Other · Ofsted report
Donnington Wood Infant School and Nursery Centre
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123364
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Strengths
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- Well planned activities which were very effectively matched to the abilities of the pupils contributed positively to the good progress made in developing pupils’ skills in design and evaluation of their work. p.18
- Children are very well managed and teachers make very effective use of time and resources. p.30
- Factors which contribute to the at least good progress made in many subjects of the curriculum include the consistently high quality of the teaching, the good provision for classroom assistants and the very good quality of assessment which ensures that all pupils are offered tasks which are well matched to their needs. p.15
- Good and sometimes very good teaching contributes positively to the good progress made in English and religious education and to the very good progress made in mathematics and science. p.17
- Lessons are well planned and the teachers’ enthusiasm for the subjects is successfully communicated to the pupils. p.17
Concerns
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- The previous report identified a weakness in curricular planning caused by a lack of detailed schemes of work identifying what was to be taught in each year group. p.19
- Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 10.1 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.2 Absence National comparative data 0.5 · · Exclusions p.12
- Oracy skills are particularly poorly developed on entry and a significant number of children start Nursery and school with limited speech. p.29
- Family literacy difficulties and poor attendance are features of the local area and many pupils leave or arrive at the school at short notice, having missed considerable periods of schooling. p.31
- Other contributory factors to the below average standards in English are poor attendance, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and the mobility of pupils. p.13
Next steps
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- that pupils know what they must do in order to improve. p.6
- In order to raise standards, the senior management team and the governing body should now address the following in their action plan: (These are indicated in the paragraphs numbered below.) a) Raise standards in English by: * p.9
- They also know that the filament must be connected to the electric circuit before it will light. p.36
- This work is assessed not only with regard to the pupil's achievement but also to indicate what the pupil must now do in order to make further gains in their scientific learning. p.37
- In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan: (These are indicated in the paragraphs numbered below.) p.9
- Very good assessment procedures are used to identify what pupils need to learn and clear targets are set to raise standards both for individuals and the whole school. p.34
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Records & policies42
“Assessment procedures for children aged under five are excellent.” p.6
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- 23,774
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- Flesch 47, typical 45
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Full report text
Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre
Dates of inspection: 6 th -9 th December 1999
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Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre
Inspection carried out under Section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 2
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Baldwin Webb Avenue Donnington Telford TF2 8EP
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Appropriate authority: The governing body
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 4 th -7 th May 1996 Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 3 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the appropriate authority must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. Every registered parent of a registered pupil at the school should receive a free copy of the summary of the report within ten working days of receipt of the summary by the appropriate authority. A charge not exceeding the cost of supply may be made by the appropriate authority for any other copies of the report and/or its summary provided to any person who asks for one. The appropriate authority should make a copy of the report and the summary available for inspection by members of the public at such times and at such a place as may be reasonable Any enquiries about this legislation should be addressed to the OFSTED Compliance Helpline Tel. 0171421 6567 Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 4
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Mrs Alison Pangbourne, Registered Inspector English Art Areas of learning for children aged under five Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Ms Leigh Barclay, Lay Inspector Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Mr Ralph Batten Science Design and technology Physical education Religious education Equal opportunities Curriculum and assessment Pupils’ spiritual, moral social and cultural development Efficiency
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Mrs Jackie Johnson Mathematics Information technology History Geography Music Special educational needs Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints which are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to:
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 5
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MAIN FINDINGS
What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Whether pupils are making enough progress Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents' views of the school
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INTRODUCTION
Characteristics of the school 1 – 4 Key indicators
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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school
Attainment and progress 5 – 17 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 18 – 23 Attendance 24
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Quality of education provided
Teaching 25 – 36 The curriculum and assessment 37 – 42 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 43 – 47 Support, guidance and pupils' welfare 48 – 52 Partnership with parents and the community 53 – 55
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The management and efficiency of the school
Leadership and management 56 – 61 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 62 – 65 The efficiency of the school 66 – 71
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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS
Areas of learning for children under five 72 – 79
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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS
English, mathematics and science 80 – 102
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Data and indicators
Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 6
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What the school does well
• . The quality of teaching is good. Examples of good teaching were seen in all classes. The quality of teaching is very good in the Nursery. • . Pupils make good progress in most subjects. They make very good progress in mathematics and science. Pupils do better than expected for their age in art. • . The school is well led. The headteacher has established a committed team who share the same desire to raise standards. • . There is very good provision for pupils’ moral development and for pupils who have special educational needs. Provision for children aged under five, particularly in the Nursery, is very good. • . The very good relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults contribute to the very good ethos of the school. The school promotes the support, guidance and well being of the pupils very well. • . Very good assessment procedures ensure that activities are well matched to the needs of individual pupils and
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What the school does well
that pupils know what they must do in order to improve. Assessment procedures for children aged under five are excellent. • . Very good information is provided for parents.
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What the school does well
· Where the school has weaknesses I. Standards are below average overall. This is because they are below average in speaking and listening, reading and writing. II. The strategic role of the governing body in evaluating whether the targets on the school development plan are raising standards and give good value for money is underdeveloped. .
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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all
parents and guardians of pupils at the school.
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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all
· How the school has improved since the last inspection
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weaknesses identified during the inspection are to be addressed. The plan will be sent to all
The school has made good improvement since the last inspection in 1996. Standards have been slowly improving, although the mobility of the pupils and the low levels of attendance by some pupils contribute adversely to the standards, which might otherwise be attained. Standards have improved significantly in mathematics and information technology. The governors’ action plan has successfully addressed the weaknesses pointed out in the school’s last inspection. Policies and planning have been developed for information technology and speaking and listening and a scheme of work has been developed for mathematics. Classroom organisation has been improved to allow teachers to give adequate support for all pupils and the school aims have been improved. Provision for composing in music remains a weakness. The school is well placed to make further improvement. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 7
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Standards in subjects
This table shows the standards achieved by 7 year olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:
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similar schools
well above average A above average B Reading E D average C Writing E E below average D Mathematics D B well below average E
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similar schools
The information shows that the performance of pupils in 1999 was well below average in reading and writing and below average in mathematics in relation to national averages. In comparison with similar schools, standards are well below average in writing, below average in reading and above average in mathematics. The school has a well above average number of pupils with special educational needs and there are significant variations between the attainment of pupils in different cohorts. Many pupils arrive or leave the school at short notice. In 1999, only 72 per cent of the pupils taking the tests had attended the school since the Nursery. This turbulence contributes strongly to the low standards, particularly in literacy.
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similar schools
Inspection evidence shows that standards overall are below the expectations for the end of Key Stage 1. This is because standards in speaking and listening, reading and writing are below expectations. When children start school their attainment is well below average, particularly in language and literacy and many children start school without attending the Nursery. Standards in mathematics and science are in line with national expectations. The difference between inspection evidence and test results in 1999 is because the school has introduced several strategies to raise standards and these are already having a positive effect on the standards attained. The introduction of the National Literacy Strategy is raising pupils’ awareness of books and there is a structured focus to the teaching of literacy skills in the Nursery, which prepares well those children who transfer to the school. The school has introduced a structured
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similar schools
focus to the teaching of spelling and handwriting, and reading journals enable parents to help with reading and writing skills at home. Teachers now identify specific difficulties for individual pupils and set targets to address them. All these factors contribute positively to the improved standards in English seen during the inspection. Standards in mathematics have improved because the National Numeracy Strategy is already impacting positively on standards and the school now teaches mathematics to pupils in groups of similar ability from across the classes in Year 1 and Year 2. Good teaching and more emphasis on investigative and experimental activities contribute positively to improvements in science. Standards in information technology are in line with the expectation for seven-year-olds. In religious education, the standard of attainment for the oldest pupils meets the requirements of the locally agreed
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similar schools
syllabus. Pupils do better than expected for their age in art. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 8 · Quality of teaching
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similar schools
English Very good Good Mathematics Very good Good Science Not applicable Good Information technology Not applicable Good Religious education Not applicable Good Other subjects Good Satisfactory
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similar schools
The quality of teaching was satisfactory or better in all lessons seen. Eight out of ten lessons were good or very good. Twenty one per cent of lessons were very good. Good teaching was seen in all classes. The quality of teaching is highest in the Nursery, where it is consistently very good.
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similar schools
Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. ‘Satisfactory’ means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses
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similar schools
· Aspect Comment Behaviour Good. It has a positive effect on pupils’ learning. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and relationships with each other and with adults are very good. Attendance Below average. Pupils leave the area without always notifying the school and the school is required to keep them on the register for four weeks. Some pupils, particularly those with special educational needs, are kept at home for minor reasons and this has an adverse effect on their attainment and progress. The school has very good procedures for monitoring attendance. Ethos* Very good. There is a strong commitment to raising standards and relationships are very good. Leadership and management Good. The headteacher provides strong and caring leadership. The governors are supportive and they are developing their roles, particularly in monitoring and evaluating the curriculum. Their role in evaluating the success of the school
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similar schools
development plan is underdeveloped. Curriculum The school provides a good curriculum. Good emphasis is placed on personal, social and health education. The curriculum for children aged under five is very good and provides a firm foundation for developing skills, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Planning is good. Staff ensure that pupils in the mixed age class are offered suitably matched tasks. Assessment is very good. Pupils with special educational needs Provision is very good. Individual educational plans identify clear targets and pupils with special educational needs make good progress. They receive very good support from teachers and support staff. Spiritual, moral, social & cultural development Good provision. Not enough is done to prepare pupils for life in a multi cultural society. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good overall. There is a good number of teachers and support staff. Good
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similar schools
accommodation. The environment inside the school is particularly stimulating. Resources are satisfactory. Value for money Good. *Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards. ·
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The parents’ views of the school
Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 9
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
III. The school is approachable. IV. Their children like coming to school. V. The school encourages parents to play a full part in its life. VI. They are kept well informed about their children’s progress. VII.They are given clear information about what is taught. VIII. The school promotes good attitudes and values. IX. No negative comments received
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
Inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
In order to raise standards, the senior management team and the governing body should now address the following in their action plan: (These are indicated in the paragraphs numbered below.) a) Raise standards in English by: *
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) ensuring that all teachers implement the marking policy consistently to identify persistent spelling and handwriting errors and give pupils sufficient opportunities to correct them;
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) ensuring that pupils use the spellings which they have learnt correctly in their own writing;
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) providing sufficient opportunities for pupils to develop higher order reading skills and to discuss, predict and retell the stories they read;
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) improving the provision for the development of speaking skills to include planned opportunities for role-play, debate and discussion in all areas of the curriculum.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
a) Develop the strategic role of the governing body to ensure that they evaluate the cost effectiveness of the school development plan in terms of its impact on standards.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan: (These are indicated in the paragraphs numbered below.)
