Kingfield Primary School

KINGFIELD SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Alison M. Cartlidge

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KINGFIELD SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th –13 th February 2001

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KINGFIELD SCHOOL

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

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KINGFIELD SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Kingfield Road Woking Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr. Peter Wichmann

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: March 1997 Kingfield School - 4

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Team members

23609 Alison Cartlidge Registered inspector 9545 Kevin Greatorex Lay inspector 23239 Mike Capper Team inspector

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Team members

Hendre Loudwater Lane Rickmansworth Herts WD3 4AN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Kingfield School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is situated on the outskirts of Woking. It is a smaller than average infant school with 118 pupils between the ages of four and seven on roll. In addition, there are forty-eight three year olds who attend the nursery part-time. Pupils are taught in six classes. Five classes have a one-year group and one class has Year 1 and Year 2 pupils together. Pupils come from a mixture of owner occupied, privately rented and local authority housing. Their attainment on entry to the school is broadly average although there is a high proportion of pupils with speech difficulties. Fourteen per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals. This is average for the country. Nineteen per cent of pupils have special educational needs with one pupil having a statement of special educational need. This is close to the national average and fewer than at the time of the last inspection. Seventeen pupils speak English as

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

an additional language and this figure is above average and higher than at the time of the last inspection. The first languages of these pupils are Cantonese, Hindi or Urdu. There has been a high turnover of teachers over the last two years and only the headteacher remains from the time of the last inspection. During the inspection a temporary teacher taught the nursery class.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Kingfield Infant school is effective. Pupils’ attainment is good in reading, design and technology and art and design and satisfactory in writing, mathematics and science. The quality of teaching is good overall with pupils learning quickly in many lessons. Leadership and management are good with a strong commitment to further school improvement. The cost per pupil is higher than average and the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• Strong leadership has resulted in effective teamwork. • Members of staff provide interesting activities that promote effective learning. • Pupils achieve above average standards in reading and develop an enthusiasm for books. • Pupils learn good skills in art and design and technology. • The school helps pupils to develop very good social skills. • Parents are very pleased with the work of the school and are very supportive.

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What could be improved

• Teachers’ lesson planning so that the needs of all pupils are met. • Pupils in Years 1 and 2 in different classes do not always receive a similar curriculum. • The accuracy of pupils’ spelling. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made satisfactory progress since the last inspection in 1997. Issues identified at that time have been developed thoroughly and the downward trend in test results that started immediately after the last inspection has been reversed. There are suitable schemes of work for all subjects and good assessment procedures. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and resources have improved for information and communication technology. Due to many changes of teachers in the last two years, improvements have had insufficient time to have a sustained impact on raising standards further. Kingfield School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

Reading E C A A well above average above average A B Writing E D A A Average Below average C D Mathematics E* D B B well below average very low E E*

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Key

There was an exceptionally large proportion of higher attaining pupils taking the National Curriculum tests in 2000. Inspection findings are that the present Year 2 is on target to attain above average standards in reading and average standards in writing, mathematics and science by the end of the year. There are fewer pupils likely to achieve the higher Level 3 than last year. Pupils’ attainment is good in design and technology and art and design. Pupils are weak at remembering to spell words correctly in their work and often make careless errors.

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Key

The school sets very challenging targets for pupils in reading, writing and mathematics at the same time as having a clear understanding of what pupils are likely to achieve. This means that there is a strong commitment to helping all pupils to achieve their best.

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Key

There is no significant difference between the attainment of girls and boys from differing backgrounds. Pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language make similar progress to other pupils. Pupils’ progress is satisfactory over time with pupils now learning better than expected in many lessons. Pupils make good progress in learning to read.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are very enthusiastic about school and their learning. They are confident and keen to share their work with others.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils behave sensibly at all times of day. Pupils from differing backgrounds and races are kind, respectful and play together amicably.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils have appropriate opportunities for working independently and form very good relationships with each other and members of staff.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Rates of attendance are in line with national averages. Kingfield School - 8

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

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

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

The quality of teaching is good overall and always at least satisfactory. Five per cent of lessons are very good, 42 per cent are good and 53 per cent are satisfactory. The quality of teaching in the nursery class is satisfactory. The teaching of children under five in the reception classes is good. At Key Stage 1, teaching is good in English and satisfactory in mathematics. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs and those for whom English is an additional language is also good in English and satisfactory in mathematics.

