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Other · Ofsted report

Templemoor Infant and Nursery School

Inspected — · published 12 May 2000 · URN 106312

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  • URN verified

    106312

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Praiseexcellentvery wellstrongmake good progressgood progressimprovedhappyhigh expectations
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FindingsAbout the inspectionWhat needs to improveLeadership positive critical
  • Findings14370w+66
  • Leadership1136w+46
  • What needs to improve254w+50

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longer than usual (typical 1049)
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Flesch 52, typical 45
Average sentence
17 words
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5
typical 5
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Findings 90%Leadership 7%What needs to improve 2%About the inspection 1%

Full report text

Templemoor Infant School

Unique Reference Number : 106312 Inspection number : 191308

p.1

Templemoor Infant School

Dates of inspection: 11 - 14 October 1999

p.1

Templemoor Infant School

Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

p.1

Templemoor Infant School

Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one.

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Templemoor Infant School

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.

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Templemoor Infant School

Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel: 0171421 6567

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address : Nursery Close Sale Greater Manchester M33 2EG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of Chair of Governors : Mr D Browne

p.3

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mr P Snelling, RgI Science Music Physical education Equal opportunities Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Efficiency Mrs J Overend, Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community Mr B Ashcroft Mathematics Information technology Geography History Religious education Curriculum and assessment

p.4

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Mrs Lesley Traves English Design and technology Special educational needs English as an additional language Under-fives

p.4

Primary Associates

West Lancashire Technology Management Centre Moss Lane View Skelmersdale Lancashire WN8 9TN

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Primary Associates

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:

p.4

Primary Associates

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

p.4

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

p.6

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

Characteristics of the school Key indicators

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school 4 - 20

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PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Attainment and progress Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance

p.6

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Teaching The curriculum and assessment Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Support, guidance and pupils' welfare Partnership with parents and the community

p.6

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The management and efficiency of the school 50 - 66

p.6

PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Leadership and management Staffing, accommodation and learning resources The efficiency of the school

p.6

PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 67 - 82

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

English, mathematics and science 83 - 117

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Templemoor Infant School - 7

Summary of inspection evidence 151 - 152

p.7

What the school does well

• . Achieves good standards in English, mathematics and science. • . Standards of teaching are good across the school. Teachers are particularly good at developing pupils' reading and their speaking and listening skills. • . The school strongly emphasises the personal and social development of it pupils. It motivates them very well and they try very hard with their work. • . Pupils' behaviour is very good. They get on well with each other and with adults. • . The provision of toys and games at lunchtimes and playtimes, and the attractive development of the outside areas, helps pupils develop very good social skills. It offers them excitement and enjoyment. • . The management and leadership provided by the headteacher, governors and staff is strong. The headteacher has a very clear vision for the future development of the school and there is a healthy attitude towards change throughout. • . Equality of opportunity and access to the curriculum for all pupils is excellent.

p.8

What the school does well

• . Staff make imaginative use of all available spaces within the building. • . The governors think carefully about what to spend the school's money on and how much to spend. • . The school is highly successful in involving parents in children's learning and parents support the school very well.

p.8

Where the school has weaknesses

I. Pupils' attainment and progress in writing are not as strong as in reading. II. The curriculum is not as well organised in other subjects as it is in English, mathematics and science. Neither is assessment as effective or useful. III. Pupils are not always fully stretched by the work they are given. IV. There are some minor statutory omissions from the prospectus and governors' annual report.

p.8

Where the school has weaknesses

· The school's strengths significantly outweigh its weaknesses. These will form the basis of the governors' action plan which will be sent to all parents or guardians of pupils at the school.

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Templemoor Infant School - 9

· The school has made very good progress in addressing the weaknesses pointed out in its previous inspection in 1996. In addition it has made other changes following the appointment of its new headteacher. From the previous inspection, a particular success has been in developing the roles of teachers responsible for individual subjects. They now work much more closely with each other, using their expertise to improve the curriculum and teaching. Provision for religious education is better and standards are now satisfactory. Teachers' use of assessment in English, mathematics and science is good, though there is still some work to do to link it more closely to curriculum planning in information technology, religious education and the non-core subjects. Promising developments have been made in establishing an overall curriculum plan, though this work has yet to be completed. There have been some other highly valuable improvements. The building and grounds have been transformed, teaching and learning

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Templemoor Infant School - 9

methods improved and new procedures established to promote better behaviour. Also the literacy and numeracy hours have been implemented and are working well. Parents at the meeting commented that the school is better and the inspection supports their view. The governors and the headteacher know clearly what needs to be done next and the school is very well placed to raise standards further.

p.9

Standards in subjects

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

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schools

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

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schools

The results show that by the time they leave, pupils achieve very high standards in reading and in mathematics compared with schools across the country. Compared to schools similar to Templemoor, standards are average.

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schools

In writing, more children achieve the national average than in most schools, but fewer reach higher levels. The school is already aware of the need to change its approach to the teaching of writing.

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schools

Standards in science are above average. In all other subjects they are average or similar to those in other schools, except in physical education, where they are better.

p.9

Teaching in: Under 5 5 - 7 years

English Good Good Mathematics Good Good Science Good Good Information technology N/A Satisfactory Religious education N/A Good

p.9

Templemoor Infant School - 10

There was no unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. Across the school about two in ten lessons were excellent or very good, five in ten good and three in ten satisfactory. The staff in the school have discussed what the strengths of good teaching are, and this has resulted in similar approaches across the classes.

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Templemoor Infant School - 10

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 Pupils' behaviour is very good both in lessons and at other times. Attendance Satisfactory and most pupils are punctual. Ethos* The pupils' attitudes to work are very good and relationships strong. The school is committed to achieving high levels of attainment, for example through setting targets. Pupils try hard to improve their work and teachers give them much encouragement. Leadership and management The headteacher provides strong leadership, and the deputy and governors are involved and supportive. Teachers responsible for subjects give very valuable support to each other. There is a climate of continuous improvement. Curriculum Good for the under-fives and satisfactory for Key Stage 1. Whilst there is a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy, care is taken to keep the breadth and interest for young children. Assessment of pupils' progress is better developed and used in English, mathematics and science than in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils with special educational needs Pupils are well provided for and receive appropriate support, which helps them to make good progress. The very specific targets set for them also contribute to the successful provision. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Provision for social and moral development is very good; for spiritual and cultural development it is satisfactory. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good. The school is adequately staffed and arrangements for training are particularly good. The building and grounds are attractive and stimulating. There are enough resources to teach all subjects, with those for literacy and numeracy especially good. Value for money The school is very efficiently run and gives good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

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

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

V. Children are happy to come to school. VI. The school promotes good attitudes and values. VII. The school achieves high standards of behaviour. VIII. The school is easy to approach with questions or problems. IX. A small number of parents felt they were not

p.10

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

Inspection findings support the positive views of the majority of parents. Pupils are settled and happy at the school and their behaviour is very good. The school has a strong moral code. There are detailed and well-written annual

p.10

Templemoor Infant School - 11

reports for parents and formal occasions during the year for them to discuss their children's work with teachers. Teachers are also available to meet with parents at the end of the day. These arrangements are sufficient to keep parents well informed.

p.11

KEY ISSUES FOR ACTION

To further improve the good quality of the education already provided, the headteacher, staff and governors should now address the following areas:

p.11

To improve attainment and progress in writing by:

X. assessing pupils' writing skills more closely; XI. providing more challenging activities, particularly for more able pupils during the literacy hour; XII. giving more support to younger pupils as they begin to write in more formal situations; XIII. giving older pupils more time to practise extended and imaginative writing. (paragraphs 5, 8, 10, 36, 72, 74, 84, 85, 89, 90)

p.11

To improve curriculum planning in art, design and technology, geography and history by:

XIV. providing a clear written overview which shows what content is to be covered in each subject each year, and how it builds progressively on what has gone before; XV. clearly and specifically setting out what key outcomes are aimed for in each block of work; XVI. matching tasks carefully to the intended outcomes for all groups of pupils; XVII. devising manageable assessments to measure pupils' success in achieving the outcomes. (paragraphs 30, 33, 36, 133, 137, 142)

p.12

To further raise the challenge to higher attainers and above average ability pupils by:

XVIII. planning for tasks which fully match their capabilities; XIX. ensuring extension work is always available; XX. giving them more open-ended tasks and challenges, and more often. (paragraphs 13, 25, 30, 89, 103, 114)

p.12

To further raise the challenge to higher attainers and above average ability pupils by:

In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the plan. These are indicated in paragraphs (123 and 129) assessment in information technology and religious education, (52 and 61) the school development plan, (148) pupils' dress for games, and (56) minor omissions from school documents.

