Ewell Grove Primary and Nursery School

EWELL GROVE INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under 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.

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EWELL GROVE INFANT SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Ewell Grove Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 29 West Street Ewell Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. Norman Hale

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 - 26 September 1996 Ewell Grove Infant School - 4

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responsibilities

Jane Lamb Registered inspector English How high are Standards? a) The school’s results and achievements Information and communication technology How well are pupils taught?

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responsibilities

Equal opportunities How well is the school led and managed? Pupils with English as an additional language What should the school do to improve further? Josephine Philbey Lay Inspector N/A How high are Standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Julia Coop Team Inspector Mathematics How well does the school care for its pupils? Design and technology History Special educational needs Diana Cinamon Team inspector Art N/A Music Religious education Under fives Ewell Grove Infant School - 5 Loretta Watson Team inspector Science How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Geography Physical education

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responsibilities

Cambridge Education Associates Ltd. Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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responsibilities

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

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responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ewell Grove Infant School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7 - 10

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11 - 13

The school’s results and achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Ewell Grove Infant School is a community infant school for pupils aged three to seven years. The school is situated in the centre of Ewell Village, near Epsom in the county of Surrey. Most of the children come from homes on the outskirts of the village, due to the higher cost of housing in the village centre. There are 265 pupils on roll, 136 boys and 129 girls, including 52 children who attend part time in the school’s nursery and 35 children who are part time in the reception year. About 6 per cent of children are from other ethnic backgrounds. About 4 per cent of these pupils are at the early stages of acquiring English as their additional language, an about average proportion. The attainment on entry to the school is generally average, but varies from above average children, to those with some immaturity in their language and social development. The school’s register of special educational needs identifies 34 pupils. During the inspectors’ visit there were 74 children under five in

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school with some excellent features. Standards of pupils’ attainment in most subjects are above average, and in English they are well above average. The school also benefits from very good overall leadership, an excellent headteacher and very good teaching by a dedicated and hard working staff. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The leadership and management of the school by the headteacher, deputy headteacher, senior staff and governors is very good. The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. • The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school. • Pupils are interested, hard working and enthusiastic learners who have very good attitudes to school. • The provision for literacy is very good and teachers have high levels of expertise in their teaching of the literacy hour. Consequently pupils are attaining well above average standards in literacy and English. • The school cares particularly well for all its pupils. • The school has very effective links with parents. • The relationships within the school are very positive and pupils’ moral and social development is particularly good.

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What could be improved

• Some of the school’s policies are due for review in the light of the literacy and numeracy strategies and Curriculum 2000. This has been identified as a priority in the current school development plan. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The good improvements made since the last inspection in September 1996 have enabled the school to maintain the good progress made by pupils and continue the trend of well above or above average results in standards and national tests. Improvements have been made in the standards achieved by the pupils in English, mathematics, science, history, geography and information and control technology. There has been good improvement in the leadership of the school by the headteacher and governors. The quality of teaching and learning is also higher. The school has also improved its system of assessing pupils in English, mathematics and science. The nursery play area has been improved, as have resources for teaching. The school has made good improvement in the key issues identified in the last report. Ewell Grove Infant School - 8

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The school has well above average results in reading and writing tests over the last three years and in 1999 is well above similar schools in reading and above similar schools in writing. Over the last three years standards in English have been consistently well above average. In mathematics, test results over the last three years have varied between above average and average results. Results in mathematics are above average overall, but the 1999 results were below those in similar schools, particularly in the number of pupils attaining the higher level. Results of teachers’ assessments in science show that pupils are attaining above or well above expected levels. The school has set challenging targets to sustain these good standards.

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Key

The inspectors’ findings agree with the test results. In English, by the time they leave the school, pupils are attaining well above national average standards, particularly in reading. In mathematics and science standards are also above average, with some pupils attaining well above average. Pupils are achieving well in the light of their previous attainment; their progress is very good in English. In mathematics and science, progress is also good with some pupils making very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils are eager to learn and work hard. They are responsive and enthusiastic, have very good attitudes to school and enjoy their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The pupils behave well both around the school and in lessons. They are kindly and helpful towards each other.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is good and they are respectful and caring towards others. Relationships throughout the school are extremely positive.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is above average and the pupils are punctual.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils are enthusiastic, busy and hard working. They are proud of their achievements and keen to share these with others. They concentrate very well to complete their work and are cooperative and sensible in group work. They are also able to work well independently. The very good relationships in the school are a major contribution to pupils’ very good attitudes. Pupils are well behaved on the playground, around the school and in lessons. Their attendance is above average and parents are careful to inform the school of absence or lateness. Ewell Grove Infant School - 9

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

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

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

The quality of teaching throughout the school is very good and is a major factor in the pupils’ very good learning. There are high expectations of pupils’ work and behaviour in all lessons and relationships and support for pupils are very good. Teaching in English is particularly good and teachers have high levels of expertise and confidence, particularly in teaching literacy. Teaching of mathematics is good and teachers are clear about what they expect pupils to learn: this includes the teaching of numeracy. The school meets the needs of all its pupils well including those with special educational needs, pupils with English as their additional language and higher attaining pupils.

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

All lessons were at least satisfactory and 78 percent of lessons were good or better. 26 percent of lessons were very good or better and 8 percent of these lessons were excellent. Pupils respond very well to their teachers and are able to concentrate well and develop their existing learning into new areas with confidence. They are able to focus well on their work to make good or very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum throughout the school is broad, balanced and relevant to the pupils’ ages, needs and interests.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and pupils are making good progress towards the targets set for them.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The school provides well for pupils who have English as an additional language and they are making good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ personal development and spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Provision for their social and moral development is particularly good. The provision for pupils’ spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares well for all its pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school fully meets its statutory requirements and provides a broad and balanced curriculum, which interests and motivates pupils well. The curriculum in English, mathematics, science, information technology, history, geography and physical development is particularly strong. The school cares well for its pupils and has a high level of concern for their welfare. It also works well in partnership with parents to promote the best interests of all the pupils. Ewell Grove Infant School - 10

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership of the headteacher is excellent. She has a clear overview of the school, and is very ably supported by the deputy head, the senior staff and the governors.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body fulfils its responsibilities very effectively. It has high levels of expertise and commitment to the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school evaluates and monitors its own performance well. This ensures that resources, including staff, are targeted well to meet the pupils’ needs. This overview is a clear strength of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The available resources are very effectively used to ensure that pupils are taught very well, in an attractive and well-resourced school environment. The school provides very good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

The strength of the leadership by the headteacher, senior staff and governors is a key factor in the effectiveness of the school and the good standards achieved. The major strengths are the shared vision of the senior management team, the clear overview of the school’s needs, and high levels of commitment to the school by staff and governors. The principles of best value are well used in the purchase and use of resources and in the deployment of staff. The levels of staffing are adequate for the school and all staff are well qualified to teach the age range. They are very well used to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met, that class sizes are small enough and that reception age children get a good start to school in smaller teaching groups. The accommodation is adequate, very well maintained and well used, although there is not sufficient access for nursery children to use their outside learning area easily. The outside area is attractive

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Aspect Comment

and spacious and is being very well developed to provide a wide range of activities for the pupils. Learning resources are adequate to teach all subjects, of good quality and are well used.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • Children are making good progress. • Children’s behaviour is good. • Teaching is good. • The school is well led and managed • The school expects children to work hard. • Parents are comfortable approaching the school. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • Children are expected to work hard and do their best. • The range of activities outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors fully agree with the parents’ positive views of the school. The governors and headteacher are going to review the current provision for extra curricular activities in the light of the parents’ comments and the ages of the pupils.

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National Curriculum test results

1. Pupils’ results in the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage 1 were well above average in reading and above average in writing at Level 2 and well above average in reading and average in writing at Level 3. Results in mathematics were above average overall, with Level 2 and above results above average and Level 3 results close to the average. On the average points score, results in reading and writing were well above average and in mathematics were above average.