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

Throughout the school, particular strengths in teaching are the effective use of educational resources, the skilful help given to pupils by the learning support assistants and the interesting range of activities prepared for pupils. These encourage pupils to take a keen interest in their learning and to concentrate well. Teachers consistently explain to pupils what they are going to learn in a lesson and explain tasks clearly. Pupils’ behaviour is managed effectively and there is good social and personal training.

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

Weaker elements of teaching are the limited use of marking to show pupils what they need to do to improve next time and the insufficient use of assessment information to help teachers plan work that meets the needs of all pupils in their classes. This has a greater impact in mathematics than in English. Pupils have suitable opportunities to develop their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects such as in geography and science.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. The school has developed a wide range of interesting learning opportunities in lessons and at other times and makes effective use of the local community. Good use is made of the outdoor area for children under five. However, pupils in Years 1 and 2 in different classes do not always receive a similar curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. The Code of Practice for pupils with Special Educational Needs is fully in place, the school is quick to respond to concerns and pupils are given appropriate support in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory. Pupils are confident and learn to speak English quickly. They are given appropriate support in other subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Teachers are good role models and pupils’ social development is very well supported. There are good opportunities for pupils to learn about their own and other cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good overall. The school has developed good assessment procedures to monitor pupils’ attainment and progress and teachers have a good knowledge of pupils’ personal needs. Health and safety is promoted well. However, assessment information is not always used to plan what pupils need to learn next. Kingfield School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The strong leadership of the headteacher has resulted in members of staff working effectively as a team with a strong commitment to further improving the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is supportive and well informed and has a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. Teaching is monitored effectively and there are good opportunities for staff development. Members of staff and governors work together well to discuss school effectiveness and to decide future priorities for development. The analysis of National curriculum test results to identify strengths and weaknesses is at an early stage of development.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. Specific grants are spent appropriately and the day-to-day budget is monitored closely. The school has started to consider the effectiveness of spending on raising attainment. The school applies the principles of best value by discussing the standards of pupils’ work with neighbouring schools and seeking competitive prices for resources.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The leadership and management • The quality of teaching and how well pupils learn • Pupils’ behaviour and social development • Members of staff are approachable • Children like school • Information on how well their children achieve • Extracurricular activities • The school working closely with parents

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Most parents are very pleased with the work of the school and take an active part in their children’s education. The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views. The school provides good information on the curriculum and on pupils’ attainment and progress. The school provides a good range of extracurricular activities for an Infants’ school of its size although none of these activities include sport. There are many opportunities for parents to become involved in the work of the school. Their suggestions are welcomed for inclusion in the school improvement plan and many parents support the school by fund raising, making resources and helping in class. Kingfield School - 10

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Strong leadership has resulted in effective teamwork.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. As at the time of the last inspection the headteacher provides clear educational direction for the work of the school and leadership and management continue to be good overall. Since the last inspection there has been a complete change of teaching staff, with several changes occurring in the last two years. The headteacher has maintained a clear vision for the school throughout these changes and has very quickly established a strong sense of commitment to the school from her new and relatively inexperienced staff. The school was recently awarded the ‘Investors in People Award’ for the dedication shown by the school to the professional development of all members of staff. Clearly defined roles, responsibilities and expectations along with regular appraisal and staff development have been the keys to success. The co-ordinators have clear plans for the future development of their subjects and include training and review opportunities. Due to the changes in

