Dinglewell Infant School

DINGLEWELL INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 17 - 20 September 2001

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DINGLEWELL INFANT SCHOOL

Full 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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DINGLEWELL 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. Dinglewell Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Dinglewell Infant School Dinglewell Hucclecote Gloucester Postcode: GL3 3HS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr S Sheldon

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 18 – 20 March 1997 Dinglewell Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

2420 B McCutcheon Registered inspector Mathematics Geography Information and communication technology What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 1333 E Forster Lay inspector Equal opportunities How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 3349 J Ikin Team inspector Foundation Stage History 2414 D Westall Team inspector Science Art and design Design and technology Music How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

3856 S Wellsted Team inspector English Physical education Religious education Special educational needs English as an additional language Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

OASIS Waterstone Cottages Naunton Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL54 3AS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London Dinglewell Infant School - 5 WC2B 6SE Dinglewell Infant School - 6

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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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

There are 266 pupils on roll, aged between four and seven, and they are taught in nine classes. The school serves an area of high employment and in many families both parents work. As a consequence, the proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The percentage of pupils with special educational needs is average, there are two pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need and six pupils for whom English is an additional language. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is mainly in line with that expected for their ages.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with some very good features. Pupils make good progress in the basic skills of literacy and numeracy and most attain standards that are above, and sometimes well above, average by the time they leave the school at the age of seven. They achieve well because of the good teaching that they receive and the commitment of the headteacher, staff and governors to maintaining the high standards which the school has achieved over a number of years.

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What the school does well

• The quality of teaching is mainly good and, in Year 2, is often very good and this enables pupils to achieve well, including in English, mathematics and science. • The headteacher provides good leadership, governors give good support to the school and staff share a clear sense of purpose. • The quality and range of the Foundation Stage curriculum are good; and pupils in Years 1 and 2 also benefit from a broad and well balanced curriculum. • The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral and social development. • Pupils’ attitudes to learning and their behaviour are good; and relationships are very good. • Pupils with special educational needs are making good progress as a result of effective teaching. • Pupils’ standards are good in art and design, history, physical education and religious education at the age of seven; and their information and communication technology (ICT) skills are a little above average.

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What the school does well

• The care for pupils’ welfare is good. All adults in the school know the pupils well and are well informed about pupils’ needs. Consequently, children feel safe and secure from an early stage. • Strong links are established with parents and they have a high regard for the school.

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What could be improved

• The identification and recording of school priorities, beyond the current year, for inclusion in the school improvement plan. • The role of the co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Dinglewell Infant School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has sustained its many strengths and has made good progress in addressing the two areas of weakness, which were identified in the last OFSTED report. For children in the reception classes, provision for outdoor physical play has been improved. They now have access to a range of small and large equipment, and there are sufficient wheeled vehicles for small group activities. The school plans to develop the outdoor play area and to extend its provision further for physical activities. Since the last inspection, significant improvements have been made in the provision for ICT and standards have been raised. An ICT suite has been created and equipped, and each class has a regular timetabled session during which there is direct teaching of ICT skills. Overall, pupils make broadly satisfactory progress in using ICT to support and enhance their work in other subjects. However, their progress in applying their ICT skills has been slowed, in the last school year,

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

by building works and some deficiencies in classroom provision, which have now been resolved.

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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

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schools

The table shows that the results of statutory tests, taken at the end of Year 2, in 2000, were well above average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing, when compared with the national average. When these results are set alongside those achieved by similar schools, they are well above average in mathematics, above average in reading and average in writing. Inspection findings reflect the pattern of good standards achieved by pupils in the national tests. Most pupils achieve above average standards in English, mathematics and science by the time they leave the school at age seven. Overall, standards at the end of Year 2 are above average in art and design, history, physical education and religious education, and a little above average in ICT. In all other subjects of the National Curriculum, standards are average in Year 2.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are keen to learn.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. All pupils are aware of the school rules and do their very best to observe them. Dinglewell Infant School - 9 Personal development and relationships Pupils form very good relationships with adults and with each other. They develop confidence as they move through the school and are polite, helpful and friendly.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The good standards of teaching acknowledged in the OFSTED report of 1997 have been maintained. The quality of teaching was at least satisfactory in all lessons observed and was good, or better, in seven out of every ten lessons, across the school. Pupils in Year 2, benefit from particularly effective teaching which is mainly good, and often very good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

In reception, the teaching enables children to make a good start at the school and to make good progress in the development of basic skills in communication, language and literacy and in mathematics. Children are helped to feel safe and secure from an early stage and to gain in confidence. The range of interesting and stimulating activities that is provided in the reception classes results in children being eager to learn.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

In English, in Years 1 and 2, the lessons observed were mainly good and, in Year 2 in particular, were often very good. Teachers are implementing the National Literacy Strategy successfully and their planning is effective. They make good links between reading and writing so that pupils learn, from their reading, many of the techniques they need to become successful writers. Common strengths of the teaching include appropriately high expectations, the rigorous pursuit of planned objectives and good skills in the organisation and management of pupils, tasks and resources. The overall quality of teaching was also mainly good in the lessons seen in mathematics, with Year 2 pupils benefiting from some very good teaching. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, plan their lessons well and are using the National Numeracy Strategy effectively. They manage lessons well, use a range of methods to ensure that all pupils are fully involved and match work carefully to

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

their differing needs. As a consequence, pupils respond with interest and make effective progress in their learning in the subject.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching is good in science, ICT and physical education; and art teaching is a strength across the school. Insufficient lessons were observed to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching in other subjects. However, evidence from pupils’ work suggests that the teaching of history and of religious education is good; and is at least satisfactory in all other areas of the curriculum. Dinglewell Infant School - 10

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of the Foundation Stage curriculum are good. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 also benefit from a broad and well balanced curriculum, which fully meets statutory requirements.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school provides well for pupils with special educational needs. Pupils receive good support from teachers, learning support workers and the special educational needs co-ordinator.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision is good and pupils make mainly good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good provision is made for pupils’ moral and social development, and sound provision for their spiritual and cultural development.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a caring community, where pupils’ welfare is a high priority. All adults in the school know the pupils well and are well informed about pupils’ individual needs.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has good leadership and management skills and provides the school with a clear sense of direction. She fosters effective teamwork among staff and, since her appointment last year, has established very positive relationships with parents and governors. The deputy headteacher fulfils her role efficiently, and co-ordinators make a valuable contribution to the development of their subjects.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very committed and they work effectively with the headteacher and staff to achieve school improvement. Overall, the governors have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development. Statutory requirements are fully met.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The headteacher, subject co-ordinators and governors analyse the results of statutory testing carefully, and the headteacher checks the quality of teaching through well focused lesson observations. Most co-ordinators analyse samples of pupils’ work from across the school. However, very little monitoring of teaching has been undertaken by the co- ordinators for English, mathematics and science during the last school year. The school improvement plan provides a coherent overview of initiatives for the current year. However, governors recognise that it does not currently include clear priorities for Dinglewell Infant School - 11 how the school will improve over a longer period. Dinglewell Infant School - 12 The strategic use of resources The quality of financial planning is good. It supports agreed educational priorities well. Good use is made of all the

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• They believe pupils’ behaviour is good. • They believe there are high standards of teaching. • They believe pupils make good progress. • They believe the staff are easy to talk to. • The provision of extra-curricular activities. • Better information on their children’s progress. • The school working more closely with parents.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspection findings fully support parents’ positive views of the school. The school provides fewer extra-curricular activities than some infant schools and accepts that there is scope to increase opportunities to develop pupils’ interests and skills. Evidence shows that parents have the usual number of formal opportunities to discuss children’s progress with teachers; and the recent introduction of pupils’ targets, to be shared with parents, should increase the information provided on attainment. There is no evidence to suggest that the school does not work closely with parents. Dinglewell Infant School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. On entry to the school, the overall attainment of most children is broadly average. They make good progress in the reception classes, and are given a secure foundation in early literacy and numeracy skills as a result of teaching which is at least sound and mainly good. On entry to Year 1, most children achieve standards that are a little above those expected for their ages.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Inspection findings broadly mirror the pattern of high standards achieved by pupils in the national tests. The majority of pupils including the more able, those with special educational needs and with English as an additional language, make good progress in English, mathematics and science. Most pupils achieve above average standards in these subjects by the time they leave the school at age seven. There are no significant differences between the standards achieved by boys and girls in the school, although, recently boys are slightly outperforming girls in mathematics but not achieving as well in writing.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The National Literacy Strategy is well embedded and is having a significant impact on the standards that the school achieves in English. Teachers give appropriate emphasis to speaking and listening activities and to the development of key vocabulary. As a consequence, pupils become increasingly fluent and articulate, develop a good vocabulary, and learn to adapt their spoken language to suit various audiences and purposes. Year 1 pupils are able to read simple stories aloud, clearly and with expression, and their secure knowledge of phonics helps them to decode unknown words. In Year 2, most pupils read confidently and fluently, observing punctuation and demonstrating their understanding of character and mood. Most know how to use information books and almost all are enthusiastic readers. By the end of Year 1, many pupils can write coherently and at some length for a variety of purposes. At the age of seven, most able pupils use punctuation

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

correctly, vary the length of sentences in their writing and add descriptive detail, when appropriate. Their written accounts in history engage the reader just as surely as do their stories, and their factual records in science are clear and to the point. The written work of less able pupils generally communicates or records ideas clearly, but tends to lack the fluency and coherence of work by high attaining pupils. Standards of spelling are above average, overall, and most pupils can produce neat, legible and well formed handwriting.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. In mathematics, inspection findings show that, at the age of seven, most pupils have good numeracy skills for their ages. The National Numeracy Strategy is firmly in place and the good teaching of this subject is having a significant impact on the standards achieved by pupils. Strengths in the subject are pupils’ good understanding of mathematical terminology and a secure factual knowledge of number, shape and measure. For example, they know the meaning of such terms as ‘find the difference’ and their good grasp of place value, odd and even numbers and addition and subtraction to 100 contributes to the speed and accuracy of their calculations. Evidence from work completed in the previous year indicates that pupils also work confidently with two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and, at seven, are able to identify differences in, for example, the number of faces, edges and vertices. Pupils’ skills in using their knowledge of mathematics in other