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National Curriculum test results

2. Compared with similar schools, results in reading were well above average and those in writing were above. The results in mathematics were below those in similar schools, particularly in the number of pupils attaining the higher Level 3. On the average points score, results were well above average in reading, average in writing and below average in mathematics.

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National Curriculum test results

3. Over the last three years standards in reading and writing have been consistently well above average. In mathematics, results over the last three years were above average. Attainment of boys is slightly above that of girls in reading and writing but similar in mathematics. This difference was not borne out by the inspectors’ judgements. The trends in improvement in results in reading and writing are rising faster than the national trend: this reflects the hard work of teachers and pupils and their good attitudes to work. The trend in mathematics is in line with the rise in the national trend.

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National Curriculum test results

4. The school carefully analyses the results of National Curriculum tests and teachers’ assessments and matches teaching well to the pupils’ individual needs. This analysis is used to set whole class, group and individual targets for improvement, which are expressed in lessons as learning objectives and shared with the pupils. This enables pupils of differing attainment to make good progress. The school has also set challenging targets to improve the attainment at Level 3 in writing and mathematics. The analyses are also used to set future targets in National Curriculum tests over the next three years. These targets are suitably challenging and the school and governors are aware of them. The school is making good progress towards its targets at Key Stage 1.

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Standards achieved currently

5. Children enter the nursery with attainment which is average overall, but which varies from above average attainment for some to below average attainment, particularly in language and social skills, for others. By the time they are five children’s attainment is at least in line and often above average for their ages, due to the very good quality of teaching of the under fives.

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Standards achieved currently

6. The inspectors’ findings agree with the test results. In English, by the time they leave the school, pupils are attaining well above national average standards, particularly in reading and standards in writing are improving further. Pupils are also very responsive and interested listeners, can confidently use language to express their viewpoints and are able to use their reading skills across a wide range of activities. They enjoy books and understand well what they are reading. Written work is above average, both in expression and use of spelling and grammar and pupils are developing very good, fluent cursive handwriting. They have made very good progress in all aspects of English from their attainment on entry to school. The provision for and teaching of English and literacy are major strengths of the school and are a key factor in the above average achievement in other subjects. Ewell Grove Infant School - 12

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Standards achieved currently

7. In mathematics standards by the time the pupils leave the school are above average, with some pupils attaining high levels for their age. Pupils are achieving well in the light of their previous attainment and are using their good numeracy skills well in other subjects. This good attainment is across the range of mathematical activities.

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Standards achieved currently

8. Attainment in all aspects of science is also above average by the time the pupils leave school at seven and pupils are developing good enquiry and problem solving skills.

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Standards achieved currently

9. In other curriculum areas attainment is above average in information and communication technology, history, geography, physical education and music. Standards are average in religious education and art. Standards were not reported in design and technology, due to insufficient evidence because of the timetabling of the subject.

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Standards achieved currently

10. The achievement of pupils with special educational needs is good with regard to the progress they are making towards the targets set for them in their individual educational plans. Good records are kept of the pupils’ attainment and these are used to inform the planning of work, teaching and support for pupils.

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Standards achieved currently

11. The pupils who have English as an additional language are making good progress and are acquiring English quickly as a result of the good teaching and support given to them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils have very good attitudes to school and to their learning. This makes a positive contribution to the standards they achieve and reflects the findings of the previous inspection report. The school has successfully developed good work habits and pupils are keen to do their best and are hard working and responsible. Pupils want to achieve well and listen carefully to instructions given by their teachers. They are eager to contribute to discussions and to answer questions posed in lessons or during assemblies with confidence and self-assurance. Most pupils sustain their concentration until their task is completed and are able to work well unsupervised. Pupils are very friendly, polite and pleased to show and discuss the results of their efforts with visitors. Parents are pleased with the school’s family atmosphere and the values their children learn.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils’ behaviour is good and they are kindly and helpful towards each other. They behave well in the classrooms and move around the school building in a very orderly way. In the hall at lunchtimes, the atmosphere is congenial and characterised by courtesy and good manners. Pupils generally play happily together and enjoy each other’s company. No harassment or bullying was observed during the inspection. There have been no exclusions over recent years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Throughout the school, pupils form very positive relationships with one another, and with their teachers and other adults. The personal development of pupils is also good and they are developing caring and respectful attitudes to themselves and others. When given the opportunity, pupils work effectively both individually and collaboratively. On many occasions, pupils work in groups or pairs helping each other and approaching their tasks sensibly and conscientiously. An example of this was seen in a Year 1 history lesson, where pupils were looking at seaside photographs, past and present, and discussing the similarities and differences. Pupils are sensitive towards each other and immediately help if a child is feeling ill or distressed. Pupils have a clear sense of responsibility. During the inspection they were seen tidying classrooms, returning registers and helping in assemblies.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to their work and are well taught and supported by caring staff to ensure that they can fully join in the life of the school. Pupils with more profound emotional difficulties are supported well by caring staff to ensure that they can fully join in the life of the school. This is especially successful when additional classroom assistants support the class teacher. Ewell Grove Infant School - 13 16. Levels of pupils’ attendance throughout the school are good and above the national average. Unauthorised absences are below the national average.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The overall quality of teaching is very good, is a clear strength of the school and has a major impact on the pupils’ very good learning and the good standards attained. The major strengths of the teaching are its consistency, the lack of any unsatisfactory teaching and the levels of very good and excellent teaching seen. The previous inspection found that teaching was satisfactory or better in most lessons, with some good lessons seen. The school has improved the quality of both teaching and pupils’ learning significantly since then.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching in all lessons is satisfactory or better and in almost 80 per cent it is good or better; in 26 per cent of lessons very good or better teaching was seen, with 8 per cent of lessons being excellent. The overall planning of lessons has improved also and the learning objectives for each subject are clearly shared with the pupils at the beginning of lessons. There are many strengths in the teaching and very few weaknesses and this extremely good provision makes a significant contribution to the very good learning and good or better progress made in most areas by the pupils. This picture includes the teaching of under-fives in the nursery and in the reception class, which is also very good overall. All areas of learning for the under-fives are taught by teachers, the nursery nurse and support staff, who have a particularly good understanding of the learning needs of young children and high expectations.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In the best lessons, teachers have very good subject knowledge and extremely good expectations of pupils' work and behaviour. They also have very good classroom management skills and there is good use of time and a brisk pace of learning. Relationships with pupils are extremely good and they are well supported and extended according to their needs and previous attainment. This includes pupils with special educational needs. Classroom assistants and the nursery nurse give very effective help in lessons and are well deployed. Parent volunteers and other helpers also support teaching well and contribute to pupils' progress. A major strength of the best teaching is the confidence, liveliness and enthusiasm of the teachers, which encourages, interests and motivates the pupils well and extends their learning so that they are making good or better progress. Resources, including computers, are well used to support learning in lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers plan lessons very well, with clearly identified learning objectives which are shared with the pupils and different work well matched to the previous attainment and needs of all the pupils. Information from assessment tasks and on going assessment is well used, particularly in English, mathematics and science, to set targets for future learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Literacy teaching is very good and this is having a significant impact on pupils' reading and writing in all subject areas. The teachers are also teaching the numeracy strategy well. Parents are generally well involved in the teaching of reading by hearing their children at home and volunteers also come into school to hear readers. The school is successfully implementing both the literacy and numeracy strategies, which are well monitored by the headteacher, coordinators and governors.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teaching in English is very good, with about a third of the teaching being excellent. The introduction of the literacy strategy has had a beneficial effect on teachers’ expertise in the subject, which is now very high. The targets set for pupils are challenging and teachers develop the literacy skills of pupils very well in other areas of the curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. In mathematics, teaching is good and the mathematics scheme is being well utilised. The teaching of the numeracy strategy is raising standards of pupils’ mathematical and number skills which are also used well in other lessons to promote further learning. Ewell Grove Infant School - 14 24. The teaching of science is also good and short term planning sufficiently identifies learning objectives for group work, which are well matched to pupils’ previous learning and shared with the pupils. Pupils’ testing, problem solving and investigative skills are well developed in lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. The teaching of information technology is good with some very good teaching also seen. There is a good balance between the direct teaching of skills and allowing pupils to use computers independently as part of their group work. Teachers are gaining confidence and plan for a variety of uses of computers in many different curriculum areas, which has raised standards in the subject.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Teaching in religious education is mainly satisfactory with some very good teaching also seen and links well to the locally agreed syllabus. Teaching is good in art, history, geography, music and physical education. Teaching was not reported on in design and technology as only one lesson was seen due to the timetabling of the subject.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Pupils’ learning is very good and they are confident and enthusiastic in using their previous knowledge, skills and understanding in new learning tasks. They have a good understanding of their own progress for their ages. Their attitudes to work are very good, they are hard working and responsible learners who cooperate well and share resources well with other pupils. The very brisk pace of teaching in lessons has a major impact on the pace and effort put in by the pupils, which is also very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