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) Improve the provision for music in the life of the school.* (paragraphs 16, 62, 69, 130 131 )
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) Ensure that pupils are prepared for life in a multi cultural society. (paragraph 47 )
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
• ) Attendance is below the national average, particularly for some pupils with special educational needs, and this adversely affects the progress made by these pupils* (paragraphs 5, 8, 24, 50 ) Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 10 * The school has already identified these areas as in need of improvement.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
1. Donnington Wood Infant School and Nursery Centre is situated in the centre of an established housing estate in Telford. The school draws its pupils mainly from the local area, comprising properties owned by the council or a housing trust. Unemployment in the area is high. The school also serves a Women’s Aid Refuge and the nearby British Ordnance Depot Forces Base. A significant number of pupils arrive and leave the school at short notice and class numbers regularly change on a weekly basis. The school’s own statistics show that only 72 per cent of the pupils who undertook statutory tests at the age of seven in 1999 had been at the school since starting in the Nursery. There is limited Nursery provision in the area and about 25 per cent of children who enter the Nursery do not transfer to the school, but start school in other areas. A significant number of children enter the Reception class having had no pre-
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
school experience. Family literacy difficulties are a feature of the local area. The school has retained most of the characteristics described in the previous inspection. However, the number of Nursery places has been reduced to 64 places to take account of the fall in numbers on the waiting list. The provision of a security fence has reduced the vandalism identified in the previous inspection. The school is part of a Beacon School Project initiated by Thomas Telford College. It has identified information technology and raising standards in literacy and numeracy as its priorities for development through this project. Children’s attainments on entry are well below average, particularly in language and literacy skills. The socio-economic circumstances of pupils are well below average. At the time of the inspection, about 35 per cent of pupils were entitled to a free school meal, which is above average. However, more
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
children are due to start during the year and typically the school has a much higher percentage of pupils on average who are eligible for a free school meal. The pupils are predominantly white with few pupils from ethnic heritages. Numbers of boys and girls are about the same.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
2. At the time of the inspection, 145 pupils were on roll, of whom two have statements of special educational need and 46 were included on the special educational needs register as needing levels of support provided by the school itself. The school has a well above average number of pupils with special educational needs. At the time of the inspection 67 children were aged under five. They are admitted to the Nursery at the beginning of the term in which they have their fourth birthday and attend part time. At the time of the inspection, there were 64 children on roll in the Nursery, of whom 11 were included on the register of special educational needs. Children start school in the Reception class at the beginning of the term in which they become five. They attend full time. They are accommodated in one class.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
3. The school aims to encourage pupils to become confident and independent learners, to equip them with the basic skills and to provide for their progressive development. It aims to encourage pupils to take pride in and develop respect for themselves, other people and their environment and to continually strive to raise standards. Its priorities are to narrow the gap between the school’s achievements at the end of Key Stage 1 and national averages; to review the foundation subjects in line with new guidance, to improve provision for information technology; to implement the National Numeracy Strategy; to review the science curriculum and to review reading, speaking and listening and writing.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
4. The school has set appropriate targets to raise standards in English and it is making steady progress towards them. Last year, the school met its targets in mathematics and it has set more challenging targets for this year. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 11 · Key indicators
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total for the latest reporting year: 99 (98) (41) (36) (77)
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics Number of pupils Boys 23 (21) 20 (25) 25 (30) at NC Level 2 or Girls 16 (21) 16 (27) 24 (24) Above Total 39 (42) 36 (52) 49 (54) Percentage at NC School 71 (65) 67 (67) 89 (71) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 23 (29) 25 (34) 27 (37) at NC Level 2 or Girls 18 (23) 23 (28) 31 (30) Above Total 41 (52) 48 (62) 58 (67) Percentage at NC School 75 (68) 87 (81) 75 (88) Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (85) 87 (86)
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
......................................... Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 12 · Attendance
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
Percentage of half days (sessions) missed % through absence for the latest complete Authorised School 10.1 reporting year: Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.2 Absence National comparative data 0.5 · · Exclusions
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during · Nu mber the previous year: Fixed period 0 Permanent 0
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
Percentage of teaching observed which is: % Very good or better 21 Satisfactory or better 100 Less than satisfactory 0 Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 13 · PART A: ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
· EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS AT THE SCHOOL
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
5. Attainment on entry is well below average, particularly in language and literacy. The school has improved on the below average attainments in mathematics and information technology, which were identified in the previous inspection. It has maintained the broadly average standards in science, although there have been variations due to different cohorts of pupils. Attainment in English remains below average although standards are improving steadily. As was identified in the previous inspection, standards reflect the low level of attainment on entry. Other contributory factors to the below average standards in English are poor attendance, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and the mobility of pupils. Many pupils leave or arrive at the school at short notice, often having missed considerable periods of schooling. There are also significant differences between cohorts of pupils and a
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
well above average number of pupils with special educational needs.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
6. Taking the three years 1996 to 1998 together, the results of national tests show that standards in reading, writing and mathematics were below and sometimes well below average. There was a decline in standards in writing between 1997 and 1998 followed by a significant improvement in 1999. Results for 1999 show an improvement in the number of pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, and a similar number of pupils reaching the expected standard in writing as in 1998. In mathematics there was a significant improvement in the number of pupils reaching the expected level, although a significant number of pupils only just reached the expected standard. Only 72 per cent of the pupils taking the tests in 1999 had attended the school since Nursery. The cohort of pupils taking the tests included a well above average number of pupils with special educational needs. Statutory assessment and baseline assessment data are carefully analysed and detailed and thorough target setting has
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
been introduced to raise standards. The school has set appropriate targets to raise standards in English and it is making steady progress towards them. The school met its targets in mathematics last year and has consequently set more challenging targets for this year. Individual target setting is in place for mathematics and writing and this is contributing to rising standards as the needs of individual pupils are closely analysed and their weaknesses are identified.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
7. In the 1999 National Curriculum tests taken by pupils at the end of Key Stage 1, the average level attained by the pupils in reading and writing was well below average when compared with all schools. In mathematics, test results were broadly average but because a significant number of pupils only just attained the expected level, standards overall are below average when compared with all schools. Teacher assessments in science show that the proportion of pupils who reached the expected standard was well below average. However, samples of work indicate that teachers had underestimated pupils’ attainment. The proportion of pupils who exceeded these standards was well below average in reading, writing and science and average in mathematics. Significant improvements have been made since 1998 in mathematics and standards in reading and science have also improved.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
8. There is national data about the performance of schools in a similar context- that is, schools with between 35 and 50 per cent of pupils who are entitled to a free school meal. Compared to these schools, pupils’ performance at the age of seven is above average in mathematics, below average in reading and well below average in writing. However, this school has a well above average number of pupils with special educational needs and just under three-quarters of the pupils taking the tests in 1999 had attended the school since starting in the Nursery. The mobility of the pupils and the low attendance of many pupils with special educational needs Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 14 contribute to the low standards attained in reading and writing.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
9. Evidence from assessments on entry to the Nursery indicates that many children start Nursery with well below average skills, particularly in language and literacy. A significant number of children start late in the Nursery or leave at short notice. Children in the Nursery make good progress and by the time they are ready to start school, the attainments of many children are below those expected for their age. However, about one quarter of the children, particularly higher attainers, transfer to other schools at this time and a significant number of children join the Reception class having had no pre-school experience. Baseline assessments and inspection evidence shows that the attainments of the majority of children in the Reception class are well below average. These children also make good progress, and considerably broaden and firmly consolidate their skills, but by the time they are five, attainment overall is
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
well below what is expected for children of this age in all the areas of learning because so many of them start school with such poor skills. A significant number of the children in the Nursery have already been identified as having special educational needs and they make good progress in response to the extra help they receive.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
10. Inspection evidence shows that standards overall are below the expectation for the end of Key Stage 1. This is because standards in English are below national expectations. Forty one per cent of pupils in the current Year 2 have special educational needs, mainly related to literacy skills. Standards in mathematics and science meet expectations. The difference between inspection evidence and test results for 1999 is because the school has introduced several strategies for raising standards and these are having a positive effect on the standards attained. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are contributing to improved standards in reading and mathematics as well as a more structured approach to teaching literacy skills and the grouping of pupils of similar ability from across the key stage in mathematics. Pupils do better than expected for their age in art. Overall, pupils make good progress from a low
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
11. Standards in speaking and listening are below national expectations by the end of the key stage but pupils make good progress. Oracy skills are particularly poorly developed when children start school and many pupils are reluctant to initiate conversations. By the end of Year 2, most pupils talk when encouraged in both planned and informal situations. However, planned opportunities, for example structured role-play, are underdeveloped. Standards in reading are below national expectations by the end of the key stage and pupils make good progress. Family literacy difficulties are a feature of the local area and a significant number of parents are unable to support their children with reading and this contributes to the low standards. The structured programme for teaching literacy skills in the Nursery, the provision of reading journals, which give detailed advice to parents and the good teaching seen during
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
the literacy hour contribute positively to the good progress made. By age seven, many pupils begin to read simple texts with reasonable fluency and use a range of strategies to help them read unknown words. Many have difficulty in discussing the stories they read. Standards in writing are also below expectations by the end of the key stage but pupils write for a range of purposes, including stories, poems and letters. Writing is emphasised from an early age and pupils are encouraged to write. By the end of Year 2, most write in very simple sentences using recognisable spelling for a range of common words and begin to use punctuation. Pupils make good progress. The school is committed to raising standards in writing and targets are set for individual pupils. The school plans to group pupils according to ability from across the key stage for writing next term, a strategy that has proved so successful in
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
raising standards in mathematics. A structured approach to the teaching of spelling and writing is already having a significant impact on raising standards, although persistent spelling and hand writing errors are not always identified by teachers in their marking or corrected by the pupils. Inspection evidence shows that standards in reading and writing are rising steadily and that the National Literacy Strategy is also making a positive impact on progress. Overall, progress in English is good.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
12. Standards in literacy are below average throughout the school. However, pupils use their Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 15 developing literacy skills to enhance learning in other areas. For example, pupils use their writing skills to record their experiments in science and to write about historical characters. They use their speaking and listening skills in assembly when they help their teacher to act out a story and in science, when asking a mother questions about her baby. They use their reading skills appropriately when researching topic work. Standards in numeracy are sound. There are appropriate opportunities for pupils to use their numeracy skills across the curriculum. For example, pupils use their measuring skills in science and when developing time lines in history.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
13. Pupils make very good progress in mathematics. They develop their understanding of number concepts and use appropriate mathematical language. They identify two and three- dimensional shapes and learn how to estimate time, weight and length. The National Numeracy Strategy has been introduced and is impacting positively on the standards attained. The recent initiative where pupils are taught in groups of similar ability from across the classes and year groups, together with activities, which are well matched to the needs of the pupils, has contributed positively to the improvement in standards and the very good progress made.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
14. In science, pupils make very good progress overall. They experience a good range of scientific activities and develop their scientific language as they move through the school. Pupils know how to construct an electrical circuit and the difference between living and non-living things. They plan and organise their own investigations and understand the properties of materials.
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15. Standards in information technology are broadly in line with national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1 and pupils make satisfactory progress. They improve their keyboard skills as they move through the school and learn how to use the functions of a variety of programs. Pupils attain satisfactory standards in religious education in accordance with the locally agreed syllabus by the end of the key stage. They make good progress.
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16. Pupils make good progress in design and technology. This is because teachers have good knowledge of the subject and teach the basic concepts well. Progress is satisfactory in history, geography and physical education. Pupils make very good progress in art because skills are developed systematically as pupils move through the school and teachers have good knowledge of different techniques. It was not possible to make a judgement on progress in music as no lessons were seen during the inspection, and the use of music is underdeveloped. Factors which contribute to the at least good progress made in many subjects of the curriculum include the consistently high quality of the teaching, the good provision for classroom assistants and the very good quality of assessment which ensures that all pupils are offered tasks which are well matched to their needs.
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17. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their prior attainment. Tasks are well matched to their needs and these pupils receive good support in the classrooms. This is particularly evident in English and mathematics and also when pupils are withdrawn for specific focused help. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs has improved since the last inspection. High attaining pupils also make good progress because they receive suitably challenging work. There is no significant difference between the attainments of boys and girls. However, summer-born pupils do less well than other pupils, particularly in literacy and the progress of these pupils is closely monitored. As a result, these pupils are admitted to a small class in Reception and extra support is targeted towards them.
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· Attitudes, behaviour and personal development
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18. Pupils’ attitudes to their learning, their behaviour and their personal development are good. Their relationships with each other and with adults are very good. All lessons seen showed at least sound response and in nearly all lessons, response was good and sometimes very good. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 16 19. Children aged under five have very good attitudes to their work, particularly in the Nursery. They respond well to all adults and take responsibility for themselves when choosing activities from the ‘planning boards’. Children in the Reception class maintain concentration well when counting the numbers on two dice after rolling them. Children are secure in the Nursery and in school routines and this contributes positively to the progress they make.
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20. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and this has a positive effect on attainment and progress. There are a very small number of pupils who lose concentration during longer whole class sessions. Most pupils however consistently show interest in their work during whole class discussions, group work and when working individually across the range of subjects. In a Year 2 religious education lesson, for example, many children of varying abilities contribute to the recounting of the Nativity story and watch intently as the wooden figures are added to the stable, as the narration progresses. Pupils of all abilities feel secure and put forward ideas and points of view sensibly in lessons and approach written and practical work positively. Completed work is often discussed and shared with the teacher with pleasure. Pupils show that they can take responsibility for their own learning and even the
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youngest pupils are capable of demonstrating a good level of initiative. A pupil in Year 1, for example, talked with pride about the work he had done at home. Pupils with special educational needs have positive attitudes to work and their efforts, as with those of all pupils, are praised appropriately by class teachers and support staff. Pupils' attitudes to their work were also good during the last inspection.
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21. Behaviour is good and this has been maintained since the previous inspection. During lessons, pupils are polite and treat each other, and adults, with respect. Pupils enter and leave assemblies quietly and movement around the school is calm. Behaviour in the playground is good. Pupils show an awareness of those around them, even when active and no boisterous behaviour is evident. There is a happy atmosphere during break and lunch times. Pupils use the school facilities with care and there is no evidence of litter or vandalism. There have been no exclusions during the last year.
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22. Relationships between pupils and with other adults are very good. Pupils work very well together when in groups, whether these are of mixed ability, mixed age or whole school and all contributions are welcomed. They accept constructive criticism from teachers with very good grace and respond very positively to it. Pupils share resources amicably. The very good relationships evident in the school contribute positively to the very good ethos.
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23. The personal development of pupils is good. Pupils are involved in a number of ways. For example, helping with the day-to-day management of their classrooms and the school, being monitors in the dining room and in the library. Pupils have a good awareness of the wider world outside the school and regularly take harvest gifts to old people who live locally and sing for them at Christmas. Charities are well supported by sponsored events and other events. Pupils have a good awareness of the achievements of others and this is encouraged well in class and during assemblies by the highlighting of effort and success. There is good attendance at the range of clubs offered by the school and pupils participate in a range of artistic and musical functions.
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24. The level of attendance is below the national average for primary schools. It has fallen since the last inspection. A major cause of this is the mobile population; pupils leave the area without always notifying the school, and the school is required to keep them on the register for four weeks. In other cases, pupils are kept at home for minor reasons. This is particularly true of some of the pupils with special educational needs, among whom the low level of attendance adversely affects their attainment and progress. The school sets out its Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 17 expectations for attendance very clearly and keeps parents informed of the legal requirements. There were no unauthorised absences in the year prior to the inspection. The pupils generally arrive punctually for school and lessons begin promptly throughout the day. Registers are correctly maintained and monitored weekly by the school and the education welfare officer.