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Characteristics of the school

1. Templemoor Infant and Nursery School is an average size school in Sale, on the outer fringe of Manchester. There are currently 146 pupils on roll from four to seven in the reception to Year 2 classes, with a further 48 pupils attending either morning or afternoon sessions in a nursery class . All the pupils in the nursery class and all except two in the reception classes were under five during the inspection. Children are admitted into the nursery on a part-time basis from three years of age and they transfer into the reception class at the beginning of the school year in which they become five.

p.12

Characteristics of the school

2. The immediate area around the school is mainly private housing but 63 of the present pupils come from out of zone, including the more disadvantaged area of Sale Moor. The number of pupils presently known to be eligible for free school meals (seven per cent) is below average for primary schools nationally. The number of pupils on the school's register of special educational needs (six per cent) is below average, as is the percentage of these pupils who have Statements of Special Educational Need (0 per cent). The percentage of pupils speaking English as an additional language (three per cent) is higher than in most schools. Most pupils enter the nursery with average levels of attainment.

p.12

Templemoor Infant School - 13

3. The school aims to offer its pupils high quality teaching and learning in a happy, stimulating environment. Its main development priorities are:

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Templemoor Infant School - 13

• . completing development of the grounds; • . linking the curriculum for science with the non-core subjects; • . further training staff in information technology; • . strengthening the links already made between individual governors and particular subjects.

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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 33 26 59

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Results

Number of pupils Boys 29 31 33 At NC Level 2 or Girls 26 22 26 above Total 55 53 59 Percentage at NC School 93 (84) 90 (85) 100 (82) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Results

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 29 30 33 at NC Level 2 or Girls 26 24 26 above Total 55 54 59 Percentage at NC School 92 (87) 92 (87) 100 (95) Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Results

________________________________ Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) % missed through absence for the Authorised School 8.0 latest complete reporting year: absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.3 absence National comparative data 0.5

p.14

Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) Number

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Exclusions

during 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 18 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

1. Over the past three years there has not been a clear trend in pupils' test scores. In reading and mathematics, test scores fell between 1996 and 1998. In writing, there was a slight improvement between 1996 and 1997 with a fall again to 1998. However, at no time have results fallen significantly below the national average and in reading they have always been significantly better. Compared to similar schools, results in 1998 were in line for reading but low for writing and mathematics. This was because more pupils reached higher levels in similar schools.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

2. The 1999 results are improved in reading, writing and mathematics. Compared to the national picture, results are well above average in reading and in mathematics, and above average in writing. Compared to similar schools, reading and mathematics are average but writing is below, despite the large numbers reaching the national level. More pupils are reaching higher levels than before but still too few to make favourable comparison.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

3. Teachers' assessments are generally in line with test results. In science, where there are only assessments, pupils have performed at a consistently above average level compared to national standards. In all subjects boys and girls have fared equally well.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

4. Children show average levels of attainment on entry to school. They make good progress so that they are in line to meet the levels expected nationally by the time they are five and to exceed these in personal and social development, and in speaking and listening. In personal and social development, children's confidence and ability to co-operate develop quickly. They are given many opportunities to develop the skills needed to work and play with others, through both free choice and teacher-led activities.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

5. In language and literacy, pupils under five develop their reading and writing skills steadily. In speaking and listening, they make very good progress. This results from staff taking every opportunity, through role-play, drama and also through more formal lessons such as the literacy hour. Progress is slower in writing than in reading because children are not always given appropriate levels of support as they move from emergent writing to more formal tasks. In mathematics, progress is steady in the nursery. In the reception class, children make good progress as they respond to challenging teaching and they learn quickly.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

6. Progress in other areas for pupils under five is satisfactory. Pupils develop sound creative skills as they paint pictures and print backgrounds for displays. They develop their physical skills appropriately through outdoor play or through making models with construction sets. Their knowledge and understanding of the world progresses well as they explore many different aspects of the world around them, such as the seasons and their effect on our lives.

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EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL

7. The outcomes of the evaluation of older pupils' work during the inspection largely match the test results. By the age of seven, pupils' speaking and listening skills are strong and many pupils are fluent and accurate readers. Their writing is not quite as good as the other areas, in part because it does not receive as much time and attention under the literacy hour arrangements. Further, teachers have a particularly good knowledge of how to teach reading and their teaching of writing is not as skilful. Standards of handwriting are average whilst spelling and punctuation are good. In mathematics, pupils develop good numeracy skills and they can apply their knowledge well to solve problems in investigations. Although there is a strong emphasis on number work, they perform well in all aspects of mathematics. In science, pupils are good at experimental and investigative work because of the amount of 'hands on' activities they undertake from week

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

8. Attainment for the older pupils in information technology and religious education is average. In both subjects progress is satisfactory. In information technology, some aspects are stronger than others. For example, when working on computers, pupils are better at using the mouse than the keyboard. Standards in religious education are better than at the time of the previous inspection, with pupils now having a satisfactory knowledge about Christianity and other faiths. 11. 9. In art, design and technology, geography, history and music standards are similar to those found in most schools and progress is satisfactory. In physical education standards are better than in most schools, with progress satisfactory in games but good in gymnastics. In art, pupils show good skills in observational drawing. In physical education they are particularly good at controlling their movements and using space

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

well. Mapping skills in geography are above average.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

10. Sometimes the progress of higher attaining pupils and those with just above average ability is not as good as it could be. This happens when they are not sufficiently stretched and challenged. In English and mathematics this can be because the tasks they are given when working independently are too easy or because they are not supplied with extension work when they finish. In science they are not always taken the extra mile; for example in being challenged to record and present their work in different ways.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

11. The small number of pupils with special educational needs make good progress, particularly when they are given the close support of the teacher, classroom assistant or another helper. Pupils with English as an additional language make progress in line with other pupils in the school.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

14. Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

12. Children under the age of five show very good attitudes to learning. When they start in the nursery they settle quickly into school routines. They are eager to learn and persevere well with the tasks set. By the time they reach reception, most are able to tidy away at the end of a session, wash their hands and dress themselves without help. They are good at working independently or in small groups as required. They get on well with, and respect, each other.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

13. Pupils in Key Stage 1 also have very good attitudes to their work. They settle quickly and respond very well to the activity set, sustaining their concentration for long periods. They are very enthusiastic learners who are able to move easily from one task to the next with minimal guidance. This was seen, for example, in a Year 2 mathematics lesson, when children moved smoothly from one worksheet to the next as they finished.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

14. Behaviour is very good both in the classroom and around school, including the playground. Pupils move around sensibly and quietly. Lunchtime in the hall is a happy, pleasant social occasion. The very good behaviour in class is exemplified in literacy and numeracy lessons by how well the pupils work when they are not in the teacher's focus group. There have been no exclusions.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

15. Relationships throughout the school are very good. Pupils and adults get on well with each other and the school is a happy community. Children willingly share resources, for example in physical education activities, and are very keen to be helpful. They show genuine appreciation for pupils who have other languages. They also show a highly developed sense of responsibility when they take registers to the office or when helping with the tuck shop. They are willing to take the initiative; for example in tidying away chairs in the lunch hall. They are very confident in discussions and offer views and opinions at times such as the literacy hour. Pupils show through their knowledge of books that they are learning how to conduct their own research.

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Templemoor Infant School - 16

16. The parents show a very high level of satisfaction with the standard of behaviour achieved and the inspection

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Templemoor Infant School - 17

supports their view. This aspect has been significantly improved since the last inspection.

p.17

Attendance

17. After the last inspection, attendance fell to well below the national average and the unauthorised absence rate rose. This was partly due to parents taking children on holiday in term time. This situation has recently been improved and attendance is now satisfactory. The children arrive punctually and settle quickly to their work so a prompt start is achieved to the day. Registration periods are used well and set the tone for the day.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

18. The quality of teaching is good. During the inspection about two in ten lessons were excellent or very good, five in ten good and three in ten satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. A strength of the teaching is the consistency across classes and the common approaches used.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

19. The quality of teaching for under-fives ranges from satisfactory to excellent, and is good overall. Tasks are well planned and teachers use questioning strategies very well to extend and reinforce children's learning. In nursery, children's developments are carefully assessed throughout the year. Records are passed on when the children enter reception and teachers make good use of them to plan the next steps for each child. This is an improvement from the last inspection. A particular strength of teaching in the reception classes is the quality of teachers' explanations to the whole class. All staff who work with the under-fives demonstrate enthusiasm, energy and obvious enjoyment in working with their pupils. This has a very positive effect on their progress. In nursery, a strong feature is the quality of the teamwork and the good relationships that staff build with parents, pupils and each other. This helps to provide children with an environment in which

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

they feel happy, safe and secure and which provides a firm foundation for learning. Assessment is used well, as was seen when the programme for the afternoon children was adjusted because they were not yet ready to sit for the amount of time planned.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

20. Teaching in Key Stage 1 ranges from very good to satisfactory, with most good. Teachers have a good knowledge of how to go about teaching key skills such as reading. This can be seen, for example, during shared reading sessions in the literacy hour when pupils make very good progress. The quality of teachers questioning is high as they check what pupils know, or challenge them to think in mathematics or observe in science. Management of pupils is very good and they are usually encouraged to sustain their learning. At times teachers make mundane tasks exciting by the way they present the work and use their personalities. Introductions to lessons and the summary sessions at the end are particular strengths. In the best introductions, the aims of the lesson are shared and pupils are told what they are expected to know, find out or have achieved by the end. The summary session is then used to check whether the aims have been

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

achieved. For example in a Year 1 mathematics lesson, a clear objective was set for some pupils to learn to recognise coins and this was checked at the end. Natural links were also made to homework when these pupils were asked to try to bring their 'tuck' money the following day in coins smaller than ten pence so they could apply their learning. In a science lesson in Year 2, pupils were well prepared to observe changes when heating materials and at the end of the lesson their observations were carefully checked. Their work was also extended into homework when it was suggested they might put water on cornflour overnight and bring in the outcomes the next day.

p.17

QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED

21. In the core subjects, teachers plan lessons in enough detail and usually the learning objectives are clear. When this is the case, useful assessments are made which are then used to plan the next stages of work for pupils.