28. Higher and lower attaining pupils are learning at equally good rates of progress and the youngest pupils are well supported early on to acquire quickly literacy and numeracy skills and good learning habits which enables them to move on well in Years 1 and 2. This results from teachers’ high expectations and the accuracy with which learning objectives are developed into classroom tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

29. Pupils with special educational needs are also learning well and are making good progress towards the targets set for them. A good feature of their learning is the very good relationships with their teachers and support staff who understand their needs well and have good expectations of them. The very good additional support given by classroom assistants together with good class management skills ensures that pupils with more profound emotional difficulties are able to join fully in the life of the school. Good or very good teaching ensures that pupils with special educational needs have work that is well matched to their needs and make good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

30. The school does not currently receive any additional support for pupils who have English as their additional language but there is good support from all staff to ensure that these pupils make good progress in acquiring English quickly and using it in their other learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

31. Homework is set appropriately and is generally linked to reading and mathematics and finding out information for topic work; this contributes to the good progress made by pupils.

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TO PUPILS?

32. The curriculum is broad, balanced and relevant and it provides a good range of learning opportunities for pupils in the school. The school's curriculum is good both in the nursery and at Key Stage 1 and fully meets the requirement for under fives. This is in line with the judgements of the previous inspection report. The curriculum fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum and religious education is provided according to the recommendations of the locally agreed syllabus. The opportunities for developing literacy skills are very good and strategies for teaching numeracy are also effective. Ewell Grove Infant School - 15 33. The good provision for pupils with special educational needs ensures that they are included in all aspects of school life and are supported to make good progress towards the targets set for them. Pupils with special educational needs are encouraged to participate fully in all areas of

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TO PUPILS?

the curriculum. Opportunities are always provided for them to do well in relation to their ability in mental, practical and physical activities. Many pupils with special educational needs are seen to flourish, particularly in music and physical education.

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TO PUPILS?

34. The national literacy and numeracy strategies have been well implemented by the school in the specific lessons and across other areas of the curriculum and this has resulted in an improvement in pupils' learning and skills.

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TO PUPILS?

35. Provision for extra-curricular activities is appropriate for the age range of the pupils within the school, although the governors are going to review this provision in the light of some parents' comments. Pupils perform Christmas concerts at a local residential home for the elderly and give performances of country dancing at the local village fete.

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TO PUPILS?

36. Pupils develop good personal and social education through their everyday encounters in school and the school places great emphasis on personal development through normal day-to- day relationships. Teachers and staff set very high standards and are very good role models, challenging rare examples of misbehaviour and rewarding good behaviour. The consistent approach throughout the school ensures that pupils feel secure and confident and know that they are valued as individuals. All Year 2 pupils are given the opportunity to take on a special responsibility for the headteacher during the course of the year. They also organise and conduct a school service themselves and are responsible for tidying the library and taking out games at lunchtime. Overall, the school's programme for supporting pupils' personal development is good.

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TO PUPILS?

37. The school has satisfactory links with the community. Pupils visit the local church and explore the village and neighbouring areas. Year 2 pupils have the opportunity to visit the junior schools to which they will be going in September and with which the school closely liaises.

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TO PUPILS?

38. Overall provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is good. The school makes satisfactory provision for developing pupils' spiritual education and will be drawing up a policy for Time for Reflection this year. Assemblies provide opportunities for reflection and nursery and reception classes regularly set aside time to discuss and reflect upon instances which can cause concern. When appropriate, teachers with older pupils provide opportunities for them to talk about incidents which affect them personally or are relevant to their own experiences.

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TO PUPILS?

39. Provision for pupils' moral development is very good and is a clear strength of the school. The school ensures, through its policies and practices, that pupils have a strong appreciation of right and wrong. This is supported by the very good role models provided by adults in the school community. The school has maintained the high standards reported after the last inspection.

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TO PUPILS?

40. Provision for social development is also very good. Pupils are always courteous and show great respect for adults and their peers both in the classroom and throughout the school. The strong emphasis placed on pupils learning to work together and co-operate with one another, when sharing resources, contributes significantly to their social development. Opportunities to perform in public, giving concerts and participating in the village fete, enable pupils to develop their social skills in a much wider context.

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TO PUPILS?

41. The provision for developing pupils' own culture is satisfactory overall with sound improvement since the last inspection. There are opportunities for pupils to relate to the work of established artists and to written language through prose and poetry and in geography, pupils study their local area. The school library has a range of books reflecting many cultures from around the world. However, there are more limited opportunities for pupils to learn about the wider multicultural society in which they are growing up and the school is conscious of the need to develop further this provision.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Ewell Grove Infant School - 16 42. The school’s arrangements for promoting the welfare, health and safety of the pupils are very good and this has been maintained and developed further since the previous inspection. The school provides a safe, secure and caring environment and this is strength of the school. Relationships between pupils and staff are very good, and pupils are happy to come to school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The headteacher is the member of staff responsible for child protection, supported by the school’s special educational needs co-ordinator. Both members of staff have been fully trained. Very effective routines and procedures have been developed to ensure that all members of staff are aware of child protection issues. A thorough health and safety risk assessment is carried out termly by the governing body, and there are regular fire drills and effective procedures to ensure safe evacuation of the building.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. Accident and medical procedures are well carried out by the school. All accidents are recorded on a data-base and parents are notified immediately of any head injuries. There are appropriate policies to support health and safety and great care is taken to ensure the medical well-being of the pupils, who know that they will be well looked after. All staff are aware of pupils’ medical conditions and emergency procedures. Good use is made of outside professional help; for example, the local police come in to talk about Road Safety and Stranger Danger.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. Procedures for monitoring and promoting positive attitudes and behaviour are also very good. No incidents of bullying were observed during the inspection and parents and pupils are clear that bullying is not a problem. The school has effective and positive strategies for promoting good behaviour and the pupils understand that good behaviour is expected at all times. Good behaviour and achievement are praised during lessons and assemblies and rewarded by stickers and stars. Clear procedures have been identified for pupils who do not meet the expected standards of behaviour. Teachers deal quietly and effectively with any inappropriate behaviour in lessons. The special weekly Gold Book assembly, to which parents are invited, celebrates pupils’ personal and academic achievements and this is also a strength.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The monitoring and support of pupils’ academic and personal development is good. Teachers monitor pupils’ personal development weekly, they know their pupils well and give appropriate help and guidance throughout the school day. This is also supported through well thought out themes and stories in assemblies.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. There are good procedures in place to monitor and assess pupils’ academic attainment and progress. Termly targets are set for pupils in literacy and numeracy and pupils and parents are aware of them. The school has collected samples of pupils’ work in English, mathematics and science and these enable teachers to be more accurate in their target setting, and in assessing the level at which pupils are working. Each half term, pupils are assessed in literacy and numeracy. These results are used effectively to identify strengths and weakness, to set new targets and to inform the future planning of work. This has a positive impact on learning. Baseline assessments are used well in the early years to inform planning and to identify children who may need additional support. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included into the life of the school and have access to a broad and balanced curriculum. There

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

is good support from outside additional support and guidance agencies.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

