Homer First School and Nursery

Homer First School

LEA area: Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

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Homer First School

Dates of inspection: 5 th – 7 th June 2000

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Homer First 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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Homer First 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. Homer First School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Testwood Road Windsor Berkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr M Ballard

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: September 1996 Homer First School - 4

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr G Bassett Registered inspector Mathematics, Art, Equal opportunities How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led? Mr A Anderson Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. How well the school cares for pupils. Partnership with parents. Mrs P J Underwood Team inspector English, History, Geography, Music, Religious education, Under fives Mr J Collins Team inspector Science, Physical education, Information technology, Design technology Special educational needs. How good are curricular opportunities?

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The inspection contractor was: St Mary’s Inspection Unit Strawberry Hill Waldegrave Road Twickenham TW1 4SX

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Subject responsibilities Aspect 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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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Homer First School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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? 1 - 14

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Homer First School is smaller than other primary schools and is situated to the east of the town of Windsor. Most pupils come from privately owned houses. There are 171 pupils on roll and they are grouped into 6 classes. Nearly all children join the school at the beginning of the term following their fifth birthday but there are a few who enter when they are about to become five. Their attainment on entry to the school is generally above average but there are some pupils who have special educational needs and attain lower standards. The school comprises white children in the main with only one or two from ethnic minority groups. The number of pupils on the register for special educational needs is slightly above average but the number eligible for free school meals is well below the national average. There is one pupil with a statement of special educational needs.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

It is a good and effective school. The pupils attain standards that are above the national average in English, mathematics and science. They make good progress during their time at the school and the rate of progress over the past four years has been much faster than the national performance. The quality of teaching is good overall with many lessons having a very good and sometimes excellent quality of teaching. The quality of the teachers’ planning is good and it provides a clear direction for the pupils’ learning. It also has a marked impact upon the good attitudes as the lessons are stimulating and appropriately challenging for all pupils. The head teacher provides a good, clear direction to the work of the school and has brought about significant improvements to the quality of education since the last inspection. The governing body is supportive and is aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The school provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The head teacher provides good direction to the work and educational developments of the school. • The quality of teaching is good overall with a significant proportion of very good and excellent teaching. • The pupils make good progress and this has a significant impact upon the standards of their work, which are above the national average in English, mathematics and science at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time they leave the school. • The pupils’ personal development and their relationships with each other are very good. • The governing body has a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and gives good support and guidance to the staff, pupils and parents. • The teachers and all other staff have a clear and positive commitment to the care of the pupils, especially to those with special educational needs. • The links with the parents are excellent and they give good support to the school’s homework programme.

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What could be improved

• The present procedures for recording progress need to be established in a common whole school format so that details of each pupil’s improvements and difficulties are easy to maintain, simple to monitor and become the focus for the setting of targets for each one. • Although fenced off, the disused swimming pool is full of stagnant water and is a potentially serious danger. • The school needs to consider the fixing of fire exit signs to external doors. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1996 and since then has made good progress in completing all the issues identified in the last inspection report. The quality of the leadership has improved substantially and this has had a significant impact throughout the school. As a result, the quality of teaching has risen markedly, and the planning of the lessons and the long-term curriculum plans have also improved. This has resulted in a clearer direction for each subject and a brisker pace of work during most lessons. The improved quality of teaching has had a good impact upon the pupils’ attitudes to their work and the standards that they achieve. The standards have improved substantially over the past 4 years to be above average in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Key Stage 1 and in English, mathematics, science by the time the pupils leave the school in Year 4. The rate of progress made by the school has been much faster than the national performance, and by the end of Year

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Homer First School - 7 4 the pupils now make good progress. The assessment procedures have been firmly established. The school now needs to agree a common format for the recording of what each pupil achieves so that precise targets for the future can be set for each one. The school development plan provides a good direction to the improvements outlined for the future and these objectives are now monitored well to ensure that targets are met. All statutory requirements are now met and the governing body is effectively involved in the management of the school and is aware of the strengths and weaknesses. The length of the school day is now in line with the recommendations for pupils of this age group. The school is well placed to continue making improvements and its capacity for future development is good.

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

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Key

The national test results for 1999 show that the pupils’ standards in reading, writing and mathematics are well above the national average for all schools. The A* result in reading shows that the school is now placed in the top 5% of schools nationally for reading achievements. When comparisons are made with schools of a similar type, then the results for 1999 show that standards are well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. In 1997 national tests the school was below the national average in reading and writing and only average for mathematics. Over the past 4 years, the pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 have made substantial improvements and their progress is good. The unconfirmed results for the national tests 2000 show that the school has maintained well above average results and is achieving the targets it has set for the pupils’ progress and standards. The inspection evidence for the end of Key Stage 1 shows that standards are above

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Key

average in reading, writing and mathematics. The quality of the pupils’ work in science, art, physical education, design and technology is higher than the expected levels. For pupils in Year 4, the inspection evidence shows that the standards in English, mathematics, science, art, physical education, design and technology exceed the levels expected for their age. These areas of the curriculum are strengths of the school. The quality of the pupils’ work, both at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time the pupils leave the school at the age of 9 years, is in line with the expected levels in history, geography, religious education, information technology and music. All the pupils, including those with special educational needs, make good progress against their previous achievements.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The pupils’ attitudes to their work and to school are consistently good.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms The standards of behaviour in and around the school and when out of the school are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The pupils’ personal development and their relationships with one another are very good. Homer First School - 8 Attendance The attendance is good and is above the national average. The pupils respond well to opportunities provided and take on responsibilities willingly. The standards of behaviour are a strong feature of the school. The pupils have a good understanding of the impact of their actions on others and they value other people’s opinions.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-9 years

39 lessons seen overall Good Good 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. The quality of teaching is good overall with many examples of very good and sometimes excellent teaching. During the inspection, 77% of all lessons seen were either good or better, with 10 per cent of these being very good and another 5% being excellent. The remaining lessons were satisfactory with the exception of two that were unsatisfactory because of inadequate classroom management skills. The quality of teaching in the English lessons seen was never less than satisfactory, with 86% being of a good quality and the teachers’ skills in teaching literacy were effective. This has a good impact upon pupils’ reading and writing skills, which are above

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-9 years

the expected levels throughout the school. In the mathematics lessons seen the quality of the teaching was good overall with some very good teaching observed in both key stages. The teaching of numeracy skills, especially in mental work, was good. In all subjects the teachers plan tasks that build upon the previous learning of all pupils and the classroom assistants make a strong contribution to this provision. This quality of teaching stimulates the pupils to work with sustained concentration and good pace. They nearly all work with a purpose and understand what they are doing. The quality of teaching of the pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum. The curriculum is broad and well balanced and the strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are good. The range of extra curricular activities is also good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs. The provision for the pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. The provision made for the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good.

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Aspect Comment

The provision for the pupils’ personal development is good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils. The teachers and the non-teaching staff have a shared commitment to provide good quality care and guidance for all pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a very good partnership with the parents. The impact of parents’ involvement on the work of the school and the quality of information provided for parents, particularly about the pupils’ progress, are excellent. The teachers know the pupils very well and the quality of each pupil’s personal development file is very good. The assessment procedures for monitoring the pupils’ achievements are very good but there is a need for a common format for these records so that they can be used to set future targets for each pupil. Homer First School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The head teacher provides good leadership and a clear direction to the work of the school. The monitoring of the quality of teaching and the teachers’ plans by the head teacher and the subject leaders is one of the main reasons that the pupils’ standards of work have been substantially improved.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses in the school. The governors have a positive role in shaping the direction of the school and fulfil their responsibilities effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The head teacher and the governors have a good understanding of the overall performance of the school. They meet regularly to monitor the targets they have set and as a result the school has made significant improvements since the last inspection. This has had a good impact upon raising the pupils’ standards.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school has good quality resources and these are used well.

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Aspect Comment

The headteacher provides a clear direction to the work of the school and, working as a team with the other members of the staff, has improved the management of the school very effectively since the last inspection. The qualifications and expertise of all teachers and support staff are good and provide a good match to the demands of the curriculum and the needs of the school. The resources are adequate around the school and good use is made of displays of the pupils’ work to enhance further learning. The accommodation is good but the disused swimming pool is a potential safety hazard. The school uses sound financial strategies to ensure that the most efficient principles of best value are used when ordering equipment.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The quality of the teaching is good. • Their children are making good progress • They would feel comfortable approaching the school. • The school is led and managed well • The school is helping their children to become more mature • That the school did not keep them well informed of their children’s progress and did not work closely with parents. • That the school did not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • That the children did not receive the right amount of homework

