Moorlands Primary School

MOORLANDS INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 30 th April –1 st May 2001

p.1

MOORLANDS INFANT SCHOOL

Short 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.

p.1

MOORLANDS INFANT SCHOOL

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

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Kesteven Way Bitterne Southampton

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Steve Merriman

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: February 1997 Moorlands Infant School

p.3

Team members

20893 Mr D Curtis Registered inspector 9542 Mr B Jones Lay inspector 16038 Mrs J Bavin Team inspector

p.4

Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

p.4

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:

p.4

Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Moorlands Infant School

p.4

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Moorlands Infant School is situated in the city of Southampton and takes pupils from the ages of four to seven. There are 125 pupils on roll in five classes, with 62 boys and 63 girls; this is a below average-sized primary school. There are four pupils from homes where English is not the first language. There are 28 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs; this is similar to the national average. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational need; this is below the national average. Nineteen pupils are entitled to free school meals; this is below the national average. Children enter school with standards that are below average for the local education authority.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school, which is effectively led and managed by a headteacher who is committed to raising standards. Teaching is good and pupils achieve well at the end of Year 2. The attitudes, behaviour and personal development of pupils are a strong feature of the school. Parents are very supportive of the work of the school. The school provides good value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as the result of effective teaching. • Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully to learning. • Teaching is good and has a positive impact on the standards achieved. • The leadership and management of the school are very good. • In Years 1 and 2, pupils are provided with a rich curriculum, which contributes to good work in art and music. • Parents are very supportive of the school and support their children’s learning effectively.

p.6

What could be improved

• The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage. • The consistency of handwriting, spelling and presentation of work in Year 2. • Pupils’ attendance. • The link between the promotion of healthy eating in science and the quality of snacks eaten at playtime. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since its previous inspection in February 1997; it has addressed successfully the key issues. The school improvement plan is now sufficiently detailed and has a clear focus on school improvement. Schemes of work are in place to help teachers plan the knowledge, skills and understanding to be taught to pupils as they move up through the school. Teachers now use day-to- day assessment effectively to support pupils’ learning. Teachers are now competent and successful in the teaching of design and technology and information and communication technology. Information and communication technology is now being used effectively to support learning in many subjects. The school now has a clear set of aims, which are shared with parents and prospective parents. Standards achieved by pupils and the quality of teaching have improved. Moorlands Infant School

p.6

STANDARDS

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

p.7

Key

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

p.7

Key

Similar schools are those with more then 8 per cent and up to 20 per cent of pupils entitled to free school meals.

p.7

Key

The results of the 2000 National Curriculum assessments show that standards in writing were well above average, with those in reading and mathematics above average. In comparison with those in similar schools, results were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics.

p.7

Key

Inspection findings show that, by the time pupils are seven, standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science are above average. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics have improved since 1998 as the result of good and very good teaching linked to the effective implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Pupils apply their literacy skills successfully in other subjects, including science, geography and history. They make good use of information and communication technology to support their numeracy skills, particularly in handling data.

p.7

Key

Pupils make good use of information and communication technology to support their learning in other subjects, particularly in science, where they use the Internet and CD-ROMs to identify and classify creatures they discover within the extensive school grounds. The quality of singing in assemblies and lessons is good and pupils’ show creativity and imagination in the artwork, including painting, printing and the use of pastels.

p.7

Key

By the end of the Foundation Stage, children are not meeting the expectations of the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning because insufficient emphasis is given to planning to the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum.

p.7

Key

Pupils with special educational needs achieve well and make good progress as a result of good teaching and very effective support from learning support assistants.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good; pupils enjoy coming to school and have very positive attitudes to their work; they work hard and persevere with their tasks. Pupils work well individually, in pairs and in groups; they support each other effectively in lessons.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good; pupils behave well in lessons, when moving around the school and at breaks and lunchtimes. They are very aware of whole-school and class targets for standards of behaviour.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good; pupils are polite, friendly and very welcoming. They relate well to each other and to all adults with whom they come into contact.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance Unsatisfactory; rates of authorised absence are high. Moorlands Infant School

p.7

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

Lessons seen overall Insufficient evidence 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.

p.8

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

During the inspection the quality of teaching was good. Good teaching has a positive impact on the standards achieved and on pupils’ very positive attitudes to learning. In 83 per cent of lessons teaching was good, with 8 per cent very good.

p.8

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

Strengths of good and very good teaching include strong subject knowledge, high expectations of what pupils can achieve and detailed planning which meets the individual learning needs of pupils. Teachers use resources effectively to support pupils’ learning, including information and communication technology. Teachers’ planning for the use of learning support assistants and parent helpers to support pupils’ learning is a strength. Teachers and learning support assistants use day-to-day assessment very effectively to identify strengths and areas for improvement in pupils’ learning.