48. The school monitors pupils’ attendance, absence and punctuality very well, and this has improved since the last inspection and has a good impact on pupils’ learning. Parents have to sign a book if they arrive late and pupils are then given a late card to inform their teacher. Parents are aware of procedures in place to inform the school of absences and pupils’ non- attendance is followed up immediately. The headteacher has been very positive in ensuring that parents are aware of their relevant responsibilities. Very good and appropriate use is made of the local authority educational welfare officer. Ewell Grove Infant School - 17

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. The school recognises that liaison between home and school is very important and has successfully maintained the positive relationships with parents reported in the previous inspection report. Parents are very supportive of this popular school and value its aims for their children.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. The school ensures that all new parents are given the opportunity to see the school in action, attend information meetings and receive an induction pack. Parents are most appreciative of the regular newsletters that keep them in touch with information about school events and activities. Parents are encouraged to read the notice board in the playground that displays information regarding the curriculum. Some parents would, however, prefer a simple fact sheet at the beginning of term advising them of forthcoming class work and current topics.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. The school has had a number of curriculum meetings to raise parents’ awareness of the literacy hour, the numeracy strategy, handwriting and the reading scheme. Both the prospectus and annual governors’ report to parents are comprehensive and easy to read. Parents attend regular consultation evenings and are confident that the headteacher and staff will see them at any time, if necessary. The staff endeavour to be in the playground at the beginning and end of the school day, if parents need to see them informally. Parents express satisfaction with the good quality annual reports they receive which provide useful information about their children’s achievements and progress and set targets for the future. Some parents felt that the range of extra-curricular activities for their children could be improved. The school is aware of this concern and governors are going to discuss this in the light of parents’ views. The inspection

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

team finds that extra-curricular activities compare satisfactorily with other infant schools.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are well informed of the school’s strategies to support their children and are fully involved in the regular reviews. This close liaison ensures that parents are fully informed of their children’s progress.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. Parents are actively encouraged to be involved in the life of the school and they complete a home/school agreement. They are encouraged to read with their children at home and help with spellings. The school values the parent volunteers who help in the classrooms. These parents report that they are welcomed into school and particularly appreciate the focus sheet that sets out their role as helpers. There is a rota of parents who give out school milk at break time whilst others volunteer to help with outside visits. Parents enthusiastically support school concerts and the celebration of special festivals and assemblies. The school appreciates the dedicated members of the Friends of Ewell Grove committee who are responsible for initiating social and fund raising activities. These include major events such as the summer picnic and Christmas bazaar. Substantial funds have been raised to provide the school with resources

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

such as additional computers and sports equipment. More recently the Friends have provided funds towards the redevelopment of the playground and quiet area.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The aims of the school are reflected well in its everyday life and the high expectations and clear vision of the senior management team and governors make a major contribution to the good levels of achievement by the pupils. The headteacher and deputy head have built a very effective team of senior staff who are well involved in promoting high standards and overseeing the work of the school to improve it further for the benefit of the pupils. The leadership of the headteacher in particular, is excellent. She has high levels of commitment to the school, a clear overview of the needs of the pupils and is strong and effective in her leadership of school initiatives and her quest for constant school improvement. The very experienced deputy headteacher is also well involved in this leadership and undertakes the responsibilities

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

delegated to her with very good expertise. The efficient and friendly administrative staff also Ewell Grove Infant School - 18 contribute well to this effectiveness and there are very good systems in place which allow the school to run smoothly.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The governing body is well involved in the setting of strategic objectives and has a good understanding of the strengths of the school and any areas for development. The governors are led by a Chair and Vice Chair of Governors with strong commitment and good levels of expertise; this makes a valuable contribution to the life of the school. There is a good system of pairing governors with curriculum coordinators so that the overview of subject development and standards is easily shared. Governors are thus well involved, so that they can participate fully in the educational direction of the school and can make prudent and well considered judgements related to the school’s priorities and spending. The governors have carried forward money to improve resources further and maintain staffing levels. The specific grants received are clearly focused on the intended pupils and spending decisions are linked fully to the

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

identified educational priorities in the relevant and clear school development plan.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school’s systems for financial planning are good. They involve discussions at management level before decisions are made. Educational priorities are then identified in the school development plan, as are financial and time implications. The implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategies, and the initiative for information and control technology, have had major budget implications for the school over the last two years. Governors are well involved in taking a positive, strategic role in planning and monitoring the use of financial resources and discussing ways of achieving best value. Money allocated for specific purposes is used effectively. Funding for special educational needs is well directed to the targeted pupils and very effectively used.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. A major strength of the school is the very effective way in which it closely monitors and evaluates its own performance and following that, the flexibility and precision with which resources are used to secure further improvements; for example, the way in which the information and communication technology action plan is being used to improve standards, increase resources and improve further teachers’ expertise. Teaching and pupils’ learning are closely monitored by the headteacher and the findings are used to support teachers in improving their own confidence and expertise. The setting of appropriate but challenging targets for improvement is also very effective.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Curriculum co-ordinators are engaged in overseeing and evaluating the standards achieved by pupils both in their personal development and in the subjects of the National Curriculum. There is a strong sense of partnership in sharing and analysing information to improve teaching and learning. There is good delegation to staff with management responsibilities and very effective follow-up by the headteacher and deputy head to ensure that tasks are completed well. Many of the school’s curriculum subject policies are now due for revision in the light of the strategies for literacy and numeracy and the soon to be introduced Curriculum 2000. The school has identified this as a target in the current school development plan and this needs to be fully implemented. The target to draw up a school policy on Time for Reflection also needs to be fully implemented.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The resources available to the school are very effectively managed and used well strategically to improve further the good quality of provision. Staffing levels are adequate for the school and all staff are well qualified to teach the age range. Teachers and support staff are particularly well deployed to ensure that all pupils’ needs are met, that class sizes are small enough and that reception age children get a good start to school in smaller teaching groups. The outside play area in the nursery has been well improved. The accommodation is good, very well maintained and well used, however, there is not sufficient access for nursery children easily to use their outside learning area independently, although the nursery staff use the area well by accompanying the children. The outside area is attractive and spacious and is being very well developed to provide a wide range of activities for the pupils. The learning resources are at

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

least adequate to teach all subjects, are of good quality and are well used.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The management of special educational needs is good and the provision for these pupils is also good, allowing pupils to make effective progress towards the targets set for them. Support for pupils with special educational needs is well organised and effective. The school’s register of special educational needs is well kept but needs to record all pupils receiving support Ewell Grove Infant School - 19 throughout the school year, in line with the Code of Practice and the school’s policy.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The school compares its performance closely with that of other schools, and consequently challenges itself, the staff and the pupils to improve further. There is appropriate consultation with parents and the school community about whether the school is meeting their needs and working in their best interests. The school also aims to provide its services economically and efficiently, to offer best value. The school offers very good value for money in terms of its financial resources, the good provision made and the above average standards attained.

