Chater Infant School

Chater Infants’ School

Unique Reference Number: 117159 Inspection Number: 191106

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Chater Infants’ School

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 18 th November 1999

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Chater Infants’ 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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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Chater Infants’ School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171 421 6567 Chater Infants’ School - 1

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Southsea Avenue Watford WD1 7NJ

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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 T Eccleshall

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: December 1995 Chater Infants’ School - 2

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Angela Coyle, RgI Science Art Design and technology English as an additional language Equal opportunities Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Keith Schofield, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnerships with parents and the community Margaret Sandercock Mathematics Religious education Geography History Under-fives Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Efficiency

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Margaret Hart English Information technology Music Physical education Special educational needs Curriculum and assessment Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Chater Infants’ School - 3

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MAIN FINDINGS

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

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INTRODUCTION

Characteristics of the school 1 - 2 Key indicators 3

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 4 - 12 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 13 - 16 Attendance 17

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 18 - 21 The curriculum and assessment 22 - 27 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 28 - 32 Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare 33 - 36 Partnership with parents and the community 37 - 39

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 40 - 43 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 44 - 47 The efficiency of the school 48 - 53 Chater Infants’ School - 4

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve good standards in scientific investigations, information technology and art. They make good progress, generally, during their time at the school. Children under five, pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language also make good progress because they are well supported by teachers and support staff. • All pupils have very good attitudes to learning and their relationships with others are also very good. They behave well and develop good personal skills. • The quality of teaching is good, overall. Teaching is sometimes excellent in science and mathematics; it is also excellent for pupils who learn English as an additional language. This is because members of staff are committed to their pupils, generally have good subject knowledge and the teamwork between teachers, support assistants and language teachers is often excellent. • The good assessment procedures are used well to assist planning.

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What the school does well

• There is a good ethos for learning within a safe, secure environment. Good quality, colourful displays help to enhance and stimulate learning. • The school’s provision for pupils’ social development is very good indeed, whilst the provision for moral and cultural development is good. • The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities.

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Where the school has weaknesses

• Standards in writing are below average by the time pupils reach the end of Key Stage 1. • Curriculum links between the nursery and the reception class are not fully developed. • The roles of the subject co-ordinators and newly formed governing body are under-developed. • Long-term financial planning is not sufficiently monitored and there is an unacceptably high surplus of funds.

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The weaknesses are outweighed by what the school does well. Nevertheless, they will form the

basis of an action plan which will be sent to all parents and carers of pupils at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has made a satisfactory number of improvements since the last inspection in 1995. The curriculum has been improved to provide continuity through programmes of work and better use of time than previously. The quality of teaching and learning has been improved significantly and is now good, overall. Standards have risen in information technology and are currently good. The school development plan has been improved to give clearly prioritised areas for development. However, the school has not sufficiently improved the standards in creative writing. Long-term financial planning is still not rigorously monitored and the school’s use of surplus funds has not been improved. Overall, satisfactory progress has been made and the school’s capacity for future improvement is sound.

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Standards in subjects

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

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Key

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

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Key

The above table shows that the standards achieved in reading were average when compared to the national results and those of similar schools. In writing, they were well below the national average and Chater Infants’ School - 6 below average in comparison with similar schools. Standards in mathematics were below the national average, but average compared to schools with a similar intake of pupils. The inspection findings largely concur with the results for 1999; standards in lessons are in line with those expected for pupils’ age in reading, mathematics and science, overall, but below the level expected in writing. Standards in scientific investigations, art and information technology are good. Pupils achieve satisfactory standards in religious education, design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education. Many children under five enter the school with limited skills in English language and

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Key

literacy, but they make good progress and achieve the desirable outcomes for learning by the time they are five.

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Key

The term ‘similar schools’ is used in this context to refer to schools which have between 8 per cent and 20 per cent of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

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Under 5 5 – 7 years

English Good Good Mathematics Good Good Science Good Information technology Satisfactory Religious education Good Other subjects Good Satisfactory

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Under 5 5 – 7 years

The quality of teaching is good, overall. In 100 per cent of lessons teaching is at least satisfactory; it is good in 55 per cent, very good in 9 per cent and excellent in 5 per cent of lessons. Teaching is notably good for the under-fives in the nursery and also at Key Stage 1 in English, mathematics and science. Teaching is occasionally excellent in science, mathematics and for pupils who learn English as an additional language.

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Under 5 5 – 7 years

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

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour The behaviour of pupils and their personal development are good. Attitudes to learning and relationships between pupils are very good indeed. Attendance Satisfactory. Ethos* There is a good ethos for learning within the school. Leadership and management The school is soundly managed, overall, although the roles of the governing body and the co-ordinators are under-developed. Curriculum The school provides a broad and balanced curriculum for its pupils which includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The curriculum for the under-fives in the nursery is planned effectively to the recommended Desirable Learning Outcomes, but not in the reception class where it is based on subjects. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development The school makes very good provision for pupils’ social development. Moral and cultural development is good. Provision for spiritual development is sound.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing, resources and accommodation The school is staffed by a good number of qualified teachers and support staff. Accommodation and learning resources are satisfactory. Value for money Sound value for money. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. Chater Infants’ School - 7

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

• The school is a caring environment in which the headteacher and staff are approachable. • Pupils’ behaviour is good; they are tolerant of each other’s beliefs and cultures. • A few parents would like more information on the curriculum and their children’s progress. • Standards in handwriting are perceived to be too variable.

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

Inspectors largely agree with the comments made by parents. The school provides a safe and caring environment for its pupils in which they are encouraged to behave well and show tolerance for the beliefs and cultures of others. The information provided for parents is sound, although there is a lack of information on daily programmes for homework. Standards in writing are generally below average. Chater Infants’ School - 8

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

The headteacher, staff and governors should:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• improve the standards achieved by pupils in writing by:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- providing more opportunities for pupils to write creatively; *

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- making better use of the library to extend pupils’ learning;

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• extend the links between the nursery and reception class by:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- developing the curriculum for children under five, according to the recommended guidance;

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- using assessment more effectively to ensure a smooth transition between the two classes;

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

• improve the management of the school by:

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- delegating more responsibility to the co-ordinators to enable them to manage their subjects more effectively, including monitoring teaching and learning and managing their budgets;

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- developing the role of the governing body to monitor the curriculum and finance more efficiently;

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

- making sure that the unacceptably high amount of surplus funds is put to good use. *

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

(* denotes areas which were previously identified as key issues for improvement in the last inspection.)

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KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

In addition to the key issues above, the less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion on the action plan. These are indicated in paragraphs 26, 38, 45, 47 and 52. Chater Infants’ School - 9

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Characteristics of the school

1. Chater Infants’ School is situated in Watford. It serves the surrounding catchment area, which mainly consists of privately owned properties or rented properties, many of which have multiple occupancy. The number of pupils on roll is similar to that of the previous inspection in 1995; there are currently 148 girls and boys in the school, who are taught in five classes, organised into smaller teaching groups. The school also has sixty-eight children under five in the nursery from which they are admitted into the reception class in the term of their fifth birthday. Sixty-eight per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds, which is very high compared to other infant schools and the percentage of pupils who learn English as an additional language is also very high at 65 per cent. The percentage of pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals is similar to the national average, at 16 per cent. The school has 59 pupils on the register of

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Characteristics of the school

special educational needs, which is much higher than the national figure, and two pupils have statements for their needs. The majority of children enter the school with limited skills in English language and literacy, because many learn English as an additional language. Attainment on entry varies, but is below average, overall.

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Characteristics of the school

2. The school aims to create a stimulating, secure and relaxed environment, in which pupils of various nationalities, religions and cultures can live and work happily together and fulfil their potential. The priorities for development are to raise the standards in reading and writing. Chater Infants’ School - 10 3. Key indicators

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for latest reporting year: 1999 21 28 49

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 15 10 16 at NC Level 2 or Girls 26 21 22 above Total 41 31 38 Percentage at NC School 83 (77) 63 (69) 77 (84) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 16 18 21 at NC Level 2 or Girls 25 26 28 above Total 41 44 49 Percentage at NC School 83 (74) 90 (85) 100 (72) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 5.2 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.9 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

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

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 14 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0

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Quality of teaching

1 Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Chater Infants’ School - 11

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Attainment and progress

4. Overall, the school has maintained the standards achieved by pupils since the previous inspection in 1995. Pupils currently achieve good standards in science investigations, information technology and art. They achieve the levels expected for their age in most other subjects, except in English. 2

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Attainment and progress

5. Children under five enter the nursery on a part-time basis when they are three years old and move into the reception class at the beginning of the term in which they are five. The entry assessments conducted within the first few weeks of the autumn term indicate that children’s competency and confidence with the English language and mathematics are below that expected for their age. They make good progress, overall, and achieve the expected outcomes in most areas of learning by the time they are five, except in language and literacy.

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Attainment and progress

6. Pupils achieved the expected levels in speaking and listening, reading and spelling, but not in writing. In the 1999 assessment tests for English, standards at the age of seven for reading, speaking and listening were in line with national expectations, whilst standards in writing were well below average. In speaking and listening 92 per cent of pupils attained at or above the target level for their age; 83 per cent of pupils attained or exceeded the equivalent level in reading, but only 63 per cent of pupils reached or surpassed the expected standard in writing. These results show that standards have risen in reading since 1998. By the age of seven, pupils speak confidently and read a range of simple texts. They are able to write legibly and many write simple rhymes and sentences, using word cards and dictionaries, but the content and vocabulary of their writing lacks variety and imagination. Boys perform less well than girls especially in

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Attainment and progress

writing and boys for whom English is an additional language have particular difficulties in this area.