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

staff, many co-ordinators are newly in place and have had insufficient time to develop their subject fully.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. The headteacher has established an ethos in which members of staff feel valued and are confident in sharing strengths and weaknesses with colleagues. There is an expectation that members of staff should be responsible for resolving the difficulties they encounter by seeking advice and attending training. All members of staff, governors, parents and pupils contribute to school development. The school seeks the opinions of parents and pupils before evaluating the work from the previous year and establishing priorities for the next school development plan. This is effective in ensuring that the school improvement plan reflects the views of all parts of the school community.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Clear guidance has been developed for the induction of new members of staff and students and this has contributed to the ease with which new members become part of the team. Newly qualified teachers are supported effectively. Learning support assistants have attended effective training enabling them to support groups of pupils during the literacy sessions. The headteacher ensures that all members of staff read, understand and follow the school policies.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. The headteacher monitors teaching closely. There is a strong link between appraisal and the provision of training so that weaknesses identified are supported successfully. The school works closely with other schools in the area sharing expertise and comparing pupils’ work. The governing body is kept fully informed about all aspects of the school’s work and supports the headteacher and her staff effectively in its role as a critical friend.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Members of staff provide interesting activities that promote effective learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Throughout the school, teachers plan an interesting range of activities that make learning purposeful and help pupils develop very positive attitudes to their work. The quality of teaching has improved since the last inspection when 15 per cent of teaching was unsatisfactory. There is now no unsatisfactory teaching, with five per cent of lessons being very good and 42 per cent of lessons being good.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. In the nursery, activities are organised effectively so that children’s independence is encouraged. Work is cleverly linked to a central theme such as ‘hospitals’ and children are encouraged to choose from a range of activities. Children in the nursery are well supported in their learning by experienced support assistants who make good use of questioning to extend understanding. Their help is based on a good understanding of the children’s individual needs, both social and educational. Most nursery children are very enthusiastic about school and participate happily in all activities. They concentrate well and persevere on a chosen activity until they have finished. Kingfield School - 11 7. Teachers in the reception classes have a good understanding of the ‘foundation stage’ curriculum and they plan interesting work that meets the needs of all pupils. Both classrooms are very well organised and teachers carefully prepare lessons. Attractive displays emphasise the importance of

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

language and help to inspire the pupils. Pupils who are in the early stages of developing English as an additional language are very well supported in class by the skilful use of questioning and they make good progress in learning spoken English. Teachers use a good range of teaching methods and there is a good balance between teacher-led activities and learning through play. Activities are exciting and stimulating and pupils respond well to this. They are very keen to learn and talk about what they are doing. For example, children discuss the different types of pond-life found in the water tray. Role-play areas are thoughtfully created and pupils are given very good opportunities to learn by trying things out for themselves. For example, a child spent several minutes exploring how magnets work and learning that they will only pick up metallic objects.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Good use is made of the outdoor areas in both the nursery and reception classes. For example, children in the nursery are encouraged to watch the bird table and extend their understanding of how birds live in winter.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. In Years 1 and 2 pupils are very well motivated and clearly enjoy their work. Teachers make good use of resources and work hard to make learning purposeful by explaining to the pupils at the start of a lesson what they are going to learn. There is often a very strong practical focus to activities and this is when the pupils respond very well and learn best. For example, in a lesson in Year 1, pupils worked together well to find out which member of their group had the largest hand-span. Good questioning by the teacher ensured that pupils understood what they were doing and enabled them to complete the work successfully.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. In the Year 1 and 2 class, a good range of mathematical games is used to support learning. For example, pupils successfully played a game that developed an understanding of the place value of tens and units. In the Year 2 class, a very good science lesson included an imaginative and practical way of showing the effects of exercise on the body. Groups of pupils ‘role-played’ being the heart, muscles and blood, moving more quickly as the ‘person’ increased the level of exercise. This very visual demonstration was very well managed by the teacher and helped pupils make very good gains in their learning. Pupils were very enthusiastic about the activity and behaved well.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. Members of support staff are well trained and enthusiastic and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. The school has made a conscious decision to maintain a good level of staffing, particularly in terms of the number of learning support assistants appointed. Members of support staff work effectively with groups of pupils and follow carefully the clear guidance provided by the teachers. Support provided for pupils with special educational needs is unobtrusive and effective in enabling them to take a full part in all activities. Good focused individual support is given to lower attaining pupils in reading by an experienced teacher. This support has a good impact on the development of reading skills.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve above average standards in reading and develop an enthusiasm for books.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. The school is successful in encouraging pupils to enjoy reading and as a result pupils achieve good standards. This was also the case at the time of the last inspection. Pupils of differing prior attainment and all ages are keen to share books with adults, they are confident, enjoy discussing the characters and story and read expressively for meaning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Every class has a good stock of attractive and interesting books and these are freely accessible to the pupils, raising the profile of books. In the reception classes the role-play areas are linked to a story recently shared in class. For example, during the inspection, each class had one of the houses of the ‘Three Little Pigs’ with good props and costumes so that children could act out the story and develop their understanding of the plot and characters.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14. Throughout the school pupils take books home to share with their parents and a home/school book successfully encourages teachers and parents to share information on pupils’ progress. Parents Kingfield School - 12 make ‘story sacks’ containing various objects related to a particular book for teachers to share with the pupils. These help to bring stories to life and make the stories more exciting. A regular book club run by the school is successful in encouraging pupils to save up and buy books.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils learn good skills in art and design and technology.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15. Pupils’ attainment in design and technology and art and design has improved since the last inspection. Teachers provide pupils with a wide range of opportunities to develop good skills in designing, making, and evaluating art and technology. By the end of Year 2, pupils make interesting sculptures from clay, soap or natural materials. They demonstrate good skills in shaping the clay and cutting the soap into dramatic abstract designs. When making sculptures from natural materials they are confident in describing what they have made and the reasons for their choices of wood, leaves, grasses and feathers. Careful teaching on the use of techniques when drawing using a pencil helps pupils to make good progress. Their observational drawing of leaves and footwear successfully incorporates shading and various pencil strokes. Pupils carefully label their designs for models, showing the materials they wish to use and they make thoughtful evaluations of their