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

62. The governors, headteacher and staff need to;

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Fully implement the targets in the current school development plan related to:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) subject policy revision in the light of the literacy and numeracy strategies and Curriculum 2000; (paragraph 58)

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(b) the implementation of the Time For Reflection policy brought forward from last year. (paragraph 58)

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the improvement areas above, the following less important area for improvement should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that any pupils withdrawn for special needs support are included in the special needs register in line with the school’s policy.( paragraph 60) Ewell Grove Infant School - 20

p.19

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 32

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.20

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

8 18 52 22 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 213

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 11 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 34

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 10

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 3

p.20

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.20

Attendance 1998/99

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ewell Grove Infant School - 21

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 38 27 65

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 33 34 34 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 27

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 92 (92) 94 (95) 94 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (88)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 34 34 36 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 27

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 94 (95) 94 (92) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (85) 87 (90)

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 3 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Ewell Grove Infant School - 22

p.21

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 9 Financial year 1998/9

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.3

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 405613

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1561

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 55 Balance brought forward from previous year 18265

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 20055

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13 FTE means full-time equivalent. Ewell Grove Infant School - 23

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 34 2 1 6

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 38 0 0 5

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 33 44 7 2 15

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 33 51 11 2 3

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 61 30 7 1 2

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 33 0 0 4

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 32 57 7 2 3

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 71 27 0 1 2

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 58 37 2 0 4

p.23

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 26 32 2 22 Ewell Grove Infant School - 24

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

63. The quality of teaching of children under five is very good overall with particular strengths in the teaching of the under fives in the reception class. The very good teaching of the reception children is characterised by an exceptionally good understanding of the learning needs of young children with high expectations of what they can achieve and of their behaviour. Teaching of nursery children by all staff is often good with no unsatisfactory teaching seen. The nursery is well organised and managed, providing good learning opportunities for the children and well qualified and committed staff.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

64. When the children start in the nursery they have broadly average levels of attainment for the age group. By the time they reach the age of five, the majority of the children will have made good progress and are achieving at least average standards, with many children attaining higher standards, above expected levels, in the reception classes. At the time of the inspection the majority of the under fives in the reception class had reached and many had surpassed the desirable outcomes for learning for children in the foundation year. The curriculum is well planned for the needs of children in the early years and also links well into the curriculum for Years 1 and 2. Children with special educational needs make good progress and are appropriately involved in the learning in their classes and often very well supported.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

65. Due to the good or very good teaching, the reception children have at least satisfactory and frequently good attainment in language and literacy and often surpass the desirable outcomes for learning in this area. They are responsive listeners, able to discuss and articulate suggestions and answers. They are keen to explain what they are doing and are encouraged to speculate and explain their ideas. For instance, when discussing the story of the Shepherd and the Lost Sheep they talk about how the sheep might stay safe. There is good encouragement for literacy, which results in good progress. For instance, children learn sounds and blends and rhyming words. Following the telling of the story, several children chose to write the story making good use of their knowledge of sounds to extend their early writing skills. Children enjoy books and can understand stories and share them with others.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The introduction of the literacy hour in reception classes has resulted in good understanding of spelling patterns and simple grammatical conventions. Teaching of language and literacy is good in the nursery, resulting in good learning and progress by the children. Nursery children listen well and readily answer questions although they cannot yet always fully explain what they mean or express their ideas. They are experiencing a variety of different books and stories and are starting to gain pleasure from them as well as from their early reading and writing skills.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. The quality of teaching of mathematics for the under-fives in the reception class is generally very good. Children in the reception class at least reach the desirable outcomes for learning in mathematics and in some aspects they surpass them. They are learning how to tally numbers and to record what they do. They understand and can count numbers to ten and beyond. They have good concepts of heavy and light and awareness of balance when weighing ingredients for cooking. As part of their role-play in the animal hospital corner they sort and classify matching objects by colour. High achieving pupils are given good support. In the nursery, teaching is also good and the children have good encouragement to join in counting the numbers in the group. A few have good number skills; one child counts 13 children and adds herself to make the fourteenth, while another knows that one more than 25 is 26. Others are

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

learning how to match numbers of objects to numerals up to 5.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. Children gain good knowledge and understanding from the activities and topics they learn about in school. They are beginning to understand the past and present and are developing awareness of the geography of their homes, school and the surrounding area. They select appropriate tools and combine two objects to make a simple sliding mechanism and with helpful demonstration by the teacher, say what could be done to make it better. Many children have good skills in using computers. One writes his name in capitals and lower case, confidently using these terms to explain what he is doing. Another shows good keyboard skills Ewell Grove Infant School - 25 as she sequences a pattern. In the nursery, children successfully learn about the processes involved in cooking as they measure ingredients and stir and roll out the mixture. The quality of teaching overall is good in both the nursery and reception classes and children meet the

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

desirable outcomes for learning by the time they are five and often exceed them.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. By the age of five, most children are expected to have good physical skills and as a result of very good teaching in both the nursery and reception classes, many reach a high standard. They change quickly for a physical education lesson needing little help. Very clear instructions and a good range of activities enable the children to achieve at a high level. They move sensibly around the hall showing good awareness of space and skip and march confidently. They are encouraged to watch others to learn new ways of controlling a ball, which significantly improves their skills in dribbling, rolling and catching. They are able to use their imagination in holding an imaginary ball as it grows. Good skills are evident in using scissors and pencils and in handling paint brushes. Nursery children also have good physical skills and confidently ride tricycles in the playground at some speed showing good skill in steering and in negotiating

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

69. The creative development of reception children is promoted very well through art, music, and role play activities. They sing very well with the rest of the school, taking their turn to sing a refrain. They learn how to use different techniques and media such as pastel and paint and begin to represent what they observe by looking at and drawing flowers. Good demonstration of colour mixing shows children how to begin, and sensitive, yet probing questions by the teacher help them to think about the results of mixing colours and to reflect on what they are doing. The nursery children are also gaining a good experience in creative activities. Through careful observation of models of wild animals they chose to paint, the children extended their repertoire of brush strokes and their observational skills. Good support and encouragement increased confidence including that of a child speaking English as an additional language.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

When playing outside, the children showed good imagination in role-play and were able to sustain this. Teaching of creative activities is good in both the nursery and reception classes.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

70. The teaching of children’s personal and social development is good and this is well promoted through all aspects of school and nursery life. Teachers and other staff have good relationships with the children, both in the nursery and the reception class, to promote in the children good levels of personal and social development. Staff are very well organised and use time well, creating a learning atmosphere that promotes good behaviour, independence and a positive attitude to learning in the children. Children are enthusiastic, concentrate well and as they reach the age of five are becoming increasingly independent, which has a good impact on their learning. They cooperate well with each other, the nursery children very effectively sharing large equipment in the playground. The children have good attitudes to those with special educational needs and are kindly and concerned for others.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

71. The previous inspection report identified the improvement of the nursery outside play space as an area for development. The school has successfully refurbished the outside area, which is now an attractive and spacious play facility. There is still however, limited access to this area, with the result that all nursery staff have to take the children outside together to ensure that there are suitable levels of supervision. Other improvements are planned for the interior of the nursery space, which will also enhance the provision and start to update the nursery building.

p.25

ENGLISH

72. By the time they leave the school pupils are attaining standards in English that are well above the national average in speaking, listening and reading. Standards in writing are above the national average, with many pupils attaining very good standards. Pupils are making very good gains in learning from their generally average attainment on admission to the school and their achievement is often high.

p.25

ENGLISH

73. These findings corroborate the National Curriculum test results in 1999 and in the previous two years, where pupils attained consistently well above average results in reading and writing. The school also compares very favourably with schools with similar intakes, particularly in Ewell Grove Infant School - 26 reading standards. There are no significant differences in the attainment of girls and boys, who are achieving equally well.

p.25

ENGLISH

74. The school has shown good improvement in English since the last inspection and the high standards attained are a clear strength of the school. The pupils have generally very good literacy skills, which are well used and they are making very good gains in learning in all aspects of the subject, due to the high standard of teaching. Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress towards the targets set for them and those with English as an additional language are also making good progress and are often achieving in line with other pupils.

p.26

ENGLISH

75. Pupils are able to speak with good fluency, and have well developed vocabularies and are beginning to be able to justify their viewpoints. They listen responsively, are good at understanding instructions and generally listen politely to the viewpoints of others. Teachers give the pupils very good opportunities in lessons to be involved in discussions about their work, which enhances learning well, particularly in the literacy hour.

p.26

ENGLISH

76. Across the school pupils develop a love of reading and read very well both for pleasure and information. For example, pupils are able to read their best work with confidence in the weekly achievement assembly. They have developed a wide variety of strategies for reading and their levels of understanding are often very good at both a literal level and in understanding more subtle meanings. They are able to compare different books and some talk about different authors. They understand well the grammatical conventions of English and respond to these in their reading, which is often expressive and fluent for their ages.