p.8

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

Teaching of key skills, including literacy and numeracy, is good. Teachers have a good understanding of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and these are implemented effectively. Expectations are high, with the result that pupils achieve well.

p.8

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

Teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers work effectively and in partnership with the special educational needs assistant and teaching assistants to support pupils in their learning.

p.8

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

There was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement on the teaching of children in the Foundation Stage as children, because of the long-term absence of the class teacher, were taught by a supply teacher, supported by a student on teaching practice. However, from looking at planning and past planning, it can be seen that children are not being taught to the full expectations of the Foundation Stage curriculum, with insufficient opportunities to play or choose activities for themselves.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good, with the curriculum being enriched by the use of the school’s immediate and local environment. Pupils are given good opportunities to develop artistic and musical skills. In the Foundation Stage, the curriculum needs to be improved.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good; pupils’ individual education plans contain clear, detailed and achievable targets. Their learning is supported by the effective partnership between the special educational needs co-ordinator, class teachers and learning support assistants.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Pupils are supported effectively in lessons by teachers, particularly through good planning, which addresses individual learning needs. Learning support assistants support pupils well.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good; pupils have many opportunities for reflection, particularly in assemblies. Moral and social development is good and contributes significantly to very good behaviour and positive attitudes. Cultural development is good, particularly in art and music. However, pupils have insufficient opportunities to develop their awareness of Britain as a multi- cultural society.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school has effective procedures for ensuring that pupils are cared for in a safe and welcoming environment. Moorlands Infant School

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good; the headteacher has a very clear vision for the school. She is committed to maintaining high standards and recognises the need to involve parents in supporting their children’s learning. She is supported effectively by the deputy headteacher.

p.9

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good; all statutory responsibilities are fulfilled. Governors work hard to support the school and the headteacher in moving the school forward.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good; the headteacher and governors are very aware of the school’s strengths and weaknesses; they are determined to maintain and improve standards and all aspects of the life of the school.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good; resources are used effectively to support pupils’ learning. The use of NOF (New Opportunities Fund) training has been effective in improving teachers’ information and communication technology skills.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The school applies the principles of best value successfully in its planning and spending decisions.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teaching is good. • They feel comfortable approaching the school with questions or problems. • Their children make good progress at school. • The school is well led and managed. • Behaviour is good. • The amount of homework their children receive. • Information about their child’s progress. • More extra-curricular activities.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Nine parents attended the meeting with the registered inspector before the inspection and 38 questionnaires were returned. Inspection findings confirm the positive views of parents. The headteacher is very aware of the areas parents would like to see improved. Inspection findings show that pupils are given regular homework, with the emphasis on regular reading and learning spellings. The school plans to improve the quality of information it sends to parents in relation to pupils’ progress. The school provides a similar range of extra-curricular activities to that found in most infant schools.

p.9

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

1. Inspection findings confirm the results of the 2000 National Curriculum assessments for pupils in Year 2, which showed that standards in writing were well above the national average, with those in reading and mathematics above average. Pupils achieve well in these subjects as a result of effective teaching, linked to a very clear knowledge and understanding of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies.

p.10

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

2. Pupils enjoy reading and they talk enthusiastically about the books they read. They are confident in retelling the story and discussing their favourite characters. Pupils express clearly their preferences for books; for example, one boy said, “I love stories with vampires”. A girl commented, “I like books on the human body. I prefer non-fiction to fiction”. Pupils know and explain the difference between non-fiction and fiction and they understand how to use the contents and index. They know the terms ‘author’, ‘illustrator’ and ‘publisher’. Pupils read with good expression and are confident. They recognise most words, but use successfully their knowledge of letter sounds (phonics) to read new and unfamiliar words.

p.10

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

3. Pupils write successfully both in literacy lessons and in other subjects. A strength of writing is how well they apply their literacy skills when writing in other subjects. For example, in design and technology, pupils write recipes and instructions for making sandwiches. In science, they produce imaginative booklets on the theme of ‘Healthy Eating’ in which they include a contents page, an index page and a glossary. In geography, pupils write postcards describing their holidays and key features of places they visit. In religious education, they sequence accurately the key events in the life of Jesus. In history, pupils write good factual accounts of similarities and differences between household tasks in Victorian and modern times.

