Colmore Infant and Nursery School

COLMORE INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st -22 nd May 2001

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COLMORE INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL

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

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COLMORE INFANT AND NURSERY SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Colmore Road Kings Heath Birmingham Postcode: B14 6AJ

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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: 21/04/97 COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members 8245 L A Furness Registered inspector 9214 J Garland Lay inspector 18129 L Moran Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Court 8, Bar Meadow Dobcross Saddleworth Oldham OL3 5QW

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT [ ]

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Colmore Infant and Nursery School is a three-form entry school, situated in the Kings Heath area of Birmingham, which is approximately four miles south of the city centre. The school serves a mixed community with local housing consisting of both private and council owned properties. There are 272 children on roll aged between 4 and 7 and a further 52 nursery aged children attend the school on a part-time basis. The percentage of children having special educational needs (19.1%) is below the national average and the percentage of children with statements of special educational needs (0.6%) is also below the national average. The percentage of children speaking English as an additional language (6.8%) is high. The percentage of children known to be eligible for school meals free of charge (19.8%) is in line with the national average. There are 10 classes in the school including the nursery and each class consists of a single age group of children. The initial

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

assessment of children at the age of five indicate that although there is a wide range of attainment represented, the attainment of the majority of children is in line with that expected nationally for children of this age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school, which has many very good features. By the time children are 7 years of age, standards in reading and mathematics are above the national average and in writing are well above the national average. A high proportion of teaching is very good and school leadership and management is very effective. The headteacher is very much at the heart of the school ensuring that children enjoy their education and behave very well. When considering the attainment of children on entry to the school, the progress they make and the academic standards they attain, the school provides very good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work together very effectively as a team to maintain high quality education. • The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts very positively upon their learning. • The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s attainment and achievement. • The systems for checking and evaluating the performance of the school are very effective in helping to maintain high standards. • Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts education.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Provision for information and communication technology (ICT). • The breadth of children’s reading experiences in order to develop further their confidence in reading independently. • Formalising the very good provision for personal, social and health education by formulating a written policy and programme of work. The school has already identified all of these issues as priorities for improvement. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in April 1997 and all of the key issues identified have been very successfully addressed. The curriculum has benefited from the introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and standards in English and mathematics have improved over the last three COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 7 years. The quality of teaching is very good with a higher percentage of very good and excellent teaching now evident. The nursery has been established and this is seen to be a strength of the school by the inspection team and by the parents. Since the time of the previous inspection the school has made very good progress.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

reading C B B B well above average above average A B writing B A A A average below average C D mathematics C B B B well below average E

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STANDARDS

The children’s performance in the National Curriculum tests at the age of 7 in 2000 was above the national average in reading and mathematics and well above the national average in writing. In relation to similar schools the performance was above average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing. In all three subjects results have improved over the last three years. Children achieve very well and this is mainly due to the successful implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the good planning of the teachers, which successfully addresses the needs of children of different abilities. Children currently in Year 2 are achieving at similar levels to the previous year. The school does set targets although it is not a statutory obligation for them to do so. The targets are challenging but achievable. Those set for 2000 were met and the school is on line to achieve the targets set for 2001.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Children thoroughly enjoy school. They involve themselves fully in school life, have very good attitudes to learning and work hard.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Children behave very sensibly in and out of school. They are very polite and well mannered.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Staff and children show mutual respect, a factor that contributes very positively to the caring ethos of the school community. Children take on responsibilities willingly and are able to think for themselves.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. Children are punctual and lessons start on time. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 8

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is very good. It is excellent in 5 percent of lessons; very good in 40 per cent of lessons; good in 40 per cent of lessons and satisfactory in the remaining 15 per cent of lessons. There is no unsatisfactory teaching. English and mathematics teaching is very good and the good teaching of the basic skills of literacy and numeracy is helping children to achieve very well. All teachers are creative and make learning interesting and exciting for children through good use of practical resources and motivating activities. The very good relationships that exist between adults and children result in children trying very hard and taking a pride in their achievements. The teachers successfully help to raise children’s self esteem and children are therefore confident learners. The school addresses the needs of all children very well with classroom support assistants used very effectively to support all children