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees whole-heartedly with the things that parents say pleases them. However, it disagrees with those items that the small minority would like to see improved as it is evident that the school does keep parents well informed and that it does work closely with the parents. It does provide an interesting range of activities outside the lessons and the provision made for homework follows the national recommendations and is good and purposeful. Homer First School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Throughout the school, the pupils’ standards and quality of work are above average in English, mathematics and science and their progress is good. Since the last inspection, the standards attained by the pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time they leave the school at the age of 9 years have been substantially improved. At the time of the last inspection, it was reported that the standards at the end of Key Stage 1 were ‘broadly in line with the national expectations’, despite the fact that the results of the national tests 1996 were below the national average. Since then the results of the national tests in reading, writing and mathematics for pupils aged 7 years have improved substantially. The rate of progress made by both boys and girls in successive groups of pupils in this age range over the past three years has been very good and much faster than the rate of progress seen nationally.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 2 or above in the tests in 1999 and in the unconfirmed results of 2000 in reading, writing and mathematics is well above the national average. The proportion of the pupils that exceed the expected Level 2 in these three subjects is also well above the national average. When comparisons are made with the results in reading and writing achieved by schools of a similar type, the school’s standards are well above the average and in mathematics they are above the average. According to the teachers’ assessments of the pupils’ attainment in science, in 1999 and in the unconfirmed results of 2000, the proportion of the pupils reaching the expected Level 2 or above is very high and well above the national average for those reaching the higher Level 3.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Scrutiny of the pupils’ work and the lesson observations shows that the proportion of pupils that reach the expected levels in reading, writing and mathematics in their classroom work is above average and that many achieve higher standards. The pupils reach standards in literacy and numeracy that are above average. In science, design and technology, art and physical education the quality of most of the pupils’ work is above the expected levels for their age. In the other subjects, information technology, religious education, history, geography and music, the quality of the pupils’ work is in line with expected standards.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. By the time the pupils reach Year 4 and are due to leave the school, the standards they reach in English, mathematics and science are above the expected level for their age and the proportion that exceeds this level is well above average. The standards that the pupils reach in literacy and numeracy are above average and many pupils exceed the expected levels for their age. In art, design technology and physical education the quality of the work of most pupils is above the expected standards for their age and in information technology, religious education, history, geography and music it is in line with expected levels.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. Throughout the school there is no difference between the attainment of the boys and girls in any of the subjects. The expectations of the teachers are high and the pupils all receive appropriate guidance to ensure that they all build upon their prior learning and are challenged by tasks that become increasingly more demanding. The targets set by the school for the standards reached in English and mathematics are demanding but the school reaches them extremely effectively. Nearly all the pupils make good progress and the pace of their work in almost all lessons seen was brisk. With sustained concentration and effort, they attain standards and a quality of work that are above average. The pupils with special educational needs are carefully assessed and tasks are planned to match their prior attainment. Analysis of their work and observation of them in class shows that they make good progress in relation to their

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The school’s results and achievements

prior learning across the whole school, particularly in their numeracy and language developments. Homer First School - 11

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. The pupil’s attitudes to their work, their behaviour and their personal development are good. The relationships within the school are very good. The teaching and non-teaching staff, parents and the pupils have high expectations of the standards of behaviour that are acceptable in the school. Most parents believe the school consistently maintains high standards of behaviour.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. The pupils' attitudes towards learning in the school are good. Most pupils consistently demonstrate positive attitudes to their work. They are confident, motivated, enthusiastic and eager to learn. They listen carefully to their teachers, ask and answer questions, and willingly offer their own ideas and suggestions. The pupils of all ages quickly settle down diligently in class, are capable of maintaining sustained periods of concentration and stay on task. They are interested in their lessons, and many of them take part in the varied range of extra curricular activities that the school offers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. The overall behaviour of the pupils is good and often very good. Most pupils behave well and act in a mature and responsible manner at all times. Their behaviour in the classrooms is consistently good and there is little or no disruption to learning. The only exception observed during the inspection was when some pupils’ behaviour and attitudes deteriorated because the teaching lacked sufficient organisation and the teacher failed to involve all the pupils in thinking and answering questions. They chattered amongst themselves and made no attempt to take part.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The pupils move around the school in a very quiet and orderly manner, and their behaviour at breaks and lunchtime is very good. When a group of Reception and Year 1 pupils went to the local leisure centre for a swimming lesson their behaviour was a credit to the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. There are no signs of either bullying or isolation of individual children, and the ethnic minority children are fully integrated into all aspects of work and play. There were no exclusions either in the school year prior to the inspection or during the current academic year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The relationships in the school are very good. The pupils relate very well to their teachers, to other adults whom they come into contact with, and also to one another. The pupils of all ages are polite, courteous and welcoming to visitors. They collaborate well, sharing resources, taking turns and listening to each other. All pupils consistently show respect for their teachers, each other and the environment. During assemblies, the pupils show appropriate reverence for the occasion. For example, the pupils respond with genuine affection to the local vicar who regularly takes assemblies. There is no deliberate damage to resources or school property, and a remarkable absence of litter around the school site.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The pupils' personal development is good. They are learning a good range of social skills, which is helping them to develop into well-rounded individuals. The pupils support local and national charities and make appropriate visits into the community. They respond well to the opportunities provided for taking responsibility for their own work in the classrooms. In many lessons, when not subject to direct teaching, the pupils were observed working independently, staying on task and completing the work that had been set. Where opportunities for the pupils to take on formal responsibilities around the school are offered, for example, as register monitors, they respond in a very mature and sensible manner considering their young age.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The pupils’ levels of attendance are good and above the national average. There is a low level of unauthorised absence. The pupils enjoy coming to school and parents are very supportive in maintaining good attendance levels. They come to school on time and lessons, assemblies, breaks and other activities start and finish promptly. Homer First School - 12 14. The high standards maintained in behaviour, attendance and punctuality are strengths of the school and have a positive impact on the standards achieved.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The quality of teaching observed during the inspection was good overall. Of the lessons seen during the inspection 77% of them were of a good or better quality of teaching. In 10% of these lessons the quality of teaching was very good and in 5% of them it was excellent. All but two of the remaining lessons were satisfactory. In these two lessons, there were instances when some pupils were not engaged productively upon the tasks set.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching has improved substantially since the last inspection. It was then judged to be ‘satisfactory although it varied’ and included some unsatisfactory teaching when lessons did not start on time and the focus of what was to be taught was lost.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The improvement in the quality of the teaching has a beneficial impact upon the standards and quality of the pupils’ work. The teachers’ planning in all classes is good and clear objectives for each lesson are made known to all the pupils as each lesson starts. It is clear that all teachers have a very secure grasp of the curriculum in each subject for the age range of the pupils they teach. All lessons during the inspection began on time and the pace of work in nearly all was brisk. The tasks in English and mathematics relate well to the literacy and numeracy strategies and are sufficiently varied and detailed to ensure that the challenges for all abilities of pupils are appropriate. The setting of homework is very good and involves the parents very effectively in their children’s education. This has a very good impact upon the pupils’ enthusiasm for school and for their work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. This overall good quality of the teaching brings about a purposeful atmosphere and helps the pupils to sustain concentration. In most lessons seen during the inspection, the pupils applied themselves quietly and completed a significant amount of work during the time allocated. All teachers have high but reasonable expectations and know the pupils well enough to set the level of challenge appropriately for each group. The questioning strategies used by nearly all teachers encourage the pupils to become actively involved in working out an answer, and contributing their ideas and thoughts. Group work and individual work is well organised and the tasks build upon the introductory work very well so that all pupils succeed. All these strengths in the quality of teaching have a good impact upon raising the pupils’ standards and ensure that all pupils make good progress during each lesson. All the teachers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

prepare their resources well before the lessons start and work well with the classroom assistants in preparing group and individual work for the pupils. For example, the class assistants in literacy and numeracy group work support the lower attaining pupils effectively and provide the teachers with accurate assessments of what these pupils do during each session.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Where the quality of the teaching is very good and sometimes excellent, the teachers are very well organised. They demonstrate the skills to be learned extremely well and use very clear and precise language in their explanations to ensure that all the pupils have a secure understanding. For example, in numeracy in Key Stage 1, the pupils were taught mental calculations in order to work out a number between two other numbers. The individual work that followed extended this learning very effectively with tasks that were well matched to each pupil’s prior knowledge. This resulted in a very high proportion of the pupils achieving success at their own level by the end of the lessons. The progress made by these pupils was also very high.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. All teachers make good use of the assessments they make of each pupil’s progress and note down which pupils succeed well and those who have difficulty in any areas of the curriculum. The books are marked effectively and each teacher records relevant remarks about each pupil in their mark books and on their lesson planning. These comments form a constructive base for each pupil’s future development but are only meaningful to the teacher who records them. As yet these records are not in a common Homer First School - 13 format across the school and this constrains the usefulness of such records in monitoring each pupil’s progress and when setting targets from one year to the next. (This is a key issue for action).

