Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 15 th – 18 th October 2001

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SCHOOL

Inspection number: 193467 Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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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. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Maple Drive Worksop Nottinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs D. Mariner

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 14 th April 1997 Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 8798 D. Maxwell Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Music Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Information about the school The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9039 B. Eyre Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 27292 J. W. Calvert Team inspector Science Geography History Physical education Equality of opportunity Provision for pupils with special educational needs 8845 H. M. Sumner Team inspector English Art and design Design and technology Religious education Areas of learning for children in the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

foundation stage Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Grasshoppers 1 Anglesey Close Chasetown Burntwood Staffordshire WS7 8XA

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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 Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 7

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 27

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 8

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Prospect Hill is an average sized community school for 65 nursery and a further 128 infant boys and girls aged 3 to 7 years. The school serves an area of Worksop which has a mixture of council and private properties. Seventy-nine children were not yet of compulsory school age at the time of the inspection. The attainment of the children as they enter the Nursery or reception classes covers a broad range and is average overall. The percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals, at fourteen per cent, is broadly in line with the national average. Twenty per cent of pupils are on the register of special educational needs, which is close to the national average, and four have statements of educational need. A very small number of pupils comes from ethnic minority heritages. No pupils are at an early stage of English as an additional language.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a successful and effective school. It offers a stimulating and very well structured education that reflects its aims and challenges the children. Teaching is a major strength of the school, leading to above average standards by age seven. The school ethos is very good, promoted strongly by the whole staff working together. Special needs provision is very good. The headteacher gives very good leadership. She works closely with all staff and applies her clear judgements to make good provision. The school fosters the pupils’ personal development well. Relationships are very good. The school gives good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Children achieve well in the foundation stage and standards are above average by age seven in reading, writing and mathematics. • The quality of teaching is very good, resulting in effective learning, with a strong focus on basic skills. • Pupils have very good attitudes to work and behave very well both inside and outside the classroom • The quality and range of learning opportunities are very good for children in the early stages of their education and there is a good level of challenge in the infant classes. • The headteacher gives very good leadership for improvements in the school, with a strong staff and committed governing body. The school provides a high level of care for the children. • Parents have a good opinion of the school, and a positive relationship with staff.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There are no significant weaknesses requiring 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. The school has addressed all the key issues successfully that were identified then and standards have improved above Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 9 the national trend. There are policies and schemes of work for all subjects that provide a good structure and basis for planning and progression. The quality of teaching has improved significantly. The headteacher with the staff has established very good procedures for ensuring the delivery of a quality curriculum, together with assessment of pupils’ progress and arrangements to monitor provision. The school has established a high quality education for its pupils, with challenging and worthwhile tasks. The governing body participates fully in providing strategic direction and in monitoring provision. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 10

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on National Curriculum test results. compared with

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Standards in the national tests for reading and writing have been consistently well above the national average over the past three years. Standards in reading were very high in 2001. The category A* shows pupils are in the top 5 per cent nationally for similar schools. Standards in mathematics have varied considerably, and in summer 2001 were above the national average following concerted action by the headteacher and staff. The school exceeded its targets for performance in English and mathematics. From the evidence of work seen during the inspection, pupils are on course to reach above average standards in English, mathematics and science by age seven. The school provides a very thorough basis for all language and numeracy skills, which are above average. The trend in results over the past three years has been above the national trend. Overall, pupils are achieving above their expected levels and make good progress. Children in the Nursery enjoy a wide

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STANDARDS

range of worthwhile activities and make good progress. The school has a clear focus on working towards the higher level skills at Key Stage 1; this is having a marked effect on standards. Standards in the other subjects are broadly average, though with many examples of imaginative and expressive writing, art and design and investigation.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school, participate with enthusiasm and try their best to produce good work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is very good in classrooms and around the school, reinforced by high expectations for agreed standards.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships are a strength of the school, building an atmosphere of shared effort. Pupils show responsibility towards others and pleasure in school life. Assemblies contribute very well to personal development, for example by recognising children’s efforts and teachers help children think about their lives. The children are encouraged to take an active part in their lessons and to work well together. All members of staff provide a high level of thoughtful support, particularly for those needing personal reassurance. The safe, caring and stimulating environment supports pupils’ personal development so that Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 11 they respond with positive behaviour and work hard.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance is close to the national average. Unauthorised absence is a little above average. There are no exclusions. The school has good procedures to monitor attendance. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 12

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Quality of teaching Very Good Very 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 high quality of teaching is a strength of the school and promotes good standards, showing a substantial improvement over the last inspection. All lessons seen were satisfactory or better. Nearly half the teaching observed was very good or excellent. Teachers create a good environment for learning. They give excellent attention to basic skills across the whole curriculum and interpreted the literacy strategy imaginatively. The teaching of English and mathematics is very good. Strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are very good and are evident in how pupils gain skills and the standards reached. The teaching of early enquiry skills is very good and developed through science, history, and art and design. Children are given time to explore ideas and to work in depth so that they learn well. Teachers are observant of the children and make good assessments of them to address the needs of all groups of pupils. The assistants make a valued contribution towards

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

pupils’ learning. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 13

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school is very successful in providing a rich and challenging curriculum. It encourages active learning so that pupils produce work of quality and depth. The school provides a well-structured curriculum for all subjects which fully meets statutory requirements. Several constructive links between subjects are made, such as with mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT). The planning is good, although it is not always clear how all groups of pupils are to be challenged. Generally, there is good attention to equal opportunities and, for example, the grouping arrangements in English for children in Year 2 are effective in challenging the higher attaining.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The special needs support is of high quality and enables the pupils to make good progress. The co-ordinator for special needs has a perceptive understanding of the children’s needs and very effective procedures.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The few pupils receive sensitive support when required.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Provision is good. All aspects of the children’s personal development are supported through the curriculum and the school’s community life. Provision for moral and social development is very good. The children are encouraged to recognise and value others’ achievements, for example in school assemblies.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils All staff provide very good care for all the pupils and there are good procedures for pupils’ well-being. Pupils’ academic progress is closely monitored. The good care and consideration for pupils supports their personal development. The staff has a good knowledge of the pupils, promoting positive behaviour and social skills.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well does the school work in partnership with parents The school has good relationships with parents. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 14

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides a high standard of leadership that sets clear expectations for professional conduct and improvements within an ethos of shared commitment. Key staff fulfil their responsibilities very effectively. Many effective procedures are in place. School routines are efficient, helped by the well-run school office. The level of staffing is good and reflects the priorities of the governing body.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is effective in its role. It gives good strategic direction for improvements and evaluates the work of the school through thoughtful support. They apply the principles of obtaining best value in all major areas of spending.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is constantly reflecting on and aiming to improve its performance. The teachers analyse assessment information well to direct further learning and share experience daily to improve lessons.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The staff, resources and facilities are employed well with an eye to high standards. Practical activity has a high priority for pupils’ learning and resources are chosen carefully to meet pupils’ learning needs. Resources for learning for most subjects are good. The accommodation is unsatisfactory overall: noise intrusion from adjacent classes disturbs learning for example. The school is kept clean and hygienic by the caretaker. The active parents association contributes generously for identified items. The school has earmarked a proportion of the carry forward figure for further site improvements.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The parents think their children like school and make good progress. • They think the teaching is good and feel they can approach the school about a problem. • Parents think the school expects the children to work hard and that behaviour is good. • Parents consider the school is led and managed well. • They think the children are helped to grow up. • Several parents do not think their children get the right amount of work to do at home. • Several parents do not think they are well informed about how their children are getting on. • A few parents do not feel the school works closely with them. • Several parents do not think the school provides suitable activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The inspectors agree with the parents’ positive opinions and find only a little evidence on the other matters. The school has good links with parents, who in turn have good opinions of what the school provides. An appropriate amount of homework is usually given for the age of the children. The quality of written comment by teachers in the children’s reading diaries is very good indeed. The school provides very good information within the annual reports for parents. All teachers agree that parents may see them informally before or after school. There is excellent practice in the school for parents to stay with their child to prepare for the Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 15 day. The school has good arrangements for children to take part in supervised play activities during lunchtimes, including sports, games and stories. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 16

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The attainment of the children as they enter the Nursery or reception classes covers a broad range and is average overall. Standards in English, mathematics and science in the work seen are above average by age seven for the current cohort. This indicates good improvement since the last inspection. Very good teaching of basic skills and well chosen tasks are having a positive impact. The standards observed in English and mathematics are consistent with the results of the national tests for summer 2001, which show good improvement over 2000, particularly in writing and mathematics. The improvement in the school’s results has been above the national trend since the previous inspection.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Standards in the end of Key Stage 1 national tests for summer 2001 in reading and writing were well above the national average and in mathematics were above the national average. Fewer pupils were at the lower Level 1 than nationally. The percentage of pupils gaining the higher level 3 was very high in reading, well above average in writing and above average in mathematics. These results together indicate that the very good teaching and curriculum provision are having a positive impact on the standards of the higher attaining pupils. The school exceeded its targets for performance in English and mathematics in 2001. Taking the past three years together, the performance of girls in reading and writing has been above that of the boys by about one term’s work, but both exceeded the national average. The performance of boys and girls in mathematics was similar. In comparison with schools in similar contexts, having between 8 and

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

20 per cent free school meals, performance in reading was very high, and in writing and mathematics was well above the average. Using teachers’ assessment for science, pupils’ attainment was above average in 2001 whereas it was well above average in summer 2000. The percentage of pupils gaining Level 3 in science was at the national average in 2001. The school has already analysed the pupils’ performance and taken action to provide further opportunities for pupils to experiment and consolidate their learning.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The previous inspection reported that attainment in art and design, design and technology, ICT and physical education was average. In history, geography, music and religious education attainment was below the national average. The inspection findings now are that standards in all subjects are broadly average except for art and design which is good. This shows good improvement. The school has thus improved standards as expected in some subjects through effective teaching and has maintained a good focus on breadth, relevance and a wide range of skills. Pupils are also making good progress in their personal, social and health education.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Overall pupils with special educational needs throughout the school make good progress against prior learning. Measurable personal targets are outlined Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 17 within education plans, which are well matched to the pupil’s specific needs. They are reviewed termly during each school year and include literacy and numeracy targets.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