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

16. In Year 1, pupils design and make attractive fabric finger puppets successfully joining materials together by using glue and stitching. They study commercially produced puppets and identify the resources used to make them. Pupils study the work of Paul Klee and show a good understanding of his work when making colourful abstract pictures using blocks of colour. They select colours and textures carefully when making mosaic pictures or patterns.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

17. In the reception classes children are given good opportunities to choose the materials they would like to use to make a floating model boat. The skilful use of questioning by the teachers enables them to consider the effectiveness of their choices. They make clear drawings of their ideas and use a range of joining skills successfully when making the models. Teachers are successful in helping children to learn about the importance of design. They discuss with the children how closely they have followed their ideas and the reasons for any changes and problems encountered. There are good opportunities for children to explore the properties of different materials when working independently. For example, sticks straw and bricks were available for children to try and construct the houses of the ‘Three Little Pigs’. Children learnt how to overcome difficulties and adapt their houses to suit the materials used, such as making a round house from sticks so that the tops of the

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

sticks were joined giving added support. Children learn about colour tone effectively by exploring the results of mixing powder paints and make effective use of space, colour and line when painting pictures of their pets or printing repeat patterns of two-dimensional shapes.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

18. In the nursery, children are confident in choosing what they would like to paint or make and handle resources carefully. They select their own materials when making collages or models and paint pictures of themselves with clearly defined limbs and features. A ‘colour’ table set up with a range of objects helps the children increase their knowledge of the range of tones within a given colour. Throughout the school information and communication technology is used effectively in art lessons. For example, pupils in Year 1 used an art programme to make attractive patterns using various regular shapes.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The school helps pupils to develop very good social skills.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

19. The promotion of pupils’ personal and social skills continues to be good. Nearly all parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire agreed that the school is effective in helping pupils to become mature and responsible. The school’s emphasis on developing care for each other is evident in all aspects of its work and is fully understood by the pupils. Kingfield School - 13 20. Pupils’ independence is effectively developed from their first day at school. In the nursery, children are expected to make choices about where they are going to work. They do this sensibly. Older pupils are expected to take responsibility for aspects of the school’s life and they carry out these tasks responsibly. In lessons, most pupils are able to work without a high level of adult support. This helps to improve the effectiveness of literacy and numeracy lessons where the teacher is able to give focused support to groups of pupils whilst the rest of the class work independently.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

21. There is a strong family atmosphere in the school that is effectively promoted by all members of staff. Relationships throughout the school are very good. The respect and trust shown by members of staff to their pupils teaches them to show very good respect for the feelings of others. Successful sessions where pupils discuss their feelings are used effectively to encourage pupils to respect each other and this coupled with the very good role models provided by members of staff results in high standards of personal development.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

22. Good quality opportunities exist for pupils to learn about living in a community both in lessons and though activities outside the classroom. Older pupils are able to take part in a residential school journey and all pupils visit places of educational interest. Personal, social and health education lessons are used to good effect to help pupils learn about their responsibilities to the wider community. For example, pupils in Year 2 effectively discussed the impact of pollution on the environment. Pupils made sensible suggestions about how they can take better care of where they live by ensuring that litter is picked up and vandalism stopped.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