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Attainment and progress

7. In mathematics, the 1999 test results for seven-year-olds at the end of Key Stage 1 showed that by the age of seven, standards were below the national figure, with 77 per cent of pupils achieving Level 2 or above. Pupils can count in twos up to fifty and recognise patterns of even numbers. They are beginning to use multiplication tables and can record their findings both pictorially and in figures. They recognise squares, triangles, rectangles, circles and cubes and measure accurately to 75 centimetres. They use number lines up to 100 to work out answers when counting on in tens.

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Attainment and progress

8. Despite a recent fall in the 1998 National Curriculum assessment tests for science, standards have since risen again and are now similar to the nationally expected level. The results of the 1999 teacher assessments for science at the end of Key Stage 1 show that standards were better than the national average at Level 2, with 100 per cent achieving the expected level. The inspection findings concur with these results and show that the current groups of pupils achieve sound standards by the time they reach Year 2 and particularly good standards in scientific investigations. Pupils have sound knowledge of life and living processes and know about the major bones of the human body. They understand about forces, such as electricity and light and are able to conduct experiments successfully, with confidence.

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Attainment and progress

9. Standards in information technology are good. Pupils in Year 2 use word processing skills effectively to edit their work and have good knowledge and understanding of computers. They use programmable toys confidently and are able to control them.

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Attainment and progress

ON LEVELS By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are expected to attain Level 2 in all National Curriculum subjects. Those who achieve Level 3 are therefore, attaining above nationally expected levels. Chater Infants’ School - 12 10. In religious education, the pupils in Year 2 achieve standards that are in line with the expectations of the local agreed syllabus, Pupils’ knowledge of religions other than their own is limited on entry, but they make good progress in learning over time. By the age of seven, pupils know about some of the major religions of the world, such as Christianity and Hinduism. They are able to retell the story of Ramu and Sita and discuss celebrations, such as Eid, Pancake Day and Easter when special foods are eaten and special preparations are undertaken by the followers of particular religions.

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Attainment and progress

11. Standards in art are good. The school works hard to promote pupils’ learning in art especially and the subject is used well to link other subjects in cross-curricular themes. Standards in design and technology, geography, history, music and physical education are in line with those expected for pupils’ age.

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Attainment and progress

12. Progress is good, overall. From the time children enter the nursery, they are taught to build well on their skills. Pupils’ academic progress is maintained as they move through Key Stage 1. It is notably good in English, mathematics, science, information technology, religious education, art and music. Pupils make sound progress in all other subjects of the curriculum. The higher attaining pupils are appropriately challenged to make appropriate progress, whilst pupils with special educational needs and those who learn English as an additional language make good progress, overall. There is no significant variation in attainment or progress between pupils of different gender or background in lessons, although the standardised assessment tests for 1999 showed that boys under-achieve in writing.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

13. Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained, overall. Pupils have very good attitudes to learning and are motivated by the opportunities provided by the school. In class, they listen attentively and sustain concentration in their work, which contributes to the quality of learning. This is particularly evident amongst children under five years old. Parents are aware that their children share their broad cultural knowledge and experience.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

14. Behaviour in and around the school is good. Pupils are polite and well mannered They have respect for books, resources and other property. Pupils are courteous and trustworthy and show respect for property. There is a clear code of conduct, including provision for inappropriate behaviour, such as bullying. Pupils have a sense of ownership because they create their own rules for classroom behaviour. Parents, teachers and pupils believe that the school deals fairly and expediently with occurrences of inappropriate behaviour. During the inspection, no cases of bullying were observed. No exclusions have occurred in recent years.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

15. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils are considerate to each other, work collaboratively and are respectful to visitors. They have strong respect for the beliefs and cultures of others and show very tolerant attitudes towards their peers. In their daily classroom environment, pupils feel valued and teachers show a good understanding of how pupils' needs can be met. It is parents' perception that their children are happy coming to school and this is confirmed by the pupils.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

16. Pupils show good levels of initiative and are willing to accept responsibility. They develop their personal skills well. For example, they support the local hospice and undertake charitable collections for world disaster areas. Pupils in Year 2 and the reception class participate in paired reading and a scheme for board games operates with pupils from the local grammar school. Chater Infants’ School - 13

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Attendance

17. Attendance and absence levels are satisfactory, being just above national averages for similar schools. The rate of authorised absence is better than the national average, but there is a higher percentage of unauthorised absence, mainly due to the number of families taking extended holidays. Lessons start promptly. In the last year, the school has successfully promoted a scheme for improving the attendance of a small number of pupils who persistently arrive late.

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Teaching

18. The quality of teaching is good, overall. Teachers are committed to the education of their pupils. In the lessons observed, 100 per cent of teaching was satisfactory or better; it was good in 55 per cent of lessons, very good in nine per cent and excellent in five per cent. This finding shows that the school has improved the quality of teaching significantly since the previous inspection.

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Teaching

19. The teaching for children under five in the nursery is good. There is a wide range of carefully planned activities and adults have high expectations of children. Very detailed records are kept, noting skills mastered and the levels of understanding and teachers adapt plans quickly to meet children’s changing needs. This well maintained system of continuous observation and assessment contributes very positively to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special needs and those whose first language is not English, make good progress. Teaching of the under- fives in the reception class is sound. Time and resources are used well to promote children’s learning. A great strength of the teaching is very good team-work between teachers, classroom assistants and bi-lingual support staff. However, although a good link is established by sharing a nursery nurse who contributes very positively to ensuring that children settle into reception,

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Teaching

planning for the move from nursery to reception is not co-ordinated routinely and teaching expertise is not shared efficiently. For example, whilst the nursery curriculum is planned appropriately to the desirable learning outcomes, this is not extended to provide sufficient links for children in the reception class and assessments of children’s work are not used effectively to ensure smooth transition. Parents highlighted this concern and, although arrangements are satisfactory, they do not yet meet the good standards of provision in other areas. The use of different spoken languages in the nursery, such as Urdu and English, has a good effect on the progress made by children, because they quickly understand what is expected of them.

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Teaching

20. At Key Stage 1, the quality of teaching is good, overall, especially in English, mathematics and science. The quality of teaching is occasionally excellent in science, mathematics and for pupils who learn English as an additional language. Teachers’ knowledge of the subjects they teach is good. Their knowledge of the requirements of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies is strong; the literacy hour and numeracy sessions have been implemented well. Expectations of pupils’ behaviour are very high. This has a significant effect on the standards attained by pupils because they are expected to work hard and do well. Daily activities are planned effectively with good regard to the learning intentions for each lesson; this has been improved since the last inspection. Pupils are well controlled and classes are well organised. In the best lessons, teachers make good use of praise where it is deserved and they employ good questioning techniques. The

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Teaching

available resources are used particularly well to promote learning and there is a prompt start to lessons. Day-to-day assessment procedures are good. Teachers keep good records of pupils’ achievements and helpful comments are made to pupils during lessons. Work is marked regularly and there are a few good examples of positive written notes that help pupils improve their work. Assessments are used well to help teachers plan future lessons and all teachers make effective use of homework, particularly to support pupils’ learning in reading.

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Teaching

21. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers and support assistants are aware of the clear targets set on individual education plans and tasks are usually well matched in English and mathematics. Good guidance is given to small groups and individuals withdrawn from lessons and also to those who are supported within classes. The teaching for pupils Chater Infants’ School - 14 who learn English as an additional language is very good indeed and, sometimes, outstanding. All adults have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and teachers are very patient with pupils who have difficulties. Of particular significance, is the support given by the bi-lingual support teachers who speak languages, such as Pahari, Punjabi, Urdu and Bengali as well as English. This is a strength of the school that enables pupils to make good progress.

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Curriculum and assessment

22. The curriculum for children under five in the nursery is based appropriately on the desirable learning outcomes and covers the six areas of learning in language and literacy, mathematics, knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development, creative development and personal and social development. However, the curriculum is not sufficiently extended to include many children under five in the reception class for whom the National Curriculum is inappropriate.

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Curriculum and assessment

23. At Key Stage 1, the curriculum is broad, includes all the required subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education and meets statutory requirements. Topics link curriculum areas well. There is appropriate health education and time is also given to personal and social education through circle times. The balance of the curriculum is more secure than it was at the time of the last inspection; it is now appropriate and relevant to the needs of the pupils, despite a heavy weighting of time in favour of English and mathematics. Pupils are given good experiences, which include sufficient music, dance, sport and art. The curriculum ensures that pupils are appropriately prepared for the next stage of their education and this is monitored effectively by the headteacher. However, the newly constituted governing body and curriculum committee do not monitor curriculum development and the subject co-ordinators do not play a

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Curriculum and assessment

full part in monitoring the teaching and learning. The school’s provision for extra-curricular activities is very good. Pupils enjoy a wide range of activities during the lunch hour and after school, including choir, dance, tennis, hockey and cricket and these are well attended by staff and pupils.

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Curriculum and assessment

24. Curriculum planning has improved since the inspection of December, 1995. Schemes of work are now in place for all subjects and the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are in place. The schemes of work are helping teachers to ensure that skills and knowledge are carefully and systematically built up and long-term planning is now sound. There has also been a significant improvement since 1995 in short-term planning. Learning objectives are now usually clearly stated and work is well matched to the needs of pupils of all abilities.

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Curriculum and assessment

25. There is very good equality of access to the curriculum in the nursery and good equality of access in the main school. However, whilst there is very high quality support for pupils who learn English as an additional language, there are occasions when pupils with special educational needs are withdrawn one-by-one from an unrelated lesson, such as music, for work on reading. This is disruptive to lessons and potentially reduces the pupils’ entitlement to the curriculum and their progress, overall.