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. On the very few occasions when the quality of teaching was unsatisfactory it was because some pupils were not directly involved in the questioning for considerable amounts of time in the introductory and round-up sessions of the lesson. They became restless and chattered amongst themselves. Only when they were involved in their own group work did they become fully involved and sustained their concentration.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. All teachers and support staff have a good knowledge and understanding of how to teach the basic skills of English to the pupils with special educational needs. There is good direct teaching of letter and syllable sounds, and reading strategies that help to develop their language skills effectively. This ensures that the pupils with special educational needs have full access to the activities being taught. Realistic and specific targets in their Individual Education Plans are agreed after consultation with the class teacher and are used in planning their work. The work set for the pupils with special educational needs, particularly in literacy and numeracy, is carefully planned to take into consideration their previous learning and the targets that have been set in their Individual Education Plans. The class teachers are aware of the requirements of the individual education plans of these pupils and use the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

plans well when planning activities. The support staff are well deployed, and they work effectively with these pupils and other lower attaining pupils during whole class lessons and in small group activities.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

23. Only a few children begin school before they are five years old and some summer-born children miss the Reception class altogether. They begin school as Year 1 pupils.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

24. The curriculum for Reception class children and for those few who are under five is good, incorporating all the areas of learning. It enables all pupils to make good progress towards achieving the Desirable Learning Outcomes and provides a secure basis for the subsequent National Curriculum work. Strong emphasis is given to the development of the pupil’s language and number work and their personal and social skills. The other areas of learning, such as physical, creative development and a knowledge and understanding of the world are given appropriate time and planning. These experiences are successful in promoting the children’s knowledge, skills and understanding across the full range of all areas of learning.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

25. The school offers a broad, balanced and well-planned curriculum that promotes the progress of pupils of all ages and abilities very effectively. The National Numeracy and Literacy strategies have been implemented successfully for the benefit of all pupils. The teaching of basic skills in numeracy and literacy is good overall. The planned curriculum includes good provision for the pupils’ personal, social and health education. The governing body has decided that there will be no separate teaching of sex education and awareness of drugs, but the teachers answer questions that arise on these matters with sensitivity. This was observed in a Year 4 lesson studying the reproductive parts of flowers. The school has arranged a meeting for parents in the past about drug awareness and this was very well supported. The allocation of time to all subject areas has an appropriate emphasis upon literacy and

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

numeracy and this enables the pupils to build more effectively on their previous learning and to maintain their rate of developing knowledge. In allocating time to the various subjects, the school places high emphasis on the teaching of literacy and numeracy, but also ensures that sufficient time is given to all aspects of the curriculum

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

26. The curriculum for the pupils with special educational needs is good. Their needs are well met by the school. The support staff is well qualified and provides sensitive and effective support for the pupils both in class and when they are withdrawn for extra help such as the Additional Literacy Support programme. All the staff ensure that these pupils receive effective help. Consequently, they all make good progress in meeting the targets of their Individual Education Plans.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

27. There has been an improvement in the planning since the time of the last inspection. All subjects now have policies and schemes of work, and the school meets all the statutory requirements. The school uses the National Strategies for the teaching and learning of Literacy and Numeracy and all other Homer First School - 14 subjects are planned around a two-year topic cycle. These areas of the curriculum are now being supported by the inclusion of national guidelines for schemes of work, which when fully implemented will give appropriate support and guidance to the teachers.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

28. The planned provision of homework across the school is very good. It is very detailed and comprehensive in the way it gives information to the parents and the pupils. It includes a weekly schedule and ‘Pointers for parents’ who wish to support their children’s learning at home. The main emphasis is on language and numeracy and includes targets for each term. All areas of learning for all year groups are shown so that the parents can clearly see how the work becomes more demanding of the children throughout the school.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

29. The school offers a good range of extra-curricular activities and clubs that extend the curriculum for many pupils. Among these are sporting activities such as short tennis and netball, and clubs for judo and ballroom dancing. The school has music groups such as the recorder groups that were heard playing during the inspection. The activities are well supported by the pupils and appreciated by the parents. Overall, the school’s curriculum is fully inclusive and promotes equal opportunities for everyone. All the pupils are valued as individuals whatever their level of attainment.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

30. The school has good links with the outside community. There is a programme of visits by services such as the police, fire, dental and school nurse services. The school has been involved with many charity fund-raising events for causes such as the Kosovo children, the Blue Peter Appeal and the Salvation Army. Some parents from ethnic minority groups have also visited the school in the recent past to talk to the pupils about their different cultures and beliefs. All groups of pupils are involved in a number of visits to such places as the local library and church. Older pupils visit Windsor to support their work in history and geography and Year 1 pupils have visited a ‘Victorian’ school at Katesgrove. The parents support these events very well.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

31. There has been an improvement in the provision of cultural education since the last inspection. Now all aspects of the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of the pupils are good. There is good provision for the pupil’s spiritual development. It is promoted through the school’s assemblies, which are well planned, with appropriate content and time for reflection and prayer. Arrangements for collective worship meet the statutory requirements. In religious education lessons, the pupils are able to learn about their own and other faiths. A collection of appropriate religious artefacts supports this work well.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

32. The provision for the pupils’ moral education is good. There is a clear code of conduct that the pupils themselves helped to form. All staff provide good role models and take every opportunity to teach the principles which distinguish right from wrong. Older pupils also act as good role models for the younger children in the school and the pupils can be heard reminding one another of how they should behave. The pupils are motivated to do well by the rewards they receive for their effort and achievement, for example in the use of ‘Golden Time’. Some classes are using ‘Circle Time’ to give the pupils the opportunities to discuss moral issues. For instance, sensitive teaching was observed in a Year 2 class during a ‘Thought for the day’ lesson, enabling all the pupils to gain an appreciation of the moral aspects of their daily life.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

33. The provision for social development is also good. There are many opportunities to learn how to work together in the classroom and outside. All groups of pupils are encouraged to take responsibilities for routine tasks in the classroom and the older pupils take responsibilities around the school. Within lessons, especially literacy and numeracy, the pupils are expected to work independently in groups. In physical education lessons, small team games encourage the acceptance of team rules. At the end of one day in the Reception class, very good use was made of a ‘rewards’ session and story time to reinforce children’s social and personal relationships . The older pupils, in particular, use the library for researching their topics and increasing use is being made of the Internet. A group of Year 4 girls has formed a ‘Writers Club’ that meets in their own time at breaks and after school. They have already

p.14

HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

started to produce work of a good standard using the library and the Internet.

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS?

34. The cultural life of the school is good. The pupils have opportunities to develop a good understanding of their own culture through the visits of poets and musical groups, who introduce them to examples of Homer First School - 15 their cultural heritage. Aspects of their work in art, music, history and geography also introduce the pupils to different cultures and beliefs. Stories of other cultures are heard during the Literacy hour with the big books used effectively for telling the stories of, for example, Rama and Sita and African folk tales. Adequate coverage is given to other cultures and faiths in religious education, using appropriate artefacts and books, but the pupils have limited experiences of the places of worship of other faiths.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school effectively supports the pupils and strives hard to promote their welfare. This is a strength of the school. The headteacher places a high priority on pastoral care and provides excellent leadership in this area. The teaching staff are very approachable and supportive. The non-teaching staff are dedicated, committed and provide very good support for both teachers and pupils. All staff, have a very good understanding of the school's pastoral and welfare procedures, and implement them conscientiously and consistently. Very good provision is made for medical and first aid requirements, for example, all classroom assistants are first aid trained, and the arrangements for dealing with routine matters such as minor injuries are very good. Conscientious teachers and support assistants, who are alert and vigilant, supervise the pupils well at breaks. Experienced and efficient supervisors undertake

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

the lunchtime supervision, and the standard of care is very high.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school makes appropriate use of external support agencies. The non-teaching support assistants and parent helpers are deployed effectively and used very well to support the pupils and teachers. Support for lower achieving pupils and the pupils with special educational needs is good. This has a positive impact upon their attainment and the progress that they are making. The child protection procedures are securely in place and there is very good awareness throughout the school. There are good procedures for health and safety. They are well known and understood by all staff who consistently demonstrate safe working practice in lessons. The governing body and headteacher take their health and safety responsibilities seriously and all the required safety inspections and checks, including risk assessment, are regularly carried out and properly recorded. Despite this, a small number of potential health and safety concerns were identified during the inspection. Although fenced off, the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

disused swimming pool is full of water and presents a potentially serious danger to children. (This is a key issue for action) . There are no fire exit signs on the external doors and this could lead to confusion during an emergency evacuation of the building. (This is an issue for further consideration).

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school has effective procedures in place to promote and monitor discipline and good behaviour. All staff have high expectations of behaviour and, with one exception, discipline is administered consistently and well. This has a positive impact on the high standards of behaviour maintained in the school. The pupils’ attendance and lateness are monitored well. Good attendance is encouraged and the general ethos of the school and the positive attitudes of the staff ensure that the pupils are happy to come to school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The headteacher, class teachers and the support staff know the pupils extremely well and have a very good understanding of their individual personal needs. All teachers maintain comprehensive records of the pupils’ personal development. Similarly, the formal assessment records for monitoring the pupils' academic progress are very good but they are not yet in a consistent form across the school. The format of the assessment records in use in each classroom needs to be reviewed to make monitoring of each child’s performance and progress easier and more efficient. (This is a key issue for action) . The procedures for monitoring the progress of pupils with special educational needs are good and the records are used consistently well in the preparation of their Individual Education Plans.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Overall the school provides a caring, safe and secure environment in which the pupils can learn in a purposeful and productive manner.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