p.26

ENGLISH

77. They are able to write with good levels of fluency and use spellings and punctuation with increasing accuracy. A strength of their written work is the very good level of expression and creativity shown when they are writing stories, poems or letters. They are also developing a fluent, cursive handwriting style and use computers with confidence. They are starting to use e-mail as an additional way of communicating and collaborate well to compose the messages. They are given good opportunities for writing for a variety of purposes in English and in other subjects such as history, geography and science. The school has identified the further improvement of writing skills as an area for development, following the analysis of examination results and this has raised the standards of pupils’ written work overall.

p.26

ENGLISH

78. Pupils’ learning in English is generally very good, and reflects the high quality of teaching seen. Most pupils start school with average levels of language, although a significant minority are below this level. Teachers offer very good opportunities for pupils to consolidate their existing skills through the very skilful use of questioning pupils to ascertain their understanding and extend their learning. They are making generally very good progress throughout the school in building upon their existing knowledge and understanding to reach very good levels in reading and above average levels in writing. Pupils who start with lower levels of attainment and those with special educational needs are well supported to make good progress and start to catch up. The school sets challenging targets for all pupils to ensure that they are well extended and achieve well, this includes higher attaining pupils who learn extremely well.

p.26

ENGLISH

79. The teaching of English throughout the school is very good and some excellent teaching was also seen in a third of lessons. There were no unsatisfactory lessons. Teachers’ very good knowledge and understanding has been enhanced by the introduction of the literacy strategy and they have received good levels of support and training. Classroom organisation and the content of lessons are extremely good, as are the supportive relationships with the pupils and high expectations of their work and behaviour. Teachers encourage a brisk pace of learning and use questions very productively to move the learning forward and consolidate previous learning. Teachers’ medium and long-term planning is also good and this is fully implemented in lessons. Lesson plans clearly identify the specific learning objectives for the group work, linked to assessment information. Classroom support staff are consistently well used to

p.26

ENGLISH

support group work and are very skilful in this and well trained. In the best lessons, the presentation of the whole-class session is clear and lively, pupils are kept interested and involved and teachers maintain a very good pace while still enabling pupils to contribute to the discussion. There is very good use of volunteer support for hearing readers. Teachers’ Ewell Grove Infant School - 27 assessment procedures are very good and the information from these is well used to set targets for pupils and inform future teaching.

p.26

ENGLISH

80. Pupils’ attitudes to their work in English are extremely good and they are well behaved and hard working. They enjoy their lessons, settle to work well and are interested and involved. Pupils can sustain concentration well and can work well independently while their teacher is with another group. Pupils are friendly towards each other and cooperate well in their groups. They are confident in using their literacy skills in a wide range of situations. They are competent and independent in using computers to support their learning, for example, in independent group tasks in literacy lessons.

p.27

ENGLISH

81. The school has successfully implemented the literacy hour and this is also developed within other subject areas such as mathematics, information technology, history, geography, and science. Planning for literacy is generally very good. Teachers have great confidence in teaching the literacy hour and their teaching is of a high standard. The literacy coordinator, headteacher and governor for literacy have formed a very effective partnership in overseeing the implementation. Parents and governors have been well informed and parents are well involved in helping their children at home and as volunteer helpers in school.

p.27

ENGLISH

82. There is a useful policy for English and the school is working directly from the national guidance for the literacy strategy. The policy now needs to be updated to include the literacy strategy and Curriculum 2000. The subject is very well led by a coordinator who has an extremely high level of understanding and enthusiasm. Monitoring standards and teaching is also very good and has a significant impact on improving both teachers’ and pupils’ performance. The resources for the subject are good and these are well managed and accessible. There is satisfactory provision for information technology, which is well used in the literacy hour. The library is well used, well stocked and attractive. The subject makes a good contribution to the spiritual and cultural development of the pupils; for example, in understanding the lives of children of other cultures in their literacy hour books.

p.27

MATHEMATICS

83. By the time they leave the school at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are attaining above average standards in all aspects of mathematics and have developed good numeracy skills, which are well used in other subject work.

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MATHEMATICS

84. Attainment in the 1999 National Curriculum tests at the end of Key Stage1 was above the national average for Level 2 results and close to the national average for pupils achieving Level 3.This trend of above average attainment has been maintained since 1996. When compared to similar schools attainment was in line for those pupils achieving Level 2 but below average for Level 3. The inspection findings confirm, that by the time pupils leave the school at the age of 7 they are attaining standards above those expected for their age. The school is now establishing an upward trend in mathematics attainment and the numeracy strategy has been implemented successfully to raise standards. The number of pupils currently attaining Level 3 has now improved and is good. This represents an improvement since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Pupils make good progress in lessons, including pupils with special educational needs, who are well supported. In the reception classes, pupils can recognise and order numbers and are beginning to use this knowledge to combine sets of numbers by simple addition. They use appropriate mathematical language in every day activities, recognise and use terms such as ‘full’ and ‘empty’ and complete simple shopping activities. These skills are developed and consolidated as they move through the school. By the time pupils leave the school, they show good counting skills, using these confidently to identify doubles of numbers and to subtract 11 from a two digit number, for example. Pupils work quickly and confidently using clear mental strategies to solve problems. High attaining pupils are able to use their knowledge of the two, three and five times tables to solve more difficult money problems. Pupils with special

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MATHEMATICS

educational needs are able to recognise coins and complete simple shopping activities. They make good progress and attain standards appropriate to their ability. The work highlighted in Ewell Grove Infant School - 28 the national numeracy strategy has been covered for each term. Pupils use and apply their knowledge and understanding of mathematics well and this is also an improvement since the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

86. Information technology is well linked to numeracy. Pupils in Year 2 are e-mailing other classes about their numeracy lessons. In Year 1, pupils produce graphs in relation to their topic on dinosaurs to good effect. These skills progress, so that in Year 2, pupils not only produce graphs containing information, but they also input information concerning their favourite clothes. They demonstrated that they could also use these graphs effectively to answer questions; for example, to discover the favourite item of clothing. In science, similar work enabled pupils to use mathematical skills to categorise push and pull models.

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MATHEMATICS

87. The teaching of mathematics is generally good and sometimes very good and this is again an improvement since the last inspection when teaching was generally satisfactory. Good teaching, characterised by well planned lessons, brisk pace, clear teaching objectives and activities that motivate pupils, leads to pupils being interested and eager to learn; as a consequence, pupils consolidate their understanding and make good progress in lessons. When pupils occasionally lose interest, it is due to whole class sessions which lack sufficient pace. Pupils enjoy their lessons and have very positive attitudes to work.

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MATHEMATICS

88. The co-ordinator has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy and this is having a positive effect on standards in the subject. Resources have been updated and improved to support learning. Assessments are carried out each term and these are used to inform planning and to set individual targets. As a consequence, pupils and parents know what they have to do to improve. Homework is set regularly and this is always marked and has helped considerably to improve standards.

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SCIENCE

89. By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Key Stage 1, attainment in science is above the national average. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. In 1999, at the end of Key Stage 1, teacher assessment indicated that 97per cent of the pupils achieved Level 2 or above, which was above the national average. Level 3 attainment was reached by 34per cent of pupils, which was well above the national average. Inspection evidence, based on the current pupils in Year 2, shows that pupils continue to achieve above average standards in science overall.

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SCIENCE

90. Pupils understand the importance of fair tests and make sensible predictions based on previously gained knowledge. They carefully consider different environments; for example, the playground and school orchard discussing a wide variety of living things which they think may be found in each. Pupils understand that their findings will vary, depending on factors such as time of day, the weather and the seasons. They independently choose to use a range of methods to record their predictions, including lists, charts and diagrams. Pupils demonstrate a good understanding of the difference between the natural and man-made contents of a particular environment. Most younger pupils recognise and confidently name many young animals and correctly match them with the corresponding adult. Many pupils also know that these animals live in different environments such as fields, pens and ponds.

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SCIENCE

91. Pupils recognise that materials have different properties and correctly categorise a wide range, including cork, metal, cloth, sponge and paper, describing their properties using appropriate vocabulary such as ‘bouncy’, ‘smooth’, ‘crunchy’ and ‘soft’. Pupils know that forces are used to pull, push and stop objects. They accurately record the distance travelled by a toy when pushed with a range of forces. Pupils understand the potential dangers of handling electricity and know how a simple circuit and its component parts work.