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Curriculum and assessment

26. The curricular provision for pupils who have special educational needs, and those who learn English as an additional language is good. The very good matching of tasks to ability in lesson planning and the generous staffing make a strong contribution towards giving pupils access to the full range of activities in the school. The assessment of pupils is good. Individual education plans are in place, the targets are of good quality and are regularly reviewed conscientiously. The requirements of the Code of Practice are met fully in respect of the identification and assessment of pupils with special educational needs and procedures concerning pupils with statements are carried out appropriately.

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Curriculum and assessment

27. At the time of the last inspection, assessment was described as ‘informal and inconsistent’. There has been a significant improvement in this area and assessment procedures are now good throughout the school. There is careful and well-analysed baseline assessment on entry to the nursery and again on entry to the reception class, although information is not effectively passed on to ensure a smooth transition between the two classes. Nevertheless, careful and accurate Chater Infants’ School - 15 observations are made during lessons; there is useful evaluation of how far each pupil meets the learning objectives and these evaluations are used well to help plan future work at Key Stage 1. Teachers carefully track the progress of pupils in the core subjects and use the results of their monitoring to take positive action. The requirements concerning national standardised assessment tests are met fully and the results of these tests are analysed well and monitored by

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

28. Provision in school for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. At the time of the last inspection, provision for social and cultural development was good, with provision for moral development satisfactory and provision for spiritual development limited. The need to identify more opportunities for spiritual development was identified as an issue. Although provision for spiritual development has improved and is now satisfactory, there is still a need to provide more opportunities for pupils to reflect upon what they are doing and seeing. However, there is positive improvement in the quality of provision for moral and social development and provision for cultural development remains good. At the time of the last inspection, the school was exempt from the requirement to provide a collective act of worship, mainly Christian in nature and this is still the case.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

29. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is sound. The conduct and quality of the daily assembly contribute positively to both spiritual and cultural development. As each assembly begins, pupils are encouraged to listen to a piece of music, enabling them to experience a short time of quietness and stillness. Pupils contribute confidently and thoughtfully, openly expressing their views. For example, when asked about the Christian story of the rich people and the poor widow, all said that the rich gave more, but listened thoughtfully to the explanation concerning Christian values. So that when asked, ‘What is the most you could give?’ one child volunteered quietly, ‘Everything.’ Pupils then sat quietly and listened to the words of a very appropriate song about giving love, to finish the assembly. Singing, poetry and recorded music regularly enhance assemblies and provide opportunities to reflect upon the beauty of the world and to explore

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

feelings, for example, in an assembly when a poem about being locked in a shed was read, pupils openly expressed their feelings, saying, ‘I wouldn’t like it,’ ‘It’s cold and scary and you wouldn’t have your mummy with you.’ Opportunities for contemplation are also created in religious education., for example, when children under five sat open mouthed as they listened to the story of what Christians believe about the first Christmas. The story was expressively told and pupils tried to think how it would feel to be cold and tired and not to have any where to stay. Another beautiful moment of reflection was created in a dance lesson, when Year 1 pupils carefully carried their Hindu divas in procession accompanied by appropriate music. Their delicate steps and graceful arm movements exquisitely complemented the importance of the celebration.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

30. The school's provision for moral development is good. Pupils are clearly able to distinguish between right and wrong. They are well aware of the rules they must observe and the reasons why rules are needed in a school, one pupil firmly stating, ‘You have to have rules otherwise schools would be chaos!’ They are suitably encouraged to consider the effects of their actions on others and in this very diverse school community, pupils display great fairness. They are given good opportunities to develop their social and personal understanding and fully understand the rights of all to be comfortable and happy at school. Adults who work at the school set good examples regarding courtesy and respect for all and teachers use praise warmly to support good moral standards. Pupils’ responses in class indicate an acceptance of the school rules. For example, in a Year 2 class when eggs were used to demonstrate mathematical arrays, although

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

very enthusiastic and eager, pupils were well aware of the need to put up hands and take turns, rather than calling out, so that everyone could have a chance to contribute.

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

31. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Throughout the school, equipment and books are used very carefully and shared very fairly and pupils respect the school surroundings. Very strong role models and excellent teamwork amongst teachers and support staff promote a strong ethos of mutual respect. Relationships between adults and pupils are generally very warm and friendly and pupils relate very well to each other. For example they tidy up together and Chater Infants’ School - 16 thank each other for small acts of kindness. From an early age, pupils are encouraged to share in the smooth daily running of the school, acting as monitors for tasks like giving out milk. The school provides many opportunities for pupils to work together in small groups and relationships within these groups are always very good. Independent working is well established by the age of seven. For example, a group of Year 2 pupils working on a mathematics exploration shared glues

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Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

and passed paper for each other, all the time discussing the size and shape of bars of chocolate with delightful humour, completing their task very enthusiastically. The school provides a very wide variety of clubs, which with caring adult support, provide very good encouragement for positive social development. These young pupils have the opportunity to attend science club, dance club and a wide selection of sports activities and take up the opportunities eagerly. Warm encouragement and trust enable them to take responsibility within the clubs. Pupils firmly insist on appropriate behaviour from each other and confidently help with the organisation, for example, working the cassette player in the dance club.

p.18

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

32. Opportunities for cultural development within the school are good. The rich diversity of cultures evident in school plays a positive part in enhancing this aspect of school life. Each pupil’s personal contribution is highly valued and there is a great sense of pride and privilege in sharing the customs and beliefs of all nationalities. In art, music, religious education and geography, pupils are introduced to their own cultural heritage and given positive opportunities to study other faiths and cultures. Effective use is made of examples of music and art from around the world in assemblies, in lessons and in displays. In art, pupils are introduced to the work of famous artists such as Monet and a very good collection of original art work by a local artist, portraying pupils from the school in water colour positively enhances the learning environment. Pupils listened to the music, ‘Finlandia’ as part of an interesting assembly on ‘Saint Lucia and

p.18

Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

the Scandinavian festival of light’, which complemented current work in Year 1 on Diwali very well. Good use of music from other cultures, for example in dance lessons, ensures that the whole curriculum has a positive impact on pupils’ cultural development. An adequate level of resources, for example books and multi-cultural artefacts, appropriately support cultural development. Visits to local places of interest positively enhance the quality of pupils’ learning. For example, pupils have visited the RAF museum and have made several visits to local places of worship, inviting the local curate back to school to talk about being a Christian.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

33. Overall, procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress and personal development are good. Teachers and support staff know their pupils well. Consequently, pupils receive good advice and guidance on an informal, day-to-day basis. To assure long term guidance, the school maintains records of achievement for younger pupils and comprehensive portfolios for Year 2 pupils. Since the last inspection, assessment procedures have been improved, which contributes to the formal aspects for monitoring progress and personal development.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

34. The school has satisfactory procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour. The school has clear and effective policies for eliminating bullying and other forms of inappropriate behaviour and these are accepted as fair and equitable. Pupils are happy in school and this was confirmed by their parents who made many complimentary statements about the ethos of the school.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

35. The school has good procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance. Care has been taken to monitor and control cases of late arrival and unnecessary authorised absence. There is a reward system for pupils who achieve outstanding attendance.

p.18

Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare

36. Based on a model from the local education authority, arrangements for child care are good and the procedures have proved to be effective. There is a comprehensive health and safety policy, including a professional approach to managing potential risks. The school has an extensive range of policies for the well being of pupils and their families. In addition to the statutory requirements, the school has endeavoured to enhance the standard of education by planning for Chater Infants’ School - 17 under-achieving pupils and providing translated guidance to parents, whose first language is not English.

p.18

Partnership with parents and the community

37. The quality of information to parents is sound. Parents and pupils perceive that teachers are approachable. Regular newsletters are distributed by the school. The annual reports to parents on the progress of their children are well written, reflecting the time-consuming dedication of class teachers who write the reports. Since the previous inspection, a home-school agreement has been developed and is now in place. Parents are well informed about the curriculum, but they would like to have more information about the daily programmes for homework, so that they can give more help to their children.

p.19

Partnership with parents and the community

38. Parental involvement is sound, overall, and good in some classes. Extensive help is provided for nursery children where there is a rota of supportive parents. Other parents regularly volunteer to help in school with computer instruction, paired reading and maintenance of resources. Parents help at fund-raising coffee mornings, which are organised by the school twice per year and particularly enjoy the school’s Nativity celebrations. However, the school does not have a parent-teacher association or organise traditional events, such a Christmas fair, a Summer fete or other social events where parents can be involved.

p.19

Partnership with parents and the community

39. The school’s links with the community are satisfactory. There are many visitors to the school and pupils make visits that contribute to the quality of learning. There are effective partnerships with colleges, schools and well-known sporting organisations, such as the local rugby and football teams, as well as a science association. However, there are only a small number of links with commerce and industry. The school has developed adequate relationships with the junior school to which the majority of pupils transfer. The relationship with the four pre-school, feeder institutions is good and this contributes to the successful induction for children entering the nursery class. Since the last inspection, the school has developed further links with parents and the community. This has included the rota for nursery parents, encouraging parental involvement in topic work, a nursery newsletter and the development of links with the local college of further

p.19

Partnership with parents and the community

education. Bi-lingual support staff provide good links with parents, including courses for literacy and numeracy and a Family Literacy project is being developed.

p.19

Leadership and management

40. The quality of leadership and management of the school is sound. The headteacher is hard working and provides committed leadership to colleagues. For example, she has successfully helped to raise standards by carefully analysing the results of the 1998 assessment tests and quickly identifying clear targets for improvement in science. The school’s positive ethos has been maintained since the previous inspection. The aims, to create a safe, secure community in which pupils of different nationalities, religions and cultures are encouraged to work together, are fulfilled. However, the headteacher does not sufficiently delegate responsibilities to the deputy headteacher and subject co-ordinators. Members of staff are not given full responsibility for managing their budgets and they do not rigorously monitor the quality of teaching and learning in lessons. Nevertheless, all teachers are dedicated to the education of their pupils and

p.19

Leadership and management

they give good help and guidance to colleagues, with excellent teamwork evident.