5. The attitudes of the pupils to the school, their behaviour, personal development and relationships are very good. Attendance is satisfactory. Pupils are well motivated. They show a high level of interest in their lessons and respond very well to the praise and encouragement they receive from the staff. They co-operate well with each another and rejoice in their colleagues success. They are developing good listening skills. For example, they usually follow instructions carefully and are confident when responding to their teacher’s questions. Shy pupils are encouraged to develop their confidence. Teachers ensure that they are fully involved in class activities and that their friends wait patiently whilst they attempt to answer questions. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because they are fully integrated and well supported.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Standards of behaviour are very good. There are clear, simple to understand rules on display and a rewards and commendation system supports this. Routines are managed consistently by the staff. Class and individual successes are shared and shortcomings are reviewed in a supportive manner. The weekly award assemblies, that encourage children to make decisions and choices based on clear expectations, reinforce classroom management. Personal and social education lessons are used effectively to promote an understanding of right and wrong and that the inappropriate behaviour of one pupil often affects the work of their colleagues. A small number of pupils sometimes find it difficult to behave sensibly in their lessons and whilst at play. When incidents occur members of staff deal with them well. Parents believe that the school’s “ I don’t like it” programme is an excellent way to help their children to feel able to speak up when they feel

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

threatened. They think that very few problems come home because of the good support they receive from the teachers. There have been no exclusions in the past school year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Pupil’s personal development and relationships are a strength of the school. From the commencement of their time in school children understand the importance of keeping their work areas tidy. They quickly develop helpful attitudes towards each other including their colleagues who find their lessons difficult. Pupils take messages and registers to the school office and they work together to tidy their equipment away at the end of lessons. They help each other to find their coats at playtimes and willingly assist when large play items are taken into the playground. Throughout the school there is obvious pride and respect for the environment. Some parents who completed questionnaires commented that there are few ‘out of lesson’ activities organised by the teachers. Inspectors agree that this the case but they also noted that the young age of the children makes this difficult to organise because of the need for their children to be collected at the end of the school day.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. All adults in the school present caring and supportive role models that show genuine affection and interest in the welfare and educational progress of the pupils. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 18 The results are to be seen in the way in which they are being prepared for their next stage of education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Overall, the organisation, groupings, provision and support for pupils with special needs have a positive impact upon learning. Provision for special needs in school is very good, which represents an improvement since the last inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

10. The overall quality of teaching is very good and is a strength of the school. This is a substantial improvement since the last inspection and reflects the professional commitment of the headteacher and all staff. Teaching is good across all subjects but has particular strengths in the foundation stage, English, mathematics and science. All teaching was at least satisfactory in the lessons observed. Teaching was good or better in over nine lessons out of ten, and in nearly one half of lessons teaching was very good or excellent. The school has focused on the teaching in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science where good subject knowledge supports lively teaching and a good emphasis on the range of basic skills. Teaching has several strengths, for example in the expectations teachers have of pupils and in the sensitive handling of children. There is a consistency of good practice across the school. The teachers demonstrate

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

individual strengths that are shared, so that, for example, teachers present art and design or history confidently. This provides good support for learning through helping pupils to be actively involved in the tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. Teachers throughout the school have highly developed questioning skills which they use to very good effect in discussions with children and to elicit fuller answers. Other teaching methods include focused discussions, lively demonstrations with resources and clear exposition for understanding. Teachers’ informative, lively and well-structured explanations lead to good quality learning. The activities are purposeful and pupils are encouraged to think about what they are doing, what they have learnt from an activity and how they can improve their work. The plenary sessions are effective in most lessons in sharing what has been learnt and ideas for improvement. In several lessons teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to investigate and explore materials and to use their skills, such as in science which develops their problem-solving. The teachers provide a good level of challenge with high expectations in most lessons and use thoughtful strategies to

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

consolidate children’s knowledge and understanding. All groups of pupils are challenged to engage in their tasks so that they achieve above what would normally be expected.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils. They know them well and well-framed praise helps to motivate the children. Pupils respond well to this, and enjoy school and working hard. Teachers explain what the pupils are expected to learn in many lessons but seldom display the intentions for further reference. The overall subject planning is very good and daily lesson planning sets out the design of the lessons well. However, there are few notes about the teaching approach to be used. Teachers are observant of the children and have a good knowledge of the Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 19 way they learn. They make good day to day assessments of pupils’ learning. The marking of pupils’ work is mostly consistent and purposeful, with some good developmental comment on the children’s extended writing. This good practice is seldom transferred to other recorded work. Teachers use their knowledge of pupils’

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

abilities to set work that is generally matched well to their attainments. This helps pupils to make good progress in lessons. The quality of teaching is above that of pupils’ learning overall since these young children are still gaining in confidence and independence, and are usually dependent on the teachers for direction. Pupils make good progress in lessons because the quality of teaching is very good. Teachers use good procedures to record assessments of pupils’ work for further planning and teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. Teachers are gaining expertise through carefully selected in-service training. This is especially evident in the teaching of literacy and numeracy. Homework is set regularly and is used effectively to enhance pupils’ learning. A good feature of teaching is the effective teamwork between all those involved. Members of the support staff play an important role in promoting pupils’ learning. Teachers work closely with them so that several groups of children often have an adult helper. The teachers and support staff employ suitable strategies that help pupils with special educational needs to make progress. Lessons are generally planned with pupils of different levels of ability in mind, including those with special educational needs. It is not always clear, however, from the planning how all groups of pupils are to be challenged.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The overall support and teaching for pupils with special needs is good. Targets within an education plan are set by the class teacher. The teachers work closely with the special needs co-ordinator and the support assistant, whose help is valuable in the process. Targets are appropriate to the pupils’ needs in mathematics and English. The quality of support overall in lessons is very good. In English and mathematics, for example, the planning caters for individual needs and the very good support provided by support staff who recognise the value of continuous contact and interaction to maintain concentration to maximise learning of the individual pupil. In other subjects the quality of support seen is very good and is consistent across other subjects for individual pupils. Learning assistants liaise closely with both the special needs co-ordinator and class teacher and make a significant contribution to pupils’ learning.

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TO PUPILS?

15. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to prepare schemes of work that give a very good basis for planning with clear progression of skills and ideas. The curriculum offered to pupils is very good and includes a good selection of well-chosen tasks across all aspects of the subjects that support learning. The curriculum fully meets statutory requirements and this indicates good progress since the last inspection. The provision for religious education meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The curriculum for the Nursery is very thoughtfully structured to provide the children with interesting and worthwhile tasks. Activities Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 20 are planned carefully to support children’s broad experience and development. This approach is maintained well in the infant classes since the school places a very high priority on delivering high quality learning through a broad and balanced curriculum.

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TO PUPILS?

It has been particularly successful in this, with pupils producing work of quality in the foundation subjects as well as reaching high standards in the core subjects.

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TO PUPILS?

16. There is a good emphasis on English, mathematics and science in order to raise standards. The National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies have been implemented well. The provision of an additional hour for extended writing in each class is very good and gives children the opportunity to write expressively at length. The allocation of time for non-core subjects such as geography, history, music and design and technology is appropriate and generally enables the children to complete work in good depth. The school gives a good focus to literacy and numeracy that is often extended into other subjects, for example measuring in ICT and writing in history. Practical enquiry work is central to the teaching approach and in science, for example, this enables pupils to observe, measure and reason.

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TO PUPILS?

17. The special needs policy, which is due to be updated in the light of the new code of practice, makes positive statements and clear definitions about provision and procedure within the framework of the National Curriculum. Pupils have full access to the curriculum and their learning is carefully planned and structured. Overall planning for special needs is very good. Weekly meetings take place to plan the next stage of support for teaching and learning. Support assistants communicate well with both pupils and teachers. Pupils are fully integrated in activities in class. The majority of support takes place within the classroom, although there are examples where individual pupils with specific needs are better provided for when withdrawn from lessons.

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TO PUPILS?

18. The choice of imaginative activities that capture pupils’ interests is a strength of the school and promotes good learning for the children. The school is continuing to tackle the process of adapting and integrating national guidance to make the curriculum fully relevant for all pupils. The school has been successful in managing the process of providing further training and bringing consistency. The curriculum is managed very well across the school, including in the nursery, with clearly defined responsibilities for the subject leaders. This is having a clear, positive effect on pupils’ acquisition of skills and in raising standards.

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TO PUPILS?

19. All pupils have equal access to the curriculum. Tasks provide good challenge for the higher attaining pupils and take into account the needs of the lower attaining pupils. Those who have special educational needs are helped to engage in the tasks through a good mixture of preparation and support. There is also a good programme to help children consider and discuss personal, social and health education issues.

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TO PUPILS?

20. Pupils take part in several local activities which enhance their experiences well. Visitors are often invited into school for special occasions and a representative from a local church takes school assemblies. The school has very good relationships with partner institutions, including the junior school and the secondary Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 21 school from which students come for work experience. The school offers few extra- curricular activities.

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TO PUPILS?

21. The overall provision for pupils’ personal development, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. A strength of this lies in the effective ways in which all staff promote pupils’ moral and social awareness through high expectations, their own good examples and the opportunities they provide for pupils.

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TO PUPILS?

22. Several activities make a suitable contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. These include well-planned assemblies which take a variety of formats and always include well-thought out prayers and times for thinking. The pupils sing hymns and religious songs happily. An example of spiritual experience within a lesson was noted when pupils took delight in their expressive paintings.

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TO PUPILS?

23. Moral education is a very strong feature of this school. There is a clear moral code which sets out high expectations of personal conduct. The reward system encourages pupils to try hard for recognition and to value others’ efforts. Teachers take time to explain to pupils the impact of their behaviour on others and pupils benefit from this reasoned approach, developing better understanding and learning the need for tolerance and respect. Provision for pupils’ social development is very good. Pupils gradually take on more responsibilities as they get older. The school is involved in fund-raising for charities, which helps pupils understand the needs of other people.

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TO PUPILS?