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Dinglewell Infant School - 14 areas of the curriculum are generally good. For example, Year 2 pupils collect data on favourite foods, as part of their science research on healthy eating, and then produce simple graphs to illustrate their findings.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Inspection findings show that pupils make mainly good, and otherwise sound, progress in their learning in science; and overall standards are above average in Year 2. Pupils’ understanding and skills in the subject generally develop well as a result of teaching which is mainly good. Teachers skilfully introduce and reinforce appropriate technical vocabulary and, as a consequence, pupils quickly learn to use this to describe their work. Year 1 pupils, for example, refer to their senses when talking about taste and smell, and Year 2 pupils are beginning to use terms such as ‘balanced diet’. Evidence also indicates that, by the age of seven, pupils have a secure understanding of materials and how some are changed when they are heated or cooled, recognise that different living things are found in different habitats and can make simple electrical circuits.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Most pupils make mainly good, and otherwise sound, progress in developing their ICT skills. A small computer suite has been created and pupils are benefiting from regular timetabled lessons in ICT. Good teaching in the suite, and the support of trained volunteer parents, enables most pupils to achieve standards which are a little above those expected for their ages. The progress which pupils make in applying their ICT skills in other subjects is broadly satisfactory but has been slowed in the last year by building works and some deficiencies in classroom provision. These have now been resolved.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. Art teaching is a strength across the school and, as a consequence, pupils generally achieve well in their art and design work. In Year 2, for example, teachers with secure subject knowledge provide effective guidance which enables pupils to develop their awareness of the work of famous artists and to improve their skills in mixing paint colours. The co-ordinator makes an important contribution to the quality of learning in art and design and has formulated a well organised programme which enables pupils to make systematic progress in their learning. Similarly, in history, pupils’ good achievement is due to the good planning and organisation of the history curriculum. This gives appropriate emphasis to historical enquiry, through first hand and practical experiences, and ensures time for study in depth. In physical education, a good scheme of work underpins teachers’ planning and gives structure and purpose to each lesson. As a consequence, the teaching of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

physical education is consistently good and, by the age of seven, most pupils attain standards which are above average for their age. Pupils also achieve high standards in religious education where the very good relationships teachers have with their pupils enables them to encourage pupils to reflect deeply and to draw on their innermost thoughts and feelings as they consider religious themes and the deeper meanings of life.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Very few observations of lessons in music, geography and design and technology were undertaken due to timetabling arrangements. However, planning documents for design and technology show that an appropriate programme of activities is provided for all pupils during the year. Samples of pupils work from both year groups strongly indicate standards which are at least in line with the national expectation. In music, all available evidence shows that pupils make satisfactory progress. There is a popular after-school music club and Year 2 pupils are able to join recorder groups. In addition, nearly 20 pupils benefit from violin tuition from a visiting specialist teacher. Pupils’ progress in geography is broadly satisfactory and Dinglewell Infant School - 15 their achievement is in line with that expected for their ages. Valuable fieldwork is undertaken by pupils in both year groups which is based on a ‘geography trail’

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

conscientiously prepared by the co-ordinator. However, changes made to the planning for this subject have yet to be fully implemented, and evaluated, in order to secure progression in the development of pupils’ geographical skills, knowledge and understanding.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils of all ages and abilities demonstrate good attitudes to learning and to school life in general. They come eagerly to school, and they greet lessons in all subjects with almost equal enthusiasm. In lessons, they concentrate well, take turns in discussions and generally stop to think before responding to questions. Very few pupils answer on impulse, so that their answers, when they come, are usually to the point and expressed with thought, conviction and clarity. They are always keen to take part in discussions, usually listen carefully to what others have to say, and are not afraid to raise questions and comments of their own. Because their teachers value every child’s contribution and see every child as an individual with his or her own talents and learning needs, pupils in their turn are keen to do their best and are willing to take risks in their learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils try hard to recall information or to draw on concepts and skills they have mastered in previous lessons, and, when they can, they apply what they already know and can do as they tackle new tasks. They can be trusted to work at their tasks without direct supervision when it is appropriate to do so. With very rare exceptions, pupils work together sensibly, willingly supporting one another and sharing resources equitably.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. All pupils, regardless of ability, first language or ethnic background, mix well together in the classroom and in the playground, and behaviour is good. Racist behaviour such as name-calling is rare, as is bullying, and pupils are very aware that any such behaviour, by however few, is totally unacceptable and will be dealt with promptly and effectively by staff. Relationships between pupils and with adults are very good. Pupils respect property, and they are polite and courteous to adults and to one another. They greet staff and visitors politely, open doors or step aside graciously when the need arises, and readily engage in friendly, open and honest discussions when invited to do so, for example when talking about the books they like to read. For their age, they have a very good understanding of the difference between right and wrong, as is evident, for example, in discussions in religious

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

education lessons where their views demonstrate clear support for high moral principles and social responsibility. They know the school rules well, and they abide by them. They are also well aware of the impact one person’s behaviour can have upon others. They show respect for others’ feelings, views and beliefs, and they also show concern for others’ safety, for example during physical education lessons. There have been no recent exclusions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. All pupils respond very well to the opportunities they are given to use their own initiative and to take responsibility, whether in lessons or when carrying out routine jobs to help their teachers. In the context of links with the wider world, pupils enjoy helping the elderly in the local community, and they are enthusiastic in their efforts to support various local and national charities. Older pupils care for younger children in the playground, while pupils of any age new to the school are quickly assimilated and welcomed by their peers into the ‘Dinglewell family’. Evidence from Dinglewell Infant School - 16 lessons seen shows that, just as pupils care for people, so they develop an equally strong sense of moral responsibility for the environment. They are aware of the need to care for their immediate environment, whether at home or at school, but they are also developing a good understanding of the need for mankind, in general,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

to show responsibility for the stewardship of the Earth. 13. Pupils with special educational needs, and the few pupils for whom English is an additional language, are quickly and fully integrated into all aspects of school life and are valued members of the school community. They receive the encouragement they need to succeed not only from their teachers and other staff, but also from the warm and friendly support they are given by their peers.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance at the school is good and there is no unauthorised absence. Registers are correctly completed and meet statutory requirements. School sessions start promptly and pupils arrive in good time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The good standards of teaching acknowledged in the OFSTED report of 1997 have been maintained. The quality of teaching was never less than sound and was good, or better, in seven out of every ten lessons, across the school. Pupils in Year 2 benefit from particularly effective teaching which is mainly good and often very good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The teaching of reception children enables them to make a good start at the school. Relationships between adults and children are very positive and this helps children to feel safe and secure from an early stage. The supportive and caring ethos established in the reception classes enables children to gain confidence rapidly; and the range of interesting and stimulating activities which are provided results in them being eager to learn from an early stage. Effective teaching enables pupils to progress well in the development of basic skills, particularly in communication, language and literacy, and in their mathematical understanding and skills. For example, as a result of good demonstrations by teachers and classroom assistants children develop good expression when taking part in group speaking; and are keen to join in with songs and games which promote their knowledge and understanding of number.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The teaching of English is mainly good, never less than sound, and, in Year 2 in particular, is often very good. The National Literacy Strategy is being implemented successfully. Common strengths of the teaching include appropriately high expectations, effective planning, the rigorous pursuit of planned objectives and good skills in the organisation and management of pupils, tasks and resources. Teachers provide good role models for pupils in their use of spoken language and as readers. They make meaningful links between reading and writing so that pupils learn, from their reading, many of the skills and strategies they need to become successful writers. Teachers are skilled at questioning pupils in order to establish what has been understood and are quick to show pupils the next steps in their learning. Good use is made of assessment in English; and the progress and attainment of pupils are rigorously tracked and monitored. Work is usually matched

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

to the learning needs of particular groups or individuals, although very occasionally, the work set by teachers for the most able pupils is insufficiently challenging.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In mathematics, the quality of teaching is mainly good, sometimes very good, and otherwise sound. In Year 2, pupils benefit from particularly effective teaching and Dinglewell Infant School - 17 this is a major factor in the good progress that pupils make and the standards that they achieve. Teachers have secure subject knowledge, plan their lessons well and are using the National Numeracy Strategy effectively. They have high expectations of pupils and manage lessons effectively so that no time is wasted. Teachers use a range of methods to ensure that all pupils are fully involved and match work carefully to their differing needs. As a consequence, pupils respond with interest and have positive attitudes towards the subject. Collaborative planning by teachers, in year group teams, and the good use of assessment to inform this planning also make a significant contribution to the quality of mathematics teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The quality of teaching in science is mainly good and is otherwise sound. As a result, pupils’ understanding and skills in the subject generally develop well. Teachers have positive relationships with their classes and this has a beneficial effect on pupils’ attitudes to learning. Pupils concentrate well and their behaviour is good. All teachers have secure subject knowledge and their good teaching captures pupils’ interest. Instructions and explanations are clear and teachers introduce and reinforce appropriate technical vocabulary during lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. During the inspection, the quality of teaching in the ICT suite was good; and one very good Year 2 lesson was jointly taught by the co-ordinator and deputy headteacher. Most teachers have secure subject knowledge, lessons in the suite are thoroughly planned and support staff and volunteer parents provide good assistance. As a consequence, pupils’ make mainly good progress in developing their ICT skills. However, although they are provided with some opportunities to apply their skills in other subjects, such as science, the school acknowledges that teachers need to provide more opportunities for pupils to use ICT to support and enhance their work across the curriculum.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of physical education is consistently good. All teachers plan carefully and make clear the skills and the key vocabulary that pupils are intended to learn. They make good use of demonstration and provide pupils with opportunities to develop ideas and movements of their own as well as to follow instructions. Most teachers also encourage pupils to evaluate their own and others’ work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The overall quality of teaching is good in art and design. In Year 2, lessons were taught well and effective guidance from teachers enabled pupils to develop their awareness of the work of famous artists and to improve their skills in mixing colours. While it was not possible to observe art and design lessons in Year 1, an evaluation of pupils’ completed work shows the teaching, in common with the practice in Year 2, enables pupils to make good progress in the subject. As a consequence it is clear that art teaching is a strength across the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. As a result of timetabling arrangements, it is not possible to make a secure judgement about the quality of teaching in design and technology, geography, history, religious education or music. However, evidence suggests that pupils make good progress in religious education, at least sound progress in design and technology and broadly satisfactory progress in geography. In history, there is evidence of high expectations in the good progress that pupils make, the amount of work they do and the good presentation of work in books. In the few music lessons seen, the quality of teaching varied from satisfactory to good. The most effective teaching observed was characterised by the good subject knowledge of the teacher, and well judged instructions and guidance for pupils. Satisfactory teaching was Dinglewell Infant School - 18 evident when lessons were organised efficiently but pupils sometimes would have

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

benefited from more specific guidance to help them to improve their performance.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. Teachers plan work which is suitably matched to their individual needs and stages of development, or which directly addresses the targets in their individual education plans. In many lessons, particularly in the core subjects of English and mathematics, they also benefit from the very good support given by learning support workers. These valuable members of staff are well briefed about the lessons and about what the pupils are expected to achieve, and have a good understanding of the different subject disciplines. They are also well informed about pupils’ needs which may be of a non-academic kind, and are therefore usually able to give appropriate help of other kinds, for example to pupils with impaired hearing, with physical disabilities or with medical conditions should the need arise. Class teachers take particular care to make sure that pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

with special educational needs, like all other pupils, are included in very positive ways in discussions and in sessions when work is shared, for example at the end of literacy hours. The pupils are encouraged to take pride in their achievements, and their contributions, whether spoken or written, are always valued. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are both precise and rigorous, with challenging but achievable targets. Each pupil is aware of his or her particular targets at any one time, and this ensures a secure, informed working partnership between teacher and taught. The special educational needs co- ordinator is also the special educational needs teacher in the school. She is a very effective teacher, and those pupils who are occasionally withdrawn from mainstream lessons for focused work with her in small groups are very well taught and make very good progress during these short sessions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. In almost all lessons, class teachers provide suitably challenging work for the most able pupils in their classes. Just occasionally, work is too easy, but the high standards achieved by such pupils in the national tests at the age of seven testify to the good teaching they receive overall during their time in the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. The few pupils for whom English is an additional language benefit from the very good relationships in the school and from good systems and procedures which are in place for all pupils. Although the school receives no local authority support for these pupils, and although teachers in the school have had no formal training in relation to English as an additional language, all staff take great care to cater effectively for these pupils and to meet their needs. From the time they join the school, pupils’ progress is tracked and monitored closely. Teachers all give due attention to the development of key vocabulary as new concepts and knowledge are introduced; all give pupils ample opportunities for speaking and listening; and, whether intuitively or consciously, teachers are quick to repeat questions or statements, or to paraphrase them, when they realise any pupil is puzzled or quite simply has not understood. Children in the early stages of English language

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

acquisition, in the reception classes, benefit from teaching which emphasises the importance of communication and social interaction in the learning process.