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Templemoor Infant School - 18

22. There are occasional weaknesses in teaching. Teachers generally have high expectations of pupils but now and again they do not check groups working on their own often enough. At these times their rate of progress falls. Sometimes these are higher attainers, particularly in Year 2, who are not given work that offers enough challenge for them and they finish it very quickly without being stretched. At other times groups of lower attainers need more interventions by the teacher because they are struggling to do the task they have been given. In science, in reception and Year 1, lesson objectives are not as clear as they are in Year 2. In physical education in all classes, not enough attention is drawn to the effects of exercise on health.

p.18

Templemoor Infant School - 18

23. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. The tasks given to them are well matched to their abilities, and teachers and other adults give them as much support as possible. Pupils with English as an additional language are integrated well and have few specific needs. Teachers are aware of these and check their understanding as a matter of course.

p.18

Templemoor Infant School - 18

24. The teaching of literacy and numeracy are both good. A particular feature of the literacy teaching is the high quality of the introductions to lessons where, through direct teaching, pupils learn new skills, knowledge and strategies. In numeracy, the mental arithmetic sessions are very valuable. Pupils' interest is gained and held by good use of resources such as a 'naughty monkey' puppet or the teacher making deliberate mistakes to explore children's understanding and get a reaction.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

25. The quality of the curriculum provided for the children under five is good. All the recommended areas of learning are well planned for. There is a good balance between activities that the children select for themselves and others which are directed by the teacher or the support staff. Early in the year the children choose most of the activities for themselves but as the year progresses, there are more teacher-led activities. The early years curriculum provides a good foundation for the National Curriculum.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

26. The curriculum provided in Key Stage 1 is broad, balanced and relevant to the needs of all the children. It meets statutory requirements. Sufficient time is allocated to the teaching of literacy and numeracy. At the last inspection, insufficient time was given to the teaching of religious education, and the school did not fully comply with requirements. A new scheme has now been implemented and sufficient time is given to this subject.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

27. The quality of planning in literacy and numeracy is good. For other subjects, the Programmes of Study have been divided up for each year group to try to ensure good coverage of the National Curriculum. Planning is based on half-termly topics centred on science. However, this content has not yet been set out in a clear and accessible long-term plan so it is difficult see how well it is achieved. Learning outcomes are sometimes not defined in enough detail. This can result in children doing activities that do not match what the class teacher is trying to achieve. When lesson objectives are too broad, activities are not always well matched for the different abilities of all the children and it becomes hard to assess their progress.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

28. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. Their needs are identified at an early stage and appropriate programmes of work are planned. These are based on good quality individual education plans which have sharply defined targets. For instance, for one child it was learning to spell his name. These plans promote good progress.

p.18

The curriculum and assessment

29. The school's provision for literacy is very effective and well planned. Lessons are well structured to promote pupils' knowledge and understanding. The literacy links between home and school are good. This is promoted through the good use of reading diaries that contain worthwhile comments. Literacy is well promoted through all subjects; for example in Year 2, children write descriptions of their homes in a geography lesson. The school's provision for numeracy is good. It successfully follows the national

p.18

Templemoor Infant School - 19

framework and some very good quality resources have been purchased. There is regular practice in numeracy skills and the discussion of number. The use of numeracy skills in other subjects is not regularly planned for and occurs more by chance than design.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

30. The curricular provision for personal and social education is satisfactory. Circle time is used effectively to encourage discussion and pupils experience a good range of activities, though there is no long-term curriculum plan. The school provides a lunchtime recorder club which 28 children presently attend. This enhances the musical understanding of those who take part and helps them learn to read music.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

31. Equality of access to the curriculum is excellent. Teachers plan together in their year groups to ensure that the children are provided with consistent learning experiences. They show a good awareness of the needs of all the pupils. There is a policy and guidelines for staff that set out the elements of good practice for them to follow. Teachers are careful to ensure that just girls or boys do not dominate any activity.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

32. The quality of assessment procedures for children under five is good. There are clear systems such as the entry profile that sets clear targets. These are shared with parents and are based on personal and social education development, language and numeracy. Information gained from assessments on entry to the reception classes is used well to plan the next steps of learning for each child.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

33. At Key Stage 1, in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, the quality of assessment procedures is good. It is better in reading than writing because in reading the assessment focuses closely on the particular reading skills of the children whereas, in writing, it is less specific. In mathematics it focuses on skills that the children acquire throughout the school. Useful records are kept and passed on to the next teacher. In science, assessment procedures have recently been revised and now closely match the intended outcomes planned for the lessons. In other curriculum areas, assessments are not formally recorded and, because of this, it makes it more difficult for teachers to plan work that accurately reflects the abilities of the children. Even in the core subjects where procedures for assessment are good, the outcomes are not always used enough to ensure the right level of challenge to all children.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

36. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

34. The school's provision in this area is good. The parents are very happy with the values and attitudes promoted and their children's responses.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

35. The school effectively promotes pupils' spiritual development. It has identified opportunities in the curriculum where spiritual issues can be explored. The statutory requirement to provide a daily act of worship is met. The assemblies are planned to provide thoughtful themes and times of reflection. These are further developed in personal and social education lessons. The children are encouraged to respect the feelings, opinions and beliefs of others.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

36. Provision for pupils' moral development is very good. All staff consistently reinforce knowledge of right and wrong and consideration for others. This shows clearly in the behaviour of the children. They are helped to take responsibility for their own actions. For example, there is one playground sanction where they have to reflect on their behaviour for a few minutes. The school provides many opportunities for children to consider the needs of others in the local and wider community and to respond through the work of charities.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

37. The promotion of social development is also very good. The children are given a range of responsibilities such as door monitors and helping with tuck shop. They are helped to make choices, as for example in circle time when they 'pick a friend'. Opportunities are provided for them to work co-operatively, as when they share computers or work together as partners in physical education making bridges.

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Templemoor Infant School - 19

38. Cultural education is sound. Visitors to the school and visits to the local and wider community help the

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Templemoor Infant School - 20

children to learn about their own society and culture. The school's promotion of pupils' multicultural understanding has improved since the last inspection. It includes provision of good quality religious education artefacts and encouraging participation in festivals from other cultures such as Eid and the Chinese New Year. There is a good range of literature to promote positive images of other cultures.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

39. This is an area that has significantly improved since the last inspection. The parents are right to be very positive about this aspect. All staff know the pupils well and provide a happy, caring and safe environment. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported, as are children under five. This is ensured through close monitoring and good links with parents. Staff show good knowledge and awareness of the needs of children for whom English is not their first language. Pupils' progress and development is very carefully monitored.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

40. Procedures for promoting good behaviour are very effective, helped by the consistency with which all staff apply them. Strengths include use of praise and rewards, and good quality training for midday supervisors. The development of the grounds and provision of an excellent range of play resources helps to ensure pupils are occupied when in the playground and are thus less likely to become bored. Staff provide good role models for the children. Monitoring of behaviour is helped through use of logbooks by the midday supervisors.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

41. Better promotion of good attendance has brought the level back in line with the national average. Continued evaluation and promotion are needed to consolidate this improvement.

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Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

42. Procedures for child protection are very good and the school complies with the legal requirements. The co- ordinator ensures all staff and parents are aware of the issues involved. The quality of training of staff in all areas of welfare is good and contributes significantly to the good provision. This represents an improvement since the last inspection. The school gives careful consideration to decisions affecting health and safety; for example closely evaluating the strengths and potential hazards of the log play area.

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Partnership with parents and the community

43. Parents receive good quality information about the daily life of the school and its events through newsletters and personal contact. The school also sends home a good range of curriculum information, which in recent times has included literacy, numeracy, and personal and social education topics. Evening meetings are also held to explain about initiatives such as the literacy hour.