24. Pupils’ cultural development is good. Particular strengths come through experiences in art and design and music. A good range of visitors and visits are positive aspects. Assemblies and religious education contribute to pupils’ understanding of Christianity and the wide range of faiths of people in multicultural Britain. Pupils have several opportunities to learn about and celebrate the richness and diversity of other cultures.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

25. The health, safety and welfare of the pupils are good. The school takes its legal and moral duty to provide a secure and safe environment for the pupils seriously and it does this well.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

26. The school promotes high standards of behaviour well. The code of conduct follows guidance issued to ensure that positive behaviour is encouraged. At the meeting with parents before the inspection, parents reported that very little bullying took place. They found that, on the rare occasions when unkind words are expressed, teachers and assistant intervene quickly and effectively to explain how thoughtlessness can cause hurt. Parents say that their children are being helped to cope with the setbacks and failures of everyday life. They think that the school has devised very effective strategies to support the needs of individual pupils both personally and in their academic work. These combine to ensure that the arrangements to eliminate oppressive behaviour are very good. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 22 27. The school is alert to its duty to protect children from harm and the management of this is very good. The school pays good attention to child protection

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

procedures. The child protection co-ordinator is alert to the need to keep up to date with current best practice and to ensure that information is disseminated to her colleagues The school nurse provides valuable additional support. First aid arrangements are secure and staff have undergone appropriate training. The school has been adapted to provide facilities for pupils with mobility or educational problems and this form of support is very good. Health and safety management, including fire safety, are comprehensive. The school is aware that the health and safety policy is due for a periodical review. Arrangements to ensure safety during outings are included in policy documents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

28. The procedures to ensure that pupils have appropriate support and guidance are good. Teachers have well developed tracking systems in place to record progress but the arrangement to discuss their findings with pupils systematically is less well developed. Consequently they are not aware if they are progressing satisfactorily or what they have to do to improve their work. Reading diaries have good examples of the teacher’s awareness of the progress being made but there is a need to share assessment information consistently across other subjects within the curriculum.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29. Procedures for promoting and improving attendance are good. Authorised absences figures are analysed to ensure that they are recorded in compliance with regulations The unauthorised absence figures include holidays taken but not authorised because they breach locally established arrangements. A significant number of parents take their children out of school at some time during the school year. This is especially evident at the commencement of the autumn term. The school makes parents aware that this has an adverse effect on their children’s settling in arrangements. Registers and admissions records are maintained in compliance with the regulations but the information it has regarding parents’ legal status could be improved to comply with national guidance.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. Six weeks after entry to the nursery initial baseline assessment takes place and information is fed into planning. Thorough assessment procedures are established within the foundation stage to provide all relevant information about each child before leaving the nursery. Ongoing assessment forms a profile for each child. Six weeks after entry to reception, a further baseline assessment is carried out, which is subsequently analysed in more detail. The whole school system, which involves passing on information throughout the child’s school life, has been in place twelve months and has proved successful. Parents of children in the nursery have been shown the process, and further good practice is for it to be explained to infant parents at the Autumn Parent’s Evening.

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. Overall, procedures to assess pupils’ attainment and progress are very good, which represents a significant improvement since the last inspection. The systems for assessing their levels of attainment in mathematics, English and science are now well established and enable the school to set realistically challenging targets for its pupils to achieve, which ensures the school is always questioning how it can do better. Assessment is an integral part of teachers’ planning. Written comments while Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 23 marking are often limited and do not inform pupils about their learning, although discussion with pupils is often constructive. Assessment procedures are informative, in order to identify how pupils can be most suitably placed within a set for English and mathematics and how work is to be appropriately provided. The school fully complies with the requirements to administer statutory tests at the end of Key Stage

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

1 and provides its own appropriate range of assessments within each year group.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. Formal assessment in all subjects is in place, although the school seeks to develop it further in the light of careful analysis and evaluation. The quality of teacher’s day-to-day assessment is very good, particularly in English and mathematics. There is a good procedure for teachers to evaluate lessons. These are used to inform the next stage of learning and the arrangement is implemented consistently throughout the school.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The procedures to monitor and support pupils’ academic progress are very good, and in line with the schools assessment procedures. The school keeps a record of academic progress throughout the school in individual pupil’s files. These contain samples of work from each year’s studies, as well as test results. Very good records are currently kept throughout the school for English, mathematics and science. Very detailed reading records for each pupil are contained within a reading diary and a manageable record format in all other subjects, which are kept in each individual teacher’s record folder.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The class teacher is responsible for ensuring work is set at the appropriate level to enable pupils with special needs meet their targets. The school maintains detailed records which track a pupils’ progress accurately through the school and monitor standards. Systems and procedures are very good and fully in place to meet statutory requirements. The special needs co-ordinator liaises closely with all other members of staff, parents and outside agencies. There is a well-established identification procedure in which class teachers and the special needs co-ordinator are involved. The school concentrates on mathematics and English, although early intervention, in the form of a Small Steps Register provides support for children and their families who have difficulties or concerns other than academic.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Regular Numeracy and Literacy assessments are undertaken, discussed by staff and matched to the National Curriculum levels. Appropriate targets are set. Records of tracking pupils through the school for all subjects are kept. The predictions for attainment in the national tests in English and mathematics are, therefore, based on an on-going picture of prior attainment. Internal test results and assessment information are used well to track pupils’ progress through the school. The school has good subject portfolios of pupils’ work.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. There is evidence of good use of assessment outcomes overall to plan what pupils with special needs should be taught next. Pupils with special education needs have education plans, within which there are specific and realistically achievable targets. The school’s system is fully implemented and the school can measure progress accurately. Parents are fully involved in the process. Support assistants provide written feedback of achievement and progress for individual pupils they support. This is good practice but does not yet extend to occasions when a whole Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 24 group is supported. The school offers a caring and supportive environment for those individuals with specialist needs.

p.23

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. The school has a good relationship with its parents. The high level of support they provide for fund-raising and the positive comments they made in questionnaires confirms this.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. Almost all of those who attended the parents meeting or who completed the questionnaire agreed that the school provides a clean, safe and friendly environment but a few would like more consistent information about how their children are achieving. Inspectors find that the quality of information provided for parents, particularly about progress is very good. Individual reading diaries are used by the teachers to convey messages, regular news letters are sent home and as a back-up they are prominently displayed on school notice boards.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

39. The annual reports parents receive at the end of the summer term are informative documents; they contain a number of examples to illustrate the topics studied and achievements reached. A few comments are made to say if pupils have reached the targets set for learning and some suggest how parents can assist their child at home, but this is not consistent across all classes and year groups. The results of tests conducted at the end of Key Stage 1 are discussed with parents attending the meeting with them in July. These are subsequently passed on to the junior school together with other relevant information. The reports have no provision for parent’s comments to be recorded on them. Because space in classrooms is limited copies are not kept in classrooms as reference documents.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The parents who help in the school and the parent-teacher association are both effective in the support they provide. They do much to enhance the standing of the school in the locality. Many parents accompany their children into their classrooms in the mornings and do quiet reading with them until it is time to commence lessons. Many adults connected with the school work together tirelessly and very effectively to organise social and fund-raising events. As a result substantial funds are raised which are used wisely to enhance the learning environment. For example, funds have recently been donated to improve the playground. These activities also create strong social bonds between parents, the results of which are to be seen in the warmth with which greetings are exchanged when they meet at the start of the school day.

p.24

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The school attaches high importance to the value of consultation with the parents who have children with special needs and these arrangements are very good. Parents of children with special needs are involved in supporting the targets. Parents are invited to termly review meetings, which encourages good communication. The school has good procedures to ensure that written copies of each review and education plan are provided. Good relationships and open channels of communication enable parents to contribute fully to support their child’s learning at home. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 25

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The headteacher has very good qualities of leadership and management that she uses to good effect in promoting a purposeful atmosphere and in raising standards. This indicates an improvement over the previous report since the headteacher has clearly focused on raising standards as well as providing a broad and enjoyable overall education. The governing body shares with the headteacher a clear vision for the ethos and development of the school. The school meets statutory requirements in all respects.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The school has addressed all the issues of the previous inspection, making good improvements. The school has adopted national guidance so that all subjects are supported by schemes of work. The quality of teaching has improved. Subject coordinators have time arranged from September 2001 to observe lessons and monitor provision. The development plan has clearly defined targets and shows priorities over a three year period. The process of tracking pupils’ progress is in place. The organisation and quality of resources has improved.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The head teacher, with the senior staff, provides good leadership for the educational direction of the school. She has a good understanding of all aspects of the school through her regular discussions. Members of staff analyse test results to monitor attainment and have set appropriately challenging targets that the school has exceeded for summer 2001. The headteacher motivates staff through her clear expectations and works closely with all adults. Performance management is fully in place, with agreed targets for improvements. Subject co-ordinators advise on identified targets within their subjects and help to promote good progression. There is a good overall curriculum plan to show how subjects are linked together. Members of the governing body make visits with an agreed focus to monitor the curriculum and developments. These arrangements help them form a view about the progress of developments.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The process of making classroom observations is in place. The discussions following these observations indicate that positive staff development and management is raising expectations and identifying aspects to improve. There are appropriate procedures to agree medium-term curriculum plans, and teachers’ weekly lesson plans are checked. Work sampling to monitor the quality of pupils’ work helps to set high standards and expectations. The whole staff forms a strong team that works together well under the headteacher’s leadership, and priorities are agreed together. Staff professional development is carefully planned and matched to school priorities, linked to the processes of performance management.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The process of development planning is good. The headteacher and staff discuss and evaluate progress through the previous year and agree new priorities for planned improvements. The current development plan has suitable targets with a clear indication of how they will be developed and managed. The governing body is committed to school improvement and provides good support. The headteacher keeps members closely informed of progress. Many members of the governing body Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 26 gain a good understanding of strengths and weaknesses of the school through their focused visits. They report back to their committees and have a clear view of priorities that will improve provision. The head teacher and governing body work together well and oversee the strategic management of the school. Members of the governing body recognise their responsibilities and have a good committee structure

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

to support their work. They fulfil their statutory duties effectively. The school prospectus and governors’ annual report are fully in compliance in respect of the information they provide.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The implementation of the school’s aims, values and policies is good. The aims are shown through the very good behaviour of the pupils and in their high levels of interest in the work. The school provides daily assemblies and opportunities for pupils to pray or reflect on their beliefs and experiences. All members of staff are committed to high standards, following the lead and expectations of the head teacher, resulting in a rich learning environment and a good ethos. The school’s usual good practice reflects a concern that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, should have equal access to all activities. Leadership for special needs is strong and the provision is very well managed.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school has several good procedures to monitor and evaluate performance, including an audit of progress. The head teacher understands the need to include all staff and governors in focused discussions to prepare a new development plan that supports the management of planned developments. The headteacher prepares and sets the budget with the governors and management team so that the effects of spending decisions are considered carefully. These decisions are based on clear educational priorities to improve the quality of learning and raise standards. The school developments and initiatives are supported carefully to ensure members of staff are confident and prepared.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The level of qualified and experienced teachers, and of support staff is good. They have additional responsibilities over and above their classroom duties and have appropriate job descriptions. Learning support assistants are well informed by the teachers and make a very positive contribution to pupils’ learning. The school receives good support from the school secretary. The caretaker and all support staff contribute to the good community ethos of the school and the smooth running of daily routines and procedures.