Homer First School - 16 40. The relationships between the school and the parents are very good. The school enjoys the active support of the vast majority of parents, who consistently expressed a very high level of satisfaction with most aspects of the school. A high number of committed parents regularly help in the classrooms where they are used in a very productive manner. Many parents accompany the children on out of school trips; for example, six parents went to the local leisure centre to help the Reception and Year 1 pupils to get changed after their swimming lesson. The parental involvement in their children's work at home is also very good and there is strong support for home reading and homework. There is an active parent teacher association, The Friends of Homer, which organises events and raises funds for the school. Fund raising events are very well supported by the majority of parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. Nearly all the parents express their support for the school and state that the school works closely with them. They feel comfortable about approaching the staff with questions or problems concerning their children. A small but significant number of parents did not agree that the school worked closely with them but the inspection evidence did not support these views. The headteacher and her staff are very approachable and parents were regularly observed talking to class teachers at the start and close of the school day. A very small number of parents disagreed that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. Again the inspection evidence did not support this, as the school takes children on appropriate trips and during the inspection children were observed taking part in the varied range of extra curricular activities which are offered. Some parents do not agree their children get the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

right amount of work to do at home. The provision for homework was judged to be good.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The day to day communications between the school and home are excellent. The school sends out regular informative newsletters and there are frequent communications to parents about specific events and activities. Home reading records and homework diaries provide parents with an excellent means of communication and these are used well. The school entrance foyer is very welcoming with a prominent notice board and useful information on display. There have been information meetings for parents, for example, on statutory assessment tests and the National numeracy project, and these have been well attended. The school publishes a comprehensive and informative prospectus. The governors hold an annual meeting with parents and publish an annual report. The prospectus and the governors’ report include all the statutorily required information. The parents are given an annual progress report and they are offered appropriate opportunities to attend meetings to discuss their children's work and

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

progress with their teachers. These annual progress reports written by the teachers are good and indicate what pupils can and cannot do, the progress being made and where pupils are finding difficulties. Surprisingly, a significant minority of parents commented that they were not kept well informed about how well their children were getting on. The inspection evidence does not support these views.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Overall the school's work is considerably enriched by its links with parents and these links have a positive impact on pupils' academic achievement and personal development.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. Since the last inspection, the quality of the management of the school has been substantially improved. The headteacher provides good leadership and positive direction to the work of the school. She has a clear vision for the future and this has been shared with the whole staff and the governing body to bring about improvements all round. She gives the staff and governors a firm understanding of developments needed and they have all worked effectively to achieve the pupils’ above average results that are now evident in English, mathematics and science throughout the school. The headteacher and staff work well as a team and they promote high standards in all aspects of teaching and learning. These expectations are a strong feature of the management of the school. The improvements in the quality of the teachers’ planning and the improved coverage of the National Curriculum with schemes of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

work for all subjects has a substantial impact upon the quality of the pupils’ work. The head teacher promotes high standards for the pupils’ academic and social development and her expectations are high.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. Since the last inspection, the role of the subject leaders has been enhanced and they now take full responsibilities for the development and the monitoring of their subjects. They carry out their duties Homer First School - 17 very effectively and all have a firm understanding of both the strengths in their subjects and the areas that need more development. The establishment of schemes of work and the inclusion, where appropriate, of the national guidelines for their subjects, has been successfully completed. The school has also developed very good monitoring files. These are used to collect examples of each pupil’s work and provide a clear picture of the long-term progress made in social and personal development. Details of each pupil’s results in the national tests are also included.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. Since the last inspection the governing body has made great strides forward and is more involved in the management of the school. The governors now have a clear up-to-date knowledge and understanding of the strengths and weaknesses within the school. The terms of reference for the governors have been agreed and all the statutory requirements are now met. The governors have several active committees that meet regularly to discuss and monitor issues relating to the income and expenditure of the school’s budget, the development of the premises, and other such matters relating to the development of the curriculum and staffing. 47. The management of the financial planning is generally good, but the constraints placed upon the school by local policy on admissions cause problems in relation to the appointment of staff. The school does not take children into the reception class during the autumn term and in most instances they start

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school the term after their fifth birthday. This prevents the appointment of a reception teacher for a full year and consequently these teachers are only ever appointed on a temporary contract for two terms. In all other instances, there are good procedures to ensure that the school gets the best value for money from its expenditure. The governing body receives reliable information from the head teacher upon which they can make informed decisions about the performance and improvements made by the pupils and the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The current special educational needs co-ordinator is the head teacher who is supported by another member of staff. There is an appropriate policy and a nominated governor who helps to monitor the provision for special educational needs so that the governors can be kept informed. The annual report to parents meets the statutory requirements.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The head teacher and subject leaders make regular reviews of the progress that the school makes towards the targets set in the school development plan and these improvements are reported effectively to the full governing body at its termly meetings. The teachers have received detailed reports about their style and quality of teaching following the monitoring of lessons carried out by the headteacher. This forms part of the school’s effective appraisal procedures. The headteacher and subject leaders have also monitored the quality of the teachers’ half term plans and have begun to provide in-service training to help to improve the quality of planning and teaching. This is particularly so for the development of the literacy and numeracy strategies where strengths and weaknesses were identified. It has resulted in better planning and a review and purchase of the equipment that now helps the teachers to cover the literacy and numeracy themes and topics better. The teachers’ planning has

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

improved substantially since the last inspection. The plans now include precise learning objectives that are well related to the National Curriculum and tasks that are purposeful and stimulating. It gives each teacher a clear focus for every lesson and the pace of work is now brisk in nearly all the lessons seen.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The staffing is adequate for the demands of the curriculum. The teachers have a wide range of qualification and experience, which they use for the full benefit of the school. The classroom assistants are a great asset to the school and are highly valued. They are well prepared before lessons start and so they support the teachers and the pupils effectively. The administrative assistant also supports the work of the school very well in an unobtrusive way.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The resources are adequate and are used effectively to promote good quality learning opportunities. This has a good impact upon the pupils’ levels of interest in subjects such as mathematics and science in particular. For example, the use of small white boards and felt tip pens by all pupils in mathematics lessons encourages everyone to take an active part in answering a question. The school has established good procedures to ensure that the principles of value for money are used when purchasing equipment.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The accommodation available adequately meets the demands of the curriculum. The classrooms are large enough for the numbers currently in each class, and there is ample, adjoining space to allow Homer First School - 18 practical work to be carried out. There is also space available for provision of, for example, a central library and a developing computer suite. The school uses its available accommodation well. There are an adequate number of rooms and cupboards for the storage of resources. Access into and throughout the school for pupils with physical disabilities is good although there is currently no special toilet provision for them. The building is kept clean and is well maintained and the level of care-taking is good. The school environment is greatly enhanced by attractive displays, mainly of the pupils’ work.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school has two good hard surface playgrounds and a large grassed sports field. Unfortunately, after the last mowing, the grass was not collected which has rendered the field almost unusable. The woodland walk and the environment area with pond could be useful learning resources, but have been left unattended and are now totally overgrown.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

54. The governing body, the head teacher and staff of the school should: -

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Establish a common format for the recording of each pupil’s progress that is already identified through the assessment procedures so that the records are

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(i) easy to maintain, (ii) easy to understand and to interpret when monitored (iii) meaningful so that they provide precise information that can aid the setting of future targets for each pupil

p.18

(pararaphs 20, 35)

(2) Dismantle the disused pool so that it is no longer a potential safety hazard to the pupils.

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(paragraph 36)

The governing body needs to consider these further issues: -

p.18

(paragraph 36)

(3) Ensure that the fire exit signs comply with the local requirements.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 176

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 10

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 26

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

% % Homer First School - 20 School data 4.5 School data 0.1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.20

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 18 14 32

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 17 18 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 14 13

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 97 ( 91 ) 100 ( 94 ) 97 ( 100 ) at NC level 2 or above National 82 ( 75 ) 83 ( 80 ) 87 ( 83 )

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 17 16 18 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 13 13 14

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 94 (91) 91 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80 ) 86 (78 ) 87 (83 )

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Homer First School - 21

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.21

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 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.

p.21

Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y4

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7 Financial year 1999-2000

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y4

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.6

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y4

Education support staff: YR – Y4 Total expenditure 300,342

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y4

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 1746

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y4

Total aggregate hours worked per week 80 Balance brought forward from previous year

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y4

Balance carried forward to next year 29142 FTE means full-time quivalent. Homer First School - 22

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 60 38 2 1 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 50 2 0 1

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 55 13 1 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 35 13 1 2

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 66 32 2 1 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 40 3 0 2

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 49 38 10 1 2

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 61 36 3 1 0

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 55 41 3 0 1

p.22

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 38 43 13 3 3 Homer First School - 23

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. During the inspection, there were 5 children in the school who were still 4 years old. They joined the school at the beginning of the summer term and were taught in the Reception class with the pupils who had already reached their fifth birthday. The overall attainment of the children on entry to the school is generally above average but with a few who are below average and also a small number who attain well above the average standards for their age. There were no pupils in this age range at the time of the last inspection so comparisons cannot be made. The children are taught by two part-time teachers and the overall quality of the teaching for the under fives is good.

p.23

Personal and Social Development

56. The children’s attainment in personal and social development is good. On entry most children have already had experiences in local nurseries or playgroups, so are able to work together. They share the resources well and are beginning to learn and understand the need to take turns and to listen to each other. They use the “shop” as an area for role-play and the teacher employs a variety of questions to help them to explore relationships. They behaved well in most situations, worked well and were able to concentrate and persevere with their learning during the majority of sessions observed. The teachers create a supportive atmosphere where each child feels special. They have high expectations of behaviour and the children want to please them.