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

including those with special educational needs.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum that is offered to the children in the Foundation Stage of Learning and to those children aged 5-7 is very good. Very good account is taken of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the curriculum is very effectively enhanced by the very strong commitment towards the creative arts.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Teachers plan effectively for the needs of these children and classroom support assistants are used very well to support their learning. There are good systems in place to check the progress they make and to adjust the children’s learning needs accordingly.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Children with as English as an additional language are well supported and make good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school is very effective in helping children to be kind to one another and take care of each other. Cultural development is a notable strength. Children are provided with a variety of activities that very effectively reflect a range of other cultures.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school is a caring community that provides effective support for its children, both academically and personally. There are good procedures in place for child protection and for ensuring the children’s welfare, health and safety. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 9

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership and is very well supported by the deputy headteacher, the curriculum co-ordinators and all staff. There is a clear commitment to improving standards, which in turn gives strong encouragement to very good achievement in all aspects of school life.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. The governing body is enthusiastic and supportive of the school. It fulfils its statutory responsibilities and shows good awareness of strengths and areas for development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has extensive systems in place to help it make sense of test results and to predict future trends. The quality of teaching and learning is checked regularly and good support provided for all staff, as is necessary.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. Spending is closely allied to the school’s stated priorities and effective use is made of designated funding. The school spends wisely to improve provision and careful thought is given to checking on best value for money and how various resources are likely to have an impact on children’s learning.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children are making good progress. • The teaching is good. • Children like school. • The school is approachable. • The school is helping their children to become mature. • There are no areas in which a significant number of parents are concerned.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspection team understands why parents are so happy with this school and they agree with all of the parents’ positive views. The parents are right to be appreciative of the work and dedication of all the staff. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 10

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1. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work

together very effectively as a team to maintain high quality education.

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1. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work

2. In the time she has been at the school, the headteacher has successfully earned the respect of governors, staff, parents and children and has created a team of professional people who are clearly focused on providing high quality education for all children. Her vision for the school is very clear: to provide an establishment where all children are valued and excel in their work. She perceptively believes that one of her main strengths is the ability to appoint staff who share her vision and who work well together. The deputy headteacher confirms the accuracy of this perception but adds that another great strength is the way that the headteacher values all staff members and is sympathetic towards their needs. Members of the teaching staff also confirm this and comment positively on the collegiate and democratic approach of the headteacher. The inspection team agrees and confirms these views. The headteacher is also self-critical and

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1. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work

continually reviews her leadership and management style thus avoiding becoming complacent.

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1. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work

3. The staff are all very clear about the role that they play in ensuring that results are as high as they should be. This indicates there is good communication and a shared vision for the future. Teachers have very clear expectations for the children and work is planned very effectively to meet targets set. The use of assessment data and the monitoring and evaluation procedures are very good and information is used extremely well to plan and adjust the curriculum to meet the changing needs of different groups of children. Information is readily shared between teachers, with teachers working with the same age group of children planning together. There is a strong sense of teamwork within the school. The headteacher through very effective monitoring knows the strengths and areas requiring further development. For example, the headteacher knows the standards in information and communication technology (ICT) could be higher with improved

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1. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work

ICT provision. Consequently she has worked with the ICT co-ordinator to set out a manageable programme, which will enable this improved provision to happen. She knows that children do not confidently read unfamiliar texts or non-scheme books and so there is a clear and thorough action plan in place to address this issue.

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1. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership ensuring that all staff work

4. The governors and parents rightly have a great deal of faith in the headteacher’s leadership. The parent’s questionnaires reveal that almost everyone believes that the school is well led and managed and the majority, (80%) feel that the school is very well led. Similarly in the pre- inspection meeting there was strong support for the headteacher of this school. The governors have a great deal of confidence in the leadership and know the headteacher is hard working, knowledgeable and thorough. There is therefore a strong sense of unity within the school with clarity about what all want for the children. High standards are a priority but through the energy and vision of the headteacher, all children are encouraged to develop their strengths in both the academic and creative aspects of the curriculum. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 11

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5. The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts

6. The very positive attitudes that all children have for learning are a particular feature of this school. All children including those with special educational needs enjoy learning and the positive attitudes that children display is having a very good impact upon their learning and standards of work. In the nursery and reception classes, for example, the firm but friendly approach of the class teachers helps children to feel confident when working independently. In an excellent reception literacy lesson the children excitedly contributed descriptive words to match the picture of a rainy day, unafraid to express their own ideas. Independence is effectively encouraged also, through the availability of well planned resources and equipment being clearly labelled The environment in which the nursery children work is excellent and at every turn there is something to explore and exciting areas in which to learn.

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5. The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts

Children respond very positively and it is very obvious that children want to learn in this stimulating environment.