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The accommodation is unsatisfactory overall. The school building is in good condition internally and the decoration is significantly enhanced by attractive displays of pupils’ work. The hall is of an adequate size and is multi-functional but is not well suited to gymnastics and indoor games, being of an L shape. The central classroom area still occasions noise intrusion from adjacent classes to affect pupils’ learning adversely. While the recently re-designed group room provides a good space for class discussions and music the school is effectively one classroom short. The school’s external facilities are good, with a grassed field for games and other activities during dry weather. The school has recently funded improved drainage which has solved the considerable problem of flooding around the building, causing parents concern at the time. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 27 51. The facilities for children in the foundation stage are now very good, with

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

imaginative and well-designed space. Learning resources are good overall in range, quality and quantity and have been extended recently. The ICT facilities are satisfactory, and there are firm plans to extend them. The resources are used well to support the pupils’ learning.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school adds value educationally from when pupils enter at age 4 to when they leave in Year 2, with good progress through the school and a good range of activities. The school shows several strengths in the way it plans the pupils’ work and ensures that pupils have high quality experiences. The money the school receives to fund its work is above the average level for a school of this size but specific grants and capital funding are applied very well for the benefit of the pupils. Planning for the efficient expenditure of that money is good, and budgets reflect the teaching and learning priorities of the school development plan. Improvements are carefully costed applying the principles of best value well, and are planned to ensure financially prudent spending. Significant additional funds are raised through the parents’ association and are used wisely for the benefit of the children. The school is effective and efficient, and provides good value for money.

p.27

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 28

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

53. The inspection team considers that there are no significant weaknesses for the school to address. The school has made good improvements since the last inspection and good evaluation procedures are in place to identify areas for change.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

54. Minor issues: The school should consider how to extend the good practice of writing observations on pupils’ extended writing and in their reading diaries to other subjects in a managed way to help inform pupils, and others, about their progress. The school should continue to review ways of limiting the adverse effects of the accommodation on children’s learning. The school might consider how to ensure that staff are alert consistently to meeting the particular needs of gifted or talented children. The school might also consider extending the practice of writing the learning objectives for some lessons on the board to share with the pupils, being mindful that it may be helpful to prepare objectives for some lessons for differing groups of pupils. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 29

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage 11 35 49 5 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents around three percentage points.

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y3

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 27 154

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 19 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y3

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 6 20

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 13

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.4 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 30 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 22 21 43

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 20 19 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 21 21

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 93 (96) 93 (88) 98 (88) at NC level 2 or above National N/A (83) N/A (84) N/A (90)

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 20 20 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 21 21 20

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 95 (98) 95 (96) 95 (98) at NC level 2 or above National N/A (84) N/A (88) N/A (88)

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 31 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7 Financial year 2000/2001

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 394 060

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 392 483

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 145 Expenditure per pupil 2 045

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 31 597

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 33 174

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 27

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 1.5

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 50

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13 FTE means full-time equivalent. Recruitment of teachers

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 57 34 5 0 5

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 47 0 0 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 19 62 16 0 3

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 20 59 18 0 2

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 30 5 2 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 48 50 0 0 2

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 23 59 14 0 5

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 38 53 0 4 4

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 43 55 0 0 2

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 21 33 3 26

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The great majority of parents have a good opinion of the school. The only significant issue relates to activities outside lessons, where many parents think the school does not provide them. The inspectors agree with this, but recognise the difficulties of provision for young children who may be tired after a long day and who have to be collected from school. Inspectors find that the quality of information provided for parents, particularly about progress, is very good. Individual reading diaries are used by the teachers to convey messages, regular news letters are sent home and as a back-up they are prominently displayed on school notice boards. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 33

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. Provision for children entering the two-year Foundation Stage is very good. The great majority of children make good progress towards the early learning goals under-pinning the six areas of learning which guide children’s education at this stage. They achieve well in relation to these goals. This is a significant advance on the situation at the time of the last inspection when the overall judgement was that both the provision and children’s response to it were broadly satisfactory. Some unsatisfactory elements for children nearing five years of age were highlighted as a key issue.

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. There have been staff changes since the last inspection and the curriculum has been completely revised to meet new national requirements. There has also been an on-going emphasis on in-service training to enhance the quality of teaching in the department. A new reception classroom has been built to complement facilities in the Nursery and provide for continuity in the children’s education. There is on-going development of the outside play area. The school is committed to high quality education in the early years and has developed a well-considered philosophy to guide all aspects of it. This stresses an approach which enhances children’s competence as independent learners. It is also the key to the excellent teamwork between the teachers and their support staff, all of whom show a high level of dedication to the education of the children.

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. The school aims to provide children with at least three terms of part-time experience in the nursery before they move on into the reception class. They transfer from Nursery into the reception class at the beginning of the term of their fifth birthday. Careful measures are in place to ensure a smooth transition at each point of change, including flexible attendance arrangements when children start in the Nursery. Close working with parents is a key feature throughout the Foundation Stage. It includes contributing to their child’s entry profile, daily reports on children’s learning and home-school reading diaries. It also includes opportunities for parents to contribute to the provision and parent’s evenings. Physical education opportunities in the hall, as well as scheduled visits are among the strategies employed to familiarise children with the main school in advance of their entry to it.

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. Most children enter the Foundation Stage with average levels of attainment in all areas of learning, though a minority show above average levels of development, while others need extra support. A few children have special educational needs, including specific disabilities. The school is strongly committed to equal opportunities for all children to succeed and this is also a feature of the Foundation Stage. Special support staff are provided for children with severe physical Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 34 difficulties. Those with behavioural and emotional problems follow a ‘small steps’ scheme in partnership with their parents.

p.33

Personal. social and emotional development

59. Children’s progress in their personal development is good. The majority of children enter the Nursery with sound, often good, achievement in personal and social skills. The very good teaching and provision for this aspect leads to children exceeding the expectations overall by the time they enter Year 1. Those with play- group experience already show a good attitude towards learning and the ability to mix with other children. Whilst in the Nursery, children develop a significant degree of independence as learners. Part of each session is given over to child-initiated learning. Each child selects his or her own learning through play activities using their own planning chart to record their choices using picture cards. Social skills are developed as they learn to share and collaborate with each other. Staff are very active in the supervision of this phase in the day’s activities, facilitating, encouraging

p.34

Personal. social and emotional development

and promoting learning as the children pursue their own interests.

p.34

Personal. social and emotional development

60. Children generally show good levels of concentration, staying with each activity for a reasonable length of time. As they do so, they show lively interest and enjoyment in their work. They develop a sense of community during shared singing and story telling sessions. By the time they enter reception they know how to behave as a member of a group and most are well prepared to take full advantage of the slightly more formal learning opportunities provided. They show confidence and self-esteem, respect for adults and consideration for other children. In all their interactions with the children, members of staff demonstrate appropriate attitudes and social skills which the children learn to emulate.

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

61. Most children achieve well in aspects of language. The very good teaching and focus on rich language experiences leads to children exceeding the expectations by the time they enter Year 1. They listen carefully to instructions and readily answer questions. They also learn to ask them and some master the difficult skill of contributing to group discussions in an appropriate way at just the right moment. Reflection time at the end of each Nursery session provides opportunities to develop conversational skills. Teachers provide excellent encouragement for these speaking and listening skills since they use a conversational approach in whole group sessions, in both the Nursery and reception classes. There is an underlying message of respect for each child’s contributions. Most children soon learn to ask for help when they need it as they engage in their self-chosen learning activities.

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

62. Each Nursery session begins with an exploration of books, a time in which children show considerable enjoyment. They learn, by example, to handle books properly and to pick out interesting features in the illustrations. As teachers read stories to them they come to appreciate that written words have meaning and that books are a source of pleasure and information. At this stage, incidental opportunities are used to alert children to the links between letters and their sounds. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 35 Listening station tapes further their understanding and appreciation of books. By the reception year, many children are beginning to read simple texts for themselves, making up a story from the pictures if they have not reached this stage. Occasionally, children are fluent readers of elementary story books by this time, making intuitive use of punctuation to guide their phrasing. The quality of support by

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

parents contributes significantly to children’s progress in reading.

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

63. By the time they enter reception, children are introduced to suitably planned versions of the literacy lessons they will meet in Year 1 of the Infants school. They begin to recognise the shape of frequently used words and to develop their knowledge of letter sounds as they learn to read three letter words. Displays around the classroom support children’s learning of vocabulary such as days of the week, months of the year and the seasons. Children refine their emergent hand writing skills by learning the correct pencil grip and the formation of letters as a preparation for the development of their writing in the flowing style which the school introduces from the beginning. Most make good progress, starting with over-writing, copying before finally moving to independent, reasonably legible writing. The building up of sequenced sentences is introduced through guided writing activities in which the

p.35

Mathematical development

64. Children’s mathematical understanding is variable when they enter the Nursery and generally less well developed than their language skills. By the time they enter reception, however, a majority are achieving at a level above that expected for their age, through the very good teaching and interactions with adults. The children’s progress is the result of skilled teaching of number. In the Nursery, for instance, children were observed as they responded with considerable excitement to several activities designed to develop understanding of the meaning of numbers from one to ten. A counting song using fingers reinforced the link between one number and one object. Counting on was strengthened by the introduction of a number line and the reality of the increases in quantity was communicated through the effective use of a counting game. A notable feature was the way the teacher organised this to match the levels of challenge to children’s

p.35

Mathematical development

levels of attainment to date. One child said ‘I can’t keep the number in my head’ to which another replied, ‘Keep trying!’ This was a moment in which children’s maturity as learners was neatly demonstrated.