p.23

Language and literacy

57. The quality of the children’s work in this area is above the expected level for their age. They are confident, articulate talkers and respond well to their teachers’ questions. Throughout all sessions they are encouraged to develop their vocabulary and to listen carefully. The youngest children are beginning to recognise initial letter sounds and appropriate key words. The older ones are competent fluent readers, who read with expression. They all enjoy books and like to talk about the stories. For example, a more able reader compares books to others that she has read. Most children can write their name correctly. Some write and spell correctly appropriate key words and a few are able to write short sentences such as “I like butterflies because they are pretty.” and “Butterflies flap and flutter.” The quality of teaching is good. The teachers provide an appropriate range of activities including

p.23

Language and literacy

opportunities for speaking and listening. The planning is clear and takes account of what the children know and can do. The enthusiasm of the teachers and their expressive reading of the shared text all help to foster positive attitudes towards literacy and ensure that the children make good progress. The good use of the classroom assistants ensures that even the youngest pupils receive additional support. Both the teachers and the assistants use questioning effectively to help the children extend their knowledge.

p.23

Mathematics

58. The quality of the children’s work in this area is above the expected levels for their age. They can confidently count and recognise numbers to ten. They can double numbers up to 10 and can add or subtract one from a given number. The children are also beginning to hold numbers in their heads while they count on. For example, one child confidently counted 3 onto 5 to make 8 and was very proud of her achievement. They are able to match the price of a packet of seeds to the correct value of coins and to work out the cost of two packets by counting on. Homer First School - 24 During the registration sessions they are asked to say how many children are present by counting back from 27. They can do this successfully. The children enjoy the tasks set and eagerly join in the class sessions. They work well sharing resources and helping each other. They are interested in their work and make good progress. The teaching is good and a series of inspired activities catches the interest of

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Mathematics

the children and ensures their positive attitude towards mathematics. The well-planned activities proceed at a brisk pace, and all add to the children’s good rate of progress.

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

59. The children’s attainment in this area is in line with the expected standards for their age. They enjoy a history topic about toys and have a display of teddy bears in the classroom, ranging from the almost new to one that is 60 years old. They are beginning to appreciate that there are differences between the past and the present and realise that some of the old bears were made a while ago. The children are exploring the parts of a plant and discovering what a plant needs to survive. They are growing some beans to show this. Using a big book for reference they plan “Rosie’s Walk” learning appropriate vocabulary for directions such as under, through, around and across. The quality of teaching is good and the children enjoy the activities that are presented for them. They also enjoy using a big book as a tool for learning about directions in geography. The teacher has high expectations and all the children

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

are involved. The demonstrations of the directional words such as ‘through and around’, by the children, help them to understand the meanings of these expressions.

p.24

Physical development

60. The children’s attainment in this area is in line with the expected level for their age. The lesson begins with a warm up game of tag, which the children really enjoy. They move about freely but are aware of the need for safety and have a good sense of space. They are able to throw and catch the balls either by themselves or with a partner. Many are able to improve their own performance, as the activities are of varying difficulty. They enjoy their games session outside, listening to the class teacher and following her instructions, quickly. Most of the children can undress and dress themselves without any help. The children’s manipulative skills are developing well. Most are able to use scissors carefully, they hold their pencils properly and when colouring-in they keep inside the lines. The quality of teaching is good with a wide range of appropriate activities planned. The lessons move at a good pace, sustaining the

p.24

Creative development

61. Again, the children are achieving in line with the expected levels. During a music lesson some of the children move in time to the music and keep the beat. When they know the songs they sing well with enthusiasm and keep in tune. They enjoy listening to the music tape with a story and song. The children recall the names of some of the instruments they have listened to, such as a sitar and drums. The displays in the classroom show that children’s skills in painting are being developed as they begin to use colour effectively. The teachers’ planning is appropriate and the good range of activities offered to the children ensures that they develop and grow in confidence in using paints and other media and in responding to music of all types.

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ENGLISH

62. In the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds in 1999 the pupils’ attainment was well above the national average in reading and well above average in comparison with similar schools. In writing, their attainment was very high in comparison with the national average with 100% of pupil achieving the expected level, well above average for pupils achieving level 2B or above and above average for pupils achieving level 3. The pupils’ performance was also well above average in comparison with similar schools. 63. The analysis of the results over the last four years suggests that standards in the school have risen markedly, particularly for the boys. Since the last inspection when the results of the national tests were below average, the progress made by the pupils has been substantial. Homer First School - 25 64. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy and the implementation of the literacy hour have

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ENGLISH

been successful, with the teachers having clear ideas of the most effective ways of teaching the various elements. There is an appropriate balance between guided reading and guided writing. The good quality teaching is helping to ensure that the pupils make good progress as their reading and writing are further developed. 65. Across the school, the standards of speaking and listening are above average. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils are becoming confident, articulate speakers. When given the opportunity they readily respond to questions and volunteer information about the chosen text in the literacy hour. They also express their feelings about the Good Samaritan during “Thought for the Day” and their surprise when looking at artefacts from the 1950’s. The pupils listen carefully to the teachers reading stories or giving instructions during the lessons and respect other pupils’ views and ideas. They can follow instructions

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ENGLISH

accurately. The older pupils in Year 4 offer in-depth answers to the teachers’ questions and participate in both class and small group discussion. They are willing and keen to express their opinions and views. This was clearly demonstrated in a religious education lesson when the pupils were discussing what was special to them and why, relating this to the Bible, the “Christians’ special book”. 66. The inspection evidence confirms that this year at the end of Key Stage 1 the proportion of pupils achieving the expected levels in reading is above the national average with many pupils achieving a higher level. They handle books with care and read a variety of texts. All pupils are developing ways to read unfamiliar words and use other clues in the books. The pupils recognise and understand punctuation such as question and exclamation marks and use them in their reading with appropriate expression. They know how books are organised and understand terms such as author, title and

p.25

ENGLISH

illustrator. Many are able to talk about their favourite books and authors and explain their choice. Others do not recall a favourite author but are able to retell their favourite stories. The pupils are beginning to develop research skills and can explain how to use a reference book. 67. The evidence also suggests that the number of pupils achieving the expected levels in writing is above average and that the proportion exceeding the expected level to reach Level 3 is above average too. There are a few pupils who do not achieve the level expected for their age. Most pupils are able to write interesting stories and are able to use punctuation effectively, putting in full stops, capital letters and speech marks. Many of the pupils can spell correctly, although a small number struggle to spell all the key words. Most pupils write in sentences, some of which are quite complex, showing a graphic use of

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ENGLISH

words. For example “ My mouth hung open, I was amazed”. The pupils are given opportunities to write for different purposes, including retelling stories, letter writing, instructions for recipes, character descriptions, diaries and poetry. The teachers provide tasks to develop good grammar, punctuation, spelling and comprehension. All the pupils are taught a cursive script from the Reception class onwards and by the end of Key Stage 1 the majority has developed well-formed and neat handwriting. 68. At the end of Year 4, the pupils’ standards are above the expected levels for this age in both reading and writing. Most of the pupils are on course to attain the expected level by the age of 11 years with a significant proportion of them on course to exceed it. 69. All the pupils are independent readers and enjoy an increasing range of stories, poems and reference books. Many read fluently, accurately and with expression. The pupils are able to discuss the

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ENGLISH

characters and plot, and can make predictions about the story. They are more confident in using reference books for research and are beginning to develop the skills of skimming and scanning, and some pupils said they had had to do research for a history topic. 70. The pupils’ standards of writing are above average, with the majority likely to attain the expected level or above by the age of eleven. The pupils write for an increasing variety of purposes and in different styles and formats. A range of writing experiences is offered including play scripts, stories with dialogue, non-fiction writing, book reviews, accounts of visits, newspaper reports, descriptive writing and diary entries. A lot of their independent work has imaginative content and increasingly expressive vocabulary. For example, when describing the scene for “The Shepherd’s Story” phrases like this were used: “ velvet sky, pitch black, so black I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face.” Other

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ENGLISH

examples found in pupils’ poetry include: “tiptoeing golden field mice , …colours of the rivers, cold and reflective.” For many pupils, the spelling rules are secure, but a few still spell inaccurately. The pupils use punctuation appropriately including speech marks and commas. They are developing a good understanding of grammar and some use quite complex sentences, paragraphs and occasionally similes. Homer First School - 26 The quality of the pupils’ handwriting and presentation is good, with many producing neat work in an even, cursive script that is dated and has a title.