23. Behaviour is good throughout the school. Pupils play well together on the spacious playground and are polite and courteous to visitors. The school has introduced a ‘buddy system’, which involves a group of Year 2 pupils being available in the playground to help those who are feeling ‘lonely or sad’. The ‘buddies’ take this responsibility very seriously and are keen to help others.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

24. Pupils get good opportunities to learn about cultures other than their own. All pupils take part in the celebration of festivals from different cultures. For example, pupils in the reception year had produced good quality writing, paintings and models as part of their work on the Chinese New Year. In religious education and geography lessons, pupils learn about the beliefs of different faiths and life in other countries. These activities help pupils from different backgrounds to feel equally valued and contribute to the high level of racial harmony that is evident throughout the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Parents are very pleased with the work of the school and are very supportive.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

25. The school has maintained the strong partnership with parents found at the time of the last inspection. Parents are very happy with the work of the school and they support it well. This was demonstrated by the very positive response to the pre-inspection questionnaires. Parents are encouraged to help in and around the school and they feel fully involved in all aspects of school life.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

26. The headteacher and members of staff value parents’ support. They work hard to foster this and are very successful. Where a parent has a concern they are listened to and their ideas are respected. Home-school contact is well established from when children first start school. Teachers visit children’s homes before they join the nursery. This helps develop links and gives parents an opportunity to share information about their child before they come to school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

27. Parents make a significant contribution to the work of the school. There is an active ‘friends’ association’ that raises funds for the school to purchase resources. For example, it made a substantial contribution to the development of the computer room. Parents help in school in a number of ways, working with individuals or groups of pupils. This support is effective and helps the school to meet the needs of pupils. This was seen to good effect in a science lesson in Year 1 where a parent gave additional support to a group of pupils learning about the human body. A number of parents have been helping the school to make ‘story sacks’ to support the teaching of literacy. These are used successfully and are a factor in the positive attitudes that are displayed by pupils towards reading. Kingfield School - 14 28. The information provided for parents is of high quality and the school has recently begun to involve

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

parents in deciding what should be included in the school improvement plan. This gives parents a valuable opportunity to contribute to this aspect of the school’s work. Parents are kept well informed of curriculum developments through a useful leaflet that is sent out each term. This explains to parents what each year group is going to be taught in that term.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

29. A few parents expressed concern about the amount of information they receive on their children’s progress. Inspection findings do not support this concern. Reports to parents on their children’s progress are detailed and give parents a clear picture of how well their child is performing. They include useful targets for future improvement that help parents to support their children at home. The school holds regular parent/teacher consultation meetings and teachers are always happy to talk to parents at the start or end of each day. A high proportion of parents would like the school to provide a wider range of activities outside the classroom. The school provides a good range of extracurricular activities for an Infants’ school of its size although none of these activities include sport.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Teachers’ lesson planning so that the needs of all pupils are met.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

30. The last inspection identified serious weaknesses in the quality of teachers’ termly and weekly planning. Since then, the school has worked hard to improve the quality of planning. There are now schemes of work for all subjects and these help teachers identify in their planning what will be taught each term. However, there remain some important weaknesses in the quality of some teachers’ weekly planning which mean that the needs of all pupils are not consistently met in class. For example, a scrutiny of pupils’ previous work in science shows that pupils frequently do the same activity whatever their prior attainment. On these occasions, there is often insufficient challenge for higher attaining pupils or the work is too difficult for lower attaining pupils. In mathematics, lower attaining pupils do not always finish work because it is too difficult. In the mixed age class, in many subjects, pupils frequently do the same activity, whatever their year group. On these occasions the

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

work is not well matched to the needs of all pupils and their learning suffers

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

31. The school does not have a consistent way of planning lessons, with some planning not identifying what pupils of differing prior attainment are expected to learn. Planning for subjects other than English and mathematics is very brief and rarely shows how previous learning is to be developed. Pupils' learning is now being assessed more effectively than it was at the time of the last inspection and plans include opportunities to evaluate learning. However, there is little evidence of pupils’ achievement being recorded in any way so that the teacher is clear about what has been learnt.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