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5. The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts

7. This confidence and interest is extended in Years 1 and 2 and whatever their ability children want to succeed. In a very good Year 1 numeracy lesson, very good relationships ensure that all children are very willing to try and solve problems. One less able child was very well supported by the rest of the class with one boy saying’ ‘Cross your fingers to help’, which all the children did. When the child answered correctly, all of the class spontaneously applauded to celebrate the child’s success. Children’s enthusiasm for learning is seen in several subjects. For example in a very good Year 1 literacy lesson, children enthusiastically discuss the differences between non-fiction and fiction texts. They contributed answers very willingly and were very confident to ask questions of their own if they needed further clarification. In a Year 2 registration session, children confidently related their weekend

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5. The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts

experiences in loud clear voices. Other children listened attentively, showing their good manners and interest in other conversations. Children eagerly shared jokes with the class, for example ‘What does Cinderella seal wear?’ – glass flippers! This session was an interesting and fun start to the day that effectively engaged all children’s interest and showed their very good attitudes towards school.

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5. The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts

8. Both in the questionnaire and at the parent’s meeting, parents report that they are pleased with children’s behaviour. These opinions are well founded. In lessons and in and around the school, behaviour is very good and in the playground the children play well together. At lunchtime children sit sensibly and chat at an acceptable level and show very good manners. They enjoy these times and are courteous to lunchtime supervisors. Children when asked, say ‘this is a happy school,’ and all children know to look out for children who are alone and befriend them. The children are often involved in visits out of school, for example the Year 2 visit to the ‘World Music Day’ event. Colmore Infant and Nursery school was the only school having children of this young age attending. In preparation for the visit, children discussed what is acceptable behaviour and understood the concept of ‘you are who you choose to be.’ The staff state that it is a pleasure to take children on visits because

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5. The children’s very good attitudes to school and very good behaviour impacts

of the many compliments received from the public. The very good behaviour of children makes a positive contribution to children’s learning because there is so very little time lost to unnecessary distraction or disruption in lessons. When children come into class after playtime or lunchtime, they are ready to get on with their work and teachers do not have to sort out difficulties that have occurred during the break. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 12

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9. The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s

10. The overall quality of teaching is very good with a high percentage of very good and excellent teaching evident. The teachers are particularly skilful at teaching literacy and numeracy, resulting in children achieving very well in these aspects of the curriculum. The children’s performance in the National Curriculum tests at the age of 7 in 2000 was above the national average in reading and mathematics and well above the national average in writing. In relation to similar schools the performance was above average in reading and mathematics and well above average in writing. Standards in English and mathematics have been improving over the last three years and the percentage of children attaining the higher level (Level 3) in writing and in mathematics was well above the national average in the 2000 National Curriculum tests.

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9. The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s

11. All teachers are creative and make learning stimulating for children. For example the nursery teacher created an air of mystery as she had a ‘friend’ in a basket waiting to meet the children. They could hardly wait for the ‘friend’ to appear and are thrilled when the caterpillar emerges. In an excellent literacy lesson in a reception class, the teacher created a magical world for the children through pretending to enlarge a book on the whiteboard. The children excitedly ‘assisted’ the teacher by counting the turns of the imaginary knobs and controls. This teacher has excellent classroom management skills and she uses a range of very effective strategies including resources and use of voice and actions to keep the children mesmerised. Her questioning is challenging and children are encouraged to think hard and use their knowledge of language appropriately, for example, when they discussed a picture of

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9. The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s

a rainy day. The nursery nurse supports very well in this class, working very well with the teacher to ensure that all children are involved in suggesting and spelling appropriate descriptive words. A strength of teaching is the way that classroom assistants, nursery nurses and parent helpers are used so effectively to support children’s learning. In all classrooms they make a very valuable contribution to all activities and are particularly good at supporting children with special educational needs.

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9. The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s

12. The very good relationships that exist between adults and children result in children trying very hard and taking a pride in their achievements. Children want to succeed and as seen in a Year 1 numeracy lesson where children are encouraged to try their best. When a child was asked was he able to sort the shapes he quietly remarked ‘I’m confident.’ The excellent interaction between the class teacher and the children encourages them to apply what they know already and use mathematical vocabulary correctly. Clear explicit instructions by the teacher enabled the children to achieve well. The classroom assistant was used very well in this lesson, as during the mental mathematics session she carried out and recorded observational assessments of individual children. In a Year 2 literacy lesson, very good interaction enabled children to identify sentences that are questions and then to write sensible questions of their own. An imaginative opening to the lesson very

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9. The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s

quickly made the children realise what the focus of the lesson was to be. The teacher then effectively reinforced this knowledge by writing the objective upon the whiteboard for the children to read and to refer to throughout the session.