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25. The quality of teaching is good overall. Eight out of ten lessons were good or very good and the rest were satisfactory. Twenty one per cent of the lessons seen were very good. Examples of good teaching were seen in all classes. The quality of teaching has improved considerably since the previous inspection, where 16 per cent of lessons were unsatisfactory. The good quality of teaching has a significant impact on the standards attained and the good progress made.
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26. In the Nursery and in the Reception class, where children are aged under five, the quality of teaching is very good overall. Although the quality of teaching is never less than good, it is highest in the Nursery, where it is consistently very good. In almost three-quarters of the lessons seen for children aged under five, teaching was very good. These very good lessons were characterised by very high expectations, challenging activities and effective use of resources. All adults working with these children have a very good understanding of the needs of young children and work well together as a team. This is particularly evident in the Nursery, where the nursery nurses are valued team members and make a very positive contribution to the progress made. Very good planning ensures that all children have access to the full curriculum and that activities are well matched to their needs. Teachers and
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nursery nurses place very good emphasis on the focused teaching of skills in order to compensate for the very low level of skills which many children have on starting school. This particular emphasis on early literacy, numeracy and social skills contributes positively to the good progress made. Children in the Nursery are offered a similar curriculum, whether the teacher teaches them or the nursery nurses and activities planned for children in the Reception class lead on smoothly from the Nursery. There is very good emphasis on practical and investigative activities and all adults manage children very well. Pace is brisk and adults take every opportunity to extend language. Assessment is used very effectively to plan what children need to learn next.
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27. Good and sometimes very good teaching contributes positively to the good progress made in English and religious education and to the very good progress made in mathematics and science. Lessons are well planned and the teachers’ enthusiasm for the subjects is successfully communicated to the pupils. There was insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the quality of teaching in any other subjects because little or no teaching was seen in these subjects due to the short length of the inspection. However, one very good lesson was seen during the inspection in design and technology and the quality of teaching in all the short information technology lessons was good.
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28. Very good teaching was a feature of an English lesson for pupils in Year 2; it was characterised by very effective use of pupils’ own news, written by the teacher for use as the text during a literacy hour. This motivated the pupils to search for punctuation and connecting words because the subject was very well matched to their experiences. Expectations were very high and group activities were very well planned to match the needs of all pupils and to develop language. For example, lower attaining pupils worked with the classroom assistant to identify words beginning with ‘br’. The selection of words was well Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 18 chosen to develop vocabulary and included words such as ‘brim’ and ‘brand’, which were new to the pupils. Very good teaching in design and technology was characterised by very good knowledge of the subject, very good emphasis on developing language and carefully chosen
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resources. Well planned activities which were very effectively matched to the abilities of the pupils contributed positively to the good progress made in developing pupils’ skills in design and evaluation of their work.
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29. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported in lessons by class teachers and support staff. Teachers plan effectively to meet the particular needs of pupils with special educational needs. They are also well supported by the classroom assistants. Teachers are well aware of pupils’ individual needs and the targets on their individual education plans are translated into tasks, which are closely matched to their needs. Teachers are skilled in asking questions, which effectively extend the learning of these pupils. The emphasis is on in-class support where possible but when pupils are withdrawn for specific focused help this is concentrated, regular, effective and of good quality. Good communication takes place between class teachers, special needs assistants and the special needs co-ordinator to ensure that the needs of these pupils are met. Progress is carefully monitored and detailed records are
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30. The previous inspection identified that the organisational strategies adopted in classes resulted in too many activities occurring simultaneously and that this resulted in teachers having insufficient opportunities to offer adequate support to all pupils. This weakness has been successfully addressed, partly through the requirements of the literacy and numeracy strategies, but also by the deliberate emphasis on subject teaching, for example in science and information technology. This contributes positively to the good progress made by all pupils and particularly those with special educational needs. All teachers have good knowledge and understanding of the subjects, which they teach. Planning is thorough and teachers plan activities to meet the needs of pupils with different levels of attainment. Particular care is taken to ensure that children who arrive unexpectedly are offered suitable tasks. Expectations
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are high and pupils try their best to meet them.
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31. There is a good balance between practical tasks, problem solving and whole-class teaching. Lessons include a good variety of activities, which stimulate the pupils’ interest. For example, in a science lesson, pupils in Year 1 were given the opportunity to learn about changes in a baby’s development by asking a visiting mother and baby about them. A positive feature in the organisation of mathematics lessons is the arrangement where pupils of similar ability from across the classes and year groups are taught together. This makes a very good contribution to the good progress made and the recent improvement in standards. Pupils are given good opportunities to work in pairs and small groups, particularly in English and mathematics.
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32. A strong feature, which contributes to the good quality of teaching, is the consistently very good management of pupils in lessons. Pupils respond positively to the tasks they are given and all teachers use firm and effective strategies. They make their expectations of behaviour clear to the pupils and the standard of discipline is very high. The discipline is based on warm affirming relationships which are very much part of the school ethos. Good behaviour is noticed and praised. Classroom assistants and parent helpers are well briefed and interact positively with pupils.
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33. Resources are used very effectively and teachers prepare and choose them carefully. For example, during a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 1, pupils were motivated to identify sentences by the use of an acetate sheet placed over the text in the book. Pupils were eager to write on this and this contributed positively to the progress made. In Year 2, pupils made good progress in learning which materials would conduct electricity because of the Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 19 opportunity to experiment with well-chosen materials. Pace is generally brisk and effective intervention encouraged pupils to persevere with the tasks. However, mental arithmetic sessions are sometimes conducted at too slow a pace.
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34. Literacy is taught well. The school has successfully adopted the National Literacy Strategy throughout the school. Good emphasis is placed on the teaching of reading and writing and this contributes positively to the steady improvement in standards, particularly in reading. Literacy skills are taught well across all areas of the curriculum. For example, pupils use their developing writing skills to record their findings in science and to write about famous people in history. They use their speaking and listening skills to ask questions in science and they use their reading skills to research information in history and geography. The teaching of numeracy is good and the school has successfully introduced the National Numeracy Strategy. The school had already begun to teach mathematics according to the format of the National Numeracy Strategy prior to its introduction this year. This is a positive factor in the
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35. Teachers assess pupils well during lessons through discussion and observation. They use their assessments particularly well in literacy and numeracy to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, are offered different activities, which are well matched to what they need to learn next. Teachers record their daily assessments competently and evaluate their lessons to ensure that tasks are well matched. Questions are used effectively and teachers are skilled in asking questions, which are matched to the needs of individual pupils. Teachers identify targets in their marking and pupils are reminded of these targets in lessons. Positive comments in marking encourage pupils to improve their own work.
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36. Homework is used well to extend and enrich pupils’ learning. Good emphasis is placed on encouraging homework to involve parents in their child’s learning in order to help raise standards, particularly in literacy. Pupils take books home to read and their reading journals give good advice to parents about how to help with reading. Pupils are expected to complete specific activities at home, which are closely related to their reading in school. The pupil can complete these activities if no help is available. All pupils take home spellings to learn and undertake simple mathematical activities. Parents expressed their satisfaction with the amount and type of homework that their children are expected to do.
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37. The school provides pupils with a good curriculum. It is very broad and balanced and promotes their intellectual, physical and personal development. Whilst there is an appropriate emphasis on numeracy and literacy, the school also focuses upon pupils’ personal, social and health education through weekly class sessions. These sessions do much to enable pupils to develop the confidence and social skills that prepare them for the next stage of their education. The school's curriculum meets all statutory requirements concerning the National Curriculum and religious education. The previous report identified a weakness in curricular planning caused by a lack of detailed schemes of work identifying what was to be taught in each year group. This weakness has now been addressed and there is a comprehensive scheme of work for each subject that is well used by class teachers. The school makes good provision, not only
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for subjects of the National Curriculum, but also for personal and social education, including drugs, health and sex education. Equality of access for all pupils regardless of ability, background or gender is very good. The school’s provision for literacy and numeracy is good. Each class includes literacy and numeracy in its work each day and the introduction of the literacy and numeracy strategies is having a positive effect on standards.
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38. The curriculum provided for children aged under five is very good. It is very broad and Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 20 balanced and covers all the desirable areas of learning. There is a very good balance between practical activities and more structured activities led by the teacher. The structured approach to the teaching of literacy and numeracy from an early age provides a firm foundation for developing these skills when children are of statutory school age. The curriculum is very well planned to ensure that all children, including those with special educational needs, are offered a balance of activities and to ensure that children in all the teaching groups in the Nursery are offered a similar curriculum. The curriculum is very well planned to ensure that children transfer to the Reception class smoothly. Assessment procedures are excellent. Thorough assessments are carried out on entry to the Nursery and baseline assessments are used on entry
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to school to set targets for individual children. Very detailed and comprehensive records are maintained to cover all the areas of learning and these are regularly updated. Samples of work are well annotated to show a wide range of information, including the time spent on the activity and the next teaching steps.
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39. The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and the curriculum is very well organised to meet their individual needs and to ensure that these pupils have access to all areas of the curriculum and extra curricular activities. Classroom assistants make a very valuable contribution in supporting these pupils and this contributes positively to the standards these pupils achieve. Particular attention is given to developing their skills in literacy with individual targets being set. The school fulfils its statutory requirements in identifying and meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs. These pupils receive a curriculum, which is well matched to their needs as identified in their individual educational plans.
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40. Planning is good. The curriculum in the Reception class and in Years 1 and 2 is planned on a two-year cycle to ensure pupils do not repeat work and that they cover all the curricular content required. Plans are made for long, medium and short-term and provide all the appropriate detail, including, where appropriate, aspects of effective teaching methods and suitable activities for pupils of differing attainment within a class. These documents are a valuable asset to support effective teaching. Where pupils are in mixed age classes, weekly and daily planning is very thorough to ensure that all pupils cover the aspects of subject required in the school’s curricular plan. Subject co-ordinators monitor their subjects effectively to ensure teachers’ planning reflects curricular coverage and suitable balance.
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41. The school provides a sound range of extra-curricular activities. Pupils' education is enriched by extra-curricular activities such as the dance, football and mathematics clubs. These after school clubs are well attended and attract both boys and girls from all classes in the school.
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42. The school’s procedure for assessing pupils' attainment and the use of assessment to inform curricular planning are very good. Teachers assess pupils' attainment in mathematics, literacy and science every term. Each pupil has an example of work in each of these areas selected and kept in a personal file. The work is assessed not only to indicate what the pupil has achieved, but also to indicate what the pupil needs to do next in order to make good progress. These individual files, with the teacher's comments and individual targets for pupils, are made available to parents during the year. Teachers also mark pupils’ work thoroughly and conscientiously and comment not only on pupils’ achievements but also to indicate how individual pupils can further improve their work. Pupils’ attainment in literacy and numeracy is also reviewed each year by the school’s senior management and, if required, suitable targets
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are set for pupils. Progress of pupils is also carefully monitored to ensure that pupils are reaching the standards expected of them. The school uses the National Curriculum test results very well as part of their review procedures and pupils undertake other tests such as a 6+ test for Year 2 pupils to help teachers plan for each pupil’s needs. The assessment co-ordinator has done much to introduce these significant improvements to assessment since the last inspection. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 21 · Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
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43. The school does much to promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and the overall provision made by the school is good. This positive situation was commented upon in the previous inspection report. The school is a well ordered, peaceful and caring community in which pupils take responsibility for their actions and show care and concern for each other. Both teaching and non-teaching staff provide good role models for pupils to emulate. The daily acts of collective worship, which meet statutory requirements, provide opportunities to inculcate the values and beliefs of the school and for pupils to reflect on their own feelings as well as the feelings of others.
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44. The overall provision for pupils' spiritual development is good. The planned curriculum for religious education that explores values and beliefs and encourages pupils to reflect upon the wonder of the world in which they live, does much to secure this development. Assemblies are well used to focus pupils’ attention upon their own beliefs and the beliefs of others. Teachers confidently make the most of opportunities as they arise in lessons to develop spiritual insight. In a lesson in Year 1, pupils became engrossed in guessing what the inside of different fruits would look like when cut open, whilst in Year 2, pupils considered why a newborn baby needed love as well as food and clothes. Teachers tell stories to pupils and pupils respond well with a sense of awe and anticipation as to what will happen in the next episode. Display around the school is also used to good effect, as pupils are encouraged to
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experience for themselves how various artists have seen the world, ranging from Van Gogh to Picasso.
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45. The provision for pupils' moral development is very good. Teachers have high expectations of behaviour. Pupils have a clear understanding of right and wrong and are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions. Pupils are trusted; for example, in a Year 1 class, pupils used real coins as part of the mathematics lesson. Teachers take these opportunities to talk about trust and responsibility. The school actively encourages this process through each class negotiating 'class rules' at the beginning of each year. The whole school also spends time at the beginning of the year discussing 'The School Code'. Pupils have a clear understanding of consequences of their actions through the well-structured personal, health and social education sessions that are held in each class during the week. A fundamental aspect of these is a 'circle time' when pupils discuss and resolve problems that have arisen during the week in the class.