p.19

Leadership and management

41. The role of the newly formed governing body is not fully developed. Governors are keen to be involved with the school and appropriate committees have been set up. Individual governors have been nominated to monitor the school’s arrangements for pupils with special educational needs, literacy and numeracy. However, governors do not rigorously monitor the school’s Chater Infants’ School - 18 finances to ensure the cost-effectiveness of the decisions taken and there is insufficient monitoring of the curriculum. Statutory requirements are met.

p.19

Leadership and management

42. A useful school development plan is in place, which has been improved since the last inspection. It consists of a detailed annual plan, with clearly prioritised targets and financial implications and a longer-term strategic plan for the next two years. Good targets have been identified in relation to areas such as the raising of standards in writing and that of boys, in particular. However, members of staff and the governing body are not sufficiently involved in devising or monitoring the success of the plan. For example, the priority of improving the school’s resources for information technology has not yet been implemented, although funds have been set aside for this purpose. The school’s capacity for future improvement is sound.

p.20

Leadership and management

43. The management of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The joint co- ordinators provide good support for colleagues and make sure that detailed records are kept of pupils’ individual needs and the guidance they require. The school has a sound policy for equal opportunities, which is consistently applied. The management of the provision for pupils who learn English as an additional language is very good indeed. This is a strength of the school in which the achievement of Asian girls and boys is appropriately monitored in order that areas of concern are identified quickly and focused help given where appropriate.

p.20

Staffing accommodation and learning resources

44. The school has a generous number of teachers for the number of pupils in the school and the combination of their initial and in-service training and experience equips them well. There is sufficient expertise in the school to support all curriculum areas. The school is extremely well provided with support staff and they are very well-qualified through their training and experience. Support staff make an outstanding contribution in many areas, including information technology and sport and the school has very good access to volunteers who support subject areas, such as music. There is a satisfactory level of good quality domestic support. The quality of administrative and secretarial support is good, although the amount of support is unusually low. This restricts the ways in which the headteacher and staff can be effectively supported to concentrate on professional matters.

p.20

Staffing accommodation and learning resources

45. The arrangements for the professional development of staff are satisfactory, overall. The headteacher conducts professional development interviews with staff and job descriptions have been discussed and updated, although there is no formal system of appraisal. Arrangements for the induction of new staff are satisfactory. The school has a relatively high turnover of teachers and sometimes has difficulty in recruiting staff. However, there has been insufficient progress since the last inspection in the role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring their subjects and managing their budgets. Staff salaries have not been reviewed by the governing body as required and no targets have been firmly set for the deputy headteacher.

p.20

Staffing accommodation and learning resources

46. The school enjoys a pleasant and modern building which is well maintained and furnished. The quiet rooms are a useful resource in an open-plan school, but ventilation in them is poor and there are problems when they are used for relatively large groups of pupils for long periods, as they can become stuffy and unpleasant. The light and spaciousness of the rest of the building and the hall area, which is used for assembly, dance and music, enhance the pupils’ experiences. There is full access to the school for disabled pupils and the outside areas are maintained well. For example, the nursery garden is tended carefully by staff and children and is put to good use for growing and harvesting vegetables and flowers. There is a safely fenced section of playground for the youngest pupils and an adventure playground with large climbing apparatus. The good planted areas and a nature area also add to the quality of the environment. Since the

p.20

Staffing accommodation and learning resources

last inspection the school has erected a high fence which has successfully reduced incidents of vandalism.

p.20

Staffing accommodation and learning resources

47. Resources for learning are satisfactory, overall, for most subject areas and good for music, physical education and special educational needs. However, there are not enough ‘Big Books’ and texts to support teaching of the Literacy Strategy, given that teaching groups are small and Chater Infants’ School - 19 multiple copies are needed. There is also an insufficient number of books in the library to promote real excitement and enthusiasm about reading. The school’s current stock of computers is old and out-of-date, but there are good plans to develop a new information technology suite by April 2000.

p.20

The efficiency of the school

48. At the time of the last inspection, the school’s resources and finances were efficiently managed. However, planning for future development, including financial planning beyond the current year, was unclear. The school gave satisfactory value for money. Financial management at the school continues to be satisfactory. The short-term plan for development is sound, but financial planning beyond the current year is still not well defined. The level of surplus funds remains unacceptably high and evidence collected during inspection indicates that little improvement has been made.

p.21

The efficiency of the school

49. Although the financial plan shows clear targets and gives areas for development, spending has not kept pace with needs and the governing body has undertaken little practical monitoring of the effects of spending on the quality of learning. For example, little work in seeking alternative strategies for managing expenditure in areas of the curriculum has yet taken place. The surplus of income over expenditure remains unacceptably high and, although there is a plan for reducing this surplus, including the setting up of a fully equipped resource suit for information technology, it has not yet been implemented. Budgets for curriculum areas are managed centrally. Teachers establish the need for resources when they plan and apply directly to the headteacher for what they require, but curriculum co-ordinators are insufficiently involved in financial planning and spending. Recent changes in the governing body and a high turnover of

p.21

The efficiency of the school

staff are given as reasons for these weaknesses and the new governing body has a clear committee structure to address the problem. The chair of the governors’ finance committee shows a sound grasp of the school’s financial situation and recognises the need for a clearly costed development plan and for monitoring financial arrangements. Funds for pupils with special needs and the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant are appropriately allocated and efficiently used.

p.21

The efficiency of the school

50. The use of teaching staff is good. Their experience and expertise across the age groups and with under-fives make a positive contribution to children’s learning. Teachers work together very efficiently as a team, ensuring that pupils make good progress. The management of groups of pupils is very complicated during some parts of the day. However, good teamwork, the good use of classroom assistants for pupils with special educational needs, and careful planning, ensure that the needs of all pupils are fully met. Individual strengths are well used and shared when teachers are teaching together. However, occasionally, teaching skills are under-used when expertise with under-fives is not efficiently shared between nursery and reception. The use of bi- lingual support staff is very good during lessons when pupils need instruction and explanation in their mother tongue. Their experience and kindliness, the ability to change from one language to

p.21

The efficiency of the school

another easily and without hesitation and their confidence in interpreting instructions unobtrusively, play a major part in integrating pupils thoroughly and ensuring good progress.

p.21

The efficiency of the school

51. The use of accommodation and learning resources is good. Space is well used for teaching, administration and the storage of resources. Classroom displays are very attractive. They enhance the learning environment and pupils take great pride in the displays of their work. The garden rooms are well used for a variety of activities and all small tutor rooms are used regularly for quiet teaching groups. An adequate supply of learning resources, sufficient to meet the needs of pupils, is generally efficiently used to good effect to facilitate learning. Use of the library is unsatisfactory. Pupils were seldom observed sharing books or using reference material, nor is it used regularly for story telling. Nursery learning resources, including the secure outdoor play area, are well used and engender a positive enthusiasm for learning among the children.

p.21

The efficiency of the school

52. Day-to-day financial management is sound, although the governing body’s finance policy encourages firm unilateral control and allows little delegation of routine financial responsibility. The recommendations of the last audit report have been acted upon and checked by the Chater Infants’ School - 20 governing body in place at the time. Expenditure from the budget is carefully recorded and reported to governors by the headteacher. The number of hours provided for administrative support is extremely low in comparison with similar schools, but the quality of support is very high, ensuring that delegated tasks are efficiently accomplished. This makes a very positive contribution to the smooth running of the school. However, the full range of skills currently available as administrative support is under-utilised in planning the budget, managing the finances on a daily basis and negotiating best value for money. Responsibility for financial

p.21

The efficiency of the school

administration is currently disproportionate, being weighted too heavily on the shoulders of the headteacher, with unsatisfactory use of support at administrative level.

p.22

The efficiency of the school

53. The school provides satisfactory value for money. This judgement takes into account the circumstances in which the school works and pupils’ attainment on entry, which is judged to be below that usually found. Good quality education and pupils’ good attitudes produce good progress in school and ensure average attainment in relation to national standards when they leave. These attributes are balanced against the school’s very high income. Chater Infants’ School - 21

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

54. At the time of the last inspection, attainment and progress in the nursery were good. Children still make good progress and enjoy very good relationships with the adults involved. The curriculum is appropriately planned in the nursery to take into account the recommended desirable learning outcomes. However, this is not extended for children in the reception class and, although there are good procedures for assessing children’s work, the information is not sufficiently shared between the nursery and reception classes. The results of the baseline assessments in the nursery indicate that in language, literacy and mathematics, many children have limited skills and this is still so on admission to reception. Very few achieve the expected outcomes in language and literacy or mathematics by the age of five and only a few children are ready to work on the early stages of the National Curriculum. Nevertheless, with intense support in their mother tongue children make good

p.23

Personal and social development

55. Standards are in line with the level expected for the children’s age and this area of learning is very positively promoted in school. In the nursery, children respond very well and their behaviour is often very good. During choosing time, children are very polite when asking to join others and are very confident whether alone or in groups. For example, it is not unusual for children to listen to a tape or look at a book alone, but they are happy for others to join them and share willingly when asked. They take turns and act as monitors, for example at milk time, when a clear routine has been established and children are delighted to serve each other and the adults with them. The majority of children are beginning to show confidence when working independently or in groups. They respond positively to adults and other children and are happy to discuss their tasks, sharing resources fairly and showing a good level of concentration. For example, while making mathematical patterns with

p.23

Personal and social development

fruit, they made good suggestions and put up their hands politely to be chosen. Children are encouraged to be sensitive to the needs of others and there is a very positive atmosphere of mutual respect and courtesy between teachers, support staff and children.