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Mathematical development

65. By the early stages of reception, children are counting on to 30. Children also enjoy the thrill of counting on in tens to reach 100. They are familiar with comparative terms of measurement such as ‘tall/small’, and ‘wide/narrow’. This learning takes place in the context of the more formal numeracy lessons which prepare children for their mathematical learning in the Infants school. Teachers take care to introduce such learning in ways which makes learning fun.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

66. Children’s achievements in this area of learning are broadly in line with expectations for the age group, though a minority of children shows a wider level of Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 36 awareness. Achievements over the Foundation Stage are at least satisfactory, supported by the very good teaching and provision for this aspect. Children enter the Nursery with an average degree of knowledge and understanding derived from their experiences in their families as they move about in the locality. They talk about these during informal group sessions in the nursery and as they go about their well- resourced, self-chosen, exploratory activities. Role-play in the home corner and episodes in stories, for instance, draw out comments about previous events in their own lives. They make observations about every day experiences, pets and their local environment. A focus on ‘Ourselves’, illustrated by photographs of the children

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

as babies and discussions about their families, help them to become aware of human growth and development.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. Sand and water play introduce the children to the differing characteristics of the materials around them. Games such as playing with toy cars on carpet maps, increase their understanding of their local environment. Visits beyond the classroom and school widen their horizons. This is broadened in reception to include discussion of how their local area can be improved and the differences between town and country. Children are introduced to a map of the United Kingdom and learn where their town is situated. Holiday experiences are used to extend their appreciation of a world beyond their own locality. Children are introduced to such activities as bread-making, learning how materials can be combined and how heat affects them. They have opportunities to use the computer in both the Nursery and reception, especially to reinforce number and writing skills. Multicultural and spiritual aspects of people’s lives are effectively communicated in religious education

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

sessions in reception which focus on ceremonies such as harvest festivals

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Physical development

68. Children’s physical skills develop to an appropriate level during their time in the Foundation Stage. A minority of children make better than average progress in both fine motor skills and larger scale movements. Progress is shown in the skill with which children handle small tools, including pencils, scissors and paint brushes and is promoted strongly by the very good teaching and provision. A reception lesson on bread-making extended children’s manipulation skills to include the kneading and shaping of dough, an activity which gave them immense satisfaction as well as extending their vocabulary.

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Physical development

69. An accessible playground which is well surfaced, fenced and provides facilities for climbing and large wheel toys, strengthens children’s stamina and flexibility. It also provides for movement with control and the development of co- ordination. Physical education opportunities in the school hall provide for warm up sessions, increasing confidence and refinement in physical movement. Children have opportunities to learn how to move imaginatively by watching other children.

p.36

Creative development

70. Children’s attainment in this area usually matches expectations for the age group though some children exceed it in the visual arts. Progress is at least sound, and is often supported by lively and imaginative teaching, which is very good Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 37 overall. Nursery children use card, coloured paints, decorative bits and shiny paper, when making attractive finger puppets, for example. Reception children produce self-portraits in the form of collages and clearly recognisable drawings of houses with good attention to detail. Pastel drawings on black paper showed lively drawings of the main character of a story in a variety of situations. Some showed good attention to line in their drawings of ‘The Little Black Hen’. Others included good mixing of colours with blending and shading to contribute to a three-dimensional effect.

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Creative development

71. Constructions using paper and card are also imaginative and sometimes serve a double purpose such as snakes of different lengths, made of coloured discs to support number work. Building blocks provide for the development of an imaginative variety of three dimensional structures. Evidence of children’s musical skills is somewhat more limited, but they were heard singing popular children’s songs. They showed great enjoyment of this and most were able to capture both the rhythm and the melody.

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Creative development

72. Across the Foundation Stage the overall quality of teaching is very good with some excellent features. These include teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the educational needs of children in the age group and their success in managing the children in a way which develops their independence as learners. The strengths also include the effectiveness of the organisation of leaning opportunities and of planning for children’s progress towards the achievement of the early learning goals. Teachers also make excellent use of the good resources available to them. There are secure links with a range of relevant outside agencies and with community organisations, including local playgroups, other nursery schools and the local church.

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Creative development

73. The monitoring of children’s progress is also excellent. Children’s overall development is assessed within a few weeks of entry to the Nursery and again within their first term in the reception class. The results enable teachers to see trends in attainment on entry to the Nursery and to assess the progress of individual children following their time in the Nursery. They also inform teachers’ planning of suitable learning experiences for children at different stages of development. There is a termly assessment of children’s personal and social development, a key element in their ability to succeed. The ‘stepping stones’ towards children’s achievement of the early learning goals are used for on-going assessment of children’s progress. Details and samples of achievement across the early years curriculum are placed in individual assessment files which are shared with parents. Closely annotated home-school reading diaries track aspects of children’s

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Creative development

74. The high quality of the provision during the Foundation Stage makes a very significant contribution to the success of the school overall.

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ENGLISH

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 38 75. Standards in English have improved significantly since the time of the last inspection. At that time the standard of reading of most pupils matched national expectations for the age group, and the standard of some children’s writing was unsatisfactory. The current situation is that the majority of pupils achieve above the nationally expected levels in the three attainment areas of speaking and listening, reading and writing. The very good quality of teaching in English is having a direct positive impact on standards. The school’s results in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 1 show a steep rise in reading attainment from just above the national average in 1997 to well above in the Year 2000. A steep rise has also been achieved in attainment in writing over the same period, moving from below the national average to well above average. Further improvement in the school’s

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ENGLISH

performance has been achieved in summer 2001 with a large majority of the pupils achieving a high average level or above that in reading. There was also a significantly higher percentage of pupils reaching the higher levels in writing. Overall, relatively few pupils are failing to meet national expectations for their age in any area of English.

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ENGLISH

76. These results reflect the good leadership of the subject and detailed monitoring of pupils’ attainment. Procedures for target setting are also well established at both individual pupil and school levels. The high level of commitment shown by teachers who have continued to refine their teaching skills following their initial training in provision for literacy has a positive impact on standards. With growing experience in literacy, teachers now modify the standard formula for literacy lessons according to strengths and weaknesses evident in pupils’ performance. The school has also introduced setting for literacy to facilitate the close matching of pupils’ learning tasks to their prior levels of attainment.

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ENGLISH

77. Pupils’ attainment in speaking and listening has remained high over the years. They show good levels of achievement whilst in the school. Most children enter the Nursery with average competency in these areas. They secure and develop their skills whilst in the Nursery and reception classes, benefitting from the good opportunities provided for practice in conversation. By the time they enter Year 1 many children are achieving above expectations for their age and by the end of Year 2 standards are above average since the majority of pupils exceed the expectation.

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ENGLISH

78. The teachers have a high respect for children’s contributions to discussions, which encourages pupils to express their growing understanding and points of view, confident that these will be valued. The key influence supporting pupils’ skills is the good quality of teachers’ listening skills. They support pupils’ development in listening as well as in speaking. Together, these skills have a powerful and positive influence on pupils’ learning across the curriculum, making them attentive participants in whole class situations and supporting their group work as they discuss alternatives amongst themselves. A striking example occurred in group discussions in Year 2 art and design lessons where pupils co-operated to make wall panels. They were able to exchange honest appraisals of each others’ contributions, suggesting improvements, giving praise and hearing other pupils’ points of view. The result was an all round raising of the quality of pupils’ work. Pupils’ confidence

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ENGLISH

in speaking extends to addressing whole class groups. In a religious education Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 39 lesson, for example, a number of pupils had no qualms about acting as narrators as other pupils played their parts in a puppet show based on a parable. In most lessons, teachers make a point of emphasising appropriate vocabulary, providing pupils with language in which to express their growing understanding. Pupils’ skills in speaking also support their progress in reading and writing.

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ENGLISH

79. The quality of pupils’ reading is a well-established strength in the school. By the time they are seven, most pupils are competent readers, a majority achieving at a higher level than that expected for their age. The foundations for their good progress are built in the Nursery and reception years. This is evident from teachers’ records and from the comments made in their home-school reading diaries, which remain in use throughout their time in the school. Occasionally, children are fluent readers of continuous texts by the time they enter Year 1. Good progress continues throughout Year 1, higher attainers building up a substantial sight vocabulary. They make very effective use of their knowledge of letter sounds to decode new words. These readers show clear understanding of what they read and can make informed guesses about words which are not familiar to them.

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ENGLISH

80. The minority of less advanced readers make more use of picture clues. They attempt to use letter sounds also, but are not yet consistently accurate. Their reading tends to be halting and lacking in expression. This inhibits their attention to the story line and they are reluctant to express opinions about it. A small minority of pupils experience considerable difficulty in reading. Some have special educational needs and show limited ability to use letter sounds to help them read. They receive extra help at school and teachers provide guidance for parents in the home-school reading diary. During Year 2, the majority of pupils learn to read fluently and accurately, using a range of strategies. They can discuss points arising from their reading. Many have books at home and have begun to develop preferences for different types of stories. Pupils’ progress in reading is well supported by the use of

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ENGLISH

guided reading experiences within the context of literacy lessons. Every child’s reading is heard at least weekly.

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ENGLISH

81. The generally good quality of pupils’ reading skills has a pervasive influence across the curriculum enabling pupils to make use of information sources in support of their learning in other subjects. During Year 1, pupils progress to confident use of contents lists to find information in books. Most pupils understand the concept of alphabetical order. They are beginning to make effective use of alphabetically arranged word cards for writing tasks. Soon they are using dictionaries with increasing effectiveness to help with independent writing assignments. By the time they are seven years of age the majority of pupils are able to make use of their knowledge of the alphabet to locate books and find information.

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ENGLISH

82. Pupils’ attainment in writing, though generally above average, has been slightly less secure than their performance in reading. Recognising this, the school has introduced a weekly extended writing lesson for each of the literacy classes. These are organised into three sets in each year group, according to pupils’ progress to date. Planning across these groups is very similar, though the teaching strategies and learning activities are carefully matched to the needs of the pupils in each set. These arrangements are proving to be very beneficial. Pupils are provided Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 40 with a good variety of writing tasks ranging from shopping lists and instructions for activities, to sequenced accounts of events. These latter generally start with the drawing up of sequenced, captioned pictures which are then converted into a well- structured account, though the quality of the end product is variable. Often, pupils

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ENGLISH

write independently, constructing a few relevant sentences for refinement and sequenced use later. These are among the occasions when pupils turn to word lists and dictionaries. Poetry writing often takes the form of adding verses to existing poems or of variations of traditional and contemporary nonsense poems. Though the humour is along the lines of "The cat from Wales, used to eat snails", pupils usually capture the rhyme and something of the rhythm of the originals and show pleasure in doing so. Their attitude to learning is generally very good. Even when feeling quite challenged by teachers’ high expectations, they concentrate, try very hard and use their time well.