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There are very positive links with the Community Police who regularly visit the school. Pupils have recently been involved in developing an anti-bullying policy where they defined for themselves a definition of what bullying is and how to help pupils who have been bullied. One outcome of this is a 'promise tree' that is displayed in the school hall where one class publicly puts forward their promises and ideas as to how to stop bullying occurring in the school. Pupils are encouraged to respect property and the school environment, which is tidy and litter free. Through developing good relationships, adults encourage pupils to be consistently courteous and considerate.
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46. The school makes good provision for pupils' social development. Co-operative and collaborative work is a very positive feature of much of the group work seen in science, mathematics, physical education and design and technology. Pupils are encouraged to take part in the after school dance and football clubs that are both very well attended. Pupils’ work is valued through a weekly 'Congratulations Assembly' where one pupil from each class is congratulated for their achievements in that week. Pupils help as monitors both in the class and at meal times. All pupils are encouraged to take part in fund raising events to support charities both in this country and abroad. This year Help the Aged was supported and pupils also collected gifts to put into shoeboxes to send to children in Romania. The school has very good links with local churches. The local vicars visit the school regularly and pupils visit
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Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 22 local churches as well as visiting elderly citizens in the local care home. The school is at present actively engaged in celebrating the millennium by planting an oak tree for the community, and is designing a ceramic wall display with the help of a local potter which will feature a millennium tile designed by each pupil. Such activities contribute positively to a sense of citizenship.
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47. Provision for pupils' cultural development is satisfactory. Opportunities are planned in literacy sessions for pupils to hear stories from other cultures, as well as to learn about other cultures through their studies in religious education and music. Assemblies play an important part in celebrating festivals from around the world and to listen to stories and poems from other cultures. An Indian dance group recently visited the school, and the school celebrated an African story telling event as part of a book week. Pupils also learn about their own heritage and culture by making regular visits to local places of interest as well as a planned visit to the 'Iron Bridge Gorge Museum' as part of their Key Stage 1 curriculum. The school does much to recognise, celebrate and encourage pupils to be tolerant of people’s differences. However, it does not as yet provide sufficient resources or opportunities for pupils to reflect on
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what it will mean for them to live in an increasingly multi-cultural society and to promote a positive sense of belonging to a rich and diverse community.
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48. The arrangements for the support, guidance and welfare of the pupils are very good, and make a positive contribution to the good progress made. This represents an improvement since the last inspection when it was judged to be good. Relationships between the teachers and the pupils are very positive and effectively promote the pupils' well being and self-confidence. The school fulfils its aim to provide a happy, secure and stimulating environment in which the pupils are encouraged to develop independence and positive attitudes.
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49. Procedures for monitoring and promoting discipline and good behaviour are very good. Discipline is very well managed, and the school is an orderly community in which the pupils are courteous and thoughtful of others. The school has high expectations of behaviour and consistent strategies for dealing with unacceptable behaviour on the rare occasions when it occurs. A good balance of rewards and sanctions are used in all classes. Classroom assistants are skilled at intervention to support good behaviour. No bullying or aggressive behaviour was observed in classes or the playground during the inspection.
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50. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are very good. Very clear expectations are in place for attendance and parents are kept informed of legal requirements. Unexplained absences are followed up promptly and the education welfare officer is fully involved. Registers are closely monitored. The school makes very good efforts to encourage parents to bring their children to school, including visiting their homes. However, the number of pupils who leave the school unexpectedly creates difficulties in monitoring their attendance.
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51. There are very good procedures for monitoring progress and personal development. There is a strong emphasis on the pupils' personal and social development, which is closely monitored and fostered. Targets for improvement are set for each pupil and the annual reports to parents inform them of their children's personal and social development. The teachers know the pupils well and specialist agencies are involved very effectively. The pupils are encouraged to develop independence. They contribute to their class rules. A good programme of personal and social education is offered within the curriculum, which emphasises health and safety awareness, including nutrition, hygiene and road safety. The school takes care to prepare nutritious meals. The procedures for monitoring the pupils' academic progress are very good. Marking is thorough and includes individual written targets, which give pupils effective
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support in enabling them to improve their own work. Twice yearly and termly assessments of Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 23 writing and mathematics are used very effectively to identify difficulties experienced by individual pupils and targets are set to address these difficulties. Assessments are used very well to inform future planning. Pupils with special educational needs are very well supported by staff, both within mainstream lessons and when withdrawn for extra support. The support of appropriate external agencies is enlisted promptly and good liaison between all the people dealing with these pupils ensures that the targets highlighted in individual educational plans are addressed competently.
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52. Procedures for child protection and promoting pupils’ well-being health and safety are very good. The school has a comprehensive health and safety policy, which is monitored by the governors. An annual health and safety audit report is submitted to the local education authority. Very good procedures for child protection are in place and staff are given comprehensive information on identification and action in this area. The arrangements for fire drills, recording accidents and the safekeeping of medicines meet statutory requirements. The perimeter fence has solved the problems of vandalism and security so that the school can turn its attention to improving the external environment for the pupils.
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· Partnership with parents and the community
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53. The school has a good partnership with its parents and the community. It has continued to maintain these strong links which were commended in the previous inspection. At the parents’ meeting, parents praised the work of the school and no negative comments were received in response to the questionnaire. The school works very hard to make parents feel welcome and to encourage them to contribute to the school community. Family Learning courses for parents, which focus on helping children to learn, are offered and all parents receive a booklet with guidance on supporting their children's learning. A number of parents support teachers in the classroom on a regular basis. Although parents are urged to support their children's homework, particularly reading, the response is very variable. The reading journals are an excellent vehicle for informing parents of their children's progress as well as
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for involving parents in a progressive dialogue. A clear home-school agreement has recently been introduced.
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54. Parents are kept very well informed about the academic progress of their children. The annual reports to parents are clear and informative and give information about their child's progress in all curriculum areas as well as personal and social development. Parents are invited termly to parents' evenings. Open evenings are held on curricular issues. The school prospectus, the regular newsletters and the governors' annual report to parents are comprehensive and informative. Parents of children who are aged under five receive very good information before their child starts in the Nursery. An attractive information booklet includes comprehensive information about the Nursery curriculum, the daily organisation and expectations for homework. The Nursery offers a ‘family afternoon’ each week where parents of children too young to attend the Nursery are invited to bring their children to sample the activities on offer.
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Staff are available to answer questions and give information both on educational issues and on parenting skills. This opportunity encourages parents to enrol their children at Nursery and raises awareness of the need for pre-school provision. The school makes appropriate arrangements to involve parents of pupils with special educational needs in the assessment and review of their child’s progress and parents respond well to this. When appropriate, parents support the school by addressing individual targets at home, for example by doing spellings with their children.
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55. The school has good links with the community. It has strong links with the local churches and the vicars regularly lead school assemblies. Students on Nursery Nurse training courses at local colleges undertake their work experience at the school. The pupils raise money for charities and deliver food parcels to older members of the community after the Harvest Festival. Visits to the local shops, library and health centre are part of their curricular Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 24 programme. Representatives from the local police, fire brigade and the road safety officer visit to talk to the pupils on safety issues as part of the personal and social education programme. The transition arrangements from the Nursery are very good; into the junior school they are sound.
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· THE MANAGEMENT AND EFFICIENCY OF THE SCHOOL
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56. The overall leadership and management of the school are good. The headteacher provides strong and caring leadership. This is a similar picture to the findings of the previous inspection. The headteacher is successfully raising standards, particularly in mathematics, from a very low baseline. She has successfully identified key areas for improvement and she is making a positive contribution to an improving school. She is committed to raising standards for pupils; most of whom enter the school both socially and educationally disadvantaged. Care is taken to ensure that the significant number of pupils who arrive or leave the school at short notice and those with poor records of attendance receive a good quality of education whilst they are at the school. She is well supported by the deputy headteacher, the head of the Nursery and the co-ordinator for special educational needs who have a good understanding of the demands of their roles and share the same commitment to
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raising standards. The headteacher has established a committed team, who work well together for the benefit of pupils and parents. They share a desire to give all pupils equal opportunity to access the full curriculum and to raise standards. Co-ordination for each subject of the curriculum is good and co-ordinators’ management roles have been developed sufficiently to allow them to monitor planning. Co-ordinators for English, mathematics and science have had opportunities to monitor standards and teaching in classes and this contributes positively to the consistently good quality of teaching. The school sets realistic targets to raise standards in English and mathematics based on a thorough analysis of the attainment of individual pupils. Target groups are identified and the grouping of pupils of similar ability from across the classes and year groups for mathematics is a significant factor in the recent improvement
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in standards in this subject. The school has plans in place to introduce this organisation for writing next term. Progress towards targets is carefully tracked and targets are reviewed twice each year. All staff, including support staff, work hard to ensure the good quality of education provided by the school.
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57. The governors’ action plan has successfully addressed the weaknesses identified during the previous inspection. Policies and planning have been developed for information technology and speaking and listening and a scheme of work has been developed for mathematics. The school’s aims have been improved and classroom organisation has been reviewed to ensure that all pupils are adequately supported. Provision for composing in music remains a weakness. The school is well placed to make further improvement.
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58. The governors are committed to the school and they are developing an understanding of their roles. Their roles are well matched to their own areas of expertise. There is an appropriate range of committees who report efficiently to the full governing body. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities well and all statutory requirements are fully met. The school development plan is a good, practical, working document, which is appropriately constructed in consultation with staff and governors. It extends over three years and identifies a wide range of targets, which appropriately focus on raising standards. It appropriately identifies targets, priorities, time scale, criteria for success and is costed. The strategic role of the governing body in evaluating the success of the school development plan is underdeveloped. The governors do not evaluate their plan sufficiently in terms of the impact it is having on
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raising standards and on empowering effective teaching and learning. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 25 59. The quality of monitoring of teaching and curricular development is good. The headteacher monitors documents for planning and evaluation and monitors the teaching of literacy and numeracy in each class each term. She monitors science through her role as the science co- ordinator. She hears a sample of pupils read regularly and monitors the curriculum for parallel classes to ensure consistency. She is supported by the deputy headteacher, who as assessment co-ordinator has a clear view of curricular development. Curriculum co-ordinators work alongside colleagues, particularly in literacy and numeracy and this contributes positively to the good progress made in these subjects. All staff meet regularly to examine pupils’ work together to ensure consistency and to identify areas for development. Some
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governors take up opportunities for them to monitor the curriculum through their link with a class teacher. Recent visits include the monitoring of literacy and numeracy. Their roles in monitoring the curriculum are underdeveloped and some governors have limited time to visit the school due to work commitments. Results of standardised tests and baseline assessments are analysed and used to set targets, both whole school and for individual pupils. The school has identified summer born pupils as lower attainers and a governor has recently taken responsibility for tracking the attainment of six of these pupils through the school. The headteacher and staff closely monitor standards and this contributes positively to the improvements made recently.
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60. The very good ethos of the school is underpinned by the very good relationships and the commitment shown by the headteacher, governors and staff to raising standards and valuing the efforts of all in a supportive and happy environment. Pupils know that they are valued and show positive attitudes. Those with special educational needs are very well supported. Equality of opportunity is very good.
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61. There are clearly stated aims, values and policies, which are very well reflected in the work of the school. The school is successful in its aim to encourage pupils to become confident and independent learners and to equip them with the basic skills and to provide for their progressive development. All staff have high expectations and continually strive to raise standards in circumstances which are sometimes difficult due to the mobility of the pupils. The way in which these aims are incorporated into all aspects of the school is very good.
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· Staffing, accommodation and learning resources
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62. Since the previous inspection, the school has improved aspects of staffing, accommodation and learning resources and provision is now good. The school is well staffed with appropriately qualified teachers to meet the needs of the curriculum, including children aged under five and pupils with special educational needs. All staff have detailed job descriptions. The number of teaching staff is above the national average for this size of school but the small class sizes allow teachers to meet the needs of individual pupils more effectively and this contributes to the improvement in standards. There is a good balance between experienced and more recently qualified teachers. Responsibility for management of subjects does not completely match teachers’ subject specialisms, but where there is a mismatch, experience, attendance at relevant courses and individual interests of teachers ensures that most areas are
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covered at least satisfactorily. There is no music specialist however, and so music does not pervade the life of the school. The match of support staff to the demands of the curriculum is good. Their qualifications and experience, including those who support pupils with special educational needs well match the needs of the school’s curriculum and contribute positively to the good progress made by all pupils and particularly those with special educational needs. All staff, including administrative staff, work well together effectively enhancing educational provision. The caretaker, cooks and lunchtime supervisors also contribute well to the good quality and smooth running of the life of the school. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 26 63. Provision for the professional development of staff is good. The school’s induction process is good and supportive for new staff enabling them to be quickly assimilated into the life of the
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school. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are good and the dissemination of information gained on in-service training is covered effectively. The professional training of staff is linked to the school’s needs as laid out in the school development plan but also to teachers’ individual needs. This is effective in supporting the aims of the school as shown by the enhanced provision of information technology. Staff appraisal is completed appropriately.