p.23

Personal and social development

56. Teaching in the nursery and the reception class is good in this area of learning. All staff share their values and expectations for high levels of behaviour with children and give warm praise and encouragement.

p.23

Language and literacy

57. On entry to nursery, the spread of attainment is wide but the majority of children under five are below average in early reading and writing skills. This is still so when they enter the reception class and most are unlikely to meet the desirable learning outcomes by the age of five, although most children make good progress. In nursery, with mother tongue support if appropriate, children link books with the notion of hearing stories and know the difference between writing and drawing. They try hard to repeat the words of rhymes like, ‘ Walkie ‘round the Garden ,’ but the high proportion of pupils for whom English is not their mother tongue find this difficult. When listening to stories in their mother tongue, the majority are enthusiastic and able to recognise familiar passages. Some enjoy pretending to be readers, but very few can find repeated words on a page. Children use simple sentences and listen to adults in a one-to-one or group situation. Children quickly increase their

p.23

Language and literacy

familiarity with the way books are set out and enjoy having stories read and told to them. They learn to read simple text in large books and recognise some sounds like ‘sh’ and ‘oo’. Their skills in writing develop at a satisfactory rate. The majority are able to recognise their own names and recognise a few letters of the alphabet by shape and sound, forming familiar letters accurately. Speaking and listening skills develop at an appropriate rate. Children are encouraged to share books with adults, developing the skills required for early reading, although the supply of books is not generous enough to allow unlimited choice. Chater Infants’ School - 22 58. Teaching in this area of learning is good in the nursery and sound in the reception class. Planning is detailed and great attention is paid to the sounds, words and letter shapes to be taught. A firm emphasis on these aspects during the daily literacy hour ensures that children make good progress.

p.23

Language and literacy

Classroom support is very well deployed both in nursery and in reception and the quality of support is high. Excellent support is given by bi-lingual classroom assistants, enabling children to enjoy and discuss books in their mother tongue. Very good assessments of progress are made on a daily basis.

p.24

Mathematics

59. When children come into nursery, their understanding of mathematics varies widely, but is generally below that expected for children of their age. However, children make good progress overall. A few children are on course to meet the expected levels by the age of five, although the majority continue to need intense mother tongue support, for example, when comparing size or understanding order and position. Nursery children sing and speak counting rhymes and use a variety of opportunities throughout the day to count objects up to ten and back. For example, they count the milk cartons, the toys and each other whenever an opportunity presents itself. Strong emphasis is given to the development of mathematical knowledge and skills. For example, when singing the rhyme ‘ Five Little Babies ’ children took them away one at a time, made appropriate marks to indicate what they had done and were able to identify the figures correctly. Children in the reception class are

p.24

Mathematics

introduced to larger numbers, for example, when counting how many children there are in the class. In a lesson where teaching was very good and tasks were planned in line with the numeracy strategy, the tasks were very challenging. For example, counting on in sequence, up or back. The pace of the task and the difference in challenges ensure that children can order numbers and recognise familiar sequences.

p.24

Mathematics

60. The quality of teaching is sound overall, and sometimes good in the nursery. There is often excellent support from classroom assistants for children with special educational and language needs. Planning uses both teachers in a team teaching situation in reception, but this is not an efficient use of time when whole class groups are taught and one teacher is under-used. However, efficient use of all staff during individual and group time enables children to work in small, well supported groups. Teachers challenge children, including those who are higher attainers, appropriately and, as a result, children make good progress. Resources are successfully adapted to meet children’s needs. For example, in the nursery the dolls, the hoops for partitioning, paper and pens for recording and figures for identification were all ready, clearly appropriate for the activity and of a suitable size. In the reception class, ‘ The Stick Monster ’ had already been prepared with some of the numbers missing

p.24

Mathematics

from the sequence and his appearance was eagerly anticipated, adding to the enthusiasm of the children, to put things right and sequence the numbers accurately.

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

61. Children under five make good progress in many aspects of this area of learning. Nursery children know that the computer needs switching on before it will work. They can use the direction arrows and return key appropriately and make simple drawings. They understand how to use a programmable toy, confidently moving it forwards, backwards and turning left and right. When building with large blocks, children select and use appropriate shapes to construct a fire engine, with a steering wheel. They were able to decide that, ‘there isn’t a fire at the moment, we’re sitting down at the fire station’. Children in reception are able to discuss the texture and shape of a variety of fruits and recognise many by name. They know that pips and stones are really seeds and will grow into new plants if set. They select appropriate materials such as string, tinsel and ribbons, to decorate Diwali candles and use glue successfully to stick candles into cake trays.

p.24

Knowledge and understanding of the world

62. Teaching in this wide area of learning is sound. Adults achieve a good balance between instruction and investigation. The range of activities and experiences provided, positively arouse children’s curiosity and hold their interest. All staff emphasise safety appropriately and support staff are well Chater Infants’ School - 23 briefed by teachers. They enable children to experiment and investigate so that learning is well reinforced and children become more independent.

p.24

Physical development

63. Children make good progress and are well on target to meet the desirable learning outcomes both in nursery and the reception class. Skills are regularly practised in a wide variety of different activities, which allow children to improve and to become more aware of the presence of others. Children have access to their own secure outdoor play area with a large selection of play equipment and use the large climbing apparatus in the enclosed play area adjacent to the school playground. Good opportunities for balancing, building and playing chasing games are provided and equipment, including wheeled toys and tricycles are used imaginatively and co-operatively to improve bodily control. Children handle simple tools such as scissors, glue sticks and pencils safely and with increasing control. In reception, when using glue sticks and glitter whilst decorating candles, one little boy was delighted to show his hands covered in blue, green and silver glitter, ‘Look, look,’ he

p.25

Physical development

said, taking care to show that his candle was beautifully decorated too! When making fruit salad in both the nursery and the reception class, children cut up fruit carefully and neatly into small pieces, using a knife with due regard to safety.

p.25

Physical development

64. Teaching is sound, providing a wide range of safe activities outside and a satisfactory range indoors. Sessions are well planned to give challenges, which are appropriate to the children’s age and attainment.

p.25

Creative development

65. Opportunities for under fives across the wide area of creative development are good and children make good progress. Confidence in exploring colour is good and most children know the names of primary colours securely, identifying them successfully in their mother tongue. In reception, children explore textures, choosing carefully from a range of materials to make their decorated divas. They sing with enthusiasm and choose from an appropriate range of musical instruments to shake rhythms and make sounds. Children from nursery were delighted to take part in a music session in the hall and sang very well accompanied by the piano. They were able to choose their favourite songs and sang alone when asked to. They acted out ‘ Miss Polly ’ with enthusiasm and clapped the rhythms, ‘pill,’ ‘doctor’ and ‘hospital’ clearly. Learning resources for all aspects of creative development are adequate and teachers are sensitive to children’s needs.

p.25

Creative development

66. Teaching is sound in this area, overall; it is often good in the nursery. Teachers warmly encourage children to use their imagination and to listen, observe and experiment, so that they gain confidence in expressing their ideas, communicating feelings and putting their thoughts into action.

p.25

English

67. In the 1999 assessment tests, standards at age seven for reading, speaking and listening were in line with national expectations and those of similar schools, while standards in writing were well below average. In speaking and listening, 92 per cent of pupils attained Level 2 or above; 83 per cent of pupils achieved Level 2 or above in reading, but only 63 per cent of pupils reached or passed the expected standard in writing. These results show a similar trend to those of 1998 in speaking and listening, but a fall in standards in writing. However, standards have risen since 1998 in reading. By the age of seven, standards in reading are in line with national expectations, with some pupils reaching well above average levels. Standards in speaking and listening are in line with those expected by age seven, but standards in writing are below average, with a particular weakness in creative writing. Boys perform less well than girls especially in writing,

p.25

English

and boys, for whom English is an additional language, have particular difficulties in this area. The general trend is very similar to that found during the inspection of December 1995 and to that shown by 1999 standardised assessment test results. Chater Infants’ School - 24 68. Pupils listen well to the teacher and to each other. They speak, sometimes shyly, but often confidently and at length. Most pupils use complex sentence structure at least appropriate to their age, but many also make the kinds of mistakes which are typical of those still learning English as an additional language. By the age of seven, pupils read, with support, a range of poems, such as ‘The Owl and the Pussy Cat’ , nonsense rhymes like ‘Green Eggs with Ham’ and plays such as ‘Fantastic Mr Fox ’.

p.25

English

69. The highest attaining pupils can read fluently and with expression, adventure books appropriate for their age and can use an index to find information; they can comment on aspects of books which they enjoy and are beginning to refer to the text to explain their views. They know about authors, illustrators and publishers and respond to punctuation and emphasised print when reading. Lower attaining pupils can read simple texts, using their knowledge of sounds to build up unfamiliar words and understand the use of full stops and capital letters; they can guess what may happen next and they can remember stories they have read. Most pupils by the end of Year 2 have a range of strategies for reading and can read and understand simple texts.

p.26

English

70. By the age of seven, almost all pupils are able to write legibly and many have well formed, joined script. They can write simple rhymes and sentences, using word cards, personal dictionaries or junior dictionaries. More able pupils can write short passages of continuous text about their own experiences, such as holidays, with correct or understandable spelling, although the content and vocabulary of their writing tend to lack variety and imagination. However, while pupils become competent at copying and writing variations on simple sentences and rhymes, much of the work has a ‘writing by formula’ feel to it and pupils do not sufficiently use imagination, creativity or interesting vocabulary and there is no sense of fun in what they write. There has been insufficient progress in creative writing since the last inspection.