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Partnership with parents and the community

44. Good quality information is provided for parents of children with special educational needs and, where necessary, for parents of pupils for whom English is an additional language. Parents of children under five receive very good practical and curriculum information, along with a comprehensive end of year report. Although one or two parents were unhappy with the information they receive about their child's progress, the written end of year report for infants are judged to be good. They contain detailed information and a clear picture of the progress made during the year. They also pinpoint areas that need further support.

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Partnership with parents and the community

45. Parents feel strongly encouraged to get involved in the life of the school, more so than at the time of the previous inspection. Their involvement is now very good. Parents help out in lessons and have a positive impact on the learning, as seen for example in science. They also contribute to the learning through fund- raising activities. These have provided computers and helped the environmental work. They have also helped with the grounds development themselves as part of the work force. Parental involvement in homework is good. They particularly like the weekly homework sheets and home-school diaries, which give good two-way communication.

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46. The attainment and personal development of pupils is promoted and enriched through links with the community, which are good. Links are wide ranging and include other schools, the local church and national charities. There has also been generous sponsorship from local firms to further the work on the grounds.

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Leadership and management

47. Leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher has a clear vision which is reflected in the changes that have taken place since her appointment, close to the time of the previous inspection. The mission and aims are clearly set out, regularly reviewed and widely promoted in everyday life. For example, emphasis is given to personal and social education, and when curriculum changes are made, care is taken to consider its breadth and appeal to young children. This ethos is further strengthened by the attention that the school gives to raising standards, for example through analysing test results and the move towards setting targets for pupils' attainment. There are strong and warm relationships between staff and the children. Parents strongly support the school's aims and values.

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Leadership and management

48. Parents at the meeting commented on the improvement in the school over the past three years and the inspection supports their view. Since the previous inspection the school has addressed its key issues and other weaknesses identified by the headteacher when newly appointed. It has successfully implemented the literacy and numeracy hours giving them a high priority. From issues at the previous inspection, best progress has been made in the development of the roles of teachers responsible for individual subjects. They are now very influential in promoting better quality provision and monitoring for their subjects. For example in literacy, valuable training has been provided, and the co-ordinator has observed lessons and discussed the outcomes with the teacher. Provision for religious education is improved, with standards and teaching now satisfactory. Schemes have been established for all subjects. Teachers' use of assessment in English,

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Leadership and management

mathematics and science is effective. However, there is still some work to do to link it more closely to curriculum planning in information technology, religious education and the non-core subjects. The establishment of an overall curriculum plan has not fully succeeded. A promising approach using science as the central thread has been implemented but it does not yet present a clear and coherent framework for teachers to plan from. Other significant improvements are in the environment, improving the behaviour of pupils, and in teaching and learning methods. The headteacher regularly reviews progress with the action plan from the previous inspection and the school is very well placed to improve in the future. The governors and the headteacher know clearly what needs to be done.

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Leadership and management

52. School development planning is thorough and based on wide consultation across staff, governors and helpers. Changes, including those from the previous inspection, are carefully drawn together in the school development plan. It includes a long-term overview of areas to be tackled over three years and more detailed plans for the year ahead. Priorities are clearly set out and resources allocated to support the main developments. Criteria are included against which to judge the success of actions though these do not show clearly enough what difference the changes are expected to make to attainment, progress or the quality of education. For example, the success of rewriting the religious education scheme is to be measured by staff use rather than expected improvements in either the quality of the curriculum or pupils' attainment. This makes it harder to measure success.

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Leadership and management

53. The governors make an important contribution to the running of the school. Governors are active and knowledgeable and minutes of their meetings reflect debate and decisions on issues that matter. Options are clearly considered in full on matters such as staffing levels, class sizes and attracting more pupils to the school. Governors have a good grasp of their responsibilities for setting future direction, development planning and checking standards. They pursue their individual curriculum responsibilities by working frequently in classrooms and with teachers.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

49. Management of provision for special educational needs is good. The deputy headteacher, who co-ordinates this aspect, makes a strong contribution to school management through the role. She works closely with class teachers to help identify particular needs and to write individual education plans. A check is then kept to ensure that they are adhered to. Management of provision for under-fives is also good. A strength in this area is the teamwork of teachers and the nursery nurse.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

50. The school recognises the importance of ensuring that all pupils have equal access to the curriculum. The equal opportunities policy is extended by useful guidance for teachers on how to ensure equality in the classroom.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

51. The school complies with most of its statutory responsibilities. There are some minor omissions from the prospectus and governors' annual report.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

56. Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

52. There is a sufficient number of suitably qualified staff to meet the demands of the National Curriculum and a good match of staff qualifications to the age group they teach. Both the English and mathematics co- ordinators have specialist qualifications. The depth of subject knowledge they have and their level of training helps to make them very effective in supporting other teachers. The school employs a sufficient number of classroom support staff. The school administrator, lunchtime supervisors and caretaker contribute a great deal to the smooth running of the school. The lunchtime supervisors are particularly good. They are regularly trained in how best to promote pupils' personal development. In the playground they help the children to play games so that lunchtimes are constructively used and fun.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

53. The professional development of staff is good. Much of the recent training has centred on the implementation of the literacy and numeracy hours, which are progressing well. Teachers are confident in how to best teach both the literacy and numeracy hours. The special educational needs co-ordinator has undertaken appropriate training to help her in her role. In physical education there has been an improvement in teaching following professional development.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

54. The accommodation is good; the building is a bright and stimulating learning environment, which is clean and well maintained. Pupils' work is celebrated everywhere in the school. Both the building and grounds have undergone considerable development since the previous inspection and are much improved. The grounds are now interesting for the pupils and equipped with areas such as a log play area , which offers pupils challenge in their physical and social development . Work continues on a garden and a mathematics area, which will benefit the curriculum. There is good quality outdoor play equipment in the nursery playground, which is also made use of by the reception children.

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Templemoor Infant School - 22

55. Resources for learning in literacy and numeracy are very good, and they are good for all other subjects except information technology, where they are satisfactory. Although there is now plenty of software, there is still a need for more computers. However, this reflects a considerable improvement on resources at the time of the previous inspection when they were inadequate in religious education, design and technology, and information technology.

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The efficiency of the school

56. Efficiency in the use of finances and other resources available to the school is good. The headteacher and governors plan ahead successfully to account for variations in budget and expenditure. For example, they have given careful consideration in deciding on how much to spend this year, in the light of projected changes in staff and pupil numbers in the next two or three years. Through their finance committee, they exercise efficient budgetary control and they are keen to ensure that all available funds are used. They make

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good financial decisions, use funds wisely and receive regular updates on spending. Spending is closely linked to the priorities in the school development plan. However the plan does not presently make clear enough the expected impact of changes on pupils' attainment, progress or the quality of provision to allow them to clearly evaluate the return on spending decisions.

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Templemoor Infant School - 23

57. Routine administration and procedures for accounting are clear and straightforward. The day-to-day administration of the school runs smoothly and daily routines are efficiently organised. All the recommendations of the most recent auditors' report have been acted on.

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Templemoor Infant School - 23

58. Teachers and support staff are deployed to best advantage. Classroom assistants and the nursery nurse make a valuable contribution to pupils' progress and they are particularly effective at ensuring that pupils with special educational needs are fully involved in class activities. There is valuable specialist teaching for music.

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Templemoor Infant School - 23

59. The accommodation is used well. The best possible use is made of space; for example corridors have been used to make attractive areas for computers, a library and a cosy area for small groups to undertake language work or other activities. Efficient use is also made of resources; for example the nursery and reception classes share to maximise use and the reception children sometimes use the nursery play area to mix socially. The school has also bought games equipment for use during lunchtime which supports putting into practice a key aim of the school, that of high quality personal and social development.

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Templemoor Infant School - 23

60. There are no specific funds allocated to the school for special educational needs. It uses its own budget very well to support these pupils; for example through the provision of materials which allow them to work on the same curriculum content as the rest of the class but at a different level. Spending on literacy and numeracy also brings a worthwhile return; for example the school has a wealth of stimulating big books, guided readers and mathematics games. The school has been successful in gaining sponsorship for the attractive grounds developments. Donations from the parents' association have been of particular benefit in helping information technology keep pace with increased demands.

