during the inspection. In these aspects the majority of the pupils demonstrate standards that are better than those expected for their age.

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96Pupils of all abilities make good progress overall. By the end of the key stage the vast majority are able to plan and perform a range of basic gymnastic movements including hopping, jumping, skipping, sliding and climbing in a controlled manner using the floor and apparatus. They are able to put their movements together in sequences and to improve movement quality, sometimes as a result of the teacher’s on-going evaluation and at other times as they watch and evaluate each other’s work.

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97In dance the children demonstrate an awareness of themselves in relation to those around them and to the space in which they are working. They respond with appropriate timing and strength of movement to a range of rhythmic stimuli and are beginning to recognise the need to introduce variations to the levels and direction of their work.

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98Throughout the key stage the children collaborate well when asked to work in pairs, for example in Year 2 when joining with a partner to mirror each other’s movements or to develop a dance. Sundorne Infant School Page 40 99Although no lessons in games were seen, the children were observed taking part in games activities during several break and lunchtime periods. They demonstrated the ability to organise themselves well and to take responsibility for establishing and adhering to simple rules. Their control of equipment such as balls and skipping ropes was good.

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100The children have a good grasp of what constitutes safe practice in physical education and are developing understanding of the importance of physical activity to keep healthy. They can describe and explain the effects of activity, for example an increase in heart rate and its subsequent return to normal.

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101The children enjoy physical education and respond with enthusiasm to the various tasks set for them. They are invariably well-behaved, listen attentively to what is required and follow instructions as accurately as they are able.

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102The quality of teaching in the lessons observed ranged from very good to satisfactory. Where the teaching is particularly effective the teacher’s subject knowledge is secure, lessons progress at a brisk pace and expectations of attainment are challenging but achievable. The teacher knows exactly what is wanted from each part of the lesson and explains this very clearly to the children. There are regular opportunities for the children to observe, evaluate and refine what they are doing. Where the teaching is satisfactory it is because the lesson focuses on the skills of planning and performing and insufficient attention is paid to involving the children in evaluating their work.

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103Physical education has been identified as a subsidiary target in the school development plan for 1999/2000. The co-ordinators, who have a good overview of practice in the school will be leading development work with staff including the introduction of Top Sport throughout the school.

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104Resources and equipment for physical education are good and have recently been supplemented by the proceeds of sponsored skipping. Both the hall and school grounds are used well to support the children’s work.

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105The children do well in religious education and for the majority standards are above those expected for their age. In discussion children talk about people and events which are special to their lives and show an awareness of some of the basic principles of Christianity and why Christmas and Easter are significant events in the Christian calendar. They know that the bible is a special book to Christians and can retell stories associated with Jesus. After visiting the local church, they identify some of the symbols, for example the font and the cross, and the vestments worn by the minister.

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106Children make good progress in religious education. In Year 1 they begin to identify some of the symbols and traditions of the Muslim faith and in Year 2 they make some comparisons between Islam and Christianity, for example when describing the features of churches and mosques. They are encouraged to use appropriate terminology in these discussions.

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107The children’s attitudes towards religious education are positive and they listen attentively to the teacher and each other. They particularly enjoy role-play and the opportunity to pose their own Sundorne Infant School Page 41 questions. They concentrate well, for example when listening and retelling stories.

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108In the three lessons observed the quality of teaching ranged from satisfactory to good and was mainly good. The good teaching is characterised by the skilful use of resources and questioning which helps children reflect on their significance. For example, children in a Year 1 class were very interested in a prayer mat shown to them and in the teacher’s explanation. They went on to design their own versions and then displayed their work in an assembly. Where the teaching is satisfactory, there are fewer opportunities for the children to explore and communicate their own ideas.

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109Children with special educational needs are supported well in lessons and make good progress.

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110The planning for religious education fulfils the requirements of the agreed syllabus. Teachers plan in year groups and this contributes effectively to a consistent approach. The planning identifies the learning objectives and there is a clear progression from Year 1 to Year 2. Religious education contributes well to the children’s spiritual development as there are opportunities for reflection. There are specifically-planned links between assembly themes and religious education lessons.

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111The co-ordinators for religious education have been involved in writing the policy and scheme of work, both of which give helpful guidance. They have identified the need to extend the collection of stories and non-fiction books to support the teaching. Currently the school is building up a collection of resources relating to the Islamic faith, some of which are attractively displayed in the school entrance. There is a programme of visits to local churches, including a Roman Catholic church, and representatives from the church visit the school and contribute to assemblies.

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112The inspection was undertaken by a team of five inspectors who, over a period of four days, spent the equivalent of sixteen days assessing the work of the school. A total of 65 lessons or part- lessons were seen.

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113Children from every class were heard to read. The pupils’ current work and some which had been completed previously was scrutinised. Teachers’ written planning and records of children’s progress were examined. Discussions were held with members of staff, governors, parents and pupils. Curriculum policies and other documentation relating to numerous issues were read.

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114A meeting was held before the inspection to provide parents with the opportunity to express their views and to inform them about inspection procedures. The meeting was attended by 11 parents. 296 parental questionnaires were distributed and 151 returned. The responses were analysed and used to inform the inspection team. The Registered Inspector met with teachers, non- teaching staff and a number of governors prior to or during the inspection to inform them of the inspection process. Sundorne Infant School Page 42 221 DATA AND INDICATORS

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221 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 YR - Y2 207 2 66 31 Nursery Unit 45 0 10 0

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221 Qualified teachers (YR - Y2) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 20.7

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221 Education support staff (YR - Y2) Total number of education support staff: 10 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 100

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221 Qualified teachers (Nursery unit) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1.5

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Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 30.7

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221 Education support staff (Nursery unit) Total number of education support staff: 6 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 103.7

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£ Total Income 449193.00 Total Expenditure 462902.00 Expenditure per pupil 1353.51 Balance brought forward from previous year 27381.00 Balance carried forward to next year 13672.00 Sundorne Infant School Page 43 Sundorne Infant School Page 44 221 PARENTAL SURVEY

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Number of questionnaires sent out: 296 Number of questionnaires returned: 151

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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 40.5 56.8 2.0 0.7 0.0

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I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 49.3 48.7 0.0 2.0 0.0

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The school handles complaints from parents well 25.4 55.2 15.7 3.7 0.0

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The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 32.7 53.7 8.8 4.8 0.0

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The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 31.7 60.0 3.4 4.8 0.0

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The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 41.1 55.5 3.4 0.0 0.0

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The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 25.2 60.8 9.8 4.2 0.0

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I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 33.6 58.0 9.8 4.2 0.0

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The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 40.1 51.0 8.2 0.7 0.0

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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 37.5 54.2 6.9 1.4 0.0

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My child(ren) like(s) school 57.6 39.1 2.6 0.7 0.0

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