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64. The school’s accommodation is good. The school occupies a secure site in a built up area and it is in a sound state of repair. The play areas around the school are spacious but not as stimulating as the environment found inside the school. The play area for the under fives is in a quadrangle and provides a safe and secure environment. The classrooms are light and spacious and provide an environment that is conducive to learning. The extra classroom, which will be used for the next intake of children aged under five later in the year, provides space for an extra numeracy group. This contributes positively to the improved standards in mathematics. The school will shortly benefit from some specialist accommodation in the form of an information technology room, which is close to completion. The library is in the corner of the main foyer and enclosed by low shelving. However, it is not a quiet, undisturbed area.
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The main hall is spacious and in the corner of this there is a carpeted music area. The school has good facilities for pupils who have physical disabilities. The central storage area is adequate and accessible. The school makes effective use of the corridors as display areas for pupils’ work. The school is a good learning environment for the pupils.
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65. Resources overall are satisfactory and standards have been maintained since the last inspection. The provision of materials and equipment in classrooms is adequate and the provision of books is good. There are a satisfactory number of computers to support learning in information technology and this has improved since the last inspection. This provision will shortly be very good after the arrival of ten new computers. However, the provision of software to support learning across the curriculum is limited. The resources in history are satisfactory and are well enhanced by artefacts borrowed from local museums.
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66. The school's financial planning is good. The school development plan is costed and presented in a coherent format. The governors are fully involved in the creation of this annual development plan, and take a strategic role in helping the management of the school to decide priorities. Systematic budgeting is carried out each year. This process begins with the governors estimating what the budget is likely to be and prioritising expenditure accordingly. When the actual budget is available, expenditure is clearly based on the school’s curricular priorities as well as targeted projects to further improve the standard of education provided by the school. These projects are then monitored regularly against the budget available.
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67. The school’s development plan has significantly enhanced the quality of provision available to pupils and their parents. This has largely been as a result of the school being proactive in recognising financial difficulties before they arise. It ensures that suitable steps are taken to safeguard that the school does not go into a deficit budget and that there are sufficient financial resources available to support the school’s targets for improvement. The school has also successfully raised finances to fund improvements such as the new information technology room, and successfully bid for funds to make improvement to the property.
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68. Teaching and support staff are deployed effectively. The individual strengths of teachers are well used. The use of the head teacher to take the extra group that is formed for the teaching Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 27 of numeracy skills, three times a week is very effective and enables pupils to be taught in smaller groups . Support staff, including those working with pupils with special educational needs, are used well and have a very beneficial effect on pupils' attainment and progress. Funds made available to the school to support the professional development of teachers and support staff are closely linked to the school’s curricular priorities and are used effectively. Funds to support special educational needs are used very well to provide effective support to enable pupils to take part fully in all the activities planned by teachers.
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69. Good use is made of the accommodation. Effective and efficient use is made of classroom space and of the school grounds that are used in summer as a valuable resource to support pupils’ learning in science and physical education. However, little use was made of the library and area for music during the inspection. The school building and grounds are very well cleaned and maintained to a good level. This does much to enrich the pupils’ opportunities for learning. The kitchen is used effectively to provide a learning environment when appropriate, with the support of the school cook. Displays around the school are attractive and interactive which encourage and celebrate pupils’ learning.
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70. Arrangements for financial control and school administration are good. The school secretary manages day-to-day accounts and office procedures to a high standard. The finance committee approves the budget and the actual expenditure is effectively controlled by the systems implemented by the governing body. However the governors do not as yet have a systematic way to monitor the value for money or cost effectiveness of this spending in relationship to pupils' attainment, the quality of teaching and learning, or in helping the school meet its published aims and objectives. All the recommendations of the most recent audit report have been fully met, and all accounts are audited. The school has made satisfactory improvements in efficiency since the last inspection.
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71. A judgement on value for money is based on what the school achieves in relation to expenditure. Many pupils start school with very low levels of attainment. The socio- economic circumstances are very unfavourable for many pupils. The school makes very good provision for the personal and non-academic needs of pupils through its caring approach. Standards of attainment are improving and pupils make good progress. Pupils have good attitudes and personal development and the quality of teaching is good. Taking all these factors into account, the school provides good value for money. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 28 · PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS
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· AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE
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72. Children enter the Nursery at the beginning of the term in which they have their fourth birthday. They attend part time until the beginning of the term in which they have their fifth birthday, when they transfer to the Reception class and attend full time. Children who enter the school in January join those who started school in September, but children who start school in April are accommodated together in one small class. This is because the school has identified that the youngest children do not do as well as the older ones as they move through the school and they are able to offer them more individual attention in this way. About a quarter of the children who enter the Nursery, particularly higher attaining children, transfer to other schools and a significant number of children join the Reception class at the beginning of the term in which they have their fifth birthday having had no pre-school education. A
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significant number of children either start late in the Nursery or leave at short notice. Evidence from Nursery assessments, the baseline assessments of the present five-year-olds, and inspection evidence shows that children’s attainments on entry are well below average in all the areas of learning, particularly in language and literacy. Many children enter the Nursery and Reception class with very limited speech. They receive a positive start to both Nursery and school and participate fully in all activities provided. Children make good progress in the Nursery and by the time they start school the attainments of many children are below those expected for their age. However, the children who enter the school as rising five- year-olds are generally of lower attainment than those who transfer to other schools. The children who start school with no pre-school experience are of well below average attainment
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and consequently, by the time they reach statutory school age, the standards of attainment overall are well below what is expected for children of this age in all the areas of learning. Children make good progress over time and considerably broaden and firmly consolidate their skills in all the areas of learning. A significant number of the children in the Nursery have already been identified as having special educational needs. These children make good progress due to the good support they receive from able nursery nurses and classroom assistants. As was identified in the previous inspection, the school, including the Nursery, continues to provide children with a very good start to their education. Provision for children aged under five is very good and it is a strength of the school.
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73. Children enter the Nursery or the school with limited personal and social skills. They develop these skills well through varied opportunities to work and play together in small groups, and they make good progress overall. In the Nursery, planned opportunities to develop these skills contribute positively to the good progress. For example, children are encouraged to smile and laugh through the provision of distorted mirrors and puppets with smiling faces. On arrival each session, children in the Nursery take responsibility for finding their name card, with help, and putting it on the board to register their arrival. They are secure in routines and take responsibility for themselves when they choose their activities from the ‘planning boards’. They learn to take turns when giving out milk and take responsibility for themselves when fetching their coats. The Nursery has effective links with a Nursery for children with special
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educational needs and two children with very specific needs, including physical handicaps, attend the Nursery part time. This contributes positively to children’s personal and social development. Older children take turns to be the ‘helper of the day’, taking the register to the office and helping in the classroom. They take responsibility happily for themselves when undertaking practical activities. For example, they are expected to organise their own resources when painting and to help tidy up afterwards. All children are well behaved and settle to their tasks quietly. Very good relationships, already established, allow children to be secure and confident with all adults. They respond well to the praise, which all adults give them and co-operate with each other when playing in ‘The Three Bears’ House’ and in the class toyshop. The well-established routines, the consistent expectations of behaviour and the
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caring attitudes of all adults make a significant contribution to the sense of security felt by the Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 29 children.
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74. The standards attained in language and literacy are well below those expected nationally. Oracy skills are particularly poorly developed on entry and a significant number of children start Nursery and school with limited speech. At the time of the inspection, one child had no speech. Staff take every opportunity to develop speaking and listening skills, including the use of Makaton sign language when necessary. There are good opportunities for role-play in the Nursery but opportunities in the Reception class are more limited. Children make good progress over time in the development of language and literacy skills from a low baseline. A structured approach to the teaching of these skills begins in the Nursery and this is having a positive effect on standards as children move through the school. For example, each child is expected to practise early handwriting skills with the teacher or nursery nurse at the beginning
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of each session. Individual tasks matched to the needs of each child and the emphasis placed on writing contribute positively to the good progress made. There are good opportunities for children to develop their writing skills when they write letters in sand and make them with play dough. There are good opportunities for children to experiment with writing in the class and Nursery writing areas. Good emphasis is placed on early writing and children are encouraged to write. Scrutiny of work shows that many children start their education able to scribble with poor pencil skills, but by the time they are five, many children can write their first name and copy their teacher’s writing with reasonable accuracy. Most children can recognise their names with help. The small number of higher attaining children can already write their names with an appropriate use of upper and lower case letters. Many children
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come from homes with poor literacy skills and very good emphasis is placed on developing reading. For example, parents are invited into the Nursery when they bring their children to choose books to share at home and to receive information about the week’s homework. They are encouraged to work with their child on the letter for the week, perhaps helping them to cut out pictures of objects beginning with the letter or drawing pictures. This initiative is impacting positively on the standards attained. During the inspection, a child proudly showed a paper snowflake, which she had made and coloured purple to represent the sound and colour of the week. Attractive activity bags, which contain a book, game, puppets, tapes or other activities matched to the book, are used effectively to develop literacy skills. A wide range of class books encourages an interest in reading. Most children use and enjoy books and, with
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encouragement, pretend to read, using the pictures to help them. Few are able to talk confidently about their books. Higher attaining children can read simple words and know some initial sounds. The quality of teaching of literacy skills is very good and contributes to the very good progress made in all lessons during the inspection. It is consistent in both the Nursery and the Reception class. Activities are very well matched to meet the needs of all children and all adults take every opportunity to extend and enrich literacy skills. Emphasis is placed on teaching literacy skills in small groups through practical activities and individual support and this ensures a firm foundation for the development of these skills.
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75. Attainment in mathematics is well below the expectations for children of their age and they make good progress over time. Children start their education with limited mathematical skills. Very good emphasis is placed on the teaching of mathematics. In the Nursery, children learn about a colour and a number each week and structured teaching in small groups each day ensures that children make good progress in developing their understanding through the week. This also forms part of their homework where they try to find items related to the number and colour of the week. Most children count and use numbers to five. Children develop their mathematical skills well when they identify two-dimensional shapes and count the sides. Older children begin to add small numbers using apparatus to help them. They identify solid shapes, such as cylinders and cones, from a range on display in their classroom.
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Children learn a variety of number rhymes and some join in when their teachers sings ‘One, two, three, four, five, once I caught a fish alive’ and ‘five little ducks went swimming one day’. Higher attaining children show a developing understanding of money when they draw five one penny coins to represent five pence. Through their play in the sand and water trays Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 30 they understand when objects such as bottles are full or empty. Older children develop an understanding of money through role-play activities in the shop. During the inspection, children made very good progress in most mathematics lessons as a result of very good teaching, which motivated and challenged them. For example, children were expected to learn to say the word ‘hexagon’ and to identify it from a range of shapes by the end of the session.
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76. The children’s physical development is well below expectations for their age and they make good progress. All children, including those in the Reception class, gain confidence in using space through regular opportunities for physical activities in the Nursery’s outdoor play area. Children develop their physical skills well through opportunities to use wheeled toys and climbing equipment. Older children develop their skills through regular opportunities for physical education in the hall. All children handle small toys and scissors regularly to develop their manipulative skills. For example, children in the Nursery use their developing cutting skills to make spiders and older children cut out shapes with increasing accuracy. Due to the length of the inspection, it was not possible to observe any teaching in this area of learning.
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77. The children’s creative development is well below what is expected for their age and they make good progress overall. Very good emphasis is placed on developing creativity and skills are taught systematically from an early age. Children in the Nursery experiment with paint to produce self-portraits with basic features. They explore texture when using dough to make a collage of the ‘Wolf and the three little pigs’. They develop their skills in using a range of materials when making collages with found items. They show shaky hand control when drawing cars and buses. Older children in the Reception class develop their collage skills when making pictures of ‘Old Bear’ and develop their understanding of colour by mixing primary colours. Older children predict which seeds would make the best musical shaker and experiment with making loud and soft sounds. Nursery children show a developing sense of
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rhythm when they play a range of instruments to taped music. The quality of teaching in the one lesson seen for children in the Reception class was good. This art lesson was characterised by effective use of Lowry’s work to provide a stimulus for children’s own paintings about parties and well-focused questions allowed children to notice details in his work. All adults took every opportunity to extend language and activities were well matched to the needs of all children. The teacher gave good positive encouragement to encourage them to improve their paintings.
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78. Children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is well below expectations for their age and they make good progress. Activities provided help children to develop an understanding of the world around them. For example, in the Nursery, the cave play area encourages children to gain an understanding of light and dark when they explore it with torches. Multi- cultural dressing up clothes provide good opportunities for children to learn about other cultures. Children develop an understanding of distance when they draw very simple maps to show Mr Bear’s house and garden. Few children talk confidently about where they live and their families. They have a limited understanding of the Christmas story, confusing the characters. Children use construction toys and small world toys well to develop their own ideas and their manipulative skills. They experiment with sand and water and learn about the
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differences. Children use a tape recorder successfully to listen to stories. They use the ‘mouse’ to move the cursor around the screen when dressing a teddy and older children draw simple pictures. The teaching in the one lesson seen in this area of learning in the Reception class was good. Well-chosen resources such as knitted dolls held children’s attention and enabled them to learn about the Christmas story.
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79. The quality of teaching is very good. Although the quality of teaching is never less than good, it is highest in the Nursery. Both teachers and nursery nurses have a very good understanding of the needs of children aged under five and expectations are very high. In the Nursery, Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 31 lessons are very well planned to ensure that all children are offered the same curriculum, whether they are being taught by the teacher or by the nursery nurses. Children are very well managed and teachers make very effective use of time and resources. Assessment procedures are excellent and very thorough records are maintained for all children to ensure that activities meet their needs. There is very good liaison between the Nursery and the Reception class. Teachers plan together and share resources.