p.26

English

71. Progress is good, overall, and is occasionally very good. Pupils develop good habits of listening, turn taking and paying attention to each other as well as the teacher. Formation of tenses in English becomes more accurate both when spoken and when written. The language of books, print and grammar is systematically extended during literacy hour sessions. Knowledge about letter sounds and groups builds systematically and is used in pupils’ reading and in writing. Higher attaining pupils in Year 1 are able to use their knowledge of sounds to find words which, for example, all contain “oa” and can write independently sentences containing the words, with the help of junior dictionaries.

p.26

English

72. Teaching is good, overall. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and there are examples of very good practice and, indeed, of excellent practice, specifically in the support of English as an additional language. All teachers have secure subject knowledge. Planning is good and there is a particular strength in the matching of tasks to pupils’ abilities. Assessment is of a high standard; there is good observation and recording of pupils’ performance during lessons and the development of pupils’ skills is very effectively tracked through regular assessments. Expectations of behaviour, of the amount of work to be done and of standards of presentation are high and made explicit by the teachers. This has a positive effect on pupils’ attitudes and behaviour. Relationships with pupils are very good and teachers’ good use of praise boosts confidence and promotes effective learning. Due to the opportunities and ethos created in

p.26

English

lessons, pupils learn to work independently and also to work collaboratively with their peers. Teachers model very good behaviour and relationships and this has a positive effect on pupils’ own responses and good attitudes to learning. In the most successful lessons, activities are varied and motivating and the teacher maintains good pace, thereby ensuring that pupils do not get bored. Good links are made with other curriculum areas. In lessons which, although satisfactory, are less successful, learning objectives are insufficiently clear and inconsistent behaviour management strategies result in lessons losing impetus and pupils becoming restless.

p.26

English

73. The school has insufficient books for use in the literacy hour, given that pupils work in small teaching groups; the photocopied pages which teachers sometimes have to use are not sufficiently attractive or stimulating. The library does not have sufficient books, nor is it sufficiently used; although it is a pleasant space, the school misses opportunities to make it a Chater Infants’ School - 25 focus for excitement about books. Even the most able readers said that they never used it and that it was a place where teachers went to get books. Co-ordination of the subject is strong in respect of planning and assessment; there is a strong commitment to raising standards. However, there are too few opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching and to model good practice. Good use of information technology to support learning promotes pride in achievement. Frequent reading at home with parents is beneficial and contributes to the sound standards in

p.26

Mathematics

74. Since the previous inspection, standards have remained fairly steady, although the most recent results in the national tests indicate that attainment is currently below the national expectation. The 1999 National Curriculum tests show that 77 per cent of pupils reached the expected Level 2 or above, which was below the national average, but in line with the results of similar schools. The school carefully monitors variations in attainment and shows that pupils’ lack of command of the English language is a distinct disadvantage when tackling tests involving using and applying mathematics. The inspection evidence supports the view that many pupils need mother tongue support when tackling work. The rate of progress in lessons is good, due to appropriate tasks, which challenge pupils, whatever their ability.

p.27

Mathematics

75. Currently, standards are broadly in line with those expected nationally. In Year 2, pupils can count swiftly in twos up to fifty and clearly recognise patterns of even numbers or numbers in the five times table, within a hundred square. They are beginning to use multiplication tables to work out 5 lots of 2 or 2+2+2+2+2 and can record their findings both pictorially and in figures. They recognise squares, triangles, rectangles, circles and cubes and measure accurately to 75 centimetres. They use number lines up to 100 to work out answers when counting on in tens. Pupils with special educational needs count in twos up to 24, and are secure in counting money up to 10p. A group of high attaining pupils in Year 2 working in a small group on extension tasks made chocolate bars with twelve or twenty-four squares, confidently translating their arrays into multiplication sums. Evidence in their books shows that they have talked about and

p.27

Mathematics

handled numbers up to a thousand, using clear reasoning when anticipating the outcome of throwing three dice.

p.27

Mathematics

76. Teachers’ records and work seen in books indicate that pupils make good progress over time. Good use of team-teaching and very good support from classroom assistants enable pupils with specific language or learning needs to get clear and concise explanations of their tasks. In one sixth of lessons, progress is very good and high attaining pupils in Year 2 make excellent progress when withdrawn for support in a small group. Tasks are very challenging, adapted to each pupil’s need and pupils benefit from an excellent level of interaction with a knowledgeable teacher. In response, pupils behave well and follow instructions quietly, showing appropriate respect to adults. They contribute ideas willingly and are not afraid to make mistakes, learning from others and acknowledging new or different methods of working. Conversation is pleasant and well informed, and support staff move from Pahari or Urdu to English effortlessly. In

p.27

Mathematics

lessons where progress and response is very positive, pupils listen carefully to instructions and are very involved in their tasks. For example, in a lesson where a small group of Year 1 pupils were working together with mother-tongue support, they shared equipment and interacted extremely well, thoroughly enjoying their work on place value up to ten, because of a shared sense of fun in the task.

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Mathematics

77. Clear improvements have been made to the quality of teaching, so that teaching is now good, overall, with some very good and excellent teaching. All support staff are involved when pupils are taught in small groups. Teachers plan well, set tough challenges and establish good relationships with pupils. They involve pupils in a variety of mental calculations, keeping them focused on the task for the day and encouraging them to think very quickly and to be accurate. For example, in Year 2 pupils started by counting around the group in twos from zero, trying to beat a previous time, then started at a different number to count on in twos, showing their own number in tens and units using their number fan. Teachers take great care in wording questions, clarifying them thoughtfully according to the needs of pupils. Praise and encouragement are Chater Infants’ School - 26 generously given and this plays a positive part in ensuring pupils’ good progress. The range and

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Mathematics

supply of basic learning resources are adequate and they are well used. However, additional resources are thoughtfully provided by staff and imaginatively used. For example, when counting in twos, a teacher had provided dishes for ‘cakes’ ensuring that one dish, two cakes and two dishes, four cakes etc., was clearly understood and retained. Another teacher had provided egg boxes and eggs to ensure that pupils understood the concept of arrays. Books to inform pupils about great mathematicians of European and non-European origin are in short supply and the range of resources and books to enhance pupils’ personal interest and enjoyment of the subject is insufficient. Regular assessments are undertaken on a daily basis and the quality of daily marking is usually good; it is encouraging, gives praise for successful completion of tasks and is used to check for accuracy. However, marking sometimes fails to share targets or indicate

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Mathematics

progress. The effective introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy is promoting good progress and pupils have a good command of mathematical skills for use in other areas of the curriculum.

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Science

78. The results of the 1999 teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 indicate that standards are better than the national average and those of similar schools. Overall, 100 per cent of pupils achieved Level 2 in the tests. These results show that the school has significantly improved standards since 1998 when they were well below average, because good targets have helped to raise standards rapidly. Currently, pupils achieve the nationally expected level by the time they reach Year 2; they achieve good standards in scientific investigations. There is no significant variation in attainment or progress between pupils of different ethnicity or background. Pupils with special educational needs achieve standards that are appropriate for their abilities and they make steady progress.

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Science

79. In Year 2, the majority of pupils can identify and describe the major bones in the human body and talk with understanding about the effects of healthy eating and exercise. They conduct scientific investigations well. For example, they are able to describe the working of electrical circuits, using good technical vocabulary. They handle bulbs and buzzers confidently when assembling circuits for their Rangoli designs. They are beginning to understand the need for a fair test and are starting to predict results. Pupils record their investigations well in simple diagrammatic form and are able to set their written work out neatly. They know about different light sources, such as the sun, moon, candles, lamps and electric lights and enjoy discussing topics with their teachers. For example, in one lesson on lighting appliances, a pupil thoughtfully suggested that in order to stop a candle from blowing out, ‘you could carry the matches with you

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Science

or close the window’ . Pupils in Year 1 know about the different colours of the rainbow and enjoy experimenting with mirrors, torches and bubbles when studying light and reflections. They make shadow puppets out of various materials for their experiments, with great delight. Pupils understand the sense of touch and are able to describe what they feel. They identify objects accurately and are able to record their findings in simple pictorial form.

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Science

80. Progress is good. Pupils’ enjoy their lessons and show plenty of interest in their work. When progress is at its best, the pace of the lesson is brisk and the content challenges the higher attaining pupils, such as seen during a Year 2 lesson on electricity. Pupils are improving their observing and recording skills and lower attainers make sound progress, particularly when learning support staff help them. Pupils work with good concentration when studying light sources and respond well to the teachers’ instructions. They work co-operatively in small groups and share resources and materials well.

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Science

81. The quality of teaching is good, overall, and occasionally excellent in Year 2. Teachers are confident in the subject matter being taught and generally have high expectations of their pupils. When teaching is at its best, the work is challenging, the technical vocabulary used is demanding and explanations are very good. Of particular significance, is the excellent team work between class teachers and language support teachers; the very good use of languages, such as Pahari and English, helps pupils to understand the content of lessons and take full part in activities. Lessons are planned well, with clear learning intentions in teachers’ written plans. Relationships are good Chater Infants’ School - 27 and pupils are managed well. Teachers use good questioning techniques and summarise skills well to assess pupils’ knowledge and understanding and to plan the next stage of learning. The leadership and management of the subject are sound. The co-ordinator has worked hard to ensure

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Science

that the scheme of work gives good guidance to teachers for planning and there are good assessment procedures in place. However, the co-ordinator’s role is not fully developed, because there are insufficient opportunities for her to take responsibility for monitoring teaching and learning throughout the school and she does not manage the budget for the subject. Since the previous inspection, standards in experimental investigations have been improved and are now good. Art, design and technology and history are used very well to support learning through a cross-curricular approach.