p.10

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

4. Pupils show a good understanding of how to write stories. They recognise the need for a good beginning, a plot and a good ending. Pupils are aware of the need to have imaginative and interesting characters in their stories. They enjoy applying the skills learned in the literacy hour to their writing, for example the use of adjectives and connectives. One pupil began a story with, ‘Suddenly Mischief found a banana seed and planted it in the spooky night’. Pupils enjoy writing poetry, and inspection findings showed some good examples on the theme of ‘loneliness’. One pupil wrote:

p.10

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

‘Look at me sitting here on my own Only Me Nobody’s coming to see me Everyone is playing and I’m not Look at me everyone You can see me all alone’.

p.10

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

5. Pupils achieve well in mathematics. Skills in the mental arithmetic part of the numeracy hour are good, with pupils keen and responsive. As a result of high expectations from teachers, pupils are confident in giving answers to questions and in explaining how they find those answers. Teachers ask pupils, “Which strategy did you use?” in order to encourage them to explain their mathematical thinking. In one lesson observed where a pupil had to add ‘7 and 5’, he explained, “I know that 7 add 3 is 10 and 2 more makes 12”. Pupils show a good understanding of number and are confident in reading, writing and ordering numbers to 100, with more-able pupils confident to 1,000. They are confident in using their knowledge of the two, five and ten times tables both in mental activities and in problem solving. Moorlands Infant School 6. Pupils apply their literacy skills successfully, particularly when reading and solving

p.10

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

problems. For example, they confidently solve problems such as, ‘Lisa has one pound. She shares it with a friend. How much do they each get?’ Pupils enjoy mathematical investigations and are successful in discovering, for example, that in the three times table the pattern of answers is ‘odd, even’. Information and communication skills are used successfully in numeracy. For example, in work linked to a science investigation, pupils use the data-handling facility in computers to create graphs showing how far their cars travelled along different surfaces.

p.11

By the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good as a result

7. In science, pupils show very good knowledge and understanding of life processes and living things. They benefit from the wildlife area that surrounds the school and show a very good ability to classify living things, for example into mammals, birds and amphibians. Pupils use their literacy and information technology skills successfully to research the Internet and CD-ROMs to help in the identification and classification of creatures they find in the school grounds. They show a good awareness of the importance of healthy food. Pupils have a good understanding of forces and recognise which objects are moved by a ‘push’ or a ‘pull’. They are confident in carrying out investigations into the effects of gravity, for example by recording how far toy cars will travel along different surfaces.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

8. Pupils enjoy coming to school. Each morning they come in happily and settle quickly on the carpet for registration. If they have completed homework, they are keen to make sure their teacher knows that they have done it. Pupils answer the register politely and are keen to take part in the useful mental arithmetic activity when teachers use the opportunity to pose problems, such as, “There are 20 children in our class. Three are away. How many are here today?” In whole-class introductions, pupils listen attentively and take part readily in question and answer sessions. They listen carefully to instructions, with the result that they settle sensibly to individual or group work. Pupils have a good awareness of their class and individual targets. They concentrate well and work hard in lessons. In the final or plenary session, pupils are enthusiastic in explaining what they have done to the teacher and the rest of the class. For example, one boy

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

explained that, to solve ‘13 + 9’, “I know that 13 add 7 makes 20, so 13 add 9 makes 22 because I added 2 more”.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

9. Behaviour in lessons and when moving around the school is very good. Pupils are polite, friendly and very welcoming. During the inspection, no inappropriate behaviour was observed. Behaviour in the playground and in the dining hall is very good. Pupils are very aware of the whole-school targets for behaviour, which are changed each half term. For example, the current target is to come into assembly quietly and sensibly.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

10. Relationships are very good. Pupils relate well to each other and to all adults they meet. In lessons they work very sensibly and in groups. They enjoy working with their teacher, particularly in literacy and numeracy when it is the turn of ‘their group’ to be supported by the teacher in the group-work part of the lesson. Pupils work effectively with learning support assistants and with parent volunteers and students on teaching practice. They recognise and value the opportunities given to them by adult help and support. Moorlands Infant School Teaching is good and has a positive impact on the standards achieved.

p.11

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

11. During the inspection, the quality of teaching was good in 83 per cent of lessons observed, including 8 per cent which was very good. Consistently good teaching is having a very positive impact on the high standards achieved. The quality of teachers’ planning is impressive with strengths in: • personal use of information and communication technology skills; • meeting the learning needs of pupils of differing abilities; • ensuring that pupils in the same year group are taught the same lessons; • the use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning; • the use of learning support assistants to support pupils, especially those with special educational needs.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

12. In relation to information and communication technology, teachers have benefited from the training they have received through the NOF (New Opportunities Fund) initiative set up by the government. There has been a clear impact both on teachers’ own skills and in the way that the subject is being used effectively to support pupils’ learning in all subjects.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