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80. Overall, standards in English are below average by the end of Key Stage 1. Children start school with well below average skills in language and literacy and many have particularly poor oracy skills. Many children enter the Reception class with special educational needs related to literacy skills, which have already been identified in the Nursery, and other children enter the Reception class with no pre-school experience and poor skills. Family literacy difficulties and poor attendance are features of the local area and many pupils leave or arrive at the school at short notice, having missed considerable periods of schooling. There are also considerable differences in the attainments of different cohorts. These factors contribute to the low standards attained by the end of the key stage. National Curriculum data for 1999 shows that by the end of Key Stage 1, the average levels attained by the pupils, when compared with
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all schools was well below average in reading and writing. The proportion of pupils attaining higher levels was also well below average. However, only 72 per cent of these pupils had attended the school since starting in the Nursery. When compared to similar schools, the results were below average in reading and well below average in writing. Results for 1997 and 1998 fell slightly in reading and improved in writing. Results for 1999 show an improvement in the number of pupils attaining the expected standard in reading and similar standards in writing compared with 1998. Test results suggest that boys do less well than girls but there was no evidence of this during the inspection. However, pupils with birthdays during the summer term do less well than their peers. The school is addressing this by ensuring that when these pupils start school, they are accommodated together in a small class rather than being admitted to the other Reception class. The last inspection report indicated
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that the majority of pupils achieved standards in English that were below national expectations but that there was a wide range of attainment. The school is making steady improvement in English overall, although standards are still below average.
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81. Inspection evidence shows that the attainment of the majority of pupils in English, at the end of Key Stage 1, is below national expectations in reading, writing and speaking and listening. Forty one per cent of pupils in the current Year 2 have special educational needs, mainly related to literacy skills. The difference between inspection evidence and test results for 1999 is because the school has implemented several new initiatives, which are already raising standards. The school has responded to its own concern that standards are below average. There is now a structured focus to the teaching of literacy skills in the Nursery, which ensures that those pupils who transfer to the school are well placed to develop their skills. The National Literacy Strategy is raising pupils’ awareness of books, and pupils show an interest in learning to read. Recent steps have been taken to raise standards in reading and writing
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through the provision of reading journals which give detailed advice to parents each week about how to help with reading at home. Specific activities are given for pupils to complete at home to support their reading in school. These activities can be completed without parental support, where none is available. Teachers assess samples of unaided writing each term and identify specific areas of difficulty for each pupil in order to raise their attainments. Targets are set from these assessments and these are referred to constantly within the marking of pupils’ work and in discussion. Samples of work seen during the inspection indicate that good Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 32 progress is being made in attaining these targets and that standards are rising. A structured approach to the teaching of spelling and writing and teachers’ high expectations also contributes to the improvement in standards seen during the inspection. The school is
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planning to follow the strategy that has been so successful in raising standards in mathematics next term by grouping pupils for writing lessons according to their ability from across the classes.
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82. Progress in English is good. The high number of pupils with special educational needs also make good progress because the good provision for classroom assistants ensures that they receive effective support in small groups and they are offered tasks which are well matched to their needs. Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and in speaking and listening. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented well throughout the school and it has been monitored by the headteacher to ensure that it is effective and that classroom practice is consistent. Teachers know the pupils very well and they are skilled in intervention in group activities to ensure that every opportunity is taken to develop literacy skills. This has a positive impact on progress. Teachers group pupils according to their prior attainment and different tasks are set which are well matched to ability. Well-chosen resources, which hold
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pupils’ attention, contribute positively to the good progress made. For example, pupils in Year 2 were motivated to search for punctuation marks, connective words and verbs because the text used was very relevant to their own experience and had been written for them by the teacher. In Year 1, pupils were motivated to write on acetate sheets to identify sentences in their text ‘The Enormous Watermelon’.
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83. Standards in speaking and listening are below national expectations at the end of Key Stage 1. Many pupils have poorly developed language skills when starting school, although their listening skills are better. Many pupils are reluctant to talk and few initiate conversations. By the end of Year 2, most pupils talk when encouraged and listen carefully in a range of situations; for example, in front of the class during plenary sessions in the literacy hour and in front of the whole school in collective worship. However, some opportunities are missed; for example, there are few opportunities for structured role-play. When questioned, pupils give simple answers, using a limited vocabulary. Higher attaining pupils re-tell the plot of stories they have read and most listen carefully to each other and to the teacher. They are able to discuss and predict what might happen when investigating materials to use in an electrical
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circuit. Since the previous inspection, the school has developed clear guidance for the development of speaking and listening skills, which includes ideas to develop these skills across the curriculum. For example, during the inspection, pupils in Year 2 developed their listening skills when their teacher expertly told the story of ‘Hansel and Gretel’. However, opportunities for the development of speaking skills are not planned for and the skills are not systematically taught, although teachers provide good role models and take every opportunity to develop language. Pupils make good progress in developing their speaking and listening skills from a well below average baseline.
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84. The attainment of most pupils in reading is below national expectations by the end of Key Stage 1. A significant number of parents do not support their children with reading and many pupils with special educational needs have high levels of absence. These factors directly contribute to the low standards. The literacy hour is being used effectively to raise standards and to introduce pupils to a wide range of texts, both fiction and non-fiction. Pupils take books home to read, which are well matched to the guided readers used in school. The tasks which they are expected to complete in their reading journals at home are directly related to these books and reinforce the vocabulary being taught in school. The school works hard to encourage parents to help with reading at home and this initiative is already having a positive effect on standards. By the end of Key Stage 1, many pupils begin to read simple text with
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reasonable fluency and use their developing knowledge of initial sounds to help them read unknown words. They show some attention to speech marks and try to read expressively. They recognise a good number of simple words, but most are reluctant to discuss the stories Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 33 they are reading. A significant number of pupils in Year 2 have special educational needs and many of these make good progress and can read words such as ‘the’, ‘is’ and ‘was’ and use pictures to help them make sense of the text. Higher attaining pupils read with reasonable fluency and accuracy and are able to correct themselves when they make an error. They recognise a good number of everyday words out of context and have a sound knowledge of letter sounds to help them decipher unknown words. Few pupils talk confidently about what happens in the stories they are reading or can predict what will happen next. Higher order
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skills such as using their powers of deduction to determine the most important features of a story and the extraction of information from texts are underdeveloped. Although most pupils can identify the title and author of their reading book, discussions with pupils show that a significant number have limited experience of books at home and this contributes to low standards in reading. Progress in reading is good. Teachers assess pupils through guided reading activities in the literacy hour and keep detailed records, including individual targets. Many pupils receive invaluable support from the involvement of classroom assistants and other adults who come into school to hear reading.
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85. Standards in writing are below average at the end of Key Stage 1. Writing is emphasised from an early age and many pupils are confident to make marks on paper when they enter the Reception class. The range of writing is satisfactory and includes stories, accounts, letters and poems. Examination of samples of unaided writing for pupils currently in Year 1 show that standards are improving and that these pupils use recognisable spelling for a range of common words and some begin to include capital letters and full stops. Higher attaining pupils spell simple words correctly and the use of punctuation is more secure. Lower attaining pupils confidently make letter type shapes on paper. By Year 2, pupils write sentences using dictionaries to help them when retelling the story ‘Five Minutes Peace’. Many use recognisable spelling for common words and begin to use simple punctuation. They develop
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their understanding of different ranges of writing by writing poems about machines and instructions on how to make a snowflake. Higher attaining pupils use recognisable spelling for polysyllabic words when writing instructions to make an orange drink. Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 practise their handwriting skills each day when they write the spellings, which they learn for homework and most pupils’ handwriting is legible. They begin to join their handwriting, but a good number have not achieved a regular size. Although there is a structured programme for the teaching of spelling and handwriting, persistent spelling and handwriting errors are not always identified by teachers in their marking or corrected by pupils. Pupils do not always spell words, which they have learnt for homework correctly in their writing. Teachers use good, evaluative comments in their marking and set targets for improvement for each pupil. However, these targets have recently focused on punctuation and
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presentation rather than correct spelling. Progress in writing is good. Emphasis is placed on encouraging pupils to write and teachers and classroom assistants provide effective support in small groups.
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86. Pupils have good attitudes to their work and behave well. They are willing to persevere and are keen to join in reading the text during the literacy hour. Relationships between the pupils themselves and with their teachers and other adults are very good and this contributes positively to the good progress made. Pupils are confident to try, knowing that their efforts are valued. In all classes, pupils try their best to concentrate even when they are tired. They generally work well in groups, although some pupils have difficulty in sharing resources. They show interest in books during the literacy hour and respond very positively when their teacher tells them a story. During the inspection, a good contribution was made to pupils’ spiritual development when the teacher ‘put the story back in her head’ when she had finished telling it.
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87. The quality of teaching is good overall. It is never less than satisfactory and eight out of ten lessons were good or better. One lesson was very good. This very good lesson was characterised by very effective use of text written by the teacher which sustained pupils’ Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 34 interest. Very good relationships and the use of praise encouraged pupils to contribute words such as ‘eventually’ and ‘after a while’ when compiling a list of words used to connect sentences. Well chosen vocabulary such as ‘brim’, ‘brisk’ and ‘brand’ helped pupils develop their phonetic skills as well as developing their understanding of unusual words. Strengths in the teaching of English lie particularly in the management of the pupils which is very good. Good behaviour is noticed and praised and pupils are well aware of acceptable behaviour. Consequently, teachers spend little time managing bad behaviour and this allows all lesson
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time to be used productively. Teachers have a good understanding of English and implement all aspects of the literacy hour well. A good example of the use of information technology to support literacy skills was seen during the inspection. Here, pupils in Year 2 used a suitable program to develop their understanding of ‘blends’. Lesson planning is in the format recommended by the national literacy framework and has clear, well-matched and appropriate learning objectives for pupils of different abilities. Teachers use support staff and other adults very effectively to support group work, although sometimes they could be used more productively during the whole class sessions. Teachers use well-targeted questions to assess what pupils have learnt. Literacy skills are developed well in other areas of the curriculum. For example, in history, where pupils write about Thomas Edison and Neil Armstrong, and in
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science where pupils label circuit diagrams. During the inspection, pupils developed their speaking and listening skills during assembly where they acted out parts of the story of Baboushka.
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88. The English co-ordinator gives good leadership to the subject and all staff share the same strong commitment to raising standards. New initiatives are successfully raising standards and the school regularly evaluates any commercial programmes designed to raise standards, particularly for pupils with special educational needs. Very good assessment procedures are used to identify what pupils need to learn and clear targets are set to raise standards both for individuals and the whole school. Samples of work, which are matched to National Curriculum levels and have been agreed by all staff, are retained to give good guidance on standards. The co-ordinator monitors planning regularly and examines samples of work to evaluate progress. She has monitored the literacy hour in each class to ensure consistency. A good range of books has been acquired to support literacy, including attractive group readers
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and ‘big books’. However, there are insufficient poetry books. The school is receiving extra support to raise standards in writing and the development of phonic skills from the local education authority next term as part of its support for lower attaining schools.
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89. The attainment of pupils by the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national standards and has improved since the last inspection. The results of National Curriculum tests for 1999 indicate that by the end of the key stage, the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 or above was broadly average. However, a significant number of pupils only just attained Level 2 and so when compared with all schools, the average level attained by the pupils was below average. The number of pupils exceeding this standard was average. When compared to similar schools, the results were above average. This represents a considerable improvement since 1998 where standards were well below average. Standards declined slightly between 1997 and 1998, followed by a sharp rise in 1999. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys or girls, although there are significant variations in the attainment of different cohorts.
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Standards have improved since the previous inspection.
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90. Inspection evidence shows that by the end of Key Stage 1, standards are in line with national expectations. The improvement in standards when compared to average levels is because the school now teaches mathematics to pupils in groups of similar ability from across the classes in Year 1 and Year 2 and the introduction of the National Numeracy Strategy is also impacting positively on the standards attained. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 35 91. By the end of the key stage most pupils have good knowledge of the appropriate language of mathematics, add and subtract numbers up to ten with accuracy and identify numbers between ten and a hundred, understanding the relative sizes of these. They understand simple fractions and name common two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional solids. Pupils estimate time, weight and length appropriately and appreciate that data can be represented in bar
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charts. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 understand that division is the inverse of multiplication; for example, in the lesson where pupils found the factors of a variety of one and two digit numbers and used the operations of multiplication and division to show the relationships. Pupils in Year 2 explain their thinking and find different ways of recording their calculations. Numeracy skills support learning across the curriculum well. For example, in science when weighing and measuring, in design and technology when planning a car that has to be large enough to carry a specific toy, in history when developing time lines, and in morning registration when counting numbers of pupils present and calculating absentees. There is no difference in standards across the attainment targets.