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ENGLISH

71. The pupils with special educational needs make good progress. They gain knowledge of reading and spelling patterns through additional support within the classroom, in carefully amended tasks and through withdrawal, as in the Additional Literacy Support programme. This is having a very positive effect on the pupils’ learning and understanding. 72. The pupils in both key stages enjoy their literacy sessions and are keen to participate. They listen well with interest, during the introductory part of the lesson and often respond with much enthusiasm to the teachers’ questions and in the ensuing discussions. The pupils also respond positively to group reading and enjoy sharing the text. When asked to co-operate with each other in small group discussions they do so willingly, sharing ideas and respecting the views of others. Most of the pupils are able to work sensibly on their own with little adult supervision. They remain on task and concentrate

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ENGLISH

for the appropriate amount of time. They share resources and often help each other if someone is unsure of the task. Many pupils are well behaved although a very small minority can be a little challenging when not totally involved in the discussions. Most take pride in their work, writing neatly and putting in both date and title. Nearly all pupils express enjoyment and pleasure for reading with many of them reading regularly in school and at home. 73. The quality of teaching in both key stages is at least satisfactory, but with the majority being good. The teachers plan well and use the structure of their literacy hour to good effect. They promote the love of literacy and enjoyment of language with their enthusiastic introductions of the chosen text. The learning objectives are clear and explained to the pupils. The teachers provide suitable activities well matched to the pupils’ abilities. This ensures that the pupils make good progress adding significantly to their skills.

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ENGLISH

The whole-class sessions are used effectively to reinforce the learning objectives of the lessons and to share the pupils’ work. All teachers establish good relationships with their classes, giving them confidence by listening to and valuing their oral and written contributions. The teachers make good use of questioning to increase the pupils’ knowledge and to extend their understanding. Where applicable, the classroom assistants are briefed about the work they are expected to carry out with their groups and the pupils’ learning is enhanced by the teachers’ close liaison. 74. There is a knowledgeable and committed co-ordinator who regularly monitors the teachers’ planning to promote continuity and progression. There have also been opportunities for her to monitor and observe teaching throughout the school. The pupils’ have first hand experience of drama when they perform in their Christmas plays and in class assemblies. Visitors include the poet Ernest Henry, the writer Nicholas

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ENGLISH

Allen and the local poet Coral Rumble. They have provided workshops for the pupils, which have enhanced the learning experience. 75. The previous inspection stated that there was a limited range of different forms of writing offered to the pupils but now a wide range of experiences are planned. The presentation of work was also criticised, but now nearly all of the pupils’ take pride in their work. The overall standards of reading and writing have risen to above average with pupils making good progress across the school. This is a big improvement on the previous inspection when standards were just average.

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MATHEMATICS

76. The results of the Key Stage 1 national tests 1999, and in the unconfirmed tests 2000, show that the proportion of pupils reaching the expected Level 2 or above is well above the national average. The proportion exceeding this standard to reach Level 3 is also well above the national average. When comparisons are made with schools of a similar type the pupils’ standards are above average. There is no significant difference between the attainment of the boys and girls. These results show that the pupils have made extremely good progress since the last inspection when the test results for this age range in 1996, showed that the pupils’ standards were below the national average.

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MATHEMATICS

77. The scrutiny of the pupils’ work confirms that the standards attained by the pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 are above the national average with many pupils exceeding this level. By the end of the key stage, the majority of the pupils can sequence patterns, add and subtract numbers accurately to 20 and Homer First School - 27 beyond. Many can measure accurately in metric units. They are also developing a secure understanding of place values of tens and units and can double many numbers up to 50. They know and can tell the time using both analogue and digital clocks. There are many examples in their books to show that they are developing a clear understanding of graphs and the properties of two-dimensional shapes. These pupils make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

78. By the time they leave the school, the standards of work reached by the pupils in Year 4 are above average. Most of the pupils attain standards that are above the expected levels for their age. Most of them understand the place values of hundreds, tens and units well. They can sequence numbers to 1000 and can add and subtract numbers in their heads up to 100. They devise various methods to arrive at their answers and can explain the reasoning for their calculations. Most have a secure understanding of subtraction using larger numbers and can set down their calculations neatly using traditional methods of working out answers. Most of the pupils can measure accurately using metric measures and know the properties of two and three-dimensional shapes. They are proficient at reading measuring scales and understand the uses of co-ordinates well. Nearly all the pupils make good progress and show that they

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MATHEMATICS

are enjoying their mathematics lessons. Although they experience the uses of graphs there are fewer examples of this area of mathematics than there are of number calculations. The school co-ordinator is aware of the need to continually review the timing for teaching data- handling in Key Stage 2 so that the pupils have more opportunities to create graphs and tally sheets of information from real life situations.

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MATHEMATICS

79. The quality of teaching through the school is good overall. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection and it is having a substantial impact upon raising standards and improving the pupils’ progress. The teachers base their teaching appropriately upon the National Numeracy Strategy and plan their lessons effectively. They consider the prior learning of all the pupils and plan tasks that support this learning so that what is taught becomes increasingly more challenging. In nearly all lessons, the introductory sessions are prepared well and these activities are having a very good effect upon the pupils’ ability to calculate answers in their heads. In both key stages, there were examples of very good teaching. In these lessons in particular, the teachers encourage the pupils to explain their methods of working out answers and several give the pupils opportunities to show their methods on the boards at

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MATHEMATICS

the front of the class. This is good practice and gives support to each pupil in order to secure a clear understanding. The pace of work in most lessons is brisk. The pupils sustain their concentration well and consequently make good progress. Those with special educational needs receive good support and the tasks that are set are specifically designed to match their needs. They get good guidance and structured help from the classroom assistants, enabling them to make good progress in each lesson.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The co-ordinator has only recently resumed the role for mathematics, but has worked with the teachers to introduce effectively the numeracy strategies. These have been the focus for the teachers’ school- based, in-service training and the co-ordinator is now planning the next module in the course. There are secure assessment procedures in place across the school, but there is a need for a common format for recording these assessments so that information about each pupil’s progress can be more easily shared and monitored. The various national test results are analysed to assess the whole school’s performance against other schools. However, these results are not scrutinised rigorously enough by the co- ordinator in order to identify the individual pupil’s weaknesses and strengths in mathematics. The school has effective links with the neighbouring First schools through the liaison by the co-ordinator.

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SCIENCE

81. The attainment of seven-year-old pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 according to teacher assessment was very high in relation to national averages and well above the national average for the higher levels. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous report when attainment was judged to be in line with the national average. The last report also found attainment at the end of Year 4 to be in line with the national average. The current inspection evidence shows that the pupils’ standards of work are above the national average at the end of both Key Stage 1 and Year 4. The good standards of recent years have been maintained and there is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls in both key stages.

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SCIENCE

82. By the end of Key Stage 1, most of the pupils have made good progress in most aspects of science. They know that without water and light plants will die as was demonstrated by the pupils in a Year 1 Homer First School - 28 lesson following up an earlier experiment. After collecting specimens from the school grounds Year 2 pupils could identify and name correctly the leaf, stem, flower and root of flowering plants. They used magnifying glasses effectively and could communicate their findings using the appropriate vocabulary. The scrutiny of previous work shows that they can sort a range of materials by texture and investigate the waterproof properties when making a ‘coat for Teddy’. The lower attaining groups of pupils show a secure understanding of the differences and similarities of a range of materials. By the end of the key stage, all groups of pupils can recognise and name sources of light and sound, both natural and man-

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SCIENCE

made. They can construct a simple circuit to light a bulb, and higher attaining pupils can make a circuit containing two bulbs and explain the effects on the brightness of the bulbs.

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SCIENCE

83. This work is further developed in Key Stage 2 and by the end of Year 4 most pupils can explain what is meant by a fair test. They are able to make observations in experiments and give explanations for what they have discovered. Year 4 pupils were observed looking at the reproductive parts of flowers and have investigated the effects of coloured water on the stems of plants. The scrutiny of their previous work shows that by the end of Year 4 most pupils know that sound is caused by vibrations and understands the difference between transparent and opaque materials. They have extended their knowledge of the movement of the earth and the moon and its influence upon the seasons and day and night. For example, most pupils know that we see the moon by reflected sunlight and can show this in the form of a diagram. By the time the pupils leave the school they have a well-developed body of scientific knowledge and a good understanding of many processes. They have developed their

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SCIENCE

investigative skills through a series of carefully planned investigations, which help them to make sense of the world about them.

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SCIENCE

84. Although there were only a few lessons seen during the inspection, it is clear that the teachers are confident in their subject knowledge. They use it particularly well to question their pupils and help them to expand and explain their answers. The lessons are well planned with clear learning objectives, and this is an improvement from the last inspection. Good use is made of resources and support staff so that the pupils can settle quickly to their tasks and become involved from the start. This helps to motivate and interest them and many show an eagerness to take part. They work well in pairs or groups and support each other when required to do so. Throughout the school, the teachers and the support staff develop good relationships with the pupils and this contributes to the effective learning in many lessons. The teachers make good use of question and answer sessions at the start and end of lessons

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SCIENCE

to check on learning and to develop the pupils’ speaking and listening skills. More use could be made of numeracy and information technology to record data and the school is aware of the need to develop this aspect of the subject.

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SCIENCE

85. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator who is currently developing the planning of science by supporting the school’s two-year cycle of topics with a nationally approved scheme of work. This will help to develop a more systematic and planned assessment of attainment and provide for a more secure progression of learning in the subject. The co-ordinator works closely with other First and Middle schools on the curriculum. The school has a folio of pupil’s work that has been assessed against the levels of the National Curriculum and good use is made of this to guide the teacher’s planning. New assessment books are being tried out for Key Stage 2 classes. The current resources for the teaching and learning of science are adequate in quantity and quality.