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9. The overall very good quality of teaching has a positive effect on children’s

13. Teachers enjoy teaching and lessons are seen to be fun. This enjoyment results in very good quality teaching where children are very well motivated, learn effectively and achieve well. The classroom environments are excellent and in every classroom COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 13 there is very good evidence of stimulating displays, imaginative practical and role- play areas and very good use of resources to engage the interest of the children.

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14. The systems for checking and evaluating the performance of the school are

very effective in helping to maintain high standards.

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14. The systems for checking and evaluating the performance of the school are

15. Central to the drive to maintain and improve standards is the very effective way that the school regularly checks and evaluates its performance. The monitoring and evaluating of teaching and learning is a very strong feature with a very good policy in place, which identifies the practice that is taking place. The governors, headteacher, co-ordinators and the local education authority adviser all play a key role. The headteacher regularly monitors and evaluates teaching, usually in the context of a particular focus, for example, an aspect of literacy and numeracy. The staff perceive this to be supportive and welcome the opportunity to share good practice and to discuss aspects of their work with another person. An effective programme for subject co-ordinators to monitor and evaluate the provision and practice for their subject is in place. Subject co-ordinators have regular opportunities to observe teachers teaching, to work alongside them in a supportive role and to

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14. The systems for checking and evaluating the performance of the school are

view children’s work. All relevant information obtained is fed back at staff meetings resulting in the reviewing of policy and practice and planning consequent training arrangements. For example, the ICT co-ordinator’s audit of teachers’ skills has resulted in appropriate training being planned for the very near future. Staff meetings are also used to discuss standards and to address any emerging issues. The results of monitoring and evaluating of planning revealed that the amount of time allocated to both religious education and physical education was insufficient and this resulted in training sessions to look at timetabling in order to address satisfactorily this deficiency.

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14. The systems for checking and evaluating the performance of the school are

16. The governing body is aware of its monitoring and evaluating role and governors have attended training to help them to fulfil this responsibility. Alongside the headteacher they are actively involved in the analysis of data in terms of prior attainment, gender, ethnicity and age. They are very familiar with terms such the ‘Autumn Package’ and the ‘PANDA’. The local education authority adviser also supports the monitoring process by reviewing standards in literacy and numeracy and carrying out a school review, which the school values.

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14. The systems for checking and evaluating the performance of the school are

17. The school development plan is considered by all to be the crucial tool for school improvement and every year a thorough annual audit on every aspect of school life is carried out as a part of the school improvement process. The headteacher firmly believes that a self evaluating school is the way forward and has agreed that developing this already strong aspect of the school’s work, to be one of her objectives for performance management. The monitoring and evaluating process is an integral part of this school’s culture and the benefits that result from this regular and rigorous reflection on practice and performance are fundamental to the school’s success.

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18. Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts

19. The curriculum provided for all children is very good. Children in the Foundation Stage of Learning (nursery and reception) are offered exciting activities that are securely rooted in the ‘early learning goals’ identified for children of this young age and those children aged 5-7 are stimulated by the broad curriculum opportunities COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 14 they are offered. All National Curriculum subjects are taught well and very good account is taken of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. A particular strength of the curriculum is the school’s commitment towards the creative arts.

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18. Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts

20. The headteacher and staff firmly believe that the role of the arts is essential in the development of skills, attitudes and confidence and this in turn then has a direct effect on standards in the more academic subjects of the National Curriculum. The many arts activities and projects that the school has been involved in has had a significant impact on learning within the school. Projects such as, ‘Partners in Art’ have enabled parents to work actively with children. Over a period of six weeks, parents and children responded to the challenge of ‘Can you produce a mini-beast poster?’ Teachers were not involved and parents supported each other and displayed their finished work themselves. This working together resulted in many parents becoming far more interested in arts education as they saw for themselves how children enjoyed the work and developed their creativity. The Year 2 and the reception children have worked very effectively on joint ventures with the Year 5

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18. Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts

children from the adjacent junior school. For example, in the context of work based around the local church, Year 2 children have produced interesting archways imaginatively depicting the architecture of the church. Year 1 children have worked with students from the local secondary school to develop story ideas and artwork for a CD ROM. Working with professional artists has become a regular method of supporting the art curriculum. A sculptor in residence is at the present time, enabling children to produce good quality wooden sculptures to be placed in the ‘Millennium Garden’.