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ENGLISH

83. The great majority of pupils are writing legibly by the end of Year 2. They use the flowing style of writing first introduced in reception and are establishing a good quality hand. Spelling shows clear improvement over time. Where spelling is inaccurate, it is usually plausible. Teachers’ marking notes improvements in spelling and includes the underlining of selected words which pupils are asked to check.

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ENGLISH

84. The quality of teaching in the subject is very good. Teachers show an excellent level of understanding of what is required and use motivating and effective teaching strategies to prompt a positive response from the pupils. These include the incidental use of ICT for word processing. All aspects of lesson management are good and there is pervasive use of on-going assessment. For example, reading assessments are completed during each guided reading session and pupils’ written work is often marked immediately after lessons. However, there is some inconsistency in the quality of marking. In the best practice seen, it notes improvements, encourages effort, prompts thinking and sets targets where appropriate. Though this is an area for improvement, the overall picture is of very good provision for the subject.

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MATHEMATICS

85. Standards in mathematics are above average in the work seen in the present Year 2. This is a good improvement since the last inspection; very good teaching of basic skills and well chosen tasks are having a positive impact. The upward trend is above the national trend. The results for the national tests at age seven of summer 2001 indicate performance that is above the national average, matching the observations of the inspection. The results for 2001 show that the higher attaining pupils are achieving well in relation to their prior attainment. In the summer 2000 tests for Key Stage 1 standards in mathematics were well below the national average. The recent significant improvement follows from very thorough analysis of weaknesses and strong commitment to improve. In comparison with schools in similar contexts in 2001 the percentage of pupils reaching Level 2 and above was well above average. There are no significant variations in attainment among pupils

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MATHEMATICS

of different backgrounds. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress against their targets. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 41 86. By Year 2 most pupils count reliably to 100, and recognise and name numbers such as 36 correctly. They recall many number facts to 10 quickly, and are usually correct in simple mental calculations. The pupils have a good early understanding of place value, for example changing 36 into 30 + 6. The pupils count in 2s, 5s and 10s and recognise simple patterns such as odd or even. There are occasional examples of investigational work, such as finding different ways to make up money values, and this aspect receives some good attention. Pupils’ numeracy skills are above average, and the higher attaining pupils are usually quick and accurate. By Year 2 the higher attaining pupils explain their methods for mental calculations clearly. They are beginning to understand how place value works and

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MATHEMATICS

most of their recorded work is set out correctly.

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MATHEMATICS

87. The teachers give a good emphasis to numeracy so that pupils’ skills are confident, although at times too much emphasis is on correct answers and they give less attention to explaining the methods used. The pupils apply number to simple everyday contexts in science, ICT and other subjects. For example, pupils applied their skills by estimating the numbers to enter in the Roamer to go the required distance. Pupils understand how to present the results of surveys using a tally system, and in simple graphs and tables. They know several shapes, such as squares and hexagons, and 3-dimensional shapes. They are beginning to classify shapes by their properties. Pupils recognise how to make symmetrical patterns. Pupils acquire and use most mathematical language correctly, such as sphere, through the good emphasis given by the teachers to literacy skills. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to use their ICT skills within mathematics. Previous work

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MATHEMATICS

indicates that pupils have good skills and understanding of number, measures, shape and data handling.

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MATHEMATICS

88. Pupils’ attitudes to mathematics are good through the school. They are attentive and quickly become interested in the tasks. Most children sustain concentration well and are keen to give answers, although a few cannot sustain concentration and are dependent on adult support. Many pupils work well independently and want to complete their work, so that they make good progress in the lesson. Most pupils sustain their concentration well in all classes and often share ideas while they are working. A few pupils require constant help, and they make appropriate progress through the carefully targeted support. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support so that they maintain their interest and effort, and make good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

89. The teachers’ careful planning to national guidance provides pupils with activities to build their understanding and skills progressively through the school. The pupils have good, worthwhile learning experiences in their lessons, with tasks that focus on basic skills carefully. The teachers’ very good subject knowledge and the methods they use promote good learning. This is shown, for example, through using white boards for pupils to record answers. Pupils make good progress overall, helped by their good interest and willingness to take part. Pupils are gaining numeracy skills and their skills of mental and written calculation improve steadily through the good levels of effort they make. Most pupils build securely on previous learning through the thorough teaching that is usually matched well to their needs Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 42 and previous learning. The teachers provide some investigational work which gives

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MATHEMATICS

a good level of challenge, and pupils have developed a few problem solving skills such as being methodical and noticing patterns.

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MATHEMATICS

90. The quality of teaching for mathematics is very good. Teachers’ planning leads to a thorough approach and strategies in most lessons, for example in discussing number or various shapes, and consolidating mental methods of calculation. Teachers identify learning objectives within their good planning although they seldom make suitable notes on the teaching methods they will use. The teachers’ very good subject knowledge supports their good explanations and often provide demonstrations with materials that have a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The use of practical materials by the pupils is generally good. The teachers have a skilled questioning style that focuses on the main ideas and challenges pupils. The teachers’ management of the children is very good, establishing a good working atmosphere with high expectations for work and behaviour. They use effective behaviour strategies that keep pupils on task well.

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MATHEMATICS

91. The teachers have very good relationships with the children, and listen carefully to their answers to respond and make assessments of their understanding. The teachers are observant of the pupils, make on-going assessments of them; written records of attainment are becoming established. Formal assessment procedures are good and are beginning to track pupils’ progress through the school. The school has record sheets to build up a profile of pupils’ progress. The teachers do not usually write out the lesson objectives to share with the pupils. The teachers have a good interactive teaching style that captures pupils’ interest well and promotes their understanding. Appropriate amounts of homework are given.

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MATHEMATICS

92. The subject meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, and the numeracy materials are used well. Problem solving and investigational work are evident in lessons and pupils’ previous work, although this could be developed further to extend the skills required for using and applying mathematics. The co- ordinator has a good understanding of the role and supports colleagues well. She sees teachers’ planning and samples of children’s work to monitor standards; there are firm plans for the co-ordinator to observe lessons during the year. The setting arrangements for pupils in Year 2 is effective in helping to raise standards and in ensuring that pupils have tasks matched well to the stages of learning and needs. There is a good range of resources for mathematics that support pupils’ learning.

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SCIENCE

93. The proportion of pupils reaching the level expected for seven year olds in the 2001 teacher assessments was above the national average and the proportion exceeding it was close to the national average. The school has already analysed the school’s performance and taken action to provide further opportunities for pupils to develop their skills. From lesson observations and other evidence, by the time pupils in Year 2 reach the age of seven, their attainment will slightly exceed the standards found nationally. There is unlikely to be any significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls. Current standards appear a little higher Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 43 than at the time of the last inspection, when attainment was judged to be in line with that found nationally. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well when measured against previous attainment. Pupils overall make good progress. The

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SCIENCE

school is well placed to improve standards further.

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SCIENCE

94. In Year 1 most pupils have a basic knowledge of how various animals move and sort them correctly, giving clear reasons for their choice. They know which parts of the animal’s body are used for movement. Pupils know we are humans and that humans are a kind of animal. Through practical activities and discussion Year 2 pupils find out which foods provide a balanced diet and know that humans need to eat the right type of food to remain healthy. Analysis of pupils’ work provides evidence to indicate that by the end of Year 2, pupils understand the importance of making a fair test as they investigate plant growth. Through investigation they conclude that plants need water, light, warmth and soil to thrive. Current work on display demonstrates how Year 2 pupils use the computer to generate a bar chart to represent information about favourite foods. Generally, however, the relevant use of ICT to support teaching and learning in science remains underdeveloped. Pupils

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SCIENCE

demonstrate increasing scientific knowledge and understanding. Throughout the school their understanding develops well, as a result of careful questioning by the teachers. Understanding is also promoted by the provision and organisation of appropriately resourced activities.

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SCIENCE

95. The quality of teaching and learning in the subject is good overall. Lessons are well planned where teachers share their expertise to plan together. Teachers have good subject knowledge and high expectations of pupils. Appropriate grouping arrangements within a purposeful learning environment enable pupils to support each other effectively. This provides pupils with the opportunity to share ideas and make decisions. Learning is enhanced by good questioning skills and is reinforced during the plenary session, when pupils have the opportunity to share their group’s ideas and reasons for choices. Questions within tasks constantly extend pupils’ scientific thinking as they predict what they think will happen, describe what did happen and explain why, as they discuss and record. Pupils’ attitude towards their learning is very good and is a strength of the subject. This is a result of the quality of teaching, a range of interesting and challenging learning opportunities, good

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SCIENCE

planning, effective use of resources and very good classroom management. Pupils enjoy the hands on approach to the subject, which is promoted by the school as it continues to develop investigative science. Although teachers’ on-going assessment and evaluation of lessons is good, there is limited evidence within the analysis of work to indicate marking consistently informs pupils about their learning.

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SCIENCE

96. An effective assessment system is established which includes a timetable for teaching and assessing investigative elements of science. This takes place each term within the infants. The outcomes of assessments match National Curriculum levels and records provide a clear view and measure of pupils’ progress. Assessment procedures, the school’s analysis of assessment information and the immediate action taken to raise standards, represent strengths of the subject. There is a good subject curriculum, which is broad and balanced and is well supported by improved resources. In addition to the introduction of the school’s scheme of work, which has incorporated national guidance and a regularly revised subject policy, Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 44 these features indicate a range of improvements, which have taken place since the previous inspection.

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SCIENCE

97. The subject is well lead by an enthusiastic, influential and experienced co- ordinator who monitors pupils’ work and teachers’ planning. Although the head teacher has previously monitored the teaching of science, the co-ordinator has yet to develop her role to include formal monitoring of teaching and learning. The co- ordinator has identified the benefit to provide further opportunities for less able pupils and those with special educational needs, to present their work successfully in a variety of other forms. Parents are to receive information about assessment procedures in the infants and targets for learning at the Autumn Term Parents’ Evening. This is intended to enable parents to understand their child’s learning and contribute more readily towards it.

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ART AND DESIGN

98. The attainment of seven year olds is mostly above that expected for pupils in the age group. A minority of pupils achieve at a lower, though generally satisfactory level. Pupils make good progress, achieving well relative to their prior attainment. These good results stem from the care with which teachers plan their lessons, their emphasis on fostering the creativity of the pupils as individuals and the effective communication of their own pleasure in the subject.