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92. Progress overall is very good and in individual lessons it is consistently good. Pupils learn to count and recognise numbers and shapes. For example, in the Reception class they count together, enjoy singing number songs and learn to add single digits by rolling two dice and counting the total number of spots shown. Pupils develop their understanding of shape through a variety of structured activities. They gain experience of larger numbers in Year 1, and develop their knowledge and understanding of number bonds; for example, in Year 1, where pupils of average ability work on the number bonds of five, using hoops and coloured balls to visualise the situation. Lower attaining pupils count and order numbers up to ten and recognise the equivalence of one and two pence coins in small amounts of money. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress related to their prior attainment and attain
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appropriately. Progress is enhanced when pupils of similar ability from across the classes are taught together. The use of information technology to support progress in the subject is developing satisfactorily. Progress has improved since the last inspection.
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93. Pupils’ response ranges from satisfactory to very good but in the majority of lessons it is good. Most pupils listen carefully to instructions and follow them appropriately. Many are keen to answer questions in class discussions, although some loss of concentration is evident in longer whole-class question and answer sessions. Pupils settle down well to individual activities and try hard with written work. They use equipment sensibly. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are very good. Pupils collaborate well and enjoy group work. Behaviour is generally good.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
94. The quality of teaching overall is good. Planning is good and learning objectives are generally clear. Teachers’ expositions are clear and concise, questioning is perceptive and the tasks set are usually challenging and appropriate for the variety of abilities represented in the particular group. All teachers are well organised and lessons contain a good mix of in-put from the teacher and activity for pupils. Praise is used appropriately by all teachers and their management of pupils is very good. Pace is generally brisk, although the pace of some mental arithmetic sessions is too slow. The quality of marking of pupils’ work is evaluative and of a high standard. Homework is used well to support learning.
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95. The curriculum complies with National Curriculum requirements and all attainment targets are well addressed. Tasks are well planned to meet the needs of all pupils, including those with special educational needs. The development of pupils’ mental strategies is generally addressed satisfactorily. Pupils are assessed very well through national and school-based tests, and the recording of the achievement of objectives. These are well monitored by the school in order to plan effectively for the pupils and to evaluate teaching. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection. The subject is well co-ordinated. Staffing levels are good Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 36 and the use of the headteacher as an extra mathematics teacher enables pupils to be taught in smaller groups, which contributes positively to the standards attained. Parents are well informed about their children’s progress and receive detailed information from the school on
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how best to support mathematical learning at home. There is a mathematics club for pupils in Year 2 and this is well attended by the pupils and contributes positively to the standards attained. Accommodation is good and all classrooms contain good quality mathematical displays. There is a satisfactory range of resources.
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96. Results of the National Curriculum teacher assessments for 1998 show that the percentage of pupils reaching the national standard is average. The number of pupils exceeding this standard is above average. In comparison with similar schools, pupils’ results are above average. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys or girls or between different attainment targets. Results for 1999 show a decline in standards and that the percentage of pupils reaching the national standard is well below average. This decline in standards is attributed to differences in the cohorts of pupils and to underestimation of teacher assessment in that year. Samples of work from these pupils confirm this. Standards in science have improved since the previous inspection.
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97. Inspection evidence shows that pupils’ attainment in science is broadly in line with the national average by the end of Key Stage 1, although few pupils attain higher levels. The difference between inspection evidence and teacher assessments is as a result of good teaching, a carefully planned and balanced curriculum based on recent national guidance, and the clear vision and planning of improvement generated by the headteacher, who is the co-ordinator. Good emphasis is placed on investigative and experimental activities and realistic targets have been set for individual pupils. All these factors contribute positively to the improvement in standards.
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98. Pupils enter the school with knowledge and understanding of the world that is well below average for pupils of their age. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can plan and organise an investigation such as identifying what materials will make good conductors of electricity. This investigation involves not only knowledge of how to build an electric circuit, but also how to incorporate a light bulb to indicate that the circuit has been completed. Pupils then use this circuit to test whether or not various materials conduct electricity. Pupils also make careful observations and can draw the filament of a light bulb accurately having studied the bulb carefully with a magnifier. They also know that the filament must be connected to the electric circuit before it will light. Pupils know the characteristics of living things and, following a visit from a four-month-old baby, that more than just warmth, clothing and food
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
are needed for humans to grow in a healthy way. This, when related to the well planned and organised personal and social health education programme enriches pupils knowledge about health, exercise and good diet. This indicates both knowledge and investigative skills are in line with the expectations for their age.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
99. Overall, progress is very good in science. Pupils made good progress in lessons. In a Year 2 class, pupils who were making careful observation of a light bulb tracked the route of the metal filament to the contacts on the outside of the bulb and understood how the bulb became part of the electric circuit. In the Reception class, pupils understand that a toy cart will not move unless a force makes it move. By Year 1, pupils can predict that the cart will move in the direction of the force, and can estimate how far it will travel over differing surfaces. By Year 2, pupils can undertake an investigation in carts rolling down a slope and can control and predict the relationship between the distance the cart moves and the inclination of the slope. The use of homework and teachers’ use of regular assessment, record keeping and targets set for individual pupils contributes to the very good progress. Pupils with special
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Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 37 educational needs make good progress owing to the strategic use of support staff in the classroom and by teachers referring regularly to pupils’ individual educational plans.
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100. Pupils respond well to their lessons and are very keen, confident and well behaved. Pupils work collaboratively, sharing resources and listening to the opinions of the others in their group. They plan out the investigations very well and record their findings in writing, charts and diagrams. This was particularly evident in a Year 2 class where pupils designed a lighting circuit capable of switching off and on two light bulbs. Pupils have very good understanding of safety issues, as was evident in the careful handling of electric batteries.
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101. The quality of teaching in science is good and this contributes positively to the improvement in standards. Teachers question pupils very well not only to assess their attainment, but also to direct, encourage and challenge their investigations. The pace of lessons is brisk and all lessons are well planned, organised and resourced. The curriculum is very well organised into a scheme of work that preserves the importance of practical investigative work. Teachers introduce this work, typically with a whole class introduction and then pupils are organised into groups or pairs to pursue their investigation. Teachers’ knowledge of science is very good. Teachers encourage high standards of behaviour and work; a particularly noticeable feature is the insistence by teachers that pupils will conduct themselves in a courteous and considerate manner in all the work done in science.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
102. The curriculum is well planned throughout the school. It is based on the guidelines from the local education authority and recent national guidance. The co-ordinator is effective and successful in helping teachers understand what they should teach next to build on the knowledge of pupils. This is strengthened by a very thorough and very well used assessment procedure that helps teachers plan the details of lessons and helps the co-ordinator to monitor and evaluate the quality of the science curriculum through valuing pupils’ achievements. One piece of work each term is kept in an individual portfolio. This work is assessed not only with regard to the pupil's achievement but also to indicate what the pupil must now do in order to make further gains in their scientific learning. This portfolio is made available to parents. Science makes a very positive contribution to pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and particularly
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social development through the emphasis on collaborative group work.
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103. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 is in line with national expectations. By the end of the key stage, pupils know that instructions can be given to the computer via the ‘mouse’ or keyboard and that information technology can be used to communicate information in the form of words, pictures, bar or pie charts. They understand that devices can be controlled. For example, in Year 2, when pupils tell the teacher the correct instructions to direct a programmable toy to move in a square. Pupils use the ‘mouse’ with care and accuracy; for example in a lesson for pupils in Year 2, where they expanded squares, circles and lines and drew pictures of Christmas presents. They use a variety of different fonts; for example, when writing their names, and change colour and size of print. They save their work with support. Pupils know the appropriate terminology related to the subject. Standards of attainment have
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104. Progress is satisfactory. Pupils in the Reception class effectively improve their ‘mouse’ control and draw pictures of themselves. Keyboard skills are improved in Year 1 and pupils Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 38 write short descriptions of themselves and refine their drawing skills; for example, in a lesson where pupils change colours and shade areas when drawing fruit. Pupils in Year 2 know the names of different parts of the computer and choose and place pictures on various parts of the screen to make pictures involving Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is satisfactory. Information technology supports progress in other areas of the curriculum. For example, in geography by the use of art tools and route tiles to construct a route on a plan, and in mathematics with the use of bar charts. Progress overall has improved since the previous inspection.
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105. Pupils have positive attitudes towards the subject, work hard at the tasks set and show enjoyment at their success. Relationships between pupils, and between pupils and adults are very good, and the secure working atmosphere engendered encourages pupils of all abilities to broach assignments with confidence. Pupils show pleasure in their own and each other's success. Equipment is handled carefully and behaviour is good.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
106. The quality of teaching in the small number of lessons observed was good. Teachers generally have sound knowledge of the subject and communicate this clearly to the pupils. Lessons include an appropriate range of activities, which are satisfactorily matched to the needs of most pupils. Questioning of pupils is clear and effective, highlighting relevant points to assist learning. Pupils are well managed with firmness and encouragement. Little evidence of differentiated tasks suited to higher attaining pupils is evident. Opportunities to celebrate pupils' success are not missed and many teachers display examples of work in classrooms. Skills in information technology are specifically taught to pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 for a short session at least three times each week and this contributes positively to the standards attained. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection.
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107. The curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. An appropriate scheme of work is in place and there are satisfactory assessment procedures. Improved assessment procedures are already prepared, however, and will be put into place when the new information technology room has been completed and equipped with its ten new computers. Five of these computers have been provided through the school’s involvement with a Beacon School Project at the local technology college. The school has identified the use of information technology to raise standards in literacy and numeracy as its priority and the technology college is providing support, training for teachers and access to the internet. Professional development of all teachers has taken place but further training has been arranged in order to make full use of the new room. Resources have been much improved and at present they are adequate pending the completion of the information technology room. The
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quality of most of the hardware is good but there is limited software to support learning in other curricular areas.
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108. The overall attainment of pupils is in line with the expectations of the Shropshire Agreed Syllabus by the end of Key Stage 1. Thus, the school has made good progress in raising standards of attainment since the last inspection report. Pupils make good progress throughout the school. The school has now developed a coherent and balanced scheme of work. Whilst this predominantly focuses on Christianity, the curriculum also introduces pupils to the beliefs, practices and celebrations of other world faiths including Judaism, Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism.
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109. The scheme focuses on ten designated themes of 'specialness' that are specified in the Agreed Syllabus and are used to deliver a coherent and balanced religious education curriculum. These themes, which include topics such as special signs and symbols, special names and Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 39 special people, are focused upon in each term in a planned and systematic way. Regular assessment and monitoring of pupils’ achievement is at an early stage of development and whilst sufficient knowledge of pupils’ attainment is known to guide long-term curricular planning, assessment it is not as yet well used to set clear learning objectives for lessons.
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110. Pupils enjoy religious education and listen with interest in lessons. Behaviour and attitudes in all lessons is good. Pupils gain knowledge and understanding about religion from studying stories, customs, festivals and places of worship. School assemblies also contribute to each term’s focus in religious education. Teachers relate the study themes very well to pupils’ own experiences. In a Year 1 class, the teacher introduced the concept of 'belonging' to the study of Sikhism. In this lesson, pupils not only learnt about the outward symbols showing that a person belonged to the Sikh religion, but also, through her very good teaching, allowed pupils to effectively reflect on the importance of belonging to a family or a group of friends. Religious education plays an important role in securing pupils’ social, moral, spiritual and cultural development. Opportunities are planned into the curriculum to explore issues such as
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truth and honesty as well as for exploring and understanding the beliefs and cultures of world faiths.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
111. The quality of teaching in religious education is good, with one in three lessons being taught very well. Where teaching reaches these high standards, teachers have a good knowledge of the subject and set very high standards of work and behaviour. Resources for religious education are adequate to support pupils’ learning and are well organised and easily available. Pupils have access to Holy Books and artefacts that are used sensitively and appropriately to help investigate religious festivals. Lessons are conducted at a brisk pace, and a range of activities is provided in each lesson to ensure pupils remain on task. Teachers use questions very well to explore issues with pupils and are sensitive but straightforward when answering pupils' questions about religious customs and beliefs; for example, when pupils in Year 2 were discussing what it would have really been like to have been born in a stable. Pupils are
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expected to do some work at home. This contributes to the raising of standards.
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What most parents like about the school What some parents are not happy about
112. The co-ordinator has done much to raise the status and importance of religious education in the school. The scheme of work has ensured a good balance to the curriculum and has helped to raise the attainment of pupils as they progress through the school.
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113. Art is valued throughout the school as an enriching activity for expressing ideas and much of the work evident in classrooms, in portfolios and around the school is better than might be expected for the pupils’ age. High standards in art were identified in the previous inspection. Progress is very good as pupils enter the school with very limited skills. Pupils are introduced to a wide range of experiences and skills in different media in the Reception class and these early experiences are built on successfully as pupils move through the school. Owing to the length of the inspection, it was not possible to observe any lessons, so it was not possible to judge the quality of teaching.
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114. Early in the key stage, pupils experience a very good range of printing techniques. For example, they develop their skills by making mono-prints from designs drawn with their fingers and print attractive patterns using natural items. In Year 1, they understand how different materials such as sponge and card can produce different effects. By Year 2, pupils use a wide range of papers to produce screen prints of high quality. The importance attached to drawing is evident in all year groups and there are good examples of close observational drawing. For example, pupils in Year 2 produce detailed drawings of leaves and snails showing close attention to texture. From early experiments in colour mixing, for example Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 40 mixing shades of red, pupils progress to using colour very effectively when they produce attractive paintings of poppies. These paintings, which show both printing and painting
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techniques, are of high quality. Three- dimensional skills are developed through the use of clay and textiles. Pupils in Year 2 examine tree bark closely and use their observations to make attractive clay relief panels showing good attention to texture.