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18. Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts

21. Children’s musical experiences are supplemented effectively through the Local Education Authority’s music service and through the school appropriately bringing in outside companies to enable the children to experience a broad range of opportunities. For example, children enjoyed a musical storyteller who used a wide range of ethnic and cultural instruments to tell them a story. Dance and drama also form an integral part of the curriculum. The children have good opportunities to experience a range of dance and drama activities such as creative, country and dance and drama from other countries and cultures. School productions and assemblies enable the children to use their drama skills in public and some of the Year 2 children have had the opportunity to perform at the local old people’s centre.

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18. Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts

22. Work with artists and dancers has significantly enhanced classroom work, the standard of display is excellent and throughout the school there are stimulating and interesting displays of art music and dance. Teachers take great care and thought in mounting and presenting children’s work and the accompanying photographs of children’s faces show the enjoyment that they obviously felt when carrying out their work.

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18. Curriculum provision is successfully enhanced by very effective arts

23. All of these arts activities have helped successfully to raise children’s confidence and self-esteem resulting in children taking an enormous pride in their work. The activities have also assisted teachers to recognise children who have a gift or talent in the creative aspects of the curriculum. In recognition of the school’s work on creative arts the school has received the valued ‘Artsmark’ gold award.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

24. Provision for information and communication technology (ICT). COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 15 25. Standards in this subject are not as high as they could be and the school is aware that this is an area for improvement. In the previous inspection it was judged that ICT standards were better than generally seen nationally and good progress was made as children move through the school. The main weakness identified was the lack of software to support each subject area. However since this inspection nationally produced guidelines have been made available to support National Curriculum 2000 and the school knows that there are aspects of the guidelines that they are not implementing as well as they would like. By the end of Year 2, children are much more secure in word–processing activities than in ‘modelling’ and ‘control’. Although the majority of children are working at the expected levels for children of this age

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

there is limited evidence of children attaining the higher level (level 3).

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. Although new to the post, the co-ordinator is very aware of the strengths and the areas for development and, with the support of the headteacher, a good action plan covering planned development for two years, starting from Autumn 2000, has been produced. There is a good programme of work in place for children in the Foundation Stage of Learning (nursery and reception) and this is securely linked to the ‘early learning goals’ specified for children of this age. Children of this age receive good ICT provision, particularly in the nursery. Teachers in Years 1 and 2 use the nationally produced guidelines and programme of work to ensure that learning is continuous throughout the school. Training has been arranged for the very near future in order to increase teachers’ confidence and expertise. An audit of teachers’ ICT skills has already been implemented and the co-ordinator is aware of individual teachers’ identified

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. The school has very recently developed an ICT suite but, due to technical reasons, it is not yet being used. However, the resource will be ready for use in September. Once this is ‘up and running’ the co-ordinator has arranged to have meetings with other subject co-ordinators to discuss and plan how ICT skills may be used in all subject areas (apart from physical education). Assessment of ICT is also an area to be developed and the co-ordinator at the present time is piloting a very good system of assessment and record-keeping, which will clearly monitor children’s attainment and progress as they complete the units of the programme of work. As yet, the co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to monitor the teaching of ICT but from September this clearly identified aspect of his role will help to support the teaching and learning of this subject.

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28. The breadth of children’s reading experiences in order to develop their

29. The school has identified this as an area for development in the school development plan. Although children are very well equipped with the skills and knowledge for reading and standards are above average, they are less confident when asked to choose and read books independently from a range of non-scheme books. The end of Key Stage 1 tests confirm this lack of confidence as some extremely capable readers do not perform as well as they are able to when faced with unfamiliar texts. Consequently, the headteacher and staff aim to broaden children’s reading experiences in order to address this area of concern.

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28. The breadth of children’s reading experiences in order to develop their

30. There is a very clear action plan in place to implement the proposed changes. Initially the school will broaden the range of books available for children to read, by placing reading scheme and non-reading scheme books together. Year 2 children in particular are to be encouraged to read different types of texts and move away from the reading scheme. Information for parents regarding reading and how to help their child further is to be updated. At the present time children take home two books weekly – a scheme and a non-scheme book. Parents mainly concentrate on helping COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 16 children to read the scheme book and the school wants to update the parents on the need to help children with both texts. ‘Story sacks’, a sack containing a book and a variety of resources such as games and soft toys is a very good initiative in place to involve parents in reading and bringing books to life. Within school the

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28. The breadth of children’s reading experiences in order to develop their

‘story sacks’ have been very well received and some parents are working on smaller versions to be taken home. Co-ordinators too are considering how their subject area is able to contribute to improving reading standards. They are appropriately researching into how they could broaden the children’s reading ‘diet’ within the context of their subject and how they could involve parents. Classroom assistants are actively involved in encouraging children to read different types of texts and dinner ladies too encourage children to want to read through stories and games at lunchtime.