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ART AND DESIGN

99. For example, pupils in Year 2 were observed making wall panels, their designs inspired by study of decorative aspects of the school building. As they worked in groups, pupils made constant references to their sketch notes as they sought to achieve the patterns, lines, shapes and textures they had recorded. Teachers enhanced pupils’ progress by providing a good range of materials and occasional demonstrations of how to use tools and manipulate materials such as clay, but the creative ideas were left to the pupils. Colour options were restricted so as to focus pupils’ minds on other artistic elements and how they might be combined to achieve attractive effects. Periods of evaluation were provided, giving pupils insight into their own progress. The results were imaginative and generally of a good standard.

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ART AND DESIGN

100. Photographic records and art and design around the school show that pupils make good creative progress using a wide range of materials. Younger pupils use pastels to convey the subtle colours of fruit while older ones produce striking, abstract patterns in pastel and charcoal, using a limited range of subtle colours. Pupils develop good drawing, painting and collage skills, using them well to create self portraits which are both individual and expressive. They produce attractive prints using an imaginative range of colour and pattern combinations. Teachers make good inspirational use of the work of famous artists, so correcting a weakness identified at the time of the last inspection. For instance, colour and brushwork in pupils’ cornfield paintings reflect that of Van Gogh. Coloured geometrical shapes contained by black lines echo the work of Mondrian, though the pupils use the computer to create their designs.

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ART AND DESIGN

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 45 101. Teaching is at least good and sometimes better. Lesson objectives are clear and interesting assignments motivate the pupils. Nearly all pupils become deeply involved in their work, making a very significant effort and taking a not uncritical pride in their work, so ensuring their continued progress which is regularly assessed. Much of the credit for the standards achieved derives from the enthusiasm and expertise of the subject co-ordinator. She has worked systematically to raise teachers’ confidence, knowledge and understanding of the subject, through example and the provision of after-school, in-service training for colleagues. The result is an improvement on the satisfactory standards achieved by pupils at the time of the last inspection. A significant contributory factor has been the revised time-tabling for art and design in the school. Lessons are now twice as long

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ART AND DESIGN

as before, with art and design provided in alternate terms, rather than on a termly basis. This provides greater continuity of effort for the pupils and gives them time to realise their ideas.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. Standards in design and technology have improved since the last inspection. The subject is timetabled for the next term, so only one lesson was available for observation. However, scrutiny of previous work showed that attainment is usually at least in line with national expectations for the age group and more often above. Pupils’ achievements over the key stage are good, especially in relation to construction skills and their understanding and use of movement mechanisms, which allow for application of knowledge about forces which they acquire in science lessons.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. Pupils work with a good range of material including card, recycled materials, food, wood and fabrics, learning to use appropriate tools correctly as they proceed. On leaving the reception class, they start with simple mechanisms such as pivots made from brass-headed paper clips which provide for movement of the limbs of cardboard teddy bears. Card levers and sliders are used in the construction of greetings cards with moving parts, followed by the use of cardboard boxes for making toy houses with hinged doors. These items are carefully finished and decorated, showing a higher level of manipulation skills than is normally seen by the end of Year 1. Pupils also apply their skills and imagination to food technology in assignments such as making fruit flavoured milkshakes.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

104. By Year 2, pupils are using a wider range of materials including wood to construct toy vehicles of various types, learning how to fit wheels to provide for movement. They begin to use paper patterns to guide fabric cutting for items such as glove puppets. The very attractive results are used for story telling and this sense of purpose provides for progress in their understanding of the need for the evaluation and improvement which is central to the design technology process. By the end of Year 2, pupils are making a variety of attractive spindle toys in which the energy that produces movement derives from twisting strings around a central pole and then releasing them. No models depending on pupils’ elementary knowledge of electricity were evident. Higher attaining pupils are taking increased responsibility for their designs by this stage, though no annotated designs were seen and ICT is Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 46

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

not yet used for design purposes. This is the one significant area of weakness in the provision and remains as a carry-over from the previous inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

105. The good quality of pupils’ work indicates well-planned and effective teaching, with learning activities which promote good attitudes towards the subject, real concentration and effort by the pupils. The one lesson observed supports the overall judgement that teaching is good. More capable pupils are allowed a well judged level of freedom and slower pupils receive extra support.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

106. Provision for design and technology is led by a well-informed and enthusiastic coordinator who has provided much personal support for colleagues, using video materials, for example, to develop their confidence. Teachers now work from a revised scheme of work and a new policy for the subject is to be drawn up.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. There is insufficient evidence to make a judgement about the quality of teaching. No lessons were seen during the inspection. Overall judgements are therefore based upon the extensive scrutiny of pupils’ work, examination of documentation including planning, discussion with the subject co-ordinator and pupils. Standards are in line with those expected of pupils at the end of Key Stage 1. This represents improvement since the last inspection, where attainment was judged to be below average. Also since the last inspection the school has written a policy and scheme of work for the subject. The use of national guidance has subsequently been adapted effectively to support teachers’ planning.

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GEOGRAPHY

108. Pupils in Year 1 study the local area where they are able to compare their own likes and dislikes about the locality. Year 2 have clear recollections of the different places they observed and talked about on their walk from the school. They are able to provide simple but clear directions to find the shopping precinct from the school. When studying the seaside they visited Cleethorps and much of their written work was based upon their day’s experience. They identify and examine physical features found on the coast. Year 2 pupils look at different places around the British Isles, learn the names of the countries and match the capital cities. More able pupils offer descriptions and opinions of contrasting localities and pupils begin to learn the main features of both town and countryside. Currently Year 2 pupils develop directional skills to find treasure. They transfer knowledge and understanding to

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GEOGRAPHY

locate letters around the school grounds. As they plot the route they discover the correct order of letters to make a word. Pupils know about symbols and the importance of a key for map work.

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GEOGRAPHY

109. Teachers provide a wide range of experiences and opportunities for pupils to use questions and research to produce their own findings, although there is a lack of evidence to suggest tasks are modified consistently to match all pupils’ ability. The co-ordinator identifies the need to develop staff understanding of geographical enquiry to further increase the pupils’ capacity to learn by building upon prior knowledge and understanding. Teachers’ overall expectations are high and they are developing their expectation of pupils’ written work. Work is generally well Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 47 presented. Attitudes are good and pupils enjoy most aspects of the subject because work stimulates interest and geographical thinking through a practical approach to learning. Pupils’ learning in the school is good.

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GEOGRAPHY

110. Planning is generally detailed and appropriate and provides a structured framework for covering the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. The school has made recent adjustments in order to meet the needs of its pupils and match to the whole curriculum. Although links with other subjects, particularly history, are good, the school plans discrete teaching of geography. Pupils record their work on paper, which goes immediately in a folder. The assessment system is simple to manage and enables teachers to recognise the level at which each pupil is working and measures their progress. A new subject policy will reflect current practice accurately. The portfolio of pupils’ work is evolving in line with the school’s policy to provide evidence of appropriate coverage of work and samples across the ability range to show progress. Samples of work are not matched to National Curriculum levels. Where marking is good, comments provide the pupils with information to

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GEOGRAPHY

guide them to their next stage of learning.

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GEOGRAPHY

111. Resources are barely sufficient to fully support teaching and learning in the subject. The co-ordinator recognises the need to review resources, reorganise and make accessible to all and make additional purchases of relevance to the subject’s curriculum. However, evidence in samples of work, booklets and photographs of visits shows the school’s provision for geographical experience is good overall. The use of information communication technology has insufficient impact upon the teaching and learning in geography.

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HISTORY

112. Two lessons were seen during the inspection, in which teaching was at least good. An analysis of samples of pupils’ work, an interview with the subject co- ordinator together with the lesson observations indicate standards achieved by the oldest pupils in Key Stage 1 are in line with national expectations. It represents an improvement since the last inspection where attainment was judged to be below the national average. There is now a policy and an effective scheme of work. Teaching is good. This represents a marked improvement since the last inspection where half of the teaching seen was unsatisfactory. Resources are much improved.

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HISTORY

113. By the end of Year 2, pupils are able to devise their own questions and find the answers in a variety of ways. This enables them to increase their skills of historical enquiry and gain, for example, a better understanding of and insight into the life and works of Florence Nightingale. They imagined how life was at the time of The Great Fire of London. The whole class produced news reports of the Gun Powder Plot and described and illustrated different aspects relating to the event. Evidence of work samples offer a wide range of pupils’ work, which demonstrates the development of historical enquiry skills because the subject’s curriculum provides pupils with good learning opportunities. A variety and range of good resources support and stimulate teaching and learning. Teachers use a selection of videos to offer a developing sense of empathy for pupils. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 48

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HISTORY

114. In lessons observed, the teachers generate many ideas through discussion and very well resourced activities. Pupils and adults bring in old and new toys. Where teaching is very good pupils respond very well to the teacher’s challenging questions and a purposeful pace is maintained. It provides pupils with the opportunity to develop an emerging sense of chronology and as pupils develop their observational skills they extend knowledge and understanding of old toys. All pupils have the opportunity to compare past with present. More able pupils describe the differences in their own words. Teachers’ expectations generally are high. Work is usually neat and well presented in various ways. However, there is limited evidence to suggest tasks are modified consistently to match all pupils’ ability. Most pupils enjoy a practical approach to learning about history and attitudes overall are good. Pupils use different sources of evidence to learn about the past and begin to

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HISTORY

understand how people lived at the time. Overall progress is good throughout the school.

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HISTORY

115. The curriculum is thoughtfully planned, incorporating national guidance for the subject. The linking of history with geography - and other subjects when appropriate - helps make the pupils’ learning meaningful and maintains positive attitudes towards the subject. Planning is thorough and provides good coverage of history, which meets National Curriculum requirements. An effective assessment system is in place within which assessment sheets are adapted to match the subject’s curriculum plan. Although teachers clearly use artefacts to develop enquiry skills, the co-ordinator is aware that the consistent use of information communication technology to support teaching and learning in history is underdeveloped.

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HISTORY

116. Educational visits enrich pupils’ learning, for example a visit to the seaside, to Cusworth Hall and Gallery of Justice, where pupils experience meaningful role-play. Year 1 pupils enjoy a Wash Day, which takes them back in time to recognise clear differences between past and present life. Assessments are planned to meet requirements of the National Curriculum and key learning objectives are used consistently throughout the school. Pupil progress can be easily measured and monitored using the information gathered and recorded. A portfolio of pupils’ work is evolving although samples as yet are not matched to National Curriculum levels. Where marking is good, comments provide the pupils with information to guide them to the next stage of learning.