32. Teachers’ planning is most effective in English when it identifies clearly what pupils of differing prior attainment are expected to learn in a lesson. This was seen to good effect in a literacy lesson in the Year 2 class. In this lesson, the work given to pupils of differing prior attainment was closely matched to their needs and enabled them to make at least good progress. Similarly, in the reception classes, the teachers vary the level of work and support they give pupils according to what they have already learnt. This means that the pupils’ individual needs are fully met.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Pupils in Years 1 and 2 in different classes do not always receive a similar curriculum.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

33. Pupils who are in Years 1 and 2 do not always have access to the same curriculum. There is a significant variation in activities provided for pupils according to which class a pupil is in. Kingfield School - 15 34. The school has tried to provide pupils with a similar curriculum in the mixed Year 1 and 2 class in several ways. There is now a useful curriculum overview, which shows the curriculum to be covered, and teachers have adapted nationally recommended schemes of work to suit the school’s needs. In addition, teachers in Years 1 and 2 plan together to try and ensure that pupils cover the same topics.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

35. However, there remain subject areas where the provision varies according to the teacher. This is most evident in science, where pupils in Years 1 and 2 all study the same broad topic, for example ‘light’, but do not necessarily undertake the same activities. This means that Year 1 and Year 2 pupils in the single-age classes are given lots of practical investigations whilst Year 1 or 2 pupils in the mixed-age class do more work that is worksheet based.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

36. Whilst pupils’ handwriting and their presentation of work has improved significantly since the last inspection, their standards of spelling are lower than they should be. Many pupils do not spell accurately and make careless errors in their written work. The school has identified this as an area for further development and has recently implemented a new policy on the teaching of spelling. This had not been in place long enough to have a measurable impact on standards of pupils’ attainment. Teachers use appropriate strategies to teach spelling rules, with the literacy framework being used to good effect to support planning. In the reception classes, pupils quickly develop an understanding of the sounds that different letters make. However, throughout the school, pupils do not consistently apply their knowledge of spelling rules when writing independently. Teachers do not place enough emphasis on teaching pupils how to check their own work in order to identify when

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

they have made mistakes in their spellings. The ability of older pupils to edit and check their own work is poorly developed and this has a significant impact on their overall attainment in writing.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

37. In subjects other than English, pupils frequently spell important vocabulary inaccurately. This is because teachers do not spend enough time teaching pupils how to spell new words when they introducing technical vocabulary in subjects such as mathematics and science. As a result, pupils develop bad spelling habits and repeat errors.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

38. Although teachers sometimes identify key vocabulary in their lesson planning, they do not ensure that pupils know how to spell these words once they have been introduced. For example, in an otherwise very successful science lesson in Year 2, pupils were writing about the effects of exercise on the body. However, many were spelling the word ‘heart’ inaccurately even though it was a focus of the initial discussion. Kingfield School - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

39. In order to improve attainment further the headteacher, members of staff and governors should,

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Ensure that teachers’ lesson planning identifies clearly how the needs of pupils of differing prior attainment are to be met (paragraphs 30–32)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Make more effective use of information collected on pupils’ attainment and progress when planning work ( paragraphs 30-32)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Review and monitor coverage of the curriculum to ensure that pupils of the same age have access to similar activities (paragraphs 33-35)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Improve the accuracy of pupils’ spelling by, 1)raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils should achieve, 2)providing pupils’ with the correct spellings of key subject vocabulary in different lessons 3)increasing pupils involvement in checking their own work.( paragraphs 36-38) Kingfield School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 24 118

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 16

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 9 22

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 17

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 25

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Kingfield School - 18

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 13 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 17 15

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91 [68] 100 [78] 94 [81] at NC level 2 or above National 83 [79] 84 [83] 90 [86]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 13 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 16 15 16

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 91[80] 94 [80] 97 [93] at NC level 2 or above National 84[82] 88 [86] 88 [87]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Kingfield School - 19

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.3 Financial year 1999

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.7

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 340,497

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 2,301

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 75 Balance brought forward from previous year 12,660

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 7,851

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 66

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Kingfield School - 20

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 47 51 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 40 58 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 31 55 5 0 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 27 53 16 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 71 27 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 53 45 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 42 45 13 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 55 42 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 45 0 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 20 36 15 0 29

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