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SCIENCE

92. All pupils enjoy science lessons and participate with great enthusiasm. They listen to the ideas of others and respond well to challenging questions. They are able to learn well and extend their knowledge and understanding. They listen carefully to instructions before beginning tasks and take great pride in the way in which they present their work. Pupils work well independently Ewell Grove Infant School - 29 and within groups, sensibly sharing ideas and resources. Their interest in this subject and sustained concentration throughout lessons contribute significantly to the good progress made by all pupils.

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SCIENCE

93. The quality of teaching is consistently good. Teachers have a sound knowledge of the subject and high expectations. Lessons are well planned, stimulating and challenging. This is reflected by the good progress made by pupils in lessons and over time. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, are well supported. Teachers know their pupils well and tasks are carefully organised to enable pupils to develop their individual knowledge and skills at appropriate levels. Teachers question their pupils carefully to assess understanding and ensure that pupils know exactly what to do and what is expected of them. Teachers have a very good relationship with their pupils and this helps them create a secure and purposeful working environment. Pupils' attainment and progress in each topic they cover are regularly assessed and this information is used to inform future planning of work. These results are incorporated in

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SCIENCE

94. This good teaching has a major impact on the good learning of the pupils and their good attitudes to work and behaviour. They are able to cooperate well with each other, share resources when necessary and work hard in their lessons. They are able to consolidate their previous learning into new areas and can use their knowledge well in simple problem solving and investigations.

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SCIENCE

95. The new science co-ordinator has a clear vision for the subject and is committed to raising the good standards already achieved by the school. She and the staff ensure that assessment reflects pupils' scientific knowledge, understanding and skills, irrespective of their literacy skills. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 are challenged by the recently introduced "Investigation Train" and this idea is to be gradually extended to the rest of the school. The policy and scheme of work are identified for revision in the school development plan. Year groups liaise closely when planning and this is monitored termly. The co-ordinator also plans to review and update the current system of record keeping. Science has a good range of learning resources, which are carefully catalogued and readily accessible to both staff and pupils. Very good use is made of the school grounds, which provide an invaluable resource. Opportunities are also

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SCIENCE

taken to visit local woods, the nearby river and open areas easily accessible to the school. The school‘s approach to science continues to make the positive contribution to pupils' spiritual development referred to in the last report.

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ART

96. By the time they leave the school pupils are reaching a satisfactory standard in art which is in line with national expectations. Pupils’ progress is sometimes more varied as the subject is better taught in some classes than in others but overall it is satisfactory.

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ART

97. By the age of seven, pupils have developed generally good skills and techniques in a range of media. For instance, Year 2 pupils use illustrations from books to draw parrots of a good shape and size that are well placed on the page. They mix paints to produce subtle colours to paint their pictures of parrots, creating a lovely effect. Others use a collage technique to make parrots with bright colours, good design and interesting textures. Ewell Grove Infant School - 30 98. The teaching of art is mostly good and results in lively, confident and interested learners. For example, some Year 1 pupils had good encouragement to use a range of media and techniques while making observational drawings of toys. They produced lively and imaginative drawings initiating a variety of techniques such as smudging and mixing pastels. Computers are well used in art lessons. One Year 2 pupil created a lovely bright parrot when he drew an

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ART

outline on the computer and carefully coloured it in. Pupils’ very positive attitudes and good behaviour contribute to the good learning and enthusiasm seen in lessons and when pupils discuss their work with others.

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ART

99. Displays of pupils’ art work around the school often show a good appreciation of pupils’ skills and talents. Pupils have a sound experience of investigating and making things but opportunities are sometimes missed for pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding further by seeing the work of artists and crafts people in the locality or further afield.

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ART

100. The subject is satisfactorily monitored by the coordinator in terms of the standards attained and the quality of teaching. The school has made plans to revise the policy for art in the light of Curriculum 2000. Since the last inspection improvement in the subject has been satisfactory.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection due to the timetabling of the subject, and it is therefore not possible to report on standards of teaching or learning, due to the limited lesson evidence available.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. In the one lesson observed, pupils had satisfactory making skills and could talk about different methods for joining materials. Some pupils were able to design the pattern for the coat they were making, but not all pupils used this skill. The limited scrutiny of work available and the examination of teachers’ planning and scheme of work shows that pupils have had opportunities to make a variety of items but there was less evidence of pupils’ planning or evaluating this work.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. The subject is currently being led by an acting coordinator who monitors provision appropriately. The subject policy is now planned for revision in the light of Curriculum 2000.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. Attainment in geography by the time the pupils leave school at the end of Key Stage 1 is above average standards and has improved since the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. Pupils demonstrate well-developed powers of observation and awareness of their surroundings. They correctly position models of buildings on maps of their village and accurately recall road signs they have seen when travelling around the local area. Pupils correctly distinguish between quiet and noisy, attractive and unattractive locations observed on a map, such as a park, a cinema, a station or busy shops.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. Older pupils make good use of their previous knowledge of geographical features and their ability to make close observations. While examining photographs, they correctly identify the main features of a seaside resort and subsequently locate the town on a map of the United Kingdom. Pupils know the names of continents and oceans and confidently find them on a world map or globe. They understand that climate changes in line with the distance from the equator and confidently explain the reason for this. They make good use of their own experiences to discuss the relative merits of different forms of transport which people use to travel to a variety of destinations around the world, such as Mexico, Spain, Florida and Israel.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. Pupils approach topics with great interest and are very willing to discuss their ideas. They are keen to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding and take great care when completing tasks such as designing road signs, marking routes on maps and illustrating ways in which Ewell Grove Infant School - 31 climate determines the types of clothes people wear. They work together well and willingly share resources. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress, building on their early experiences and developing their geographical skills and knowledge of the world in which they live.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. The quality of teaching is good overall and has a good impact on the pupils’ learning. Teachers are enthusiastic and plan lessons well to ensure that pupils begin to acquire the appropriate language, concepts and skills which will enable them to discover for themselves, information about their local environment and the wider world. Resources for learning are well used and skilful use of questioning by teachers encourages pupils to look more closely, think more carefully and extend their own ideas. Teachers set appropriate tasks which reflect pupils' individual knowledge and skills so that they quickly gain confidence, knowing that they are achieving and progressing.

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GEOGRAPHY

109. The co-ordinator is committed to continuing improvement in standards and is currently updating the policy and schemes of work, which will be ready for the new school year. Pupils' experiences are enriched by visits to a variety of local environments. Teachers’ planning is carefully monitored and staff liaise regularly to provide a broad and interesting curriculum for the pupils. Work is kept as a record of pupils' achievement, with attainment and progress being assessed half-termly. The subject is well resourced and pupils have access to a good selection of reference books both in the classrooms and within the library area.

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HISTORY

110. Pupils achieve good standards in history and by the time they leave the school at the age of seven, they attain above average standards for their ages. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were reported to be average.

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HISTORY

111. Pupils have developed a good understanding of chronology and, by the time they leave the school, understand clearly that history is concerned with life in the past. Pupils in the reception class can make clear distinctions between their own lives and can explain differences in themselves now, compared with when they were babies. Pupils can identify that life in the past was different, for example, by handling everyday artefacts and examining photographs from the past and comparing them to modern day items. They are aware that buildings have changed and can talk accurately about famous people; for example, the importance of the work of Florence Nightingale and how she helped to improve the hospitals of the time. Events such as the Great Fire of London are also understood in terms of the effect they had on the lives of people. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2, for example, could talk with maturity and

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HISTORY

understanding about this event and could not only relate how this event would have affected the people at the time but also how it led to the development of the present day London.

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HISTORY

112. The teaching of history is good. It provides pupils with interesting tasks and allows pupils to discuss their ideas, analyse the materials and artefacts provided, and encourages them to co- operate in order to develop their skills of enquiry. Effective questioning, together with the good use of resources supports learning well and has led to pupils being interested and eager to learn. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported to make good progress. However, the number of visits in history could usefully be extended to support and enhance pupils’ learning in the subject.