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Throughout the school, the teaching is characterised by very good relationships between teachers and pupils. The planning and outcomes of lessons are carefully reviewed to ensure consistency across parallel classes; and teachers ensure that boys and girls have equal opportunities across the curriculum. Dinglewell Infant School - 19

p.18

PUPILS?

28. The school provides a broad curriculum for children in the reception classes which is securely based on the national guidance for young children in the Foundation Stage. It ensures that children make a good start, and gives appropriate emphasis to the importance of their personal and social development as well as their basic skills in literacy and numeracy. A rich and diverse range of learning opportunities is available, and there is a good balance between instruction by staff and opportunities for children to learn through practical activities, including play. The school’s provision for children’s physical development has improved since the last inspection and, overall, the quality and range of the Foundation Stage curriculum are good.

p.19

PUPILS?

29. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 also benefit from a broad and well-balanced curriculum, which fully meets statutory requirements. Sufficient time is allocated for literacy and numeracy, and this time is used effectively. The curriculum enables pupils to make at least satisfactory progress in all subjects of the National Curriculum and in religious education and to achieve well in most subjects including in English, mathematics and science. The school has made good progress in improving provision for ICT since the last inspection, and pupils now have satisfactory opportunities in the subject.

p.19

PUPILS?

30. Provision for pupils with special educational needs, for the more able pupils and for those with English as an additional language is good. Support for pupils with learning difficulties associated with literacy is particularly effective. Teachers and support workers know the pupils well. Targets in pupils’ individual education plans reflect a fairly broad range of needs which extend beyond academic subjects, when relevant, to address pupils’ social, emotional, physical and personal development and behaviour. All pupils receive good support from their teachers, from learning support workers and from the special educational needs co-ordinator when appropriate, and from outside specialists when this is deemed necessary to serve pupils’ best interests. When pupils are withdrawn from classes, for example for focused work on their learning targets with the special educational needs co- ordinator, great care is taken to ensure that their entitlement to the full curriculum is

p.19

PUPILS?

31. All pupils have full access to the curriculum. The school pays particular attention to ensuring that pupils with physical difficulties or other medical needs can participate fully in dance and other physical activities. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to learn about the diversity of cultures and religions in modern society, although, the school recognises that there is scope for this to be planned for in a more systematic manner than at present. In particular, pupils for whom English is an additional language would benefit from a more conscious attempt on the part of the school to affirm the value of their home cultures and languages, for example by providing a variety of dual-language texts or texts in pupils’ first languages.

p.19

PUPILS?

32. Good provision is made for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Regular opportunities are provided for pupils to discuss their feelings and to develop their understanding of the importance of positive relationships with others. In addition, pupils are made aware of the practical dangers of drug misuse and the importance of healthy eating. The school’s sex education policy appropriately ensures that relevant issues are addressed, largely through the science curriculum. Dinglewell Infant School - 20 33. Pupils benefit from a good range of educational visits, and from visitors to the school, and these help to enrich the curriculum. A significant proportion of Year 2 pupils receives violin tuition from a visiting specialist teacher, and pupils can choose to join groups to learn recorder playing. However, there is only one after-school club, and parents’ questionnaire returns show that many would welcome additional

p.19

PUPILS?

after-school opportunities for their children. The school is currently exploring possibilities to increase the range of after-school clubs.

p.20

PUPILS?

34. The school values the importance of the local community as a resource and this provides a positive enrichment to the curriculum. Good history and geography trails have been developed which give pupils a good understanding of how Hucclecote has developed, and a feel for its history. Visitors from the local area, such as the police and speakers from the church, are invited into school and some residents have shared their experiences of the second world war with pupils. There are close links with the nearby home for the elderly, with pupils acting as hosts when they attend school events. Pupils are also encouraged to think about the wider community through a variety of charity fundraising activities. The school has benefited from professional expertise in the creation of its award winning web site and has improved its environment by planting bulbs provided by a local company.

p.20

PUPILS?

35. The school has sound links with local nurseries and playgroups and staff make a visit to each establishment to meet new children, before they start school. Liaison with staff of the adjoining junior school enables pupils to make a smooth transfer and there are plans for staff to work more closely together on curriculum matters.

p.20

PUPILS?

36. The school makes good provision for pupils’ moral and social development, and sound provision for their spiritual and cultural development.

p.20

PUPILS?

37. The school has a strong moral ethos. Honesty and fairness are strongly promoted and pupils are taught the principles which distinguish right from wrong. Care and concern for others are encouraged in the daily routines, and contribute to the very good relationships in the school. Assemblies give strong emphasis to moral issues, and pupils are encouraged to reflect on their attitudes towards others during regular class discussions. Religious education lessons also contribute well to pupils’ moral development. For example, in a lesson observed in Year 1, pupils developed their understanding of the need to care for the world God has created; and, in a Year 2 lesson, pupils discussed the importance of adopting rules for living and the example provided by Jesus.

p.20

PUPILS?

38. Pupils’ social development is promoted effectively through opportunities for pupils to co-operate on shared tasks, and through their teachers’ expectations that they should support and encourage each other. All staff set good examples by valuing pupils’ achievements and foster positive attitudes. Pupils’ self-esteem is promoted well and there are regular celebrations of pupils’ achievements, during assemblies. Pupils have opportunities to use initiative during lessons, and to take responsibility for a range of school duties.

p.20

PUPILS?

39. Pupils’ spiritual development is soundly promoted by acts of collective worship which fully comply with statutory requirements. Work in religious education also contributes to their spiritual development and educational visits, for example to Gloucester Cathedral and to the local country park, enable pupils to reflect on the wonder of the world. Pupils’ cultural development is fostered by educational visits Dinglewell Infant School - 21 and by a good range of visitors to the school, including local clergy and members of Christian communities, theatre groups, a professional story teller, and by grandparents who talked about life during World War II. Work in religious education and history also make significant contributions to pupils’ cultural development, and evidence suggests that the art week during the last academic year was highly beneficial. There is rather limited evidence of current work to promote pupils’

p.20

PUPILS?

understanding of the richness and diversity of other cultures. However, it is clear that the school has given a high priority to this aspect of pupils’ cultural development in past years and that the headteacher recognises the importance of maintaining this emphasis through future initiatives. Dinglewell Infant School - 22

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Dinglewell Infant School is a caring community where each child is valued and feels secure. Respect and kindness underpins the good support that it provides for all its pupils and this helps them to develop high self-esteem and to flourish. Adults know the children well and all set a good example in their relationships with them. Sensitive and well targeted support is provided for those pupils with particular pastoral or medical needs and all parents are encouraged to share any concerns they might have with the staff.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Child protection arrangements are sound but the school recognises that, because of the recent turnover in staff, it might be timely to refresh the awareness training for all adults in the school. Arrangements for monitoring attendance are good and parents are reminded of the importance of ensuring their children do not miss school unnecessarily.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. The school is successful in promoting high standards of behaviour. The simple school rules and the consistency of behaviour management in classrooms form a firm foundation for pupils to learn quickly what is expected of them. Pupils are involved in drawing up appropriate rules for classroom behaviour, which include the opportunity to choose activities when rewards have been earned. Particular achievements in academic work, attitudes or acts of kindness are recognised at weekly assemblies and the pupils are proud to have their names entered in the ‘golden book’. Consequently, incidents of poor behaviour, bullying or racist name calling are rare and they are dealt with promptly and effectively. There have been no exclusions.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. Parents are complimentary about the induction of new pupils to the school. The gradual increase in time attended, over the first half term, ensures that young children do not have to learn too many routines at once and this makes their first experience of school life a positive one. The careful release of pupils, to their parent or known carer at the end of school sessions, also allows for an informal dialogue with teachers about any concerns or queries.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The school covers many aspects of personal and social education, such as healthy eating and sex education, as part of the science curriculum. Particular attention is given to helping pupils learn about personal safety with a programme of road safety activities planned for each term. Pupils have regular opportunities to discuss their feelings and listen to others’ points of view and this helps them to develop sensitivity to the needs of others and contributes towards a caring and harmonious community.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school has well established procedures for medicines, accidents and emergencies and maintains appropriate supporting documentation. The health and safety policy is implemented through regular site inspections and pupils are reminded of the importance of safe practice in lessons such as physical education. The school buildings are clean, tidy and well maintained and the shared grounds provide a safe environment for play.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. The last OFSTED inspection found the school had effective systems for assessing pupils’ standards, and that these assessments informed future planning well. This is still the case. Good use is made of assessments undertaken when children start in the reception classes and at the end of their first year in reception. These act as a pertinent baseline measure against which to judge pupils’ future achievements in Dinglewell Infant School - 23 the school. They provide predictions for the results of individual pupils in the statutory tests in their final year at the school, and staff have rigorously analysed these predictions, showing that nearly all pupils reach the anticipated levels and many do better. The results of the Standard Assessment Tests are studied carefully by the headteacher and the subject co-ordinators, and action is taken to address any weaknesses in pupils’ performance. Class teachers carry out well focused

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

assessment exercises for all pupils in English and mathematics every half term. These are analysed by the co-ordinators and discussed with all staff. This good practice enables the achievements of individual or groups of pupils to be carefully monitored, and for work to be set which matches the future needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. There are regular meetings for staff to examine examples of pupils’ work, particularly in English and mathematics, to agree common interpretations of National Curriculum levels. This helps to establish a shared perception by all staff. Examples of assessed work are included in school portfolios, and provide further assistance to teachers in judging pupils’ standards in English and mathematics. Co-ordinators for other subjects also collect examples of pupils’ work in order to develop their awareness of standards in their subjects,

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

and to inform their future priorities. All teachers use effective questioning skills in their lessons to probe pupils’ understanding and to judge their needs, and make useful notes of the significant achievements or learning requirements of individuals. They provide well-judged verbal feedback to their pupils during lessons, and the quality of their marking is sound, overall.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school has established a strong partnership with parents and this is a strength of the school. Parents feel that all staff are easy to talk to, open and caring. Many take advantage of the release system at the end of the day to talk informally to the teachers. Parents are supportive and trusting of the school and hold it in high regard.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Documentation about the school is clear and informative and regular newsletters keep parents in touch with school activities. Parents also value the opportunity to read about the school on its web site and to contribute to the ‘message board’ facility when making comments about the school. There are clear guidelines to parents about the type and frequency of homework and all parents receive useful booklets to help them support their children’s learning at home. Home/school reading diaries are effectively used for two way communication, particularly in reception and Year 1.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents are regularly invited to school assemblies, and subject ‘workshops’ for parents are well attended. However, some parents would like more information about the work which is planned for each class on a termly basis and the school is considering ways of meeting this need. This may account for the small minority of parents who, through the questionnaire returns, indicated that the school did not work closely enough with them.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Parents have regular opportunities throughout the year to discuss their children’s progress with staff and these are very well attended. Annual written reports appropriately cover all subjects of the National Curriculum and give some indications of attainment. However, the school has just introduced individual targets for all pupils which have already been shared with parents. These will be reviewed at consultation evenings and included in annual reports. This sharper focus should Dinglewell Infant School - 24 help the small minority of parents who would like to feel better informed about their child’s progress.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parents are very supportive of the school and many give generously of their time to help in classes, accompany visits and organise the daily distribution of milk. Parents are also given training in using computers so that they feel confident when supporting pupils in the computer suite. Their creation of story sacks for use in the reception classes provides a rich resource to support literacy. The school uses parental expertise in events such as the termly arts weeks and in running music clubs. The thriving Parents Association organises well attended fund-raising events thereby providing additional resources or facilities for the school.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. Many parents express the view that there are few extra-curricular activities, whilst recognising that they would not expect a wide range of clubs. The school accepts that there are fewer opportunities than in some infant schools for pupils to participate in such activities and will be giving this further consideration.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The school has established positive links with the parents of pupils with special educational needs. Parents are informed of their child’s needs when these are first identified, and are subsequently involved when the child’s progress is reviewed and when new targets are set. With very rare exceptions, parents very much appreciate the school’s efforts on their children’s behalf, value the support they are given, and work in partnership with the school to serve their child’s best interests.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