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ART

86. The quality of the pupils’ work at the end of Key Stage 1 and throughout Year 4 is above the expected levels for their ages. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when it was judged to be average and the quality of the teaching was unsatisfactory. There was only one lesson observed during the inspection and this was in Year 1. However, the judgements are also based upon the quality of work on display around the school. This good quality work shows that the pupils experience a wide range of activities. It is clear from this work and from the classroom observation that the teachers have high expectations and that their level of skills in the use of different media is good.

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ART

87. The pupils in Key Stage 1 can mix colours effectively using paint. They create new tones and use these to make repeated patterns such as a wallpaper design based on the work of William Morris. They also use computers to create graphics that they print out with text labels. In the one lesson observed, the Homer First School - 29 pupils were inspired by the drawings of John Bower and the paintings of a dandelion. Through excellent teaching the pupils were encouraged and shown how to look at a plant and how to produce work to a standard that exceeded that usually seen for this age group and well above the expected levels. They have developed a clear understanding of the techniques they need to use to produce an accurate but sensitive painting. They draw carefully and experiment with different tones of green to create very good representations of the leaves and flowers of the plant.

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ART

88. The pupils at the end of Year 4 use all their skills and the improvements in their skills of observational drawings are significant. The work being done during the inspection shows that they have refined their skills of drawing and observing in order to paint realistic and detailed work of a lily. Other work on display shows good examples of three-dimensional work in textile with creative collage and sewing and in clay with tiles and pots.

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ART

89. The pupils respond well to the art themes, and it is clear from the finished work around the school that they take a pride in what they do. The school is rightly proud of the pottery and needlework displayed in the school. Some of this was completed some time ago but it is still used well to support the history theme about the Tudors. The high value that is given to the pupils’ work demonstrates a positive commitment by the teachers and the pupils. It is clear from the evidence of the teachers’ plans and the pupils’ work that the quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. It is now at least satisfactory and often much better. This has been instrumental in raising the standards since the last inspection.

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ART

90. The co-ordinator provides good direction for the development of the subject. She has developed a detailed scheme of work and a comprehensive list of skills that need to be taught. This list although not partitioned into skills for each year group gives the teachers good levels of guidance for the development of techniques that become more demanding as the pupils move up through the school. Where appropriate the teachers are encouraged to note down assessments of the pupils’ work on their plans for art themes.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. During the inspection, no lessons in design technology were seen because of the way the subject is timetabled. However, from a scrutiny of previous work, numerous well-presented displays, a study of the teachers’ planning, discussions with the co-ordinator and other staff and the pupils themselves, it is possible to make the following judgements.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. As the pupils move through the school most of them make good progress in both the design and making processes. They experience an appropriate range of materials and media, which help to develop their skills in cutting, shaping and constructing. This is an improvement since the last report, which found standards to be in line with expectations and progress to be unsatisfactory. By the end of Key Stage 1 and when the pupils leave school, the overall standards of the work seen are above the expected levels for pupils of a similar age.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. Current displays show the range of media and materials used by the pupils. In Year 1, the pupils have designed and made an ‘egg cosy’ using a variety of cloth, felt and other materials whilst their ‘Homes for a troll’, following the story of the three Billy Goats Gruff, have been made of paper and card. Both activities have followed the design process carefully and all the pupils have completed an evaluation sheet afterwards to assess their own work and suggest future improvements. The same process is evident in other work on display around the school, showing that all year groups follow the National Curriculum guidelines for design technology. The pupils in Key Stage 2 have concentrated on mechanisms and have designed and made a spinning space ride. Many show an imaginative and inventive approach to using a variety of materials. The other construction work completed by the pupils in this key stage has involved the making of an effective and useful desk-pencil tidy case. Further

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

examples of the pupils’ work throughout the school include Egyptian hieroglyphic tiles, clay door plaques and paper shoes and sandals. All show that the stages of the design process and the use of appropriate materials for specific purposes are well developed as pupils move through the school. All Homer First School - 30 the pupils throughout each class prepared designs and models for the development of the school’s garden that is now well established.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. There is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement on the standards of teaching but the study of the planned curriculum and the pupils’ completed work indicates that it is often good. The current curriculum adequately addresses all the requirements of the National Curriculum and ensures the progressive development of skills. The co-ordinator leads the subject well and has worked hard to raise the profile of the subject since the last inspection. The quality and quantity of the resources are generally satisfactory and are having a positive effect on the teaching and learning of the subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. During the inspection no geography lessons were observed but the scrutiny of work, displays and teachers’ planning show that there is an appropriate coverage of themes and that the quality of the pupils’ work is in line with what is expected for these ages.

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GEOGRAPHY

96. In Key Stage 1, the pupils learn about maps and plans, making plans of their classroom using Lego and using the story of “Rosie’s Walk” for developing mapping skills. The pupils also look at the weather and use a chart of symbols to record what they observe. In Key Stage 2, a contrasting location in Kenya is studied. The pupils compare their own lives with two children in Kenya, one of whom lives on a farm and the other in the city. The pupils are taught to use appropriate vocabulary such as “rift valley”. Other aspects of life in Kenya are also compared with those in the United Kingdom including transport and climate. The pupils also looked at the world climates and weather conditions such as those experienced by people in the deserts, in monsoons and in areas of ice and severe cold. An attractive display in Year 3 classroom illustrates how the local environment around Windsor is used for

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GEOGRAPHY

a study. Various questions are posed and the pupils have to find the answers. The work shows that the pupils are beginning to appreciate the differences between two contrasting locations, developing an awareness of geographical skills and acquiring and using the appropriate vocabulary.

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GEOGRAPHY

97. The previous inspection reported that there were some unsatisfactory features in the quality of teaching and a lack of opportunities for the pupils to work collaboratively. No lessons were observed during the inspection. However, from the quality of the pupils’ work and the teachers’ plans it is clear that the quality of the teachers’ preparation and coverage of the subject is at least satisfactory.

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HISTORY

98. There was little history timetabled during the period of inspection and consequently only two lessons were observed in Key Stage 1 and none in Key Stage 2. The quality of the pupils’ work in history is in line with expected levels at the end of both key stages. In Key Stage 1, the pupils have looked at toys and how they have changed. As part of this topic they visited Katesgrove School to look at and handle a collection of old toys. They compared modern toys to old toys, considering the materials that were used to make them. Many of the pupils appreciated that plastic had not been invented, nor were toys run on batteries. This visit gave the pupils the opportunities to try out some of the old toys and join in some playground games from the past. The pupils are also aware of how homes are different compared to those of the 1950’s. They recognise that we have electricity so appliances such as washing machines

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HISTORY

and Hoovers can be used to help with household chores. A Year 2 class looked in fascination as the class teacher revealed artefacts from the past, including two wash boards made from wood and glass, a dolly washing tub and a mushroom for darning. In Key Stage 2, the pupils have written about the Ancient Greeks comparing the climate with that of Britain, and learning something of Greek mythology from the story of the “Labours of Hercules”. They show an understanding of life in Ancient Greece and can compare the modern Olympic Games with the original ones. The other period of history covered is Tudor England. There is an interesting display of reports about the Spanish Armada written by the pupils as if they were Spanish and English sailors. These show that the pupils are beginning to appreciate that different people have different points of view depending on whether they win or lose a battle. Other areas of study include the life of Henry VIII, his wives and Tudor food. The music used in

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HISTORY

assembly during the inspection had a Tudor theme to link with this history topic. There is evidence of Homer First School - 31 pupils conducting their own research, but they have few opportunities for in depth writing and these could be increased. The pupils’ understanding of historical concepts is developing and their attainment is in line with what is expected for these ages.

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HISTORY

99. The pupils enjoy history particularly if they are allowed to research on their own using the Internet. One child in Year 3 was particularly pleased to talk about how their paper for the Spanish Armada project had been made using cold tea!

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HISTORY

100. The quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 was good and in one instance during the inspection it was excellent. In the excellent lesson, a good range of artefacts from the 1950’ was used. The pupils were totally involved and the teacher’s enthusiasm encouraged a very positive response from the pupils. The teacher’s questioning helped to extend the pupils’ knowledge. The lesson was very exciting. Overall, the teachers’ plans are good and identify clear objectives and appropriate coverage.