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HISTORY

117. The previous co-ordinator monitored pupils’ work and the head teacher has monitored teaching. The recently appointed temporary co-ordinator for history has examined teachers’ planning, but as yet has had insufficient time to monitor pupils’ work. A day release is provided later in the year, which will enable the co-ordinator to develop her monitoring role further. She has identified how to develop history links with English through story telling; this is intended to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of the subject. Parents and other family members contribute positively towards learning in school in a variety of ways.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 49 118. Pupils’ attainment in ICT at age seven meets the expectation. Overall, pupils are gaining appropriate experience and skills and they are achieving well. This maintains the position at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils make good progress overall in their learning. They are introduced to the process of setting up a computer ready for use, and of loading programs. Many pupils have sound word- processing skills, and are accurate in the use of the mouse. They are able to enter simple text, and to make simple designs using an art program. The school provides pupils with a broad and balanced curriculum that systematically develops their knowledge skills and understanding effectively. By the time they leave the school pupils have an early understanding of the importance of technology in the modern world and how it affects their lives. There are no significant differences in pupils’

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

achievement in relation to gender, grouping or pupil’s prior attainment. Pupils with special educational needs are making satisfactory progress against their targets. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 50 119. Pupils have gained and are learning to use a suitable range of skills to generate and communicate ideas using text and curriculum related programs. They have the early keyboard skills for word processing to enter simple text. By Year 2 most pupils use the mouse neatly and with satisfactory skill to enter commands. They know how to use features of programs for modelling ideas by clicking on the mouse, such as simple arithmetic or artwork. Several examples of pupils’ work show them using various textures of brush and colour, and they are having good experience of creating their own artistic designs. They are beginning to understand how to open up a program and to print a copy of their own work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

120. In the lessons seen in Year 2, pupils had very good experiences in learning to enter commands and to control a floor turtle. The very good problem-solving approach by the teachers gave a clear focus and challenge to the pupils, who were highly motivated. Most pupils maintained good interest and behaviour throughout the lesson. Pupils understand the simple control commands to make the Roamer travel a given distance forwards or to make turns for a journey round a crocodile and a lake. They have a good understanding of symbols to record a sequence of moves and are developing their own recording skills well. Several groups of pupils were successful in programming their Roamer to reach the treasure, although only a few children are able to hold the sequence in their minds to imagine the pattern.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

121. The use of ICT as a tool in other subjects such as English and mathematics is developing through the school, although it is not yet a strong feature. Where it is used, teachers provide good experiences in using subject related programs that support, for example, language and mathematics work. They are making satisfactory progress in their development and understanding of how to use simple programs to support their work in other subjects. Pupils have developed artistic ideas, such as basing designs on the work of Mondrian. They understand how to use the keyboard and the mouse with improving manipulative skills through the key stage.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

122. The quality of teaching seen in lessons was good overall. As a result pupils develop their skills securely. They are given plenty of experiences upon which to build confidence. Teachers understand the programs that they choose to use. They match these carefully to support work across the curriculum. Teachers directly teach computer skills, noted for example in controlling the floor turtle, encouraging pupils to have a go and experiment so that they solve problems. They have high expectations of pupils’ independence with the equipment; pupils enjoy this and the result is an improving understanding of their work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

123. As they move through the school pupils build up a good body of skills across a wide range of communication equipment. Pupils understand how to use video players, tape recorders and stereo systems. Pupils have also used a digital camera. The school has a satisfactory range of software to support learning in most curriculum areas and pupils are learning well how to use these.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. The co-ordinators are encouraging teachers to make steady improvements to their knowledge and skills, ensuring staff training needs are addressed appropriately. There are arrangements in place for them to monitor the subject across the school. They ensure that equipment is safe and regularly maintained, Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 51 updated as finances allow and that programs to support different curriculum areas are available to support pupils learning. Expertise is shared across the school. The policy for ICT and the scheme of work are subject to regular review. Resources are satisfactory at present and there are firm plans to extend the equipment considerably to add good flexibility in their use. Each class has at least 3 computers and printers with a range of programs suitable for pupils’ ages and abilities. This gives teachers the opportunity for greater flexibility of use.

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MUSIC

125. Standards in music meet the expectation by age seven. This is a good improvement on standards at the time of the previous inspection where standards were judged to be unsatisfactory. The co-ordinator has devised a good scheme of work to address the school’s chosen emphasis and needs; this enables pupils to achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs are making satisfactory progress. Pupils’ playing skills are developing through good opportunities to use a range of untuned percussion instruments. In the lessons observed, pupils learnt about the effects of pulse and rhythm, and how parts of music blend together through playing along with a tape of ‘We will rock you’. The pupils all took part actively, listening intently to follow the patterns of the music, although several found it difficult to keep to time. They are becoming aware of pitch, tempo and timbre as well as developing their skills of working with others in a group setting. Lessons

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MUSIC

enable pupils to practice their listening skills and make percussion accompaniments to a selection of music. Pupils’ good attitudes and interest helped the development of early musical skills.

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MUSIC

126. The quality of teaching is good. A good pace is established and lessons proceed well, the teachers having very good relationships with the pupils. Good structures and management skills ensure that pupils’ knowledge and skills develop as the lesson progresses. As a result pupils are keen and interested and no time is wasted dealing with disciplinary matters. The good choice of task and very good management of the children ensure that they have good access to worthwhile learning. Pupils are given the opportunity to hear the melody line of the tune they are to accompany. This supports the development of the pupils ability to follow a pulse and to pitch their singing. Most pupils sing tunefully, in time and in tune.

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MUSIC

127. The school has a good range of resources to support a full curriculum. As well as a very good range of tuned and untuned percussion and keyboards, the school has taped music for use in lessons. Music is often played at the start or end of assemblies to assist in the setting of a spiritual atmosphere. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of music and provides good, thoughtful support to colleagues. Monitoring arrangements for music are at an early stage of development but there are good plans to make regular evaluations.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 52 128. Standards achieved by the oldest pupils in Key Stage 1 are in line with the national expectation. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their targets. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

129. Teaching overall is good, which represents a marked improvement upon the last inspection where teaching was judged to be unsatisfactory. Throughout the infants the quality of teaching and learning in physical education is good overall. Teachers have suitably high expectations of their pupils in dance. The pupils respond very well to this. Lessons and activities are well prepared, organised and structured. Relationships are at least very good and pupils have opportunities to share their efforts, talents and ideas. Teachers are enthusiastic and provide pupils with good role models. Teachers ensure pupils gain full benefit by introducing appropriate warm up activities. Pupils perform these exercises correctly and respond well where their teachers offer good examples. Most pupils in Year 1 and 2 enjoy dance lessons, whilst developing new skills of movement. Teachers regularly provide pupils with opportunities to show their performance to others in the class

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

and learn to evaluate and improve their performance. Most pupils are particularly keen and participate with energy. They co-operate well with others in the hall as they carefully use the limited space. Pupils’ attitudes overall towards physical education are good.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. Since the last inspection the established co-ordinator has devised a detailed scheme of work to embrace fully all planning for the subject. Based upon skills development to match the National Curriculum requirements, the scheme incorporates the national guidance for physical education. This enables the co- ordinator to monitor the planning and provides an overview. Recently, to provide further support for teachers and to continue to improve progression in the subject, the school in consultation with the physical education advisor has introduced the local authority’s scheme of work. More time has been allocated to the subject, timetables adjusted to provide a longer session for games to maximise the use of available time. Opportunities for swimming have been maintained. Assessment procedures are in place, which provide a good record of pupils’ progress and overall coverage of the subject. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning and later in

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

the year will begin to observe teaching and learning.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Resources are well organised and maintained in good working order. However, the well-equipped hall has limited space and will serve to limit safe, creative movement where larger numbers of pupils are engaged in physical activity. In lessons seen, teachers manage the pupils very well and guide them towards the use of the space sensibly and effectively. The co-ordinator identified within the school improvement plan the need to develop further staff skills to deliver the physical education curriculum throughout the whole school. The school looks forward to developing dance further and recognises in order to improve pupils’ performance in physical education, the need to explore and improve opportunities for pupils of all ages to develop an understanding of their own learning.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 53 132. At the age of seven years, pupils’ knowledge and understanding are broadly in line with the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus for religious education. This is an improvement on achievement at the time of the last inspection when standards were below the expected level for the age group and pupils’ progress was unsatisfactory. This was largely due to an imbalance in the school’s scheme of work for religious education which over-emphasised the social and moral aspects of religions at the expense of learning about religions and the beliefs on which they rest. The school is now well on the way to correcting this problem. While Christianity is the main focus throughout the Key Stage, elements of Islam are being introduced during Year 1 and Judaism is included in the Year 2 curriculum.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

133. Currently, the progress of most pupils is satisfactory, though a minority show deeper understanding than might be expected for their age. For example, above average pupils in Year 2 were quick to appreciate that the underlying message of Jesus’ parable of the lost sheep was that God seeks out all mankind, even when they stray into sinful behaviour. Though slower to understand this, most pupils develop some degree of awareness that parables have an underlying meaning. Pupils begin to see that there are similarities between religions as well as differences. For example, they learn about the special people, sacred books, places and festivals which are particular to the chosen religions. At the same time they begin to appreciate that all have special symbols and artefacts as well as linking religious ceremonies to key moments of change in peoples’ lives. Pupils learn about the meaning of special events such as Easter, Hanukkah and Christmas and know

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

about important figures in Christianity and Judaism in particular. Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School - 54 134. Teaching is good overall. Lesson planning is imaginative and engages the pupils’ interest. For example, lessons on parables were enlivened by pupils engaging in a puppet show, rehearsing the story line before entering into discussion of the meaning. Though accommodation and equipment difficulties undermined the smooth running of the two lessons observed, pupils’ interest in the topic was maintained. They worked well together as they refined the delivery of their scripts and were active in the subsequent discussions. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ attitudes towards learning and use good questioning techniques effectively to further pupils’ understanding.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. Developments in religious education are being led by a committed co- ordinator who is seeking to deepen and enrich pupils’ learning experiences through the expansion of resources for all three religions. Though not a requirement, a manageable system of assessment of pupils’ progress has been introduced, in part to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum as it is developed. A revised policy for religious education is due to be in place in the near future and the provision of in- service training for teachers is being discussed. Topics for the school’s daily acts of worship have been revised so that they echo and provide support for the spiritual aspects of religious education, which itself makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ cultural development.

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