54. Through its regular pattern of meetings for parents, and in additional ways when necessary, the school makes every effort to communicate with the parents of the few pupils for whom English is an additional language. Staff seek to establish, early on, pupils’ existing skills in their home languages as well as in English with a view to informing their teaching practice. When necessary, efforts are made to find family or community members who can act as interpreters or intermediaries to facilitate communication between the school and non-English speaking parents.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The governing body is very committed to the school and works very effectively with the headteacher and staff. Appropriate committees are established, which meet regularly, and help to guide the school’s work. The results of statutory tests are debated thoroughly and members of the governors’ curriculum committee regularly visit the school to observe it in operation. During the last year, the governors with responsibility for literacy, numeracy and the Foundation Stage have made focused visits to the school. They have liaised closely with co-ordinators and have written helpful reports of lessons which they have observed. The chair of governors has recently assumed responsibility for special educational needs and appropriately attended meetings, between the special educational needs co-ordinator and parents, in order to develop his understanding of the needs of pupils further. Overall, the governors have a secure understanding of the school’s strengths and

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

areas for development and, in collaboration with the headteacher, are continuing to develop their role as critical friend to the school. Statutory requirements are fully met.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. Since the headteacher took up her post in September 2000 she has very effectively built on the good foundations which were identified in the last OFSTED report. She has good leadership and management skills and fosters effective teamwork among Dinglewell Infant School - 25 staff, together with a shared commitment to school improvement. She has quickly developed positive relationships with parents and they feel that the headteacher knows their children well and responds sensitively to any concerns or suggestions they might have. The headteacher provides the school with a clear sense of direction. She monitors teachers’ planning and the quality of teaching through well- focused lesson observations across the school, and provides teachers with valuable feedback. The results of statutory testing have been carefully analysed and the strengths and weaknesses identified are used to inform strategic planning. The

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

headteacher has good ICT skills and has used these effectively to publish regular, interesting, and well presented, newsletters for parents. In collaboration with the ICT co-ordinator, she has also created an award winning web site for the school. The deputy headteacher fulfils her current role efficiently and has recently been promoted to the headship of another school.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school improvement plan has been formulated through effective leadership by the headteacher with appropriate governor involvement. Staff have appropriately been consulted and have contributed to the plan by preparing action plans for individual subjects. The plan is carefully organised and provides a coherent overview of priorities for the current year. Objectives are clearly identified and the planning for initiatives appropriately details time scales, those responsible, costings and success criteria. Overall, the plan identifies relevant priorities and has a beneficial effect on the quality of education provided. However, the headteacher and governors recognise that there is now a need to augment each one year plan with outline planning for a further two years to enable them to plan strategically over a longer period of time.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Responsibility for subjects and aspects of the school has been appropriately delegated and co-ordinators work hard to promote and develop those areas for which they are responsible. Schemes of work and policies are regularly reviewed and there has been some good work on developing assessment systems, particularly in English, mathematics and science. Co-ordinators monitor standards by looking at and moderating pupils’ work, and make a useful input into planning. Where co-ordinators have analysed test results, for example in English and mathematics, the information has been well used to inform focused actions for improvement. However, during the last year, very few lesson observations have been undertaken other than by the headteacher. The school recognises the need for co-ordinators to be involved in the monitoring of teaching, particularly in English, mathematics and science, and the school improvement plan for 2001/2

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

appropriately includes a target to develop their role.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

59. The leadership and management of special educational needs provision are effective. The special educational needs co-ordinator has only recently assumed responsibility for her role, although she has substantial experience as a special educational needs teacher in the school. She has worked hard, and quickly, to familiarise herself with established procedures and practices and to prepare for changes which will accompany the implementation of the revised Code of Practice. In particular, she has a good knowledge and understanding of the range of special educational needs represented amongst the pupils on the special educational needs register. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place, learning support workers are well briefed and well deployed, and professional contacts with outside agencies and specialists are constructive and helpful. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is monitored very closely and is reviewed regularly.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

In the light of the progress they make, pupils are moved to different stages of the Dinglewell Infant School - 26 register and are set new targets. In order to ensure that pupils are well prepared for changes of school, the special educational needs co-ordinator has established good links with the adjoining junior school to which most pupils transfer. The special educational needs governor is also new to his role but has already appraised himself of some aspects of provision. All statutory requirements related to special educational needs provision are fully met.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

60. The school has a strong ethos of inclusion, where every pupil is valued and supported according to their needs; and equality of opportunity underpins all aspects of school life. The well written equal opportunities policy includes detailed guidelines about how it should be implemented in the curriculum, and these have been discussed by staff. Teachers use tracking information to monitor the attainment of different groups of pupils, and the headteacher focuses on the delivery of equal opportunity as part of her regular monitoring of teaching. The school is fully accessible to pupils in wheelchairs and has disabled toilet provision.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

61. The budget is analysed carefully by the headteacher and by the finance committee of the governors. Financial planning is appropriately linked to the initiatives in the school improvement plan; and governors debate expenditure rigorously in order to obtain value for money. The chair of governors, and the chair of the finance committee, provide well informed guidance on financial planning based on their experience as accountants. The administration of the budget and the day-to-day management of the school is carried out efficiently by the headteacher and the school’s two secretaries, who receive good support from a local authority finance officer. A larger than normal contingency fund has resulted mainly from the allocation of additional government grants coinciding with the appointment of a new headteacher in September 2000. There are plans to reduce this to a more acceptable level during the current financial year. Overall, the school makes

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

effective use of its resources. It is well led by the headteacher and the governors are effective. The quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory and is mainly good or better; and pupils make mainly good progress in their learning. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are also good, and the school caters well for their personal as well as academic development. Overall, the school provides good value for money.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

62. There are sufficient teachers, they have the expertise and experience to cover the age range and ability of the pupils, and generally have secure subject knowledge across all areas of the curriculum. Appropriate performance management procedures are in place and provision for the induction of new staff and newly qualified teachers is good. Support staff are well trained and play an important and much valued role in helping pupils to make good progress.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

63. The accommodation is kept in very clean condition by the conscientious caretaking staff and is a well organised environment for learning. Since the last OFSTED inspection, a new computer suite and, more recently, facilities for pupils’ with special educational needs, have significantly improved the accommodation. Classrooms are of satisfactory size and good use is made of the space available throughout the school. Teachers take care to enrich the environment with attractive displays of pupils’ work. The school benefits from extensive grounds which are shared with the neighbouring junior school. There is an adequate amount of secure outside space for children in the reception classes and they are provided with daily opportunities to use this as a play area to develop their physical skills. Dinglewell Infant School - 27 64. Resources for ICT, and for outdoor equipment for children in the Foundation Stage,

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

have been improved since the last OFSTED report and, overall, resources for learning are satisfactory. Dinglewell Infant School - 28

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

65. In order to improve strategic planning, and the monitoring and evaluation of the quality of teaching, the headteacher and governors should include the following issues in the school’s post-inspection plan:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) extend the school improvement plan to include clear priorities for how the school will improve over a longer period. (see paragraph 57)

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) improve the role of subject co-ordinators in monitoring and evaluating the quality of teaching by:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a) providing training in classroom observation skills; b) establishing procedures to guide their work; c) developing a programme for lesson observations. (see paragraphs 58, 84, 96 and 103) Dinglewell Infant School - 29

p.28

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 24

p.29

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.29

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 16 53 31 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than one percentage point .

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 266

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 10 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 2

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 41

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

p.29

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 12

p.29

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. Dinglewell Infant School - 30

p.29

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 41 50 91

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 36 38 38 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 48 47 49

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 92 (98) 93 (98) 96 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Boys 36 38 38 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 48 48 48

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentage of pupils School 92 (97) 95 (99) 95 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.30

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Dinglewell Infant School - 31

p.30

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.31

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.31

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 4 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.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2001/2

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 479,924

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 504,557

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 122 Expenditure per pupil 1,669

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 57,920

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 33,287

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

p.31

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.31

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3.4

p.31

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 3.7

p.31

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1.5

p.31

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1.5

p.31

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Dinglewell Infant School - 32

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 52 44 5 0 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 51 46 1 1 1

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 48 13 1 6

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 49 15 2 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 56 38 5 1 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 57 37 5 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 28 55 13 3 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 44 46 2 1 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 46 48 3 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 15 32 33 10 10 Dinglewell Infant School - 33

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

66. Children are admitted to the reception classes in the September of the school year in which they become five. Induction arrangements include appropriate opportunities for parents and children to visit the school in the term prior to starting; and sensitive entry procedures result in pupils having a positive start to school. Most children have attended some form of pre-school provision, including the local pre-school playgroups. The school has good links with these groups through local cluster meetings and there are plans to develop these links further to include a common record keeping system.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. There is a wide spread of attainment on entry to the reception classes, but for the majority it is broadly average. Children make good progress in relation to their starting points and most reach standards that are at least in line with those expected, and mainly a little above, by the end of the reception year. They are well prepared for Year 1 of the statutory curriculum because of the effective teaching they receive in the reception classes. The quality of teaching, across the six areas of learning, is mainly good and otherwise sound. The school provides a well- planned curriculum which is soundly based on national guidance for young children in the Foundation Stage. Assessment arrangements are good and are used well to inform planning for children’s different needs. There are good arrangements to ensure that children gain the basic skills of literacy and numeracy.

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Personal, social and emotional development

68. The personal, social and emotional development of most children, as they enter the school, is at the level expected for their age. They make good progress and rapidly gain in confidence because of the supportive and caring ethos in the reception classes which helps them to feel secure and to settle quickly into well-established routines. A range of interesting and stimulating activities is provided and this results in children being eager to learn from an early stage. They generally develop good relationships with their classmates and positive relationships with adults as a result of taking part in activities which require them to share equipment and materials and to work collaboratively. For example, in the course of their role play, they agree on the parts that they will take and the resources that they will use in developing an imaginative story about a prince who lives in a castle. The many opportunities that

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Personal, social and emotional development

are provided for sharing and working together result in children having a good understanding of the difference between right and wrong, and the consequences of their actions on others. For example, when making collages, the children recognise that it is selfish to take too much of the more attractive materials on offer, because there will not be enough left for everyone else. Whole-class sessions in which each child is given a chance to speak are very effective in helping children to understand the basic rules which make for harmonious groups, turn taking and working together. For example, one activity involves them in sharing a smile, introducing themselves, shaking hands and changing places. They develop an early understanding of how everyone can work together and use their different strengths for the benefit of the whole group. For example, in the course of their activities with a parachute they all work together to shake the parachute and hide the ‘mouse’

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Personal, social and emotional development

underneath it so that it cannot be caught by the cat. Children learn the skills of Dinglewell Infant School - 34 informed decision-making and develop confidence in taking responsibility for their own actions when placing their name against the activity of their choice on the ‘play board’. There is good support for pupils with special educational needs and those children who are less confident, from the teachers and the classroom assistants. The high expectations of work and behaviour that the teachers have of the children are consistently reinforced and, as a result, good habits of working are established from an early stage.