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HISTORY

113. The subject co-ordinator has identified the necessary changes in the subject policy in order to comply with Curriculum 2000, but the policy and scheme of work have yet to be updated. Resources have been improved since the last inspection with the purchase of new books and photographs to support the teaching and learning. Teachers’ plans have been monitored and these initiatives have led to the improved standards.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

114. By the time they leave the school, pupils are generally attaining above average standards in Ewell Grove Infant School - 32 information technology. Pupils are able to use the word processing programs with confidence and use them to work independently in literacy group work. They have had a range of experiences in entering and recording data and using this to retrieve information in mathematics. They understand the uses of commands in control technology and can solve simple problems using programmable toys. Year 2 pupils have access to e-mail facilities and are starting to use it to send and receive e mails in each other’s classes. Pupils can use a range of programs in art to design and draw and can print out their work. Many pupils have access to computers at home, but the school is building on this knowledge by directly teaching skills as well as offering a wide range of opportunities to use computers in different lessons.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

115. Teaching in information technology is good with some very good teaching also seen. Teachers have gained subject confidence and good expertise and plan for the use of computers and programmable toys as part of many other subject areas such as mathematics, history, geography, art and science. The subject is well linked to work in literacy and is used to extend pupils’ learning of expressive writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar. A strength of the best teaching is the high expectation of pupils’ independent work and the wide range of tasks provided. This results in pupils who are able to extend their existing skills and knowledge into new areas of learning as well as consolidating their previous learning. Pupils are making good progress in their learning from their previous levels of achievement.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

116. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject and their behaviour in lessons are very good. They are well able to cooperate and share computers and are sensible when required to learn alone without direct adult support. They are able to complete tasks satisfactorily and are proud of their expertise and achievement.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

117. The subject is well led by an experienced coordinator who has developed good levels of expertise in the subject, supports her colleagues well and monitors provision effectively. There is a useful action plan for the subject which identifies priorities over the next three years, in spending on resources, teaching and the extension of existing provision. The resources, including programmable toys, are adequate for teaching the subject and the school has planned for an annual increase in machines and software. The use of a new lap top computer will provide an extension of the numbers of machines in classrooms when direct teaching of skills is taking place.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

118. The previous inspection report found that standards in the subject were satisfactory or better overall. The school has made good improvements both in the provision for the subject, particularly for control technology, and in the higher standards attained by the pupils.

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MUSIC

119. By the time they leave the school, pupils are attaining above average standards in music within the limited range of musical activities seen during the inspectors’ visit. Pupils sing very well. They sing with good tempo, rhythm and pitch and can sustain a long phrase well, even when the match of the words and tune is quite challenging. Their singing is expressive and they are able to finish a phrase on a soft, high note. They know the words of many songs and enunciate clearly. All the pupils clearly enjoy singing and very enthusiastically sing together as a school. The reception children follow instructions well and know how to take their turn as the ‘echo’ in a song. Pupils showed good appreciation of Spanish music, which was played as they came in and out of assembly.

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MUSIC

120. The quality of teaching is generally good. Good teaching enables Year 2 pupils to learn crescendo and diminuendo and to use the symbols to follow a pattern and beat out the sounds. They are very involved in the lesson, make perceptive comments about and express an interest

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MUSIC

in the Italian words used. The younger pupils in a reception class respond well to clapping the rhythm of a name of an animal and begin to learn how notation is used.

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MUSIC

121. The music curriculum is enhanced by school performances and by involvement in the Ewell Grove Infant School - 33 community such as singing to the elderly in a residential home. The policy is to be revised in the next term in the light of Curriculum 2000. The subject contributes well to the pupils’ spiritual, cultural and social development and adds to the life of the school in assemblies.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122. By the time they leave the school at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment in physical education is above average in the areas of physical performance and co-ordination and in their knowledge and understanding.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

123. Pupils demonstrate good control as they move and very good co-ordination when throwing, catching, and dribbling small balls. They have a good degree of spatial awareness when marching, skipping and sliding within the confines of the hall. Their sense of balance is very well developed and pupils use this to advantage during their floor activities and when using a wide range of apparatus. They confidently perform well thought out sequences on mats, benches and wall bars, taking great care to ensure that their movements do not interfere with those of others.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

124. Pupils have a good understanding of terms describing physical activity, interpreting them well as they move smoothly from one part of their bodies to another. They listen very carefully to instructions and learn quickly. They approach new tasks with great enthusiasm and persevere until they have perfected their skills. They work co-operatively in pairs and small groups and willingly take turns when moving on and around apparatus. Pupils are very appreciative of each other's skills and are eager to learn from one another. They co-operate well when carefully assembling apparatus to be used in lessons. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in their learning, both within lessons and over time. The good standards of attainment observed are in line with those judged in the last report.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

125. The quality of teaching of physical education throughout the school is consistently good. Teachers have a clear understanding of the knowledge and skills to be imparted and have high expectations of their pupils' performances. Lessons are well structured and conducted at a good pace, ensuring that the pupils remain busy and make good progress. Skills are carefully consolidated and developed, enabling pupils to gain confidence and maturity in their approach to activities. Pupils' individual needs are well met, so that all pupils feel able to succeed within lessons and they are well supported by non- teaching staff. Good use is made of a wide variety of apparatus, providing opportunities for pupils to experiment with new ideas and improve and extend their physical skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

126. Teachers have due regard to the health and safety of their pupils as they engage in exercise and when they are moving apparatus. They are quick to act on the very rare occasions when pupils misbehave. Demonstrations and instructions are always very clear so that all pupils fully understand what is expected of them. Teachers always present pupils with experiences that are enjoyable and with a level of challenge which engenders enthusiasm.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

127. The co-ordinator and staff are committed to maintaining good standards and approach this subject with energy, enthusiasm and confidence. Several members of staff have recently attended courses and the existing policy is due to be reviewed in the near future. Planning is monitored and pupils’ achievements are regularly recorded. The quality and quantity of equipment has been improved since the last inspection and it is now more easily accessible to staff and pupils. Ewell Grove Infant School - 34

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

128. By the time they leave the school at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have achieved standards which are broadly in line with the agreed syllabus and have made steady progress.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

129. Younger children know some Bible stories and often represent them with lively drawings and writing. Some have looked at the Torah and can explain how it is read. Pupils are always interested in the subject and the older ones are particularly curious about the world faiths they study. They know some of the customs of religions such as Islam and how artefacts such as prayer mats are used. They know that the Bible and the Qu’ran are both holy books and become aware of some of the similarities and differences in religious practices as they talk about churches and mosques. Pupils find out that the Qu’ran is written in Arabic and that this is written in a different language from English and has a different direction. However, although they have learned important facts about religion, they have less idea of how different faiths affect people’s lives and beliefs.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

130. Teaching is always satisfactory and sometimes better. At its best, teachers make good use of pupils’ own knowledge and experience and there is encouragement to speculate about religion. Respect for all faiths is well promoted. There are good links to pupils’ personal, social, spiritual and cultural development. When teaching is only satisfactory, this is because teachers’ familiarity with different world religions is limited; this results in their showing artefacts without being confident in sharing great detail about them and discussion is therefore limited. This sometimes limits the achievement of older pupils in particular.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

131. There has been improvement since the previous report in developing understanding of world faiths. However, there are fewer opportunities for pupils to benefit from the knowledge and experience of people of different faiths coming into the school to talk to the pupils, or for pupils to visit or see broadcast or video material of other places of worship, in addition to the local church.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

132. The school has made plans to revise the policy for the subject and to devise a policy on Time for Reflection, which will add to the spiritual and cultural understanding developed in the subject and raise teachers’ levels of confidence. Resources for religious education are satisfactory but could usefully be extended to provide more video or broadcast material related to other faiths and beliefs. The subject coordinator is satisfactorily monitoring the subject standards and teaching.

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