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31. Formalising the very good provision for personal, social and health education

by formulating a written policy and programme of work.

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31. Formalising the very good provision for personal, social and health education

32. The provision for personal, social and health education is very good. From starting school in the nursery, children are encouraged successfully to be independent learners and to think for themselves. They are expected to respond appropriately in a variety of different situations and learn the importance of waiting their turn and listening to others. This independence is developed further in the reception classes and children respond well to the frequent opportunities provided for them to make choices for themselves, to collaborate in group activities and to persevere with their work. Children in Years 1 and 2 continue to make good progress and through good personal and social activities, children learn to be co-operative, trustworthy and tolerant. They show good respect for other people’s feelings, values and beliefs and are prepared to listen to the opinions of others. In a Year 2 lesson focusing on

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31. Formalising the very good provision for personal, social and health education

personal and social development, children learnt about the importance of friendship and many realised that facial expressions often reflected how people are feeling. Children are very willing to share ideas, as seen in the many discussion sessions in lessons, and are beginning to show initiative and to take responsibility for their own learning. For example, Year 2 children successfully researched their own information to form the basis of a presentation to the rest of the class. All adults provide very good role models for children and a warm purposeful relationship has been established. Adults want to get it right for children and children in turn want to give of their best for the teachers.

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31. Formalising the very good provision for personal, social and health education

33. Good consideration is given to health education and children are taught about the implications of healthy eating, the dangers of drugs and the importance of taking good care of themselves through the science programme of work. In a Year 2 assembly when children were asked about safety issues in the context of the visit connected to ‘World Music Day’. Children were very safety conscious. The majority knew the importance of wearing seat belts on the coach and knew that drinks in glass bottles were inappropriate to take on a visit. The ‘life education’ bus also visits the school and children greatly benefit from this visiting resource.

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31. Formalising the very good provision for personal, social and health education

34. Although children’s personal and social development is very good the school identifies the need to produce written documentation regarding this aspect of children’s development. The school states this is necessary to ensure that there is a whole school approach to the teaching of personal, social and health education, to ensure that learning is continuous throughout the school and to provide the co- ordinator with a tool for monitoring and evaluation children’s personal development. A very clear action plan is in place, which identifies that a written policy and COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 17 programme of work are to be produced. The inspection team agrees that this would be time well spent and would enhance children’s learning.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

35. In order to improve standards within the school, the governors, headteacher and staff should:

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(1) Improve information and communication technology provision by:

§ increasing teachers’ knowledge and expertise in ICT; § continuing to improve the resource provision; § developing assessment and record keeping facilities in order to ensure that learning is continuous throughout the school; § enabling the ICT co-ordinator to work closely with other subject co- ordinators to ensure that ICT is used effectively in each subject; § checking and evaluating the impact of ICT on learning in each National Curriculum subject. (paragraphs : 24, 25, 26 & 27)

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(2) Increase children’s independence in reading by:

§ implementing the good action plan that is in place. (paragraphs : 28, 29 & 30)

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education by

COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 18 § formulating a written policy and programme of work. (paragraphs : 31, 32, 33 & 34) COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 19

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

5% 40% 40% 15% 0% 0% 0% The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 272

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals n/a 54 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 59

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 22

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 15

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 20

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 49 43 92

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 40 42 46 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 43 43 41

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (86) 92 (98) 95 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 83 (82) 84 (83) 90 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 40 42 45 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 43 41 40

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 90 (91) 90 (98) 92 (95) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 21

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 4 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 19 Other minority ethnic groups This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.6 Financial year 1999/2000

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 595502

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1928

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 192 Balance brought forward from previous year 28315

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 7105

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.6

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 11.8 FTE means full-time equivalent. COLMORE INFANT & NURSERY SCHOOL - 22

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 77 22 1 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 66 30 2 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 57 33 2 0 8

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 66 29 4 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 15 2 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard. 72 24 1 0 3

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 71 25 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 80 16 2 0 2

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 76 21 2 0 1

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 53 36 3 0 8

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