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Templemoor Infant School - 23

61. The cost of educating pupils is just above to the national average. When pupils enter the school, there is a similar number with average attainment as there is in most schools. By the time they leave, a better than average number of pupils have achieved the levels expected nationally and as many reach higher levels as in most schools. The quality of the education provided is very good and so are the pupils' personal development, behaviour and their attitudes to their work. The school gives good value for money.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

62. The nursery admits children on a part-time basis from the September after they reach three years of age. At the time of the inspection, nearly all pupils in the two reception classes were also under five, having been in school for less than half a term.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

63. Both the nursery and the reception classes provide a good foundation for the learning of under-fives. Teacher assessments, which are undertaken as children enter school, show that the majority have skills similar to what is expected at this age. Most children are on course to reach the levels expected nationally in all areas of learning by the age of five. However, in personal and social development, and speaking and listening skills, their attainment will exceed this.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

64. Pupils' good progress is due in part to the high quality of the curriculum provided. This is broad, balanced and gives children of all abilities a wide range of practical experiences. It is also due to good teaching, which skilfully balances self-chosen activities with those directed by the teacher. Careful assessment ensures that all staff know their pupils well and can therefore cater appropriately for their needs.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

65. Within the areas of personal and social development, children in both the nursery and reception classes make very good progress. Their attainment by five is likely to exceed the learning outcomes expected. All children demonstrate very positive attitudes to school. They are very happy and eager to learn. Pupils in the nursery are already beginning to relate to each other positively and are learning to take turns and share. Children are happy to choose from the range of activities on offer and can sustain concentration for quite long periods, when working without direct adult supervision. In the reception classes this very strong foundation is built on and extended further through activities such as circle time, in which children are taught to take it in turns and consider the thoughts and feelings of others.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

66. Teaching in personal and social development is very good. In both nursery and reception, staff take every opportunity to reinforce good behaviour and develop social skills. For example they constantly reinforce the need to say “please” and “thank you”, to wash hands or to move aside to let other pupils through. On one occasion during the start of a literacy lesson in a reception class, the teacher sensitively drew a child's attention to the correct way to deal with a used tissue without any interruption to the flow of the lesson. Children behave and work well, both independently and in groups, because of the high expectations teachers have of them.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

67. The majority of children are on course to achieve the standards expected at the age of five. In speaking and listening they are set to exceed them. Very good progress is made in the development of spoken language skills. In the nursery, children are happy to talk to adults about their work and play. They develop their conversation skills well as they engage in imaginative play, cooking and serving pizza, and making phone calls in the home corner. In the reception classes, children's language skills are further developed through the many opportunities they have to act out the stories they have read and through activities, such as organising a birthday party in the classroom role-play area. Nursery children are beginning to listen attentively to stories and can recite simple rhymes. They are also beginning to understand and follow teachers' instructions. The majority are beginning to understand that print carries meaning and that we write

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE

for a variety of purposes. An example of this was when children were writing down telephone messages in a notebook, while playing in the home corner. In reception, these good foundations are built on well. A high

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

proportion of children recognise alphabet letters by both shape and sound and can say them in order. Some children are making good attempts at beginning to read, recognising familiar words. A strong feature of both reception classes is the emphasis placed on children enjoying books and reading. Writing is also developed further, with children being given opportunities to practise letter shapes and to attempt to write for many different purposes. However, this area is not promoted as successfully as reading, and speaking and listening because pupils are not always given such good support.

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

68. Teaching of literacy is satisfactory in the nursery and good in reception. In the nursery children are encouraged to share books and most children handle them carefully. Good storytelling techniques are used to stimulate their interest. Teachers and other adults extend children's vocabulary very well through talking with them during planned activities, such as baking jam tarts and bathing dolls and also through planned role-play. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Teachers have high expectations of the pupils; for example in reception, children are expected to both listen carefully as teachers explain their activities and to carry out instructions independently. They are also expected to join in with question and answer sessions, for example during the literacy hour, and are encouraged to express their thoughts and ideas clearly. Every opportunity is taken to develop this aspect of children's learning.

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

69. Teachers prepare high quality, exciting and stimulating activities to develop pupils' skills. In both reception classes, children are encouraged to recognise words through playing fun games. They are encouraged to read them in a variety of different voices, for example like a monster and a mouse, to help with expression. This catches their interest and enthusiasm. On occasions, children are not given the appropriate levels of support to help them move from 'invented' writing to a more recognisable form and this reduces the confidence of some pupils.

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

70. Pupils make good progress and most are on course to meet the expected learning outcomes by the time they are five. At present, nursery children do not always choose mathematical activities, but they are guided towards them skilfully by the staff. In the nursery children make simple, linear two colour patterns using counters; this is extended in reception to more complex patterns, and the recognition of pattern and shape in the environment. Many pupils in the nursery can count up to five and are beginning to recognise number shapes. Their skills are reinforced through rhymes and songs and through activities such as making paper gloves and counting the fingers. In reception, number skills develop very quickly and pupils make good progress from this sound foundation. Children can count and recognise higher numbers and sort objects by colour, shape and size. Those of higher ability can recognise shapes such as circles, squares and triangles.

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

Learning is extended through a wide range of exciting practical activities, such as using computer programs and paint to create repeating patterns, and 'washing-lines' of numerals to encourage number recognition.

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

71. Teaching of mathematics is satisfactory or good in the nursery and very good in reception. In the nursery, attention is given to the development of pupils' mathematical language, though this was more evident during the inspection for the morning group than the afternoon. Good questioning encourages pupils to look very closely during work on patterns, and resources are used well to support their understanding. Support staff make a valuable contribution; for example in helping some pupils to find patterns in the environment. Now and again the objectives set out in the planning for lessons are not clear enough and this can lead to tasks which do not follow from the lesson introduction. In reception, teaching in the numeracy hour is helping pupils to develop a good range of mental strategies. Lessons are planned in great detail with clear intended learning outcomes. Very good questioning checks pupils' existing knowledge at the start of lessons and a

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Templemoor Infant School - 26

wide range of resources are used to back up activities. In both reception classes lessons are very well organised so that children move easily between activities or worksheets. At the end of lessons, learning is reinforced through activities such as songs that consolidate counting done at the start of the lesson.

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Templemoor Infant School - 27

76. Knowledge and understanding of the world

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Templemoor Infant School - 27

72. In their knowledge and understanding of the world, children are likely to achieve the levels expected by the time they are five. They make good progress. In nursery they are provided with an interesting range of experiences, such as washing and drying the dolls' clothes and mixing ingredients to make jam tarts. They examine leaves, conkers and acorns through large magnifiers. In reception, children develop additional skills through the topics they study. For example, in science, pupils observed bread being made, and were fascinated to see how the dough rose because of the action of the yeast. They also explored the action of water on compost. The children's sense of time is developed as they chart class birthdays. Through role- play and discussion they develop an understanding of the way in which people celebrate important events in their lives.

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Templemoor Infant School - 27

73. Teaching is good. Activities such as making bread excite the children, and they are challenged to think about questions such as "What will happen when the ingredients are mixed together?". They are encouraged to predict and observe closely. Much attention is given to safe practice, for example in carrying scissors. Correct vocabulary such as 'dissolved', 'melt' or 'risen' is taught throughout.

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Templemoor Infant School - 27

74. Children's physical development is in line to reach the expected standard by the time they are five and they make satisfactory progress. The opportunities provided for nursery outdoor play have improved since the last inspection. Children are able to develop control of their body movements through balancing on benches and negotiating climbing frames and ladders. They can manoeuvre a range of pedal cars and tricycles, which often require the co-operation of two or three children. Reception children also have planned opportunities to use this equipment.

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Templemoor Infant School - 27

75. Teaching is satisfactory. Reception pupils' skills are extended as they use a range of apparatus in gymnastic lessons. Pupils in both nursery and reception are provided with a variety of activities to develop their manipulative skills. For example, they use scissors to cut out jigsaw shapes, do puzzles, and play with small construction kits. Teachers also use drawing, painting and colouring activities in developing these skills. 80.

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Creative development

76. Children's creative development is in line to meet the expected level by the time they are five. They make satisfactory progress. In nursery they are given plenty of opportunities to draw, print, paint and make collages. They make leaf rubbings with crayon and develop their making skills through working with construction sets and bricks. Imaginative opportunities are created for them to develop an understanding of texture by exploring substances such as pasta, rice, flour and jelly and rough and smooth materials. In reception, children extend these experiences further, working with a wide range of construction sets and making faces from paper plates and sticky paper. During the inspection period, they had great fun making 'party food' for the role-play area from dough. In both nursery and reception classes, pupils enjoy singing familiar songs and rhymes and listening to music.