13. A significant strength is the quality of planning to meet the differing learning needs of pupils. In a Year 2 numeracy lesson, pupils had to add pairs of numbers and to explain and show how they found the answer. The planning showed that: • above average pupils were to add pairs of numbers which would give answers above 50, with extension to beyond 100; • average pupils had to add numbers to 50, with extension to 100; • below average pupils initially had to add pairs of single digits to 20, with the extension of adding a single-digit number to a two-digit number. As a result of this planning, all pupils make good progress in the lesson and are suitably challenged and extended in their mathematical thinking and understanding.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

14. Teachers make good use of day-to-day assessment to support pupils’ learning; this is a significant improvement since the last inspection, when this aspect of teaching was judged to be a weakness. In literacy and numeracy lessons, the teacher and learning support assistant make daily assessments of the groups that they support. This means that, over the course of the week, detailed assessments are made of all pupils’ knowledge, skills and understanding within the class. As a result, teachers amend their planning to support and reinforce identified gaps in pupils’ learning.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

15. Teachers make very effective use of setting targets for each lesson for the week. These targets are displayed in the classroom and teachers refer to them at the beginning of each lesson; this contributes significantly to pupils being involved in their own learning. For example, in one class the week’s numeracy target was ‘to add 10 to any given number up to 100’.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

The leadership and management of the school are very good.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

16. The headteacher is a strong leader, with a clear vision for the future of the school. She has been in post since January 2000 and has a very thorough and detailed understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. Since her appointment she has worked effectively to develop the role of the governing body and to create stronger links with parents. With the governing body she has recruited new parent governors and worked successfully to establish a committee structure. All committees now have clear terms of reference and have tasks to complete. The result of this initiative is that the governing body now has a clear strategic view of the future direction of the school. Moorlands Infant School 17. The headteacher has involved parents and gained their commitment and financial support, through generous fundraising, to redecorate, in a phased programme, the teaching areas within the school. She is very aware of the impact of the quality of the

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

teaching environment on pupils’ learning.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good and contribute successfully

18. The headteacher, supported by the deputy headteacher, teachers and learning support assistants, is clearly committed to maintaining and improving standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science, but at the same time ensuring that pupils receive their entitlement to a full curriculum. Through regular monitoring of teaching and analysing results of tests, she has identified that there is room for improvement in the proportion of pupils who achieve Level 2b 1 and above in the National Curriculum assessments.

p.13

In Years 1 and 2, pupils are provided with a rich curriculum, which contributes to good

19. The quality of singing and art is a strength of the school. In assemblies and in lessons, pupils sing joyfully and in tune; they learn the words of songs and hymns well and enjoy performing actions to accompany them. In lessons, Year 2 pupils talk confidently about ‘timbre’ and how music has ‘texture’ (layers). Pupils sing songs well in two parts and they enjoy singing the round, ‘I like the flowers’. In one lesson, three pupils had the confidence to stand at the front and perform a song, without accompaniment, to the rest of their classmates in Year 2. Pupils enjoy the opportunity to take part in a local music festival.

p.13

In Years 1 and 2, pupils are provided with a rich curriculum, which contributes to good

20. During the inspection, pupils’ work on the theme of ‘Flowers’ was displayed in many areas of the school. These high quality displays show how pupils progress successfully in the development of artistic skills as they move up through the school. Children in reception create exciting pictures of ‘African Violets’ using shades and tones by mixing white, red, blue and yellow. In Year 1, pupils use printing skills effectively in their vivid pictures of daffodils. Collage work is used imaginatively to represent pictures of carnations. In Year 1, pupils produce very effective pastel pictures of pansies and in Year 2 pupils use pen and ink to make detailed observational drawings of flowers in a basket.

p.13

In Years 1 and 2, pupils are provided with a rich curriculum, which contributes to good

Parents are very supportive of the school and support their children’s learning effectively.

p.13

In Years 1 and 2, pupils are provided with a rich curriculum, which contributes to good

21. At the parents’ meeting with the registered inspector and through the questionnaires, parents expressed the view that they are very happy with the work of the school in supporting their children’s learning. One parent who said, “I have a great deal of respect for the school. My children thrive here”, sums up parents’ views. Parents feel that the small size of the school is a positive feature and they feel the school is friendly and they like small classes. Parents value the fact that many of the teachers are long established and experienced and that they contribute to a very caring school.

p.13

In Years 1 and 2, pupils are provided with a rich curriculum, which contributes to good

22. During the inspection there was clear evidence that parents support their children’s work at school. For example, many parents had completed questionnaires and sent in photographs of their holiday memories from childhood to support the current topic in Year 1 on the theme of ‘Holidays’. Similarly, in Year 2, parents and grandparents completed questionnaires on how the area of Bitterne has changed over the years to support their children’s work in history.