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Communication, language and literacy

69. Assessments of children’s early literacy skills, made during their first term in the reception classes, show that their attainment is broadly in line with the level expected for children of this age. In the reception classes, children make good progress in relation to their starting points and attain standards that are a little above those expected for their age by the time that they move into the Year 1 classes. They listen attentively, follow discussions well and show good concentration. Higher attaining and more confident children are keen to answer questions and they also ask questions of their own, or pass comments. For example, they decide with their teacher which book they will take home to read, or discuss with their classmates how to construct a model using construction kits. They are articulate, and they express their ideas clearly and well. As a result of good explanations and demonstrations by the teachers and classroom assistants, children develop good

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Communication, language and literacy

expression when taking part in group speaking. For example when reciting the rhyme, ‘Ten little Bears Bouncing on the Bed’ they accurately use the intonation that the doctor might have used when telling the bears that they should not do this any more. Teachers and classroom assistants are very skilled in supporting pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language. They sensitively ensure that all pupils are involved, engaging with them individually when they are not making contributions during group discussions.

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Communication, language and literacy

70. All children enjoy sharing stories, poems and rhymes with their teachers. When they listen to stories being read aloud, they follow the events closely, as the plot unfolds, and look carefully at the illustrations, using them to find more about the characters and their feelings. The more able children are already very aware of how books work and turn readily to them. On entry to the school, a small minority of children recognise some key words on sight and know something about the sounds that letters make, but the majority do not. Evidence from pupils’ records, show that all children develop a very sound awareness of phonics during their reception year and this enables them to read most words accurately, in simple texts, by the end of the reception year. More able children also begin to identify meanings beyond the literal in the stories that they read.

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Communication, language and literacy

71. When account is taken of their starting points, all the children are making sound or better progress in letter formation and handwriting. By the end of the reception year most form their letters accurately and write their own name neatly. Many are able to compose, and write down, short simple statements and sequences of ideas, although they are not yet using punctuation consistently to show where one ‘sentence’ might end and another begin. Most children can use their knowledge of letter sounds to build simple three letter words, while the more able children make very plausible attempts at spelling the words they need to convey their own ideas.

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Mathematical development

Dinglewell Infant School - 35 72. When children enter the school at the age of four, their mathematical development is at about the level expected for their age. They make good progress, so that by the end of the reception year the majority attain levels that are a little above those expected for pupils about to enter Year 1. For example, many children can count accurately from five to zero as they sing songs such as ‘Five little Bears Bouncing on a Bed’ and when they are playing a number game based on ‘Inci Winci Spider’ being washed down the spout. Some of the older, and more able children, are secure in combining numbers of objects and counting accurately how many are in the full set. Most children can recognise numerals from one to nine and write them accurately by the end of the reception year. Many children have a limited mathematical vocabulary when they start school. By the time they reach the end of

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Mathematical development

the reception year they can talk about how they arrive at the answer to number problems such as ‘one more’ or ‘one less’ than a given number up to 20. Many children can identify simple two-dimensional shapes such as a square, circle and triangle and recognise the language of position such as ‘behind’, ‘in front’ and ‘inside’, as a result of their work using construction toys and in the course of following directions in physical education. When working in sand and water they begin to develop an understanding of capacity and to use the language of ‘full’ and ‘empty’. They create simple patterns, for example, colouring in symmetrical shapes and number sequences.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

73. Pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the world is a little above the levels expected for their age by the end of the reception year. This is a result of effective teaching which ensures a wide range of opportunities for learning. These include direct teaching, practical play experiences and visits to places within the locality and further afield. Children begin to gain an early understanding of place as a result of walks around the school in which they identify the different features of the school building, where classrooms are and what different rooms are used for. They use these experiences to identify different places accurately around the school from photographs. Well-structured planning results in children’s understanding being further developed through visits to the local area and the creation of maps and models which identify significant features of their journeys between home and

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

school. They become increasingly aware of the area in which they live and of the services that people who live in the area provide. They know something about growth and change in plants and living creatures through their observations of beans growing and caterpillars hatching. They develop confidence as investigators as a result of opportunities to explore the differences in materials, such as wood, metal and plastic; and to observe the differences in the distances travelled by a model car when it is pushed. They have an early understanding of the passing of time and their place within it as a result of reflecting on changes in themselves since they have been born.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

74. Children achieve well when making models from construction equipment and develop their design and making skills at an early stage from opportunities to produce articles for use in real situations. For example, they have designed menus for a role-play café. Children demonstrate good levels of achievement for their age when using computers. They follow instructions carefully and demonstrate good hand and eye control when controlling images on screen using a mouse. For example, when choosing the correct clothes to dress a teddy bear and selecting colours for their drawings on screen. Dinglewell Infant School - 36

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Physical development

75. Children in the reception classes benefit from appropriate opportunities to develop their manipulative skills when using construction toys, and when painting, drawing and cutting. They make good progress and develop an appropriate degree of dexterity for their age, Children who have special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language have good access to physical activities as a result of the good support that they receive from teachers and classroom assistants. Appropriate use is made of the hall and playground for physical education which involves the children in more formal activities in preparation for the curriculum in Year 1. Provision for outdoor physical play has been improved since the last inspection. As a result, children show a good awareness of their own space in relation to others, and are able to control the speed of their movements. They use a range of small and large equipment such as balls and scooters with safety and

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Physical development

increasing control. Children have access to an outdoor play area, which has a good-sized grass area and there are sufficient wheeled vehicles for small group activities. There is a newly installed climbing area near to the main playground. However, the hard play area provided for the youngest children is uneven, and its elongated shape gives insufficient scope for children to develop their skills and movements beyond simply going up and down the area. The school is aware of the need to develop the outdoor area and to extend its provision further for outdoor play. Foundation Stage plans include the extension of opportunities for physical development, and for outdoor learning, in the other areas of experience.

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Creative development

76. Children make good progress in their creative development and, as a consequence, they achieve standards that are a little above those expected by the end of the reception year. They respond well to opportunities to express their ideas when singing, painting, role playing and moving to music. They learn a good range of songs by heart, sing them enthusiastically at an early stage and accompany themselves with appropriate movements and mimes. Children demonstrate an ability to make up their own imaginative stories when using the role-play areas and small world equipment. They are taught the skills of mixing paint and brush control and go on to use these skills in creating imaginative representations of what they see, hear and feel. There are ample opportunities for children to explore a range of different media and to use them for mark making and to compose their own pictures and patterns. There were good opportunities for children to explore the colours and

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Creative development

textures of paint, crayons and chalks during the inspection. For example, children were using sponges and corks to create patterns with paint. When using chalk on black paper they used it in a range of different ways to create the effects they wanted in patterns and imaginative representations of the real world. At a later stage, children go on to make close observations of the real world, for example, of sunflowers, and to learn about the creative ideas of famous artists.

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ENGLISH

77. Pupils of all abilities make good progress in English in both Year 1 and Year 2. As in the previous four years, the school’s results in the national tests in reading at the end of Year 2 in 2000 were well above the national average and above average in comparison with the results achieved by similar schools. Following a general pattern which has emerged nationally since the statutory assessments began, pupils tend to do slightly less well in writing, and the year 2000 saw the school’s Dinglewell Infant School - 37 results for writing fall slightly. Having remained steadily well above the national average from 1997 to 1999, the results for writing dipped slightly in 2000. As a consequence, although the results remained above the national average, they were broadly in line with those achieved by similar schools. No national figures are yet available on which to base comparisons between the school’s performance in the

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ENGLISH

national tests in 2001 and that of other schools. Nevertheless, the school’s own monitoring procedures show a significant increase in the numbers of pupils who have achieved above average standards in both reading and writing.

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ENGLISH

78. Inspection findings broadly mirror the pattern of high standards achieved by pupils in the national tests. Pupils of all abilities, including the more able, those for whom English is an additional language and those who have special educational needs achieve good standards in relation to their starting points in all aspects of English.

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ENGLISH

79. In both Years 1 and 2, pupils’ skills in speaking and listening are above average overall. Most pupils use spoken standard English correctly, become increasingly fluent and articulate, develop a good vocabulary, and learn to adapt their spoken language to suit various audiences and purposes. The few pupils for whom English is an additional language benefit from the emphasis teachers give to speaking and listening and to the development of key vocabulary in all areas of the curriculum. At the beginning of Year 1, some pupils are already able to read simple stories aloud clearly, audibly and with expression, often taking as much pleasure from the act of reading as from what they read. Others are developing a good grasp of the various strategies they need to decode unfamiliar words, including a very secure knowledge of phonics. In Year 2, at a very early stage in the academic year, most pupils

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ENGLISH

already read confidently and fluently for their age. They observe the cues to phrasing and expression provided by punctuation, and they demonstrate their understanding of character and mood, for example by changing their tone of voice, as well as its volume, when they read. Although few pupils recall the names of many favourite authors, almost all are enthusiastic readers who can talk about the kinds of books they like, giving valid reasons. Most can explain the differences between stories and information books, and most know how to use information books to find things out.

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ENGLISH

80. Because the inspection took place very early in the Autumn term, judgements about pupils’ writing are based primarily on work completed during the previous academic year. By the end of Year 1, many pupils can already write coherently and at some length for a variety of curriculum purposes in English and in other subjects. By the end of Year 2, the most able pupils have mastered the use of full stops, capital letters, speech marks, exclamation marks and question marks, and are beginning to understand, and experiment using, the comma. They vary the length of sentences in their writing, use a variety of ‘connectives’ to combine ideas within complex sentences, and add descriptive detail when it is appropriate to do so. Their written accounts in history engage the reader just as surely as do their stories, and their factual records in science are clear and to the point. Most pupils have developed a

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ENGLISH

wide general vocabulary and have acquired a good repertoire of technical and subject-specific terms. The written work of lower attaining pupils generally communicates or records ideas clearly, but tends to lack the fluency and coherence of work by higher attaining pupils. This is often because the lower attaining pupils find it difficult to combine, simultaneously, the many skills needed to produce work of a high standard: they tend to focus on their ideas, on strategies for spelling the words they want to use and on the physical act of writing. As a consequence, they sometimes forget to add detail, to make sure subjects and verbs agree, to use Dinglewell Infant School - 38 punctuation consistently, or to combine ideas within well structured complex sentences. In spelling, most pupils draw competently on their phonic knowledge and on patterns they have committed to memory, and standards are above average

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ENGLISH

overall. Almost all pupils are also capable of producing neat, legible and well- formed cursive handwriting. However, the high standard of handwriting evident in pupils’ ‘practice pieces’ is by no means consistently applied in all their work.

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ENGLISH

81. The 1997 OFSTED report raised only one point of criticism in the case of English in the school, to the effect that word processing was not used to any great extent by pupils to draft their work. There have been some improvements since that time. An ICT suite has been installed, and pupils’ keyboard skills are developing well. A number of programs are used to help pupils with spelling and with organisational features of language and presentation such as labelling. There are also some good examples of neatly presented, word-processed work by pupils in both year groups. Nevertheless, there remains scope for pupils to apply their keyboard skills outside ICT lessons; and to learn how to compose some of their written work directly ‘on screen’, and how to improve it by editing and redrafting.