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Creative development

82. Teaching of creative activities is satisfactory. Planning covers a range of appropriate activities and in the nursery, the teacher and nursery nurse work closely with pupils when they are on task. For example, when they are working with the 'feely bowls' pupils are asked questions such as 'how is the cooked pasta different from the dried pasta?' After the activities, the summary is used well to draw pupils' attention to the new language.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

77. In the 1998 national tests at the age of seven, pupils achieved standards well above the national average in reading and in line with the national average in writing.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

78. In the 1999 tests, in reading and writing, more pupils achieved the average for their age than in 1998. In reading, more pupils also achieved higher levels. Their performance in 1999 tests shows their attainment to be well above average in reading nationally and above average in writing. Reading is average when compared with similar schools, but writing is below. This is because fewer pupils achieve higher levels in writing. Teachers' assessments bear out the test results. 79. Inspection findings indicate that the majority of the current Year 2 pupils are in line to meet the average for their age in both reading and writing. A significant percentage will exceed this in reading but few pupils are likely to exceed this in writing. Attainment is stronger in reading, and speaking and listening, than it is in writing.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

80. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment in reading is above average. By the time they leave the school, most pupils are confident and fluent readers who read with good expression. They enjoy books, and many read with parents at home and visit the local library. The most able pupils can discuss favourite authors and the types of books they like to read, expressing their ideas confidently. The majority of pupils can predict what might come next and retell the stories they have read. Higher attainers can discuss story characters and the reasons for actions and events. Most pupils can find information in reference books through the use of contents pages and glossaries.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

81. Overall, pupils receive a good grounding in basic reading skills. For example, they learn to use different ways of reading unfamiliar words, and are taught to take account of punctuation through reading out loud together. These early skills are built on very quickly.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

82. Progress in reading is good throughout the school, at all ability levels. This is because teachers have an excellent understanding of how to teach reading. They also assess pupils' abilities very closely, recording significant information about children's reading behaviour and this helps them move on very quickly to higher levels of attainment. Throughout the school, teachers make reading fun and take every opportunity to extend children's skills. The best examples of this are in the shared reading sessions during the literacy hour. For example, in Year 2 during a reading of 'Owl Babies', the teacher used skilful questioning to deepen the children's understanding of the story themes and allowed them time to relate these to their own experiences. In Year 1, pupils were reading 'A Wishy Washy Day' and were encouraged to give thoughtful answers to questions about the text.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

83. Attainment in writing for the majority of pupils in Year 2 is in line with the average for their age. However, attainment for more able pupils is lower than might be expected. Pupils reach good standards in spelling. Most pupils are able to spell common words accurately and use a good range of strategies for dealing with words that are unfamiliar. These include sounding out and blending letters and breaking words into smaller 'chunks'. Children are given opportunities to write for different purposes, which are not only enjoyable, but extend their learning in other subject areas. For example, they write descriptions of their homes in geography. They use the skills learned in literacy lessons. For example, when writing estate agents' leaflets as part of their topic on homes, they used text features such as bullet points. However, during literacy lessons, pupils are not always given sufficient opportunity to develop their imaginative story writing. Less

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

time is spent on teaching the process of writing than the technical aspects. This limits the attainment of the more able and higher average pupils in particular.

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Templemoor Infant School - 28

84. Children make satisfactory progress in writing through the school, because early skills are built on steadily. However, progress is not as good as in reading and speaking and listening. One reason for this is that teachers do not assess pupils' writing as systematically as they do their reading. This sometimes results in

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Templemoor Infant School - 29

children being given work that is not challenging enough. Good progress is made in spelling and punctuation skills. This is because they are taught systematically and linked closely to reading.

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Templemoor Infant School - 29

85. Handwriting skills are developed steadily and pupils' attainment is average for their age by Year 2. There have been improvements in this area since the last inspection. Children are given regular practice in letter formation from the earliest stages.

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Templemoor Infant School - 29

86. The majority of Year 2 pupils are very confident and articulate speakers and attentive listeners. Their attainment in these areas exceeds standards expected nationally and is a strength of the school. Almost all pupils are willing and eager to share their ideas, join in class discussions and answer questions. They enjoy explaining their work, for example in the plenary sessions at the end of the literacy hour. In role-play activities, such as when they act out stories they have read or work in the estate agents office, they love to take different parts and adjust their speech accordingly. The majority listen well, both to their teachers and to each other, and show good levels of concentration.

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Templemoor Infant School - 29

87. Throughout the school, children are very confident when speaking to adults and to visitors. Their progress is very good because teachers are highly skilled at presenting them with a wide range of formal and informal opportunities, which extend their learning. Circle time activities are central in giving children the chance to listen, reflect, discuss and explain in a supportive environment.

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88. Pupils with special educational needs and those of lower ability make good progress in all areas of English throughout the school. This is because specific targets are set for them and they receive good support from their teachers and other adults who work with them.

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89. Teaching in English ranges from satisfactory to excellent and is good in the majority of lessons. Where teaching is best, teachers introduce work skilfully with high levels of enthusiasm and creativity. They focus their attention appropriately and have high expectations of their pupils. Where teaching is less effective, pupils are not provided with the right level of challenge to enable them to achieve their full potential. Homework is usually centred on reading and spelling tasks and is well integrated into teaching and learning. Reading diaries provide an excellent link between home and school and support from parents makes a good contribution to children's progress.

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90. Information technology makes an effective contribution to literacy development. Pupils have good opportunities to listen to taped stories both individually and in groups and to type out their writing using a word processor.

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91. The National Literacy Strategy is very well established within the school and is providing a very good structure to the way in which pupils' skills are developed from year to year. The co-ordinator manages the subject well and is very committed to its success. This high quality leadership, which sets clear direction for the subject, is having a very positive effect on teaching and learning.

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92. Pupils' response to all aspects of English and to the literacy hour in particular is very good. They work with obvious enjoyment and enthusiasm; for example when playing literacy-based games.

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Templemoor Infant School - 29

93. Resources for English are plentiful and of very good quality. The headteacher and governing body are strongly committed to developing the subject and a significant amount of money has been spent on ensuring that teachers and pupils have the best equipment available. This has a strong impact on both teaching and learning.

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94. The school's performance has been close to the national average over the past three years. In the 1999

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statutory tests for pupils aged seven, the school achieved well above average results. Within this, the proportion of pupils achieving the level expected for this age (100 per cent) was well above the national average. The proportion of pupils achieving a higher level (22 per cent) was close to the national average. Compared to similar schools, results are average. The 1999 results show an improvement on the previous year in the number of pupils attaining the level expected.

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95. Inspection findings indicate that, at the end of the key stage, attainment for the majority of pupils is above the national average in all aspects of mathematics. The majority of pupils demonstrate good skills in numeracy and are competent with number bonds. For example, they can add and subtract numbers up to 20 and know that 9 + 6 = 15 and 15 - 9 = 6 and 15 - 6 = 9. They have a good understanding of place value in the tens and units columns and some higher attainers can work successfully with numbers up to 1000. Many can recognise odd and even numbers and count in sequences of two, five and ten both forwards and backwards.

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96. Pupils work confidently with standard units of measurement and solve simple money problems that involve giving change. They know the names of common shapes with two and three dimensions, describing their features and can identify and draw lines of symmetry. The majority can recognise both o'clock and half past the hour. Some recognise quarter past and quarter to the hour and can talk about the relationship between digital and analogue time.

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97. Throughout the key stage, pupils make good progress in all aspects of the subject. They consolidate and build on their knowledge and understanding of number, but occasionally the more able pupils are given work that is too easy for them and they do not make as much progress as they should. Pupils' skills in using and applying mathematics develop well because opportunities are provided for them to solve problems. A good example was seen in a Year 2 class, where pupils were given investigations to do involving counting and colouring robots. The improved progress has been achieved through the successful implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy.

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98. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs are generally well supported by their class teachers. Classroom assistants are effectively deployed to enable these pupils to make good progress. In particular thy help them to build their understanding and confidence.

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99. The provision for numeracy is good throughout the school and sufficient time is devoted to this aspect of mathematics. Pupils are given regular practice of number skills and great emphasis is placed on the discussion of number at the beginning of each lesson.

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100. Pupils' response to mathematics is good and often very good. Pupils enjoy the lessons, listen attentively to their teachers, behave well and are keen to answer questions. They settle quickly to their group tasks and work very well with minimum supervision, sharing the resources and sustaining concentration throughout the lesson. Similar responses were found in every lesson but particularly good examples were seen in both reception classes, when children were recognising and re-creating patterns with coloured counters. The task clearly captured their interest.

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101. The quality of teaching in mathematics is at least good, with some very good teaching being seen in reception and Year 2. In these lessons, teachers had high expectations for the pupils and set tasks that closely matched differing abilities. Teachers have good subject knowledge. They ask questions which bring out the pupils' previous knowledge and help to develop their learning. Teachers manage the children well and plan effectively. Resources are always well prepared and used. Lessons begin with clear direct teaching, followed by appropriate activities, and end with discussion that reinforces the main learning from the lesson. A good example was seen in a Year 2 class when more able pupils discussed with the rest of the class some mistakes they had made during the lesson. Homework is set which is directly linked to the teaching. For example, in a Year 1 class where the children had been splitting up 10p into different coins, the pupils were

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asked to encourage their parents to supply tuck shop money in coins adding up to 10p rather than a single coin.