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HISTORY

101. Since the last inspection the improvements in the quality of the teaching are reflected in the wider range of experiences now being offered to the children.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

102. The standards of the pupils’ work are in line with the expected levels both at the end of Key Stage 1 and by the time they leave the school. There was little direct teaching of information technology seen during the inspection but where the use of information technology was observed, the teachers and the pupils showed confidence and competence in the programs they used. This reflects the findings of the previous report. The school’s current hardware limits the range of opportunities it can provide, but there is a satisfactory range of programmes that enable the pupils to use information technology to support other areas of the curriculum. Plans are already underway to develop a computer suite and this should enable the school to further develop this aspect of the curriculum.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

103. The skills developed by the pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 classes are demonstrated in attractive displays. The pupils in Year 1 have made use of a mapping program to support their topic on ‘Where I live’, and an art package to develop further their ideas of hot and cold conditions in science. They have produced a striking display of ‘Dressing Teddy’ using the mouse to select, drag and drop different types of clothing appropriate for hot or cold weather. Year 2 pupils have used an art program to hide their names in pictures drawn freehand, and then colour filled using a variety of different styles and techniques. Use of the same art program by pupils in Year 3 shows an increased level of skills in the design and drawing of patterns. The same pupils have also made good use of the computer to write descriptive passages about their visit to the Millennium Dome. In Year 4, these word processing skills are further

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

developed through letter writing. Many pupils have used different font styles and sizes to give impact to their work. The same pupils have used computers to support their numeracy work. For example in a survey of their favourite Pokemon characters, they have printed the data in the form of line, block and pie graphs. Controlling, modelling and monitoring skills are less well developed but the pupils have learned how to program a ‘Roamer’ and used ‘LOGO’ on a computer to draw plane shapes by directing a cursor around a screen. The skills used by the pupils to monitor sensors are under-developed at the present time, but the school, along with other neighbouring First schools, is consulting with local Middle schools about the future development of this aspect of information technology.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

104. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator who is supporting her colleagues through in-service training and advice. She has recently developed a list of skills covering all aspects of information technology, which will further enhance the teaching and learning of the subject. She has also produced a folio of pupil’s work that has been assessed against the requirements of the National Curriculum and this also is being used to support the development of the subject across the school. Some older pupils in Year 4 already show good levels of research skills in their use of the Internet for their topic work, and there is a ‘Writer’s Club’ started by four girls in their own time. The new computer suite when fully operational should make a significant input into the future development of this aspect of the subject. This should also enable the use of information technology in other subjects of the curriculum to become more

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

systematic and widespread than at present. Homer First School - 32

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MUSIC

105. The quality of the pupils’ work in both key stages is in line with what is expected for their age. The Key Stage 1 pupils are able to play percussion instruments sensitively and keep in time, sometimes playing quite complicated rhythms. They appreciate the sounds made by the different instruments and can, for instance, select ones to represent the different animals in their story. In another lesson the pupils express their thoughts and images of the castle in the sky using phrases such as “rainbow castle”, “silver and gold with a draw bridge” and other interesting comparisons. The pupils can sing in tune and remember the words. In assembly they sing hymns from memory which means that some pupils cannot join in if they are unfamiliar with the words. Although the singing is mostly in tune it sometimes lacks enthusiasm. In Key Stage 2 all pupils in Year 4 learn the recorder. Many pupils play with confidence,

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MUSIC

some reading the music and others relying on the letter names being written above the music. The pupils are taught how to count the beats in a bar and the length of the notes and they keep in time when playing together. The overall sound is pleasing. The teachers’ plans shows that the pupils experience composition although none was observed in progress during the inspection. The younger pupils effectively record their compositions in graphic scores rather than standard notation. The pupils are encouraged to appraise music and some recognise the sound of the cuckoo in Saint Saens’ “Carnival of Animals”. They know that a composer writes music

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MUSIC

106. In both key stages the pupils are interested in music and many participate with enthusiasm especially when they can be totally involved. Where this is not so they tend to be restless and inattentive. The majority listens carefully to the music and to the teachers’ questions, being keen to give the answers and share their thoughts and opinions with others. The pupils like the challenge of choosing appropriate instruments to illustrate their stories. The older pupils enjoy the experience of learning the recorder.

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MUSIC

107. Where the quality of the teaching is satisfactory or better, the lessons are well planned and delivered at a good pace involving all the pupils. The pupils are encouraged to choose instruments for themselves and various appropriate activities are offered. The teachers use questioning effectively to extend the pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. In the unsatisfactory lesson seen too many activities were planned and organisation of the class was unsatisfactory. Consequently, the pupils were not wholly involved, became restless and little progress was made.

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MUSIC

108. The pupils have opportunities to perform in Christmas concerts and in class assemblies. They also take part in the Windsor Festival and Year 4 pupils join children from other schools for a joint singing session. Instrumentalists visit the school and explain how their instruments are played thus enhancing the pupils’ music curriculum.

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MUSIC

109. The previous inspection said that the quality of teaching was mainly unsatisfactory. It criticised the school for withdrawing pupils during music sessions and questioned the timing of some lessons. This inspection found that the quality of teaching in most lessons has improved to be mostly satisfactory with some occasions when it is good.. No pupils are withdrawn from music and the time allowed for music is used more effectively. The school has made good progress in the development of the subject since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. Due to timetabling the lessons observed during the inspection were all outside games lessons. However, discussion with the co-ordinator, the pupils and the teachers, and a scrutiny of the planning shows that the school provides a balanced programme of physical education which meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. The pupils have gymnastic and swimming lessons and learn to respond to music through dance. Homer First School - 33 111. Throughout the school, the pupils make satisfactory progress in the skills of throwing and catching, controlling and developing hand-to-eye co-ordination. As they move through the school, the pupils develop these skills and perform with increasing confidence and competence. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils’ attainment is above that expected of pupils of a similar age. By the time the pupils leave school their attainment is also above the national average. This is an improvement on the findings of the last inspection. The pupils with special

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

educational needs make satisfactory progress overall.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112. The teachers show a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject, which they use well to plan activities. Effective use is made of the pupils themselves as demonstrators in lessons. For example, in a Year 4 lesson on throwing and catching skills, the pupils were very effective in showing their work and this helped to motivate others to improve. During the inspection, no unsatisfactory teaching of physical education was seen and in half of the lessons seen, the teaching was either good or better. This is an improvement since the last inspection when teaching overall was found to be satisfactory. The better lessons are marked by good use of warm-up activities and clear learning objectives that are well conveyed to the pupils so that they know what is expected of them. This was evident in a Year 2 lesson when the pupils showed good control of movement and balance work with a partner.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Most pupils have good attitudes to physical education activities. They enjoy the subject and are well-behaved in lessons. Most groups of pupils co-operate well when required to do so and listen attentively to their teachers. They respond well to the tasks and activities set.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator who is aware of the forthcoming changes to the physical education curriculum. She gives good support and advice to colleagues and is seeking to raise the profile of the subject. A range of extra-curricular clubs and activities, which are well supported by groups of pupils, enhances the planned curriculum. Both the pupils and their parents value these activities. The co-ordinator has made good use of sponsored schemes, such as ‘Top Sport’, to supplement the resources for the teaching and learning of physical education and to extend the range of activities available to the pupils. The current resources are good in quantity and quality, although the size of the hall is somewhat limiting for the numbers of pupils in some classes, especially when large apparatus is used. There are good-sized facilities outside, both playground and grass areas which, when properly maintained, are able to make a positive contribution to the teaching and learning of the

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

114. At the end of both key stages, the quality of the pupils’ work in religious education matches the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and their progress is satisfactory. In Key Stage 1, the pupils have recently visited the local church and can recall the names of the various parts of the church such as the lectern, altar and font. Other aspects of Christianity are also covered and the pupils are familiar with the parables and the life of Jesus. During one “Thought for the Day” lesson, the pupils discussed the parable of the Prodigal Son and what it meant. They showed a good level of empathy with the theme and expressed their feelings well. One pupil said that it was a good story because the father shared his love between the two sons. The assembly themes are also followed during the ”Thought for the Day” sessions, so that close links are made between religious education and assembly. Other

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

religions are introduced when the pupils discuss buildings such as temples and churches and when they share in the celebrations of Chinese New Year and Divali.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

115. In Key Stage 2, the pupils are knowledgeable about the life of Jesus and his teachings. They recall many of his parables and stories and explain why they think they are special. They remember Jesus had twelve disciples, and know about the crucifixion and the mystery of Easter. They discuss in some depth what and why they feel is special to them, maybe a book or a toy. The pupils gain an understanding of other religions, such as Buddhism, through considering pilgrimages and festivals celebrated by people of other faiths, such as the Hindu festival, Divali. They also study the symbols and artefacts used by the different world religions. Homer First School - 34 116. In both key stages, the pupils enjoy religious education and are happy to volunteer answers to their teachers’ questions and to express their thoughts and feelings. They listen carefully to each other and show respect for different views. They are interested and keen to demonstrate their knowledge.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. The quality of teaching across the school is good. The locally agreed syllabus forms the basis for planning and the teachers are developing a variety of approaches. Opportunities are given to pupils to make contributions to discussion. This was particularly effective in a “Thought for the Day” lesson when the teacher created a calm atmosphere to encourage pupils to talk about their feelings and relate the story to their own lives. Questioning by the teachers is used effectively to extend the pupils’ knowledge. All teachers have a good relationship with their class.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118. The co-ordinator has been in post since January and is aware that the syllabus has to be updated in line with the Revised Agreed syllabus. This will be done in the near future. The visitors to the school include parents who talk about their own religion such as Judaism and Sikhism. Visits to the local churches and a speaker who recently came to school to talk about the needs of Kosovan children also enhance the pupils’ religious education curriculum.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119. The previous inspection found that the quality of teaching in Key Stage 1 was unsatisfactory, with poor discussions that failed to involve pupils, a weakness in teachers’ planning and little stimulus for some pupils. This inspection found that teaching in Key Stage 1 was either good or better and that the pupils were encouraged to discuss their thoughts and feelings in greater depth. The planning across the school also includes clear lesson objectives and more stimuli to develop the pupils’ involvement. The school has made good progress with this subject.

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