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115. The work of other artists is used very effectively as a stimulus for a wide range of artwork. The work of Clarice Cliff is used very effectively as both an inspiration for colour mixing and for making papier mâché bowls. Pupils study the work of famous artists such as Van Gogh to explore different painting techniques. Other artists such as Cezanne, Monet and Lowry effectively inspire much of the high quality work on display and make a positive contribution to pupils’ cultural development. Art is used in other areas of the curriculum. For example, to illustrate topic work and books, which pupils make for a variety of reasons such as recording work on trips, projects and other events. Pupils respond very positively to art and show pride in their work.
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116. The curriculum is broad and well balanced. It is effectively underpinned by a good policy, which ensures that pupils develop their skills steadily and systematically as they move through the school. The curriculum is enriched by promotions such as visiting potters, artists and rug makers. The co-ordination of the subject is good and art is led with enthusiasm by the co- ordinator, who has good knowledge of the subject. Assessment procedures are good and there are substantial portfolios of pupils’ work in all strands of the curriculum to exemplify standards in each year group. Pupils’ work is valued by careful display, such as framed paintings and attractive friezes in the entrance hall and corridors. A large three dimensional weaving using branches and fabric enhances part of the long corridor.
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117. It was only possible to observe one lesson in design and technology due to the short length of the inspection. However, in addition to this lesson, evidence was also gained from the scrutiny of teachers’ planning, pupils’ work and display, and discussions with pupils. This evidence indicates that pupils make good progress in both the designing and making aspects of the subject. The progress made by pupils with special educational needs is also good. This indicates good improvement since the previous inspection.
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118. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils confidently use their knowledge and experience of materials and techniques to design and build models and structures for a wide range of purposes and modify these designs to make improvements. Pupils design and construct a model cart to a design 'brief'. In Year 2, pupils make a cart with movable wheels on an axis that can carry a toy figure down a slope. Pupils use a range of techniques in their designs and then evaluate their carts against the requirements of the task. During this task, pupils use a range of tools such as scissors and saws safely and join materials using glue, nails or fasteners according to the materials being used.
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119. Pupils enjoy design and technology, behave well, work together collaboratively and respect and consider the views of others. They are enthusiastic to participate in design and technology activities when given the opportunity. The quality of teaching observed in the one lesson seen was very good. Where teaching reaches this high standard, teachers are confident with the content of the curriculum and have a good knowledge of the subject and manage the pupils well. Fundamental design and technology concepts are very well taught. The organisation of materials is also very good with a good range of resources being made available to pupils. For example, in the lesson seen, for pupils in Year 1, pupils were 'designing' a 'fruit salad'. This involved them choosing from a range of fruits that had Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 41 different qualities; for example, hard, soft, sweet, bitter, crisp, or smooth. Pupils selected
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suitable tools or implements to cut the fruit and combined them to create a predicted result. The school cooks made a significant contribution to helping pupils during this task and pupils were encouraged to use the school’s kitchen facilities.
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120. Teachers make use of the school’s good policy and scheme of work in design and technology, which is based on recent national guidance. Whilst the individual assessment of pupils’ attainment is not systematically carried out, the co-ordinator keeps photographic records of pupils’ work that is used to help plan future activities. Resources for design and technology are well organised and adequate, and pupils take good care of them.
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121. The co-ordinator has done much to address the issues raised in the last inspection. The new scheme of work ensures that pupils develop their skills steadily and systematically. The subject makes a significant contribution to pupil's social, moral, spiritual and cultural education. Activities demand that pupils work collaboratively together and share resources. Pupils are also taught and trusted to use implements safely. Teachers make the most of situations as they arise to develop a sense of awe and wonder such as when pupils tried to predict what the inside of a 'strange' fruit would look like when cut open - and also what it would taste like. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 42
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Geography
122. Pupils make sound progress in their knowledge and understanding of geography and in the development of geographical skills. This is similar to the findings of the previous inspection. At the beginning of the key stage pupils develop an understanding of the use of a plan to represent a short route in Donnington and consider the uses of some of the local buildings. Higher attaining pupils, with support, find their own homes on an enlarged map of the area in which they live. Pupils consider the road outside the school and assess through a traffic survey whether it is a quiet road. They begin to look outside their own environment and develop an understanding of the differences between their own home and a seaside area. They make simple observations on weather changes related to these areas. Older pupils know the points of the compass and give examples of towns, which are further north, south, east and
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Geography
west of them using a map of the British Isles. Pupils are aware that positions on a map or plan can be described by a grid reference; for example, in a lesson for pupils in Year 2, they examined a cross-section picture of a hotel and described each room with its appropriate reference. They understand the use of a key and draw simple plans, for example, the classrooms and the corridor. Their knowledge and understanding of a contrasting environment is developed appropriately and pupils examine rainforests and consider the wildlife that lives at various levels within it. By the end of the key stage, pupils are familiar with their own environment through visits and the use of photographs, and are beginning to consider care of the environment and the needs of people. Pupils with special educational needs make sound progress overall. However, the use of information technology to support progress is limited.
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123. Pupils’ attitude to work is satisfactory and most have a sense of curiosity about the world around them. Many are keen to answer questions in class discussions, generally making sensible suggestions when they do so, but some become unsettled in longer introductory sessions. They settle down sensibly when starting individual tasks and generally take care with these. Relationships in the classroom are very good and most pupils work well together when required. Behaviour is usually good.
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124. Only a small number of lessons were observed during the inspection so no overall judgement on the quality of teaching can be made. In the lessons observed teachers’ knowledge of the subject was secure and their planning was sound. Lessons were well organised and proceeded at an appropriate pace, showing a good balance of input by the teacher and practical tasks. Good use is made of pupils' contributions and they are praised appropriately. Teachers use questions perceptively and their day-to-day assessment is satisfactory.
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125. The school places an appropriate emphasis on geography and the curricular content contains satisfactory breadth and balance. The assessment procedures are good but do not yet cover the whole range of the curriculum. The development of these is one of the targets already noted by the co-ordinator. The subject is well co-ordinated and teachers' planning and pupils' work is monitored effectively. Resources have been improved since the last inspection and are satisfactory.
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126. No lessons were observed during the inspection so judgements are based on discussions with pupils and teachers and scrutiny of pupils' work, documents and photographic evidence.
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127. Pupils make satisfactory progress. By the end of the key stage, they have a basic knowledge of chronology. Foundations for this are soundly established in the Reception class, where pupils draw pictures of their personal time lines. This is extended in Year 1 and Year 2 and pupils Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 43 sequence artefacts; for example, in the development of lighting and telephones. The oldest pupils examine clothes through the ages and compare and contrast them with their own. Pupils build up a sound knowledge and understanding through examination of a variety of photographs and artefacts like toys and clothes. The examination of the lives of famous people like Florence Nightingale, Grace Darling, Thomas Edison, Samuel Morse and Neil Armstrong and their significance to present day life also make sound contributions. Pupils satisfactorily develop skills of historical inquiry and gain experience in interpreting a variety
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of source materials. Pupils in Year 1, for example, examine one of Breughel's paintings when investigating children through the ages. A good range of artefacts borrowed from local museums and focused visits to them contribute well to pupils’ progress overall. Visitors, for example from the local community, who come to share experiences of their childhood, also make good contributions to overall progress. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress and attain appropriately relative to their individual abilities.
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128. Pupils' attitudes to learning are good. They talk with interest about history and the visits and visitors, which contribute, to their developing knowledge and understanding. Written work and drawings show evidence of thought and care. No overall judgement can be made on the teaching of history, as it was not on the timetable at the time of the inspection.
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129. The scheme of work is good and is an amalgamation of the school's scheme and one which is nationally available. Pupils' learning is assessed well. The subject is well co-ordinated and teachers’ planning is monitored regularly. Accommodation is good and the school has an adequate supply of resources for the delivery of the curriculum.
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130. It was only possible to observe one music lesson during the inspection and the use of music is underdeveloped in the school. Consequently, it is not possible to make an overall judgement on the progress made by the pupils. In the lesson observed, progress was sound. Younger pupils listened to the guitar music and expressed some of the feelings that the music engendered in them. Some recognised the instrument being played. They clapped a variety of rhythms in time together and could sing nursery rhymes unaccompanied. Opportunities are given to improve pupils' listening skills by the playing of music from different times and cultures in assembly each day and in some classrooms at the start of the day. However, pupils were not heard to sing in assemblies. Pupils know the names of some simple instruments and experiment with sound by making a variety of instruments, for example shakers with seeds
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inside. The aspects of appraising and composing are underdeveloped and this remains a weakness since the previous inspection.
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131. Pupils’ attitudes to music throughout the school and in the one lesson observed are satisfactory. Most pupils listen carefully to music and show appreciation of the performances of others. Real enjoyment of singing is not evident however and pupils have limited opportunities to perform together as a school. It is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of teaching overall but teachers' planning is sound and contains an appropriate variety of activities.
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132. The revised scheme of work is in draft form and is supplemented by a purchased scheme. It contains satisfactory breadth and balance. The scheme of work and the subject policy are sound. Teachers’ planning is monitored well. No assessment procedures are used but the annual report to parents is written against key stage expectations. Resources have been audited recently and are adequate. The school is aware of its lack of a qualified music teacher and whenever possible uses a supply teacher, who has this expertise. Assemblies devised by individual classes often contain some aspect of music and pupils participate each year in Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 44 music workshops, for example ‘Sam's Cat’, organised by a school development group. Visitors come to school to share their expertise; for example, the horn group from the local authority’s music service, who also enhance the provision and contribute well towards the
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pupils’ musical development. There is a music area in the corner of the main hall and this contains a satisfactory range of musical instruments. All classrooms have their own music cassette players. Resources overall are adequate.
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133. Owing to the cycle of work undertaken by the school and the short length of the inspection, it was only possible to observe two gymnastics lessons and no games or dance sessions. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have developed a sound understanding of taking their weight on various parts of their body and in the use of levels and direction. They can link movements to change shape and create a sequence that can be repeated. Progress in lessons seen was satisfactory.
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134. Pupils' behaviour is generally satisfactory and they respond well in physical education lessons, making good use of their time and show keenness and interest. They give proper consideration to their safety and know how to use equipment safely. Pupils work well in pairs and in teams.
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135. There is insufficient evidence to judge the quality of teaching. However, the quality of teaching was satisfactory in the two lessons seen. Teachers complete detailed plans for tasks that are both mentally and physically challenging. They make appropriate comments on pupils' performances, which are helpful and supportive and take note of individual pupils' achievements. Lessons are planned around a common, clear structure.
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136. Pupils have the opportunity to be involved in an after school football club and this contributes positively to the progress made in developing physical skills. The subject is enthusiastically led by the co-ordinator, who has only recently taken over the responsibility. There is an appropriate scheme of work linked to a clear curricular map that ensures pupils experience a broad and balanced curriculum. This is an improvement since the previous inspection. Resources are satisfactory and the new co-ordinator has enthusiastically welcomed the recent introduction of the 'Top Sport' and 'Top Play' resource packages. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 45 · PART C: INSPECTION DATA
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1. Four inspectors spent a total of 12 days inspecting the work of the school. They made a total of 38 observations of lessons or parts of lessons and other work of the school over a total of 36 hours. They held discussions with members of the teaching staff, members of the support staff, parents and governors. They scrutinised a complete sample of the work of about ten per cent of the pupils and talked to many more about their work. All policies, registers, teachers’ plans and records were examined, as were the minutes of the meetings of the governing body and their Annual Report to Parents. Before the inspection, 7 parents attended a meting with the registered inspector to express their views about the work of the school and responses were received from 46 parents to a questionnaire on the same subject. Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 46 137. DATA AND INDICATORS
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137. Pupil data Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school’s register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR – Y2 145 2 46 49 Nursery Unit/School 32 0 11 0
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137. Qualified teachers (YR – Y2) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 7 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 20.57
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137. Education support staff (YR – Y2) Total number of education support staff: 5 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 62.5
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137. Qualified teachers (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent): 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher: 32
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137. Education support staff (Nursery school, classes or unit) Total number of education support staff: 2 Total aggregate hours worked each week: 65
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Average class size: 24 Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 47 137. Financial data
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£ Total Income 399979 Total Expenditure 388612 Expenditure per pupil 2159 Balance brought forward from previous year 15943 Balance carried forward to next year 27310 Donnington Wood Infant and Nursery Centre - 48 137. PARENTAL SURVEY
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Number of questionnaires sent out: 156 Number of questionnaires returned: 46
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Responses (percentage of answers in each category):
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Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 35 63 0 0 2
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I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 50 50 0 0 0
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The school handles complaints from parents well 29 57 12 2 0
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The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 43 54 0 0 2
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The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)’s progress 53 44 0 0 2
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The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 50 43 4 2 0
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The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 44 49 7 0 0
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I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 46 50 2 2 0
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The school’s values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 43 54 2 0 0
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The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 44 49 7 0 0
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My child(ren) like(s) school 61 39 0 0 0
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