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102. There are some examples of information technology being used to support mathematics, particularly in a Year 1 class when the children were using a program to demonstrate tessellations. However the use and application of mathematics is not well developed in other subjects because it is not systematically planned for. This means opportunities to develop pupils' mathematical skills in other subjects are sometimes missed.

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103. The co-ordinator leads the subject well and keeps herself and her colleagues up to date with recent developments through appropriate training. Teachers' planning is monitored regularly and assessment sheets have been devised. Resources are plentiful and managed effectively to ensure that they are best used to support learning.

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Science

104. By the time the pupils leave the school, their attainment in science is above the national average. The level of knowledge and understanding of the present Year 2 pupils reflects the results of the most recent national teacher assessments, in which more pupils achieved and exceeded the level expected than in most schools.

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Science

105. Pupils have a good understanding of many aspects of science. For example, they know that to be healthy they need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and that sugar is bad for their teeth. They know the main parts of plants, and that roots suck water out of the soil. They understand from their work on materials that some changes can be reversed and others cannot; for example water can be turned into ice or steam and turned back again but toast cannot be turned back into bread. Their understanding is reflected in the way they explain what they have learned. For example, after making toast, one child explained that heat ' takes the moisture out of the bread' and 'you can't put it back again'. Their scientific vocabulary is good. Many are familiar with words such as 'melting' or 'dissolving' and they know what the words mean; higher attainers know the term 'condensation'.

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Science

106. Pupils have good levels of science skills. When experimenting and investigating they can make observations and say whether what they expected to happen did; for example in melting chocolate that it would go gooey in melting and hard again on cooling, but not recover its shape.

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Science

107. All pupils make good progress. The newly revised scheme of work ensures that pupils move appropriately through the science curriculum from year to year. In lessons, the best progress was seen in reception and Year 2. In both cases the contribution of additional adults was significant. For example in the Year 2 lesson, the presence of the headteacher and parent helpers meant that an adult supported each group of five or six children. Their skilful work ensured that pupils not only undertook the activities but that they were constantly challenged to explain what was happening and why.

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Science

108. Progress in the way pupils record work is satisfactory. Recording becomes more of a priority in Year 2 than in the younger classes, but a range of recording methods are used. Often recording is by filling in a chart, though opportunities are given for pupils to devise their own and there are examples of labelled diagrams. Not enough emphasis is placed on using information technology to present work or creating opportunities for higher attainers to extend writing skills. Low attainers and pupils with special educational needs are given good support mainly through targeted adult attention. For example in a Year 1 lesson, a classroom assistant helped children who were examining bones and feathers to look carefully and closely before drawing them.

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Science

109. Pupils' attitudes to science are usually very good, particularly when they are doing practical work. They are highly enthusiastic but remain sensible. The process of bread making during one lesson fascinated reception children whilst pupils in Year 2 became totally absorbed by their work in heating materials. They respond well to the promptings of adults as to observing closely what is happening and learning from it.

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Templemoor Infant School - 32

110. Teaching in science ranges evenly from satisfactory to very good. Teachers' introductions to lessons and summaries at the end are a particular strength. For example in Year 1, the teacher made very good use of a jointed model figure to explain and demonstrate to pupils how humans move. In reception, good questioning gave pupils the chance to explain their ideas and what they already knew before going on to make bread. In Year 2 pupils were encouraged to look very closely at their materials before heating them to ensure that all changes would be evident later. They were asked to describe what they saw, giving the opportunity to develop correct vocabulary. At the end they were brought back together to reinforce points about the reversibility of changes. A consistently good aspect of the teaching is the quality of the relationships between teachers and their classes, which gives pupils the confidence to offer suggestions and make

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observations. All teachers are careful to draw attention to health and safety, from safe handling of scissors to the dangers of hot toasters or water. Now and again a weakness is that teachers leave independent activity groups for too long and their progress slows down. Occasionally the objectives for the lesson are too broad or not clear enough, and the tasks do not closely enough reflect them for all pupils. A very good feature is the use of homework as a natural extension of the work in the classroom. For example, Year 2 pupils working on materials and change were asked to try putting water on cornflour at home to see what effect it had overnight.

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Templemoor Infant School - 32

111. Management of the subject is good. The newly revised scheme of work, whilst still being fine tuned, offers an interesting range of experiences to the pupils. Teachers are given good support and are confident in their teaching of the subject. Resources are well organised, sufficient and easily accessible to encourage practical work and investigations. They are efficiently shared between parallel classes undertaking the same work.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

112. During the inspection no whole-class information technology lessons were seen, but pupils were observed working on classroom computers. Scrutiny of teachers' planning, displays of work and discussions with pupils and staff provided further information.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

113. Attainment for the majority of older pupils is in line with the levels expected. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress throughout the key stage.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

114. By the end of the key stage, pupils have had experience of an appropriate range of computer programs which they use effectively. Although mouse skills are well developed, keyboard skills are not. Pupils experience some difficulties and are slow at word processing. Pupils successfully use data handling programs; for example when they produce charts and block graphs to represent houses in the area. In a Year 2 class, pupils confidently operate programmable toys to follow directions on a roadway. Children throughout the school have access to listening centres, which they use independently in groups to follow story tapes.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

115. Pupils are keen to use computers and behave sensibly and responsibly when doing so. They co-operate well when working together and share the equipment without fuss. They readily help each other if any have problems. For example, in a Year 2 class, pupils helped each other when some were experiencing difficulty moving objects across the screen in a tessellation exercise.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

116. Although there were no direct lessons in information technology taught during the inspection, appropriate activities are planned and pupils are encouraged to become independent users. Support staff are deployed well to give assistance when necessary.

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OTHER SUBJECTS OR COURSES

117. There is no formal assessment in the subject but each class teacher keeps a record of the programs

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Templemoor Infant School - 33

undertaken by pupils and how often they use computers.

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Templemoor Infant School - 33

118. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator. She offers advice and support to colleagues on the use of hardware and software. Since the last inspection, new software and programmable toys have been purchased to offset the shortages that were highlighted. A new computer suite has been established recently which, when operational, will improve pupils' access to computers and the range of work they can do. Further development is planned in line with the receipt of funding from national sources.

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119. Older pupils reach average standards against the locally agreed syllabus, and all pupils make satisfactory progress over the key stage. This shows an improvement since the last inspection and the changes are promoting better attainment and progress over time.

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120. In Year 2, pupils have some knowledge of Old and New Testament stories. They talk about Christian festivals such as Christmas and Easter and can retell stories about the life and teachings of Jesus. They have some knowledge of other faiths such as Judaism, Hinduism and Islam. Much time is given for the children to reflect on both their own and other people's actions. They ask relevant questions during class discussions and make progress in understanding the meaning of stories and learning new vocabulary for describing religious objects.

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121. Children's attitudes to religious education are good. They are well behaved and enjoy the lessons. They listen to stories carefully and are eager and willing to answer questions about them. They are confident in talking about their own experiences and listen well to each other. The subject is well supported through circle time and school assemblies. Good opportunities for reflection on moral and social issues are given at these times.

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122. In the lessons observed, teaching and pupils' progress were good. Teachers create a good atmosphere and give the children opportunities to reflect and express themselves. They choose and use well a range of resources to support their teaching. This promotes good understanding for the pupils. For example in a reception class, the teacher brought in a large variety of apples for the children to look at and taste, and linked this to the Harvest Festival and how we should thank God for everything we see. Year 2 children examined different crosses as symbols of the Christian faith.

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123. At the last inspection, insufficient time was given to the subject to meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus, and there were only a few resources. There has been a great improvement since that time. The subject is co-ordinated by the headteacher who has implemented a scheme of work that is now in use throughout the school. A more multi-faith approach has been developed and a wide range of resources and artefacts to support religious education has been purchased. These are well organised and accessible to staff and children. No written assessments are made to record children's progress and inform future planning.

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Art

124. A limited number of lessons were observed during the inspection and evidence was also drawn from scrutiny of work and discussions with pupils and teachers. Standards are similar to those found in most schools and progress is satisfactory for all groups of pupils.

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Art

125. Children develop their skills steadily using a variety of media, including pencils, crayons, paint, chalks and clay. The oldest pupils demonstrate good skills in observational drawing, as they study photographs of houses and reproduce them, choosing the most appropriate size of pencil or charcoal. The most able pupils can build perspective into their work. Both of the Year 2 classes have practised colour mixing. This skill was successfully used as they tried to reproduce the colours of wood, bricks and tiles when painting pictures

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of houses. They were very confident in discussing the reasons for their choices of colour. A link with the art department of the local high school has provided Year 2 pupils with a good opportunity to work with clay. They translated pencil and crayon designs for house number plaques onto clay tiles, which were then fired, painted and glazed. In Year 1, pupils studied portraits painted by various artists, including Gaugin. They then painted good quality portraits themselves, attempting to reproduce backgrounds in the style of their favourite artist.