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ENGLISH

82. The teaching of English is mainly good, never less than sound, and, in Year 2 in particular, is often very good. The National Literacy Strategy is being implemented successfully. All teachers and support staff demonstrate a good grasp of the requirements and of the underlying principles, and they are having a significant impact on pupils’ attainment and progress. Relationships between staff and pupils are very good. There is mutual respect between teachers and taught, and, as a result, pupils are keen to learn and to do their best. Common strengths of the teaching include: appropriately high expectations in terms of attainment and behaviour for each individual pupil; effective planning which makes clear what pupils are intended to learn; the rigorous pursuit of planned objectives; good skills in the organisation and management of pupils, tasks and resources. Teachers provide good role models for pupils in their use of spoken language and as readers. They

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ENGLISH

make meaningful links between reading and writing so that pupils learn, from their reading, many of the skills and strategies they need to become successful writers. For the most part, group tasks are suitably different to make sure that independent work is matched to the learning needs of particular groups and individuals. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides very effective literacy support for those pupils who are occasionally withdrawn from literacy lessons for focused work in small groups. In mainstream lessons, support staff are deployed well, and give effective support to those pupils who need it. Very occasionally, the work set by teachers for the most able pupils is insufficiently challenging.

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ENGLISH

83. Assessment in English has many strengths. Teachers are skilled at questioning pupils in order to establish what has been understood and to deepen their thinking, whether during discussions or during group work. In most cases, they value pupils’ responses and are adept at judging what has been understood or what has been misconstrued. They are quick to eradicate any misunderstandings and to show pupils the next steps in their learning. All pupils have relevant individual targets for their written work, and teachers sometimes identify other targets for speaking, listening and reading, according to specific, identified needs. The progress and attainment of teaching groups and of each individual pupil are rigorously tracked and monitored. The results of national tests and of school assessments are analysed carefully, and any weaknesses identified in pupils’ work are then addressed. Strengths and weaknesses in relation to pupils’ specific targets, and to

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ENGLISH

Dinglewell Infant School - 39 the specific objectives set for work, are brought to pupils’ attention and guidance for improvement is given.

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ENGLISH

84. The English co-ordinator is very effective in her role. She is a very good role-model as a teacher of English, supports staff well and is conscientious and hard-working. She has been largely responsible for developing resources, co-ordinating planning, monitoring pupils’ work, analysing performance and establishing appropriate procedures for assessment and record keeping. In the past, she has been involved in some effective monitoring of learning which resulted in improvements in the quality of pupils’ writing. However, she has recently had few opportunities to monitor teaching directly, and this is an aspect of her role which needs to be developed.

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ENGLISH

85. Resources for English are adequate, of good quality, and reflect the multicultural dimension of society.

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MATHEMATICS

86. In the national tests in 2000, the percentage of pupils reaching the expected standard (Level 2) was above average when compared with schools nationally and well above the average results of similar schools. The proportion of pupils that achieved at the upper end of the expected level (Levels 2b and 2a), and at a higher level (Level 3), was also well above the national average. The school’s results for 2001 indicate that nine out of every ten pupils reached Level 2. Three quarters of these pupils achieved Level 2b or 2a and just over a third reached Level 3. This is a small reduction, overall, when compared with the school’s 2000 results but reflects a more diverse cohort. There are currently no national figures available for comparison with the school’s 2001 results.

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MATHEMATICS

87. On entry to Year 1, at the age of five, the mathematical knowledge and understanding of most pupils are a little above average. Inspection findings show that their achievement is good in relation to their prior attainment. By the time they leave school at the age of seven, the attainment of the majority of pupils is above, and sometimes well above, the standard expected for their age. A similar judgement was made in the 1997 OFSTED report and it is clear that the school has maintained good standards in this subject.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Inspection judgements are based on a careful scrutiny of work completed by pupils in the previous academic year and on lessons observed in each class during the inspection. Pupils make mainly good, and otherwise sound, progress in mathematics. They have a good understanding of mathematical terminology and a secure factual knowledge of number, shape and measure. For example, they understand the meaning of mathematical terms such as ‘find the difference’ and ‘multiple’; and they know the language of shape and measure. This helps them to understand the meaning of questions they are asked, to communicate their mathematical ideas to others and, through talking about their work in appropriate terms, to consolidate their understanding.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Across the key stage, progress in handling numbers is good, overall. In a Year 1 numeracy lesson, for example, most pupils could estimate quickly and accurately the number of spots on a domino card that was held up by their teacher, during the mental starter to the lesson. Their response was particularly good when the spots were arranged as ‘doubles’. During group work, most could then confidently write Dinglewell Infant School - 40 their own simple number sentences for numbers less than ten and some were beginning to understand that, if for example 4 + 5 = 9, then 5 + 4 gives the same total. Evidence from pupils’ written work shows that Year 2 pupils have a secure knowledge of mathematical facts, such as addition and subtraction up to 100, odd and even numbers and place value. They also demonstrate an ability to count in a range of different ways and this contributes to the speed and accuracy of their

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MATHEMATICS

calculations when solving problems. In one of the lessons observed in Year 2, pupils effectively developed their use of mental strategies as they calculated totals from pairs of numbers and then had to ‘find the difference’ between this and the number 15. The activity was set within the context of a game of ‘making 15’ with three single digits, and the challenge was much enjoyed by these pupils. 90. Work completed in the previous academic year, shows that pupils also have a firm grasp of the properties of shapes. This is evident in the accurate drawings of two and three dimensional shapes by Year 1 pupils; and the ability of Year 2 pupils to distinguish the differences, for example, in the number of faces, edges and vertices. Pupils’ skills in using their knowledge of mathematics in other areas of the curriculum are generally good. For example, Year 2 pupils use their mathematical knowledge and understanding in the course of their science work when they collect

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MATHEMATICS

data on favourite foods as part of their work on healthy eating and then create simple graphs to illustrate their findings.

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MATHEMATICS

91. The achievement of pupils who have special educational needs is good in relation to their prior attainment as a result of work which is matched well to their needs, and to the good support that they receive from teachers, learning support workers and the special educational needs co-ordinator. More able pupils also make mainly good progress as a result of work which is set at an appropriate level.

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MATHEMATICS

92. Throughout the key stage, the quality of teaching is mainly good, sometimes very good, and otherwise sound. In Year 2, pupils benefit from particularly effective teaching and this is a major factor in the good progress that pupils make and the standards that they achieve. All teachers have a secure knowledge and understanding of the subject and, as a consequence, lessons are well planned and carefully structured to enable pupils to build on what they already know, acquire new knowledge and skills, and consolidate their understanding. For example, in one very good Year 2 lesson pupils estimated, and then ordered by comparison, the weight a variety of food packages carefully selected by their teacher. They discovered that the largest was not necessarily the heaviest and made good progress in recognising the need for standard measures such as grams and kilograms.

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MATHEMATICS

93. The three part lesson, which is an integral part of the National Numeracy Strategy, is well established and teachers effectively use a range of methods to ensure that all pupils are fully involved in maths lessons. For example, in whole-class work they target questions to different groups of pupils or ask all pupils to hold up numbers from ‘number fans’ to show their answers. The work that is given to groups of pupils is matched well to their differing needs, capabilities and learning styles. These different activities ensure that all pupils work at a level that is in line with their mathematical understanding. As a consequence, they concentrate well because they are interested in what they are learning and believe that they can succeed in it. This promotes positive attitudes towards mathematics as pupils develop their confidence in themselves as learners. Dinglewell Infant School - 41 94. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour and manage lessons effectively. As

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MATHEMATICS

a result of this, pupils’ behaviour throughout lessons is good. As the inspection took place at the beginning of the school year, teachers were appropriately establishing routines and procedures, based on the requirements of the National Numeracy Strategy, to ensure that the maximum use is made of the time that is available for learning. The ongoing assessment of pupils is thorough; and the results of regular half-termly tests are carefully analysed by the co-ordinator and the outcomes discussed with year group teams to inform their collaborative planning. When weaknesses occur in lessons, it is mainly because of a lack of pace particularly during the ‘mental starter’ introduction to lessons. Although teachers make some use of ICT to support pupils’ work in mathematics, for example, with ‘Roamer’ there is scope to extend this good practice.

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MATHEMATICS

95. The co-ordinator for mathematics is currently on maternity leave and the deputy headteacher has recently assumed temporary responsibility for the subject. Both teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of the subject and this has contributed to the successful use of the National Numeracy Strategy throughout the school. Thorough analysis of national test information by the co-ordinator, and senior management team, ensures that strengths and areas for development are clearly identified. The good assessment and recording procedures which have been established inform planning and are beginning to be used to inform target setting for individual pupils. The co-ordinator reviews the progress made in meeting the objectives set for the subject, on an annual basis, and this good practice ensures that the action plan for mathematics is closely linked to the school improvement plan.

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MATHEMATICS

96. The headteacher has observed some mathematics teaching and has provided valuable feedback to staff. However, no lesson observations have been undertaken by either of the co-ordinators for mathematics during the last school year. This reduces the effective identification of strengths, and areas for development, in the teaching of mathematics across the school. The headteacher acknowledges that it is necessary to develop the role of co-ordinators in monitoring the quality of teaching, and this is appropriately included as a target in the school improvement plan for 2001/2.

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MATHEMATICS

97. Resources for mathematics are satisfactory and are carefully organised.

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SCIENCE

98. On entry to Year 1, the scientific knowledge and understanding of most pupils are a little above average for their ages. In the statutory teacher assessments in 2000, the percentage of Year 2 pupils reaching the expected standard was above the national average and in line with the results of similar schools. The percentage exceeding the expected standard was well above the national average and was above the results of similar schools.

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SCIENCE

99. Inspection findings show that pupils make mainly good, and otherwise sound, progress in their learning in science, and overall standards are above average in Year 2. These judgements broadly reflect those made in the last OFSTED inspection.

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SCIENCE

100. In their first few weeks in Year 1, pupils have made sound progress in learning about their senses, and in identifying the main external parts of the human body. Dinglewell Infant School - 42 Evidence from an analysis of the work completed by Year 1 pupils in the previous academic year shows they were able to recognise and name a range of sources of light and sound. They made good progress when carrying out simple experiments to discover the conditions required for healthy plant growth, making sensible predictions about the likely results of their investigations. They were able to sort materials according to their basic characteristics, such as hardness or shininess; and made good progress when learning about the range of creatures they discovered living in the school’s conservation area.

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SCIENCE

101. In their first few weeks in Year 2, pupils have achieved well when learning about healthy eating. They are generally able to classify foods accurately into broad categories including fruit and vegetables, meat and fish, dairy products and bread, rice or pasta. They are aware of the foods which are good for them and those which could be unhealthy. Evidence from an analysis of the work completed in the last academic year, by Year 2 pupils, shows they were able to identify a range of appliances which use electricity and could make simple electrical circuits, using wires, bulbs and batteries. They understood that some materials are changed when they are heated or cooled, and the higher attaining pupils could explain why some materials are particularly suitable for specific purposes. They made sound progress when conducting investigations to discover that the amount a toy car travels depends on the surface it moves over; and recognised that different living things are

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SCIENCE

102. The quality of teaching in science is mainly good and is otherwise sound. As a result, pupils’ understanding and skills in the subject generally develop well. The teaching captures pupils’ interest and lessons are managed effectively. All teachers have secure subject knowledge, and their instructions and explanations are clear. They introduce appropriate technical vocabulary and generally reinforce this throughout their lessons. As a consequence, during the inspection, Year 1 pupils referred to their senses when talking about taste and smell, and Year 2 pupils were beginning to use terms like ‘balanced diet’. In the lessons seen, teachers made effective use of ICT to support learning in science. For example, Year 1 pupils used a program to help them to name and label the main parts of the human body, and Year 2 pupils used ICT to create images of the meals they designed as part of their work in healthy eating. Teachers’ positive relationships with their classes have a

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SCIENCE

beneficial effect on pupils’ attitudes to learning in science lessons. Pupils concentrate well and their behaviour is good.