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Information technology

82. By the age of seven, standards are higher than expected nationally. This represents a significant improvement over standards found during the inspection of December 1995, when they were unsatisfactory. By the end of Year 2, pupils have good knowledge of how computers are used in shops, offices and hospitals. They are able to use the computer for word processing and they know how to change font style and size. They can use computers for making pictures and decorating their work and are familiar with the tools of graphics programmes. Pupils know the basic commands for opening, saving and printing files and can use menus. They are able to explain clearly how to use a mouse or the keyboard to achieve a given result. They are familiar with control technology and can explain how to use programmable toys and draw shapes.

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Information technology

83. Progress in information technology is good. Pupils in Year 1 are developing their ability to control cassette recorders to play or record their voices. Confidence and skills in keyboard and mouse use are built up systematically.

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Information technology

84. Teaching was satisfactory in the very small number of lessons observed. However, evidence from a scrutiny of pupils’ work, photographic records and conversations with pupils show that much of the teaching is good. There is sufficient expertise within the school, although some teachers are still not confident and have not developed a full range of strategies to help them teach the subject. Insufficient use is made by some teachers of diagrams and pictures of screens and menus to supplement the actual computer screen, which is not big enough to be seen properly by a whole teaching group. Teachers make good use of computers to support the other subjects of the curriculum and very good support is provided by a classroom assistant. The assessment of pupils’ skills and the tracking of their progress are good. Co-ordination of the subject is sound and the school is well placed to take advantage of the Internet, but there is too

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Information technology

little opportunity to monitor teaching and learning. The generous number of computers available has been a factor in achieving the good standards, but many machines are now obsolete and do not support recent software. The school plans to develop a computer suite by April 2000.

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Religious education

85. Since the previous inspection standards have been maintained and there has been a satisfactory improvement in planning for learning. The locally agreed syllabus has been analysed and activities are well planned in line with its recommendations. Lessons were seen only in Year 1 and the reception class during the inspection, as Year 2 classes had completed their learning module before the half term. However, evaluation of pupils’ work and displays, discussions with pupils and staff, scrutiny of plans, the school policy, the locally agreed syllabus and school resources were all undertaken.

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Religious education

86. Pupils aged seven are working at levels broadly in line with what is expected in the locally agreed syllabus. They know about places of worship and can make appropriate links between a mosque, a church and a temple. They are aware that people worship in all these buildings and chose to go to different places because they are of different religions. They know that the holy Christian book is the Bible and the holy Muslim book is the Qur’an. From their work last half Chater Infants’ School - 28 term, they are aware of the work of a Christian curate. They asked sensitive and thoughtful questions like ‘Have you made promises to God?’ when interviewing her. They are aware of her religious role, one pupil writing, ‘ She listens to Allah, Allah is what I call God. ’ Pupils know that caring is part of the discipline of most religions and have studied the lives of Mother Teresa and Princess Diana as famous carers. In Year 1, pupils investigate celebrations of different religions

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Religious education

and have produced their own Rangoli patterns in pasta and diva lights for the Hindu festival of Diwali. Religious education is appropriately linked with other subjects in the curriculum as when divas were used in a delightful dance lesson, when pupils moved beautifully to appropriate Indian music. Links with science are also appropriately fostered through work on light.

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Religious education

87. Pupils’ knowledge of religions other than their own is limited on entry, but they make good progress in learning over time. By the age of seven, pupils’ knowledge and depth of understanding indicate that the locally agreed syllabus is covered well. In half the lessons seen, pupils make good progress. When progress is good, teachers keep pupils’ attention by using interesting learning resources and having good knowledge of the subject. For example, in Year 1 a lesson on the symbolism of light was opened with a short period of quiet reflection whilst pupils stared at a candle flame. This was followed by an appropriate story ‘Can’t you sleep little bear’ which is well illustrated, and the lesson finished with good links to religious celebrations like Diwali. The atmosphere of quiet and calm evident in the room whilst the candles burned was very supportive of pupils’ spiritual development. Although some of their work is not written up,

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Religious education

most is remembered. Pupils enjoy sharing interesting information and contribute their experiences confidently. When recording their work, pupils take a pride in neatness and in illustrating their work carefully. For example, in Year 2, pupils have written to thank the curate for visiting them and have compiled an attractive display showing neat and precise designs for a priest’s stole. One pupil has written very thoughtfully, ‘You care for everyone and Allah cares for you.’ Pupils in Year 1, using their own divas in their Diwali procession in dance, took great care to hold them carefully and to spoil neither the dance nor the diva. Pupils are strongly encouraged to question and to clarify their ideas, so that the information sharing from different religious backgrounds is of a good standard. They respond well to this challenge. For example, Year 1 pupils sharing their knowledge about Diwali were able to retell the story of Ramu and

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Religious education

Sita by contributing to the group discussion. Each followed this by talking about celebrations from their own religion, including Eid, pancake day and Easter when special foods are eaten and special preparations are undertaken by the followers of the particular religion.

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Religious education

88. The overall quality of teaching in religious education is good. This takes into account evidence of pupils’ work, displays and lessons seen during the time of inspection. Teachers follow the locally agreed syllabus and lessons are clearly planned. Relationships with pupils are good and teachers have high expectations that all pupils will contribute from their own knowledge and religious experience. Pupils respond well to teaching. A good rapport is developed in lessons and pupils are very tolerant of others’ ideas and views. They are very thoughtful about what is taught and express their feelings clearly, for example, when considering positive qualities for a carer and identifying negative traits, such as being unkind, nasty, cross and selfish. Teachers’ use of resources and time is appropriate. For example, a display of Hindu artefacts was referred to in Year 1 lessons on Diwali, and the figures of Ramu and Sita were shown to remind pupils and

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Religious education

enhance the telling of the story. Good links are made between the religions studied when looking at celebrations and in the work about the role of religious leaders, sacred writings and places of worship. Classroom management is always sound and often good. An effective balance of information giving and discussion ensures a good pace to lessons.

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Art and Design and technology

89. The oldest pupils in Year 2 achieve good standards that are above those expected for their age. Pupils carefully use pastels to sketch colourful representations in the style of Monet’s, ‘Garden at Vetheuil’ . They use their knowledge of Impressionist and Pointillist artists to develop their own style when using computers to depict lillies. Large brightly coloured pictures of seascapes, ‘Do-Whacky-Do Clowns’ and Caribbean scenes show a good use of paint and cut paper, and are lively and imaginatively displayed. Pupils use rice, pasta shells and lentils very effectively to produce exciting displays for the school’s display on Diwali, a festival of light. Other three- Chater Infants’ School - 29 dimensional work includes work in clay and wood. For example, in a design and technology project, the construction of Rangoli designs into three-dimensional models, pupils designed frames for their projects, deciding what materials they needed and planned how to use batteries

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Art and Design and technology

and circuits to light up their finished work. Tools are used carefully. In evaluating their products, pupils sometimes find it a little difficult to say how they might improve their designs, but they make good attempts and help each other willingly with new ideas.

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Art and Design and technology

90. Pupils make good progress with their artwork and sound progress in design and technology. Art skills are developed systematically and techniques introduced and practised carefully. For example, younger pupils learn to mix their colours in paint and experiment with how to use crayons to create different effects. In Year 2, in their good detailed studies of self portraits, sheep’s skulls and use of shades and tone is growing. Teachers and other adults support all pupils, including those with special needs who make good progress. Pupils are able to make choices about materials and tools in both subjects. They develop their work imaginatively and with individuality; for example, in Year 1, the good pencil sketches based on a ‘Pet Afternoon’ show thoughtful line drawings of finches, tadpoles and newts.

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Art and Design and technology

91. The quality of teaching is sound overall, and often good. Teachers are confident in the subjects and enjoy teaching practical skills. Pupils’ response is good; they have confidence in themselves as artists and all succeed in producing work which is of good quality and which pleases them. They work very carefully in both subjects and find great enjoyment in learning many techniques. The teachers develop art and design technology skills progressively and the co-ordinator supports and guides the teaching of art enthusiastically. However, the role of the co-ordinator is not fully developed, because she does not manage a budget for the subject and there is insufficient formal monitoring of teaching and learning. Nevertheless, art and design and technology are linked very well to other subjects, such as English, science, history, information technology and geography to extend pupils’ understanding of the world around them. Portfolios

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Art and Design and technology

of completed work, including studies on, ‘The Great Fire of London’ show imaginative use of colour, shape and form. The very good displays of pupils’ work and that of a local artist provide a rich, stimulating and colourful environment. Large scale friezes, such as, ‘The Chappati Man’ , ‘Very Hot Samosas’ and, ‘From Jamaica to Britain’, successfully celebrate the rich diversity of cultures within the school.

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Geography

92. At the time of the last inspection, pupils were working at the expected levels in geography and this is still so, which indicates that levels noted at that time have been maintained. No geography lessons were taught during the inspection, but evaluation of pupils’ work, discussions with pupils and staff, scrutiny of plans and displays and a review of resources were all undertaken.

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Geography

93. Between the ages of five and seven, pupils’ skills and understanding in geography are broadly in line with what is expected for their age. By the age of seven, pupils are aware of the features of their own locality, knowing they are close to London, and recognising features of their neighbourhood, such as the number and variety of churches. They know that a globe is like our world and can be used to find where other countries are in relation to ours and that Jamaica is a very different country, a long way away. Between the ages of five and seven, many pupils become aware that geography concerns their own visits to other countries, like Pakistan. They know that Russia is the biggest country in the world, the North Pole is ‘ freezing cold, with polar bears ’ and ‘ penguins live at the South Pole’ . They learn that in Britain it is sometimes cold and it snows; people wear warm clothes, whereas in Jamaica, it is warm and there is sand.