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

1 It is the national expectation that pupils should achieve Level 2 in the National Curriculum assessments by the age of seven. However, Level 2 is broken down into three levels 2c, 2b and 2a, with 2a being the higher level. Moorlands Infant School The curriculum for children in the Foundation Stage 2 .

p.13

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

23. During the inspection, the reception class was taught by a supply teacher and a student on teaching practice because of the long-term absence of the class teacher. At the parents’ meeting, some concerns were expressed by parents that their children were not making progress because they were being taught by supply teachers. Inspection findings take into account the difficulty many schools now face in recruiting a supply teacher who will cover a period of long-term absence. However, it is clear from all inspection evidence that children in the reception class are not receiving their full entitlement to the Foundation Stage curriculum as set out in the Early Learning Goals. In particular, planning is not meeting their needs in personal and social development where they have insufficient opportunities to play and choose activities for themselves. In addition, planning for communication, language, literacy and mathematics is modelled on the

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

requirements of the literacy and numeracy hours for pupils in Key Stage 1. The organisation of the reception classroom does not meet expectations for children of this age; too many activities are led by adults, with children having far too few opportunities to choose activities for themselves. These shortcomings in planning mean that children are unlikely to meet the expectations of the Early Learning Goals by the time they start Year 1.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The consistency of handwriting, spelling and presentation of work in Year 2.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. From looking at pupils’ work in both of the Year 2 classes, including work completed earlier in the school year, it is evident that there are inconsistencies in the quality of handwriting, spelling and presentation. Teachers are not consistently reinforcing their expectations of what pupils should achieve in these areas. For example, although handwriting is taught and joining techniques are practised in lessons, pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to apply these skills when writing in other subjects. Common spelling errors are not picked up quickly enough; for example, in one lesson on writing questions, many pupils wrote ‘dose’ instead of ‘does’. In addition, pupils are not encouraged sufficiently to think about how well they present their work.

p.14

WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

25. In the last year, pupils’ attendance was below the national average. The main factor contributing to this is families taking holidays in term time. The school recognises that this is a problem and that it has a negative impact on pupils’ learning and progress. It is taking positive steps to get the message across to parents that good attendance is vital to their children’s successful education. For example, the school’s new website will have the facility for parents to notify absence and to enter the reason.

p.14

The link between the promotion of healthy eating in science and the quality of snacks

26. Through the teaching of science, the school places great emphasis on the importance of healthy eating and exercise in keeping the body fit and healthy. Inspection findings support the headteacher’s concern that the range of ‘snacks’ which pupils bring to school for morning break are far from healthy. There is a clear contradiction between what is taught and what is allowed.

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2 QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) has produced a set of ‘Early Learning Goals’ for children in this stage of education. These outcomes are a set of skills, knowledge and understanding that children might be expected to achieve by the age of six. There are six areas of learning: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development and creative development. Moorlands Infant School 27. To build on the strengths of the school, the headteacher, staff and governors should:

p.14

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) ensure that children in the reception class receive their entitlement to the Early Learning Goals and that the organisation and layout of the classroom support this;

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the consistency of teachers’ expectations of pupils’ handwriting, spelling and presentation of work;

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) take positive steps with pupils and parents to promote better attendance;

p.15

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) work with parents and pupils to ensure that snacks provided at morning break are healthy and support the school’s promotion of healthy living. Moorlands Infant School

p.15

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.16

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

0 8 75 17 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 125

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 19 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 28

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.16

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

p.16

Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Moorlands Infant School

p.16

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 27 16 43

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 27 27 27 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 15 16 15

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 98 (96) 100 (91) 98 (98) at NC Level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 27 27 27 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 16 15 16

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (96) 98 (98) 100 (98) at NC Level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.17

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Moorlands Infant School

p.17

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.18

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.18

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 3 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.4 Financial year 1999/2000

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 20

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 336,415

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 2,403

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 95 Balance brought forward from previous year 14,234

p.18

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 8,958 FTE means full-time equivalent. Moorlands Infant School

p.18

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 55 40 5 0 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 29 63 3 0 5

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 21 42 21 11 5

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 45 21 5 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 71 26 0 3 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 42 47 3 8 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 39 47 11 3 0

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 53 41 3 0 3

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 39 52 3 3 3

p.19

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 8 19 24 22 27

p.19