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SCIENCE

103. The conscientious science co-ordinator has introduced an effective scheme of work which combines tasks devised by the school with guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. As a consequence, pupils benefit from a well-balanced science curriculum, which covers all the required elements. The co-ordinator has analysed the assessments teachers have made of pupils’ achievements in science and this, together with her scrutiny of examples of pupils’ books from across the school, provides her with a sound overview of the standards which are reached. She appropriately recognises the need to develop her awareness of the quality of teaching in the subject by observing lessons, and the school improvement plan properly identifies this as an area for attention. Resources for science are satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

Dinglewell Infant School - 43 104. Pupils generally achieve well in art and design, and their standards are mainly above those expected for their ages. The last OFSTED inspection also found that overall standards were above national expectations.

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ART AND DESIGN

105. In their first few weeks in Year 1, pupils have created bold paintings of their favourite places and memories of their summer holidays. Year 2 pupils have demonstrated good skills in mixing their paint colours and an awareness of the work of famous artists. Evidence from an analysis of the work completed by Year 1 pupils in the last academic year shows they made good progress in art and design. They have created careful paintings of flowers, following discussions about the work of Georgia O’Keeffe, and these are particularly well executed. Year 1 pupils have also achieved well when making wax resist pictures and string prints, and were able to create paintings of classmates which show their good skills in mixing their own colours. Evidence from samples of art work from the last academic year also shows that Year 2 pupils progressed well. They achieved good standards when making jungle pictures, inspired by the work of Rousseau and created by printing with

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ART AND DESIGN

polystyrene blocks. Their paintings and pastel pictures which illustrate poems about imaginary animals are bold and expressive, and are above average.

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ART AND DESIGN

106. During the inspection, art and design lessons were observed in all Year 2 classes. These lessons were taught well, and the teachers demonstrated secure subject knowledge. Sessions were efficiently organised, and effective guidance from teachers enabled pupils to develop their awareness of the work of famous artists and to improve their skills in mixing paint colours. The teaching motivated pupils strongly, and they concentrated on their tasks and behaved well. While it was not possible to observe art and design lessons in Year 1, an evaluation of pupils’ completed work shows the teaching, in common with the practice in Year 2, enables pupils to make good progress in the subject. As a consequence, it is clear that art teaching is a strength across the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

107. The art and design co-ordinator is highly conscientious and makes an important contribution to the quality of learning in the subject. She has created a useful scheme of work, drawing upon guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as well as from other sources. Consequently, there is a well organised programme which enables pupils to make systematic progress in their learning. The co-ordinator has also assembled a portfolio of examples of pupils’ work in art, and this is a useful resource for judging standards in the subject. Learning resources for art and design are well organised, and are good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

108. During the inspection, no design and technology lessons were taught and, in this early part of the autumn term, Year 1 and 2 classes have yet to undertake work in the subject. This is understandable, and by no means reflects a lack of attention given to the subject. Indeed, planning documents show that an appropriate programme of activities is provided for all pupils during the year.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

109. It was possible to examine a limited number of examples of design and technology work completed by pupils in the last academic year. These do not provide a sufficiently broad evidence base upon which to make a precise judgement about pupils’ standards or progress in learning. However, they do include examples which strongly indicate that pupils’ standards are at least in line with the national expectation; and that pupils make at least sound progress in the subject. For Dinglewell Infant School - 44 example, samples of pupils’ designs for shoes and the four completed shoes made from card and paper, are a little above average for Year 1 pupils. In addition, there are examples of satisfactory achievement by Year 1 pupils in simple weaving, using a card frame, and in creating pictures which include a sliding mechanism to facilitate movement. There are some examples of bookmarks, designed and made by Year 2

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

pupils, and these demonstrate sound design skills and careful making with fabric and threads. Their Christmas and Easter cards show satisfactory skills, and the few samples of completed clay pots represent good attainment. In the last inspection, when more evidence about the subject was available, pupils’ standards were judged to above average, and the teaching was good.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

110. The design and technology co-ordinator has created a useful scheme of work which incorporates guidance from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority as well as ideas from other sources. Pertinent links are made with other subjects: for example, there are sensible connections between work in science on healthy eating and the planned work with food in design and technology. Resources for the subject are satisfactory.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. As a result of timetabling arrangements, only one geography lesson was observed during the inspection. Judgements are made on the evidence gained from a scrutiny of teachers’ planning and of pupils’ completed work; and from discussions with staff and pupils. In Years 1 and 2, pupils make broadly satisfactory progress in extending their knowledge and understanding of places, patterns and processes and they achieve standards which are satisfactory for their ages.

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GEOGRAPHY

112. Pupils are provided with sound opportunities to explore the locality of the school. In Year 1, for example, they are introduced to their immediate area when following a ‘geography trail’ from the school to the local shopping area. They map their route and are beginning to develop an understanding of ‘place’ as it applies to the area in which they live. Pupils in Year 2 build on this local knowledge when they use the trail to undertake fieldwork which enables them to develop a sound understanding about changes in the environment and how this might be improved and sustained. Year 2 pupils also contrast their own locality with that of a small Scottish island in the topic ‘An Island Home’. Although they make broadly satisfactorily progress in recognising some of the main similarities and differences between their local area and a contrasting place, evidence suggests that pupils’ learning would benefit from

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GEOGRAPHY

a more detailed geographical investigation. During the inspection, Year 1 pupils were undertaking a topic on ‘Journeys’ and this appropriately involves them in role play in the classroom ‘Travel Agent’ shop as well as in discussion about journeys they have made. This work provides opportunities for pupils to deepen their understanding of the notion of travel and develops their awareness of other countries. In both year groups, pupils have regular opportunities to draw simple maps, for example, to represent stories they know, or of their routes to school, and this enables them to make satisfactory progress in developing their geographical vocabulary and skills.

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GEOGRAPHY

113. Following the last OFSTED inspection, changes were made to the planning for geography in order to improve continuity in pupils’ learning. At that time, geographical activities were largely confined to the summer term and these are now spread more evenly across three terms for Years 1 and 2. The school is currently trialling and evaluating a new scheme of work for geography produced by the co- Dinglewell Infant School - 45 ordinator. Where relevant and appropriate, topics are being undertaken in blocks of time and are being adapted to match pupils’ needs and interests more closely. As part of this ongoing evaluation, the co-ordinator is also seeking to identify opportunities to make useful curriculum links between geography and other subjects, whilst retaining a clear geographical focus to the work undertaken by pupils. She is aware that teaching would now benefit from more detailed guidance

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GEOGRAPHY

which links necessary improvements to the quality of resources with appropriate topics. There is some use of ICT to support work in geography, for example, drawing programs help pupils to sketch routes and to make simple maps; and some ICT ‘modelling’ activities are based on island location. However, there is scope to extend the use of ICT in this subject.

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GEOGRAPHY

114. The co-ordinator has conscientiously identified a geography trail around the local area and has produced a helpful pack of photographs to encourage and support teachers in undertaking valuable fieldwork with pupils. She plans collaboratively with colleagues in Year 1 and is aware of the geographical activities in Year 2. A portfolio of pupils’ work is being assembled to assist in making secure judgements about pupils’ standards and progress. As yet the co-ordinator has had no opportunity to monitor the teaching of geography. 115. Resources for geography are broadly satisfactory. However, the number, quality and range of globes, atlases, Ordnance Survey maps and reference books should be reviewed and improved. The school is also aware of the need to update resources to support the study of a contrasting locality further afield.

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HISTORY

116. Although there were no lessons seen during the inspection, evidence from pupils’ work shows that standards are above the national expectation and that they have been maintained since the last inspection. Pupils’ good achievement in history is due to the good planning and organisation of the history curriculum, which ensures time for study in depth, and to the emphasis that the school places on the development of the skills of historical enquiry through first hand and practical experiences.

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HISTORY

117. By the age of seven, pupils’ are developing a secure understanding of the lives of peoples of the past; for example, by comparing the homes of Victorians with the homes of today and by taking part in a dramatic reconstruction of a Victorian classroom. Their knowledge of the ways in which the local area has changed is good, as a result of thoroughly planned opportunities to take part in a well designed history trail, and the very good fund of information that the school has about local history. The school makes good use of resources such as historical artefacts and photographs to promote pupils’ skills of observation and questioning. Local residents who can remember details of the war are invited into the school to talk to the children about events that they can remember and this adds effectively to pupils’ understanding. Pupils’ sense of time is developing well. They show this when younger pupils draw time lines about changes in their own lives and, as they get

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HISTORY

older, progress to drawing time lines ‘in centuries’ back to Elizabethan times.

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HISTORY

118. There is insufficient evidence to give a judgement about the quality of teaching but teachers’ planning is well structured and there is evidence of high expectations in the good progress that pupils make, the amount of work that they do and good presentation of work in books. Work is well marked with constructive comments to Dinglewell Infant School - 46 recognise effort and motivate improvement. The subject is satisfactorily led and there is a clear action plan to secure ongoing improvements.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

119. Since the last OFSTED inspection in 1997, the school has made significant improvements in the provision it makes for ICT. A small computer suite has been created, which currently houses nine computers, and pupils are benefiting from regular timetabled lessons in ICT. Evidence from discussions with staff and pupils, from work completed in the last school year and from lesson observations, indicates that most pupils are making mainly good, and otherwise sound, progress in developing their ICT skills. The standards which most pupils achieve are a little above those expected for this age group. Pupils make broadly satisfactory progress, overall, in using ICT to support and enhance their work in other subjects. However, the progress they make in applying their ICT skills has been slowed, in the last school year, by building works and some deficiencies in classroom provision, which have now been rectified.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. During the inspection, Year 1 pupils demonstrated good ICT skills when using a painting program to create pictures of rainbows. They were able to find, and open, the program they required and then use the tool bar to locate the painting tools they needed for their drawings. Pupils confidently selected the ‘paint brush’, colours and ‘smudge’ functions; and demonstrated good computer mouse skills as they completed their pictures. They were then able to print copies of their efforts to take back to their classrooms. During their time in the computer suite, Year 2 pupils used a different painting program to create attractive pictures based on Jackson Pollock’s ‘Yellow Islands’. They competently accessed the program and then selected different brush sizes to draw flowing black lines, creating ‘islands’ which they then coloured using the ‘flood fill’ tool. Pupils then printed copies of their pictures and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

were understandably pleased with the results. Pupils in both year groups worked well in pairs, supporting one another, and thoroughly enjoyed the activities.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Across the key stage, most pupils demonstrate knowledge and understanding of control technology which are a little above that expected for their age. In both year groups, while half of the class was engaged in the ICT suite, the other pupils appropriately worked with the school’s floor robots. In Year 1, pupils can program ‘Roamer’ to travel forwards for a specified distance having first estimated the number of steps needed to reach a given destination. In Year 2, pupils build on these experiences and are able to use the appropriate ‘Roamer’ keys to make the floor robot move backwards as well as forwards and to make left and right turns.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. Evidence from work completed in the previous year also shows that pupils have made good progress in developing their ICT skills. In Year 1, they undertake ‘modelling’ activities such as creating garden scenes or island environments using ‘click and drag’ techniques and rotating images. Pupils have also used a digital camera to take photographs, for example, of flowers in the school’s conservation area and have added short captions of explanation. Experimentation with various sizes, styles and colours of fonts has produced good results in Year 1 fairy tale ‘wanted’ posters and Year 2 books of ‘Animal Nonsense Poems’ and ‘Tongue Twisters’. Year 2 pupils have also designed attractive ‘impressionist’ and ‘firework’ paintings and have created interesting Christmas and ‘Happy Hanukah’ cards which incorporate both art work and text. They have also effectively gathered information using the school’s CD-ROMs, for example, to support their investigations into both