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Geography

94. Pupils are keen to share expertise and enjoy learning from each other. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress in acquiring new knowledge. In Year 2, pupils use computers to improve their directional knowledge. Pupils enjoy learning about their own locality and contrasting world locations. Attitudes towards sharing each other’s experiences are satisfactory and soundly support progress. Pupils are co-operative when talking and working together, taking turns and listening politely. They happily discuss the globe, other countries and the immediate locality, pointing out important and relevant features. Chater Infants’ School - 30 95. No geography lessons were taught during the inspection, but a scrutiny of work and displays and discussions with pupils indicate that the quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school. Teachers planning is sound. They plan together using an identified topic, acknowledging that

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Geography

this has positive cross curricular links and involves pupils more deeply in a particular area of study. Bi-lingual pupils benefit positively from the constant reinforcement of similar vocabulary. Using similar words in several subject areas like science, history and geography, reinforces meaning and has a positive effect on progress. Teachers have good relationships with pupils and warmly encourage the sharing of experiences, particularly when returning from visits to other countries. An adequate range of appropriate resources, such as maps, plans and artefacts is available and teachers use them appropriately.

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History

96. No history lessons were taught during the inspection, but evaluation of pupils’ work, discussions with pupils and staff, scrutiny of plans and displays and a review of resources were all undertaken. Pupils aged five to seven years are working at levels in line with those expected for their age, which indicates that the school has maintained the levels noted at the last inspection.

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History

97. By the time they are seven, pupils know how to identify objects from the past and compare them with their modern day equivalent. They have good experience of drawing and handling artefacts from the past, for example, washing a muddy handkerchief with soap and putting the clothes through a mangle. They know that in the past people did not use dishwashers and computers, but washed up by hand and wrote with pen and ink or used typewriters. They know that photographs and television were only black and white and realise that evidence can be sought in museums, books, encyclopaedia and on the Internet. Studies of famous people and events from history have been used as assembly themes, for example, Christopher Wren, Nelson and the Great Fire of London. Pupils have remembered details from the stories very well. In the reception class and Year 1, pupils have an elementary awareness of chronology and understand how the passage of

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History

time relates to their own life and their family. For example, Year 1 pupils studying ‘Then and Now’ have drawn a careful picture of a baby asleep in a cot, beside a drawing of the pupil in bed, covered with a colourful duvet.

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History

98. Pupils make satisfactory progress over time in understanding everyday life in the past and in their knowledge of the lives of famous people. However, discussions with pupils indicate that their appreciation of why people acted as they did is limited. Pupils enjoy history and become suitably involved in their work. They are keen to display family photographs, to talk about their context and discuss events from their own family’s past. Drawings of fire to illustrate the Great Fire of London use colour dramatically and associated written work shows an empathy with those involved, for example, people screaming, the smell of the smoke and a cat dying. Drawings of artefacts and work about Nelson are carefully detailed and neat and pupils take a pride in their work, showing a satisfactory response to the subject.

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History

99. The quality of teaching is satisfactory. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject and planning contains sufficient detail to extend pupils’ knowledge. An adequate range of resources supports teaching and learning and evidence of displays and discussions with pupils indicates that these are well used. Photographs and books from the past are appropriately used to enhance the learning of younger pupils, for example in an attractive display about ‘Then and Now.’ A succinct policy document gives clear guidelines for the teaching of history and lists the variety of resources available. It emphasises the need to use the teaching of history to promote understanding, tolerance and respect and promotes strong links with cultural and social development, which are clearly evident in pupils’ work.

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Music

100. Standards achieved in music by age seven are in line with national expectations. Pupils at the end of Year 2 are able to sing loudly or softly at the teacher’s signal and they have good pitch and rhythm. All have experience of playing recorders and can name and play several notes. Chater Infants’ School - 31 They can compose short pieces for untuned percussion instruments, write down their own symbols to record their composition and perform it for other pupils to evaluate. In the area of composition and evaluation there has been good progress since the last inspection. Throughout the school pupils have a rich experience of music, in lessons, in assembly, in dance and in choir practices. Music is also well used to support other subject areas, for example, in English, where musical accompaniment adds to the fun of a recorded nonsense rhyme.

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Music

101. Pupils make good progress in music. As they progress through the school they become more aware of their pitch and rhythm, they develop a wider vocabulary of musical terms, and their experience of music from other times and places is extended. Year 1 pupils listen critically to music, comment on the instruments and say how the music makes them feel.

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Music

102. Teaching in music is good. Teachers have good knowledge and the specialist visiting music teacher has very good subject knowledge. Lessons are well planned and expectations are high. A good and challenging range of music is made available and there are good opportunities planned for listening and evaluation, composition and recording, and performance. Teachers promote enjoyment and good attitudes by encouraging good listening skills and by valuing the pupils’ opinions on music. Assessment is informal but effective. A valuable contribution is made throughout the school by the volunteer pianist and there is very good team work. The very good resources have a positive effect on pupils’ experience of music and lessons in quiet rooms and the hall make good use of the accommodation. Music makes a very good contribution to pupils’ spiritual, cultural and social development.

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Physical education

103. Standards are sound. By the end of Year 2, pupils are able to move expressively to music and suggest ways in which their movements could be improved. They can improvise patterns of movement individually, mirror each other’s movements when working in pairs and invent new patterns of movement in larger groups. In the playground, they can move around in different ways and at different speeds, can concentrate on watching the course of a ball or bean bag and can aim, throw and catch with some accuracy.

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Physical education

104. Progress is satisfactory. Pupils in the reception class improve their co-ordination in running, jumping, balancing, throwing and catching and gradually bring more control to their movements. In Year 1, pupils develop different ways of passing beanbags to each other and gain skills which will be used in team games. In dance, pupils develop the planning and appraisal of their movements. Progress in outdoor games is sometimes hampered by unsuitable clothing and, occasionally, unsuitable footwear. Space is restricted in the playground and this also limits progress and the range of activities which can be planned.

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Physical education

105. Teaching is sound and teachers have secure subject knowledge. Planning is satisfactory and long-term planning has improved satisfactorily since the last inspection. There are well-planned links with other subjects, such as the dance with Diva lamps following teaching in religious education about Diwali. Assessment is adequate. Teachers are conscious of pupils’ health and safety in planning and preparing their lessons and management strategies are effective. Facilities and equipment are appropriately chosen and used. In lessons where best practice is seen, pupils work purposefully on tasks which challenge both their physical skills and their inventiveness; the sequence of activities within the lesson builds on skills and ensures continued interest and motivation. In lessons that are less successful, pupils still enjoy and benefit from the physical activity but do not have the same sense of direction and purpose and do not make such good

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Physical education

progress. In some lessons, the level of activity is too low, not vigorous enough and with too much waiting between activities. Pupils’ experience of sport and dance is greatly enhanced by the excellent lunchtime and after school activities, such as cricket, hockey, dance and tennis. Co- ordination of the subject is sound; there is good expertise in the school and therefore good potential to improve practice. However, there are currently insufficient opportunities for the best practice to be shared through the monitoring of teaching. Chater Infants’ School - 32

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

106. A team of 4 inspectors, who completed a combined total of 13 days in school, undertook the inspection of Chater Infants’ School.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

107. For the majority of time, inspectors visited classes, talked with individuals and groups of pupils, evaluated the work they had done and observed 56 lessons, or parts of lessons. Observations were also made of breaktimes, lunchtimes, assemblies, clubs and registrations. In addition, 30 interviews were held with the headteacher, members of staff with curriculum responsibilities, support staff and members of the governing body.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• 14 pupils were heard reading (10 per cent of the total number of pupils on roll) and they were questioned on their understanding and knowledge of books in general;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• samples of pupils’ work covering the full ability range were scrutinised in all year groups;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs were scrutinised;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• a wide range of documents and the school development plan, were analysed;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• the previous Ofsted inspection report and the governors’ action plan were scrutinised;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• a meeting was held for parents and questionnaires were sent out prior to the inspection;

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• attendance registers, the records kept on pupils and teachers’ planning documents were analysed; and

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• the budget figures were analysed. Chater Infants’ School - 33 109. DATA AND INDICATORS

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

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

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Qualified teachers (YR - Y2) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 9.6 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 15.4

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Education support staff (YR – Y2) Total number of education support staff: 10

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Total aggregate hours worked each week: 97

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 34

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of education support staff: 6

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Total aggregate hours worked each week: 97

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Average class size: 30 3 (* Classes in Years 1 and 2 are divided into smaller teaching groups of 20.)

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Balance brought forward from previous year 69,045

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Balance carried forward to next year 61,718

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

Classes in Years 1 and 2 are divided into smaller teaching groups of 20 Chater Infants’ School - 34

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 170 Number of questionnaires returned: 81

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category):

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 36 51 9 2 1 I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 37 59 2 1 0 The school handles complaints from parents well 20 44 27 0 1 The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 21 57 10 6 1 The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 22 58 7 6 2 The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 31 58 6 2 0 The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 32 54 11 0 1 I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 26 49 11 6 4 The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 35 52 12 0 0 The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 32 51 14 1 0 My child(ren) like(s) school 54 42 1 2 0

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Other issues raised by parents

Four parents wrote to the Registered Inspector and 20 attended a meeting held at the school. An interpreter was present to translate for Asian parents, but none attended the meeting. The majority of comments were positive. Parents stated that the school is a caring environment in which the headteacher and staff provide good guidance for pupils and are approachable. Behaviour was said to be good and pupils are very tolerant of each other’s beliefs and cultures. A few parents would like more information on the curriculum and their child’s progress, whilst some thought that the standard of pupils’ handwriting is too variable.

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