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Templemoor Infant School - 34

126. In the lessons observed, teaching was good. Activities were well prepared and appropriately resourced. Teachers help pupils to improve their work through skilful and well-timed interventions. Pupils work with obvious enjoyment, and use and share equipment and materials sensibly

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127. Although children experience a wide range of activities in art, the curriculum is not structured in a way which ensures that skills, techniques and knowledge are always steadily built on. Learning objectives are often too broad and this makes it difficult to assess pupils' progress accurately and plan future learning.

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Design and technology

128. A limited number of lessons were observed during the inspection and evidence was also drawn from scrutiny of work and discussions with pupils.

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Design and technology

129. Standards are similar to those found in most schools and all pupils make satisfactory progress. Year 2 pupils make design drawings; for example, house number plaques. They pay careful attention to pattern and choose the colours they will use to ensure their finished designs are aesthetically pleasing. They choose appropriate lettering styles and layouts for estate agents' brochures after examining a range of real examples. The most able pupils can clearly explain the reasons for the choices they make and evaluate the finished product. In Year 1, pupils make jointed animals, drawing and cutting shapes carefully from card and joining them with paper fasteners. All pupils are given numerous opportunities to work with a wide range of large and small construction kits and substances such as play-dough in both teacher-directed and free play situations. They also design and make articles for their 'role-play' areas, such as play food. Children have

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Design and technology

fewer opportunities for taking things to pieces to see how they work or for making models out of recycled materials.

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Design and technology

130. Teaching in one of the lessons observed was good and in the other it was satisfactory. The best features of the teaching are the way in which activities are organised and the skill with which teachers encourage pupils to think about their work and improve it. Pupils show enthusiasm for the tasks they undertake and use tools and materials with care. They share equipment sensibly.

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Design and technology

131. There are many interesting activities planned for children in the area of design and technology. However these are not clearly set out in a way that will ensure that skills are steadily built on throughout the school. The headteacher currently has responsibility for the subject and its management is satisfactory.

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Design and technology

132. Resources for design and technology are good. They are plentiful and accessible. This is an improvement since the last inspection.

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Design and technology

133. No history lessons were observed and only one geography lesson. Evidence provided by examination of previous work, teachers' planning and discussions with pupils' show that standards attained in both subjects are similar to those seen in most schools. However, mapping skills in geography are better than usual for pupils of this age. Progress is satisfactory for all pupils, including those with special educational needs.

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Design and technology

134. Pupils in Year 2 have a good knowledge of places. They can name the countries of the United Kingdom and

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Templemoor Infant School - 35

talk about rivers such as the Mersey and the Thames. They know compass directions and can pick out countries and seas using a map and a globe. They can distinguish between the climate in countries they have visited on holiday and where they live. They are able to describe what it is like living in other countries; for example, one Year 2 pupil talked knowledgeably about Trinidad and another about France. When describing journeys, they have some idea of the distance travelled. Year 2 pupils are able to follow a route outside school. They can describe the different houses they have seen and can tell what detached or semi- detached houses and bungalows are like. Pupils enjoy looking for evidence from photographs to distinguish between old and new and can sequence some events from long ago to the present day. They are developing a sound sense of chronology.

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Templemoor Infant School - 35

135. In the lesson observed, the teaching was good and the children responded positively. They listened attentively throughout and were well motivated.

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Templemoor Infant School - 35

136. Resources for both subjects are satisfactory, well stored and accessible to the pupils. Management is satisfactory. No written assessments are made in either subject or records kept of progress to inform future planning. Work does not always therefore build on what has gone before. 142.

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Music

137. No full music lessons were observed during the inspection as these are taken weekly by a visiting teacher. Two short sessions were seen where class teachers follow up work from the weekly lessons, and children were heard to sing in assembly. These observations, together with information from planning and talking to children indicate that standards are similar to those found in most schools.

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Music

138. Pupils develop a good sense of rhythm. For example older pupils can clap out five beat rhythms to phrases such as 'pudding and custard', keeping to the beat. They can begin and finish their patterns together, following the lead of the teacher. Other older pupils are able to clap names rhythmically and through listening carefully, successfully guess whose name it is. Again they show good awareness of others when they make loud or soft noises by following signals from a classmate. Younger pupils also show good skills when listening to percussion instruments and they handle them carefully. They are encouraged to use musical terms and name instruments correctly, and this develops well. When they sing, pupils are enthusiastic, keep to the melody and produce a sound that has good quality and tone.

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Music

139. Teachers' use the short sessions effectively. The pace is sharp and they focus clearly on developing or reinforcing specific skills. The planned programme delivered by the visiting teacher covers all aspects of the curriculum, is practically based and allows pupils to build their skills from year to year. Resources are plentiful and in good condition. Twenty-eight children take part in lunchtime recorder groups, which are beneficial; for example they are becoming familiar with notation and reading music.

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Music

140. Standards in physical education are better than in most schools. During the inspection pupils were seen to make good progress in developing skills in gymnastics and satisfactory progress in games.

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Music

141. In gymnastics lessons, Year 1 pupils show very good control of their bodies and they use space well. For example they can stop and change direction very quickly, precisely and without bumping into others. They can run, hop and jump successfully and can link actions together; for example move from a curled shape into a jump and then a balance. Pupils in Year 2 show higher levels of these skills and are inventive when making balances or developing sequences. They know the names of some of the movements they demonstrate; for example straddle, star or pencil jumps.

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Music

142. Pupils' skills in games are satisfactory. When working with balls in the playground, pupils catch and throw

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Templemoor Infant School - 36

with good control. They are sensible when handling equipment and when given a choice, pick a suitable ball for the exercise they have been asked to do. However a weakness is that their progress is restricted because they do not change into appropriate shoes and kit for lessons. This, combined with a poor playground surface, limits the speed of their movements and the degree to which they can develop their skills.

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Templemoor Infant School - 36

143. Teaching of physical education is mainly satisfactory but one gymnastics lesson observed in Year 1 was very good. This showed all the features of the best teaching. It began with warm-up activities and maintained a good pace throughout. It built well on the previous lesson when the teacher asked 'What did we do last week?'. Pupils were encouraged not only to show their movements to others but to explain them as well. Through pupil demonstration, attention was drawn to specific skills and techniques and the teacher explained why the movement was good. Close attention was given to safe practice; for example when pupils carried benches. Other lessons show some elements of this strong teaching and pupils respond well to the challenges set for them. A weakness in the teaching is a failure to draw pupils' attention to what happens to their bodies during exercise.

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Templemoor Infant School - 36

144. Management of the subject is good. The co-ordinator has recently brought a new scheme into use and staff have received training to help them implement it. It offers pupils a balanced programme, which includes dance, over the course of a year. Teachers who are less confident find its detailed plans useful to teach to and they are successful.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

145. During the inspection week four inspectors spent a total of 12 inspector days in the school. This included more than 43 hours in classes observing 39 lessons, talking to pupils or evaluating their work during or after sessions. Particular attention was paid to inspecting standards in literacy and numeracy and in evaluating the progress the school has made since its previous inspection. All teachers were observed teaching literacy and numeracy.

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

146. Additional evidence was gathered by:

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SUMMARY OF INSPECTION EVIDENCE

• . observation of assemblies; • . observation of lunchtimes and playtimes; • . talking with children at other times of the school day; • . discussions with the headteacher, teachers, governors, ancillary staff, administrative staff, and other members of the school community; • . scrutiny of a sample of pupils' work across all year groups and abilities; • . a sample of pupils formally heard to read across all year groups and abilities; • . access to substantial evidence in displays, teachers' records, planning files, school policies, administrative records, financial records and other documentation; • . discussions with the full governing body; • . response to a questionnaire seeking parents' views on the school and feedback from the 23 parents who attended a special meeting prior to the inspection.

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Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with Statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y2 146 0 9 11 Nursery Unit 24 0 0 0

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Qualified teachers (YR – Y2)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 7.1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 21

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Education support staff (YR – Y2)

Total number of education support staff: 2

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Total aggregate hours worked each week: 30

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Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 24

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Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit)

Total number of education support staff: 1 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 32.5

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Financial data

£ Total Income 309,254 Total Expenditure 304,352 Expenditure per pupil 1,790 Balance brought forward from previous year 6,455 Balance carried forward to next year 11,348

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out: 146 Number of questionnaires returned: 76

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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 64 36 0 0 0 I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 53 45 1 1 0 The school handles complaints from parents well 23 47 27 3 0 The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 44 47 5 4 0 The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 42 42 8 8 0 The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 44 49 7 0 0 The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 33 56 10 1 0 I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 35 54 7 4 0 The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 58 40 2 0 0 The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 56 42 1 0 0 My child(ren) like(s) school 81 19 0 0 0

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