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Dinglewell Infant School - 47 world wars. However, there are few examples of pupils composing and editing text directly ‘on screen’ or of more extended narrative writing from older pupils. Some simple sorting and classifying work has been undertaken by Year 1 pupils and they have used ICT effectively to produce pictograms, for example, of favourite sandwiches and fruits. However, opportunities for older pupils to use ICT to enter, store and retrieve information, using an appropriate database, are more limited.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. During the inspection, the quality of teaching in the ICT suite was good; and one very good Year 2 lesson was jointly taught by the co-ordinator and deputy headteacher. The co-ordinator has provided training to improve teachers’ skills and most have secure subject knowledge. Lessons are thoroughly planned and all equipment is carefully prepared. Some of the current teaching staff have accessed additional training, using government funding, but have not found this to be very helpful and a review is to be undertaken during this school year. Learning support workers and volunteer parents provide good support when supervising groups of pupils using ‘Roamer’. However, the school is aware that this practical work demands a better ratio of both adults and equipment to pupils so that all pupils are actively involved and no time is wasted.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Helpful guidance for teachers in the form of a scheme of work, based on advice from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, is helping to secure progression in the development of pupils’ skills. There was, however, some disruption in the last school year caused by building works and this prevented the use of the ICT suite for a term. In addition, some older classroom computers were not compatible with those in the ICT suite and this restricted the amount of follow up work which could be undertaken, and curtailed the use of ICT in other subject areas. The school has now addressed this problem and new computers have been provided for pupils in both year groups.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. The co-ordinator assumed responsibility for the subject shortly after the last OFSTED inspection. She has good subject knowledge and is enthusiastic about the development of ICT throughout the school. Ongoing support is provided for staff and the co-ordinator has also organised and led valuable training sessions for parents who are willing to provide help with ICT activities. Termly assessments for ICT have recently been introduced and a helpful ‘Audit Portfolio’ has been assembled which contains examples of pupils’ work, across the school, in each of the strands of ICT. The co-ordinator receives good support from the headteacher and they have worked effectively together to create an award winning school web site.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. The school has made good use of government funding for ICT and has taken advantage of various voucher schemes to improve resources for the subject. The school’s parent teacher association has also provided valuable financial support. As a consequence, resources for ICT are good.

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MUSIC

127. Pupils’ standards in music are broadly in line with those expected nationally, and all available evidence shows they make satisfactory overall progress in the subject. In the last OFSTED inspection, standards were judged to be above average.

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MUSIC

128. Pupils sing with satisfactory control of pitch and with clear diction. They respond appropriately to instructions to vary the dynamics of their singing, and perform the Dinglewell Infant School - 48 songs they know well with enthusiasm. In lessons observed in Year 2, pupils demonstrated satisfactory skills when recognising the beat of music, and when clapping and using untuned percussion instruments to maintain the beat. They made satisfactory progress in learning new songs and in developing their skills in listening and responding to recorded music. In Year 1, pupils were able to recognise changes in the tempo of music, and make satisfactory progress when using musical instruments to reflect the changing events in a story.

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MUSIC

129. Due to timetabling arrangements, it was only possible to observe a few music lessons, and the quality of teaching in these varied from satisfactory to good. Overall, however, there is insufficient evidence to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching in the subject. The most effective teaching observed was characterised by the good subject knowledge of the teacher, and well judged instructions and guidance for pupils. Satisfactory teaching was evident when lessons were organised efficiently but pupils sometimes would have benefited from more specific guidance to help them to improve their performance. In all lessons seen, pupils behaved well and demonstrated positive attitudes towards music.

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MUSIC

130. A new scheme of work is being introduced, and the recently appointed music co- ordinator has good subject knowledge. As a consequence, the school is in a good position to raise standards further in the subject. There is a popular after-school music club, run by a music teacher employed by the local authority, and Year 2 pupils are able to join recorder groups, taught by staff and parents. In addition, nearly 20 Year 2 pupils benefit from violin tuition from a visiting specialist teacher. There is a sound range of resources for the subject, and musical instruments are in good condition.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. By the time they are seven, most pupils attain standards in physical education which are above average for their age. In both dance and gymnastics they respond very well to instructions, move confidently and demonstrate considerable skills in co- ordination and control. In all activities, they carefully observe the rules they have been taught to ensure safety, and, as they work, they are ever sensitive to others’ need for space. When invited to do so, they make thoughtful, relevant evaluations of their own and others’ work. They learn from one another by observation and evaluation, and they collaborate well when working in pairs. In a dance lesson in Year 1, pupils demonstrate a good sense of timing and rhythm as they move at different speeds, interpreting variations in a piece of music. When the music stops, they assume ‘frozen’ positions which are often striking in their originality. In a

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

gymnastics lesson in Year 1, pupils are creative in the sequences of movements they devise to travel at different speeds and levels using hands and feet, while in a gymnastics lesson in Year 2 pupils begin to make decisions and to plan elements of their own work. In both years, pupils understand the effects of exercise on their bodies and respond appropriately during warm-ups and cooling-down periods in lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. The teaching of physical education is consistently good. All teachers plan carefully and make clear the skills and the key vocabulary that pupils are intended to learn. Sometimes, they themselves give effective demonstrations of the skills and movements pupils are to practise. They are also quick to identify high quality performances by pupils, and they use these, too, to show pupils what can be achieved and to promote high standards. Every teacher observed gave pupils Dinglewell Infant School - 49 suitable opportunities to develop ideas and movements of their own as well as to follow instructions. All conducted lessons at a brisk pace so that no time was wasted; all gave due emphasis to issues related to safety; and all followed well structured sequences of activities which gave pupils time to develop and improve their performance. Most teachers also encouraged pupils to evaluate their own and

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

others’ work. Pupils with special educational needs, including those with physical disabilities, are fully integrated into lessons and make good progress. Teachers and support staff are skilled at knowing when their help is needed and when to stand aside and let pupils develop their work independently, and, as a result, these pupils, like their peers, develop confidence in their achievements and pride in their work.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. A good scheme of work underpins teachers’ planning and gives structure and purpose to each lesson. The headteacher is currently the co-ordinator for physical education and is informed about relative strengths and weaknesses in the subject more through informal observations and discussions with staff than through the formal monitoring of teaching. She is aware, for example, that some teachers lack confidence in teaching gymnastics, even though this aspect of physical education is well taught overall; and, although resources are broadly adequate, she has specific plans to upgrade or extend the range of equipment for games and gymnastics. Existing resources are well organised and are stored centrally so as to be accessible to all who need them. While teachers are skilled at the ongoing assessment of physical education during lessons, there are currently no formal procedures for recording and monitoring pupils’ individual progress. This term, for

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

the first time, teachers are to keep brief written records of pupils’ progress using a record-sheet based on National Curriculum criteria. 134. Opportunities for pupils to participate in local and regional dance festivals are a strength of provision and have resulted in very high standards of performance by the pupils involved.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. As a result of time-tabling arrangements, few religious education lessons were seen during the inspection. Additional evidence is therefore drawn from the scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning, displays and discussions with staff and pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. The weight of available evidence shows that, although there may be some variations in pupils’ experience of the subject, and therefore in their attainment in different classes, the standards they attain by the age of seven are above average for their age. More significantly, their knowledge base and their understanding develop in equal measure, so that they not only know about religion, but also, as the Gloucestershire Agreed Syllabus requires, come to understand what is to be learned from religion. For example, pupils in a Year 1 lesson learn about the story of the Creation as told in The Bible. They learn how God created the world and everything in it in the first six days, and how He set aside the seventh day as a day of rest. However, they also learn much more than this. They learn that this particular story is of particular relevance to Jews and to Christians, but that there are many other Creation stories which are special to other faiths and other cultures.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

They also come to appreciate that satisfaction in making something beautiful is something they understand from their own experience of life, and that, just as things happen to spoil God’s world, so they too have experienced occasions when their ‘creations’ have been spoiled by others, whether wilfully or accidentally. In this way, with skilful teaching, they become aware of their own role in the stewardship of the Dinglewell Infant School - 50 Earth, a role inherited from Adam and Eve who, of course, are no longer here to perform this task.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. In a very good lesson in Year 2, pupils explore the need for rules and standards in life and in school. They learn about two of the commandments Jesus ‘taught’ his followers. Drawing parallels between the life and work of Jesus and their own lives, pupils are able to appreciate the consequences of breaking rules, the impact of actions on other people, and the value of the Christian concept of forgiveness.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. The scrutiny of pupils’ recorded work, including writing, testifies to their developing knowledge about, and understanding of, both Christianity and Judaism. In Year 1, pupils reflect on their own experience of special places and special people, then learn to consider the special nature of churches and cathedrals as places of religious worship for Christians. They know the major Christian festivals and the Bible stories which accompany them, the names of the various parts of a church building, the meaning of the symbols seen in churches and in Christian works of art, and the names of the different ceremonies performed in a church. In Year 2, pupils also learn about special people whose stories have inspired those who belong to the Jewish faith. They learn about Jewish beliefs, festivals, ceremonies and places of worship, and they make simple comparisons between Christianity and Judaism based on their developing knowledge of the two religions.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. Too few lessons were observed to make a secure overall judgement about the quality of teaching. However, two of the lessons observed, one in each year group, were of a high standard. Each of these lessons was very well prepared and made a strong contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral and social development. The teachers concerned had a good understanding of the syllabus requirements. They had already established very good relationships with their pupils, and, as a result, were able to encourage pupils to reflect deeply and to draw on their innermost thoughts and feelings as they considered religious themes and the deeper meanings of life. A third lesson seen, although satisfactory overall, dealt rather more superficially with the Creation story and therefore did not have the same powerful impact on pupils’ understanding.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

140. The religious education co-ordinator is well informed and enthusiastic about the subject and has tried hard in recent times to make sure that its profile has not been entirely submerged by more urgent curriculum initiatives. She has undertaken training to deliver the revised agreed syllabus, and has conscientiously prepared a good scheme of work and very useful written guidance to help teachers with its implementation. The religious education policy is a sound document which has been endorsed by staff and approved by the governing body. Resources for the subject are adequate and include a suitable range of artefacts to support the study of both Christianity and Judaism. No formal assessments of religious education are made at present, although plans are in hand to introduce end of unit assessments based on the criteria in the agreed syllabus in the very near future. As yet, the co- ordinator has had no opportunity to monitor the teaching of religious education

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

directly, and this is an aspect of her monitoring role which should now be usefully developed.

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