Wood Street Infant School

WOOD STREET INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 11 th – 12 th February 2002

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WOOD STREET INFANT SCHOOL

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

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WOOD STREET INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wood Street Village Guildford Surrey

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Sandra Morgan JP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28 th – 30 th April 1997 Wood Street Infant School - 4

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Team members

11816 Geoff Jones Registered inspector 9614 Carolyn Webb Lay inspector

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Team members

Schoolhaus Limited Suite 17 BPS Business Centre Brake Lane Boughton Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Wood Street Infant School is a one-form entry rural school on the outskirts of North Guildford. The school is much smaller than most primary schools and has 74 pupils on roll, aged between four and seven. Children are admitted to the school in September at the age of four. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs (15 per cent) is below the national average. The pupils’ difficulties range from multiple learning problems to speech and communication. One pupil has a statement of special educational need. When children are first admitted to the school their attainment is slightly above average. Four pupils speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (5.9 per cent) is below the national average. The head teacher was appointed two years ago and two out of the three class teachers have only been teaching at the school for one full year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school is very effective. By the time children are at the end of the Foundation Stage 1 and are ready to move into Year 1 their attainments are well above average. Their progress is maintained throughout the rest of their time at the school, and by the time they transfer to junior school their attainments in speaking, listening, reading, writing, mathematics and science are all well above average. These high attainments have resulted from very good teaching in the reception class and good teaching elsewhere in the school. The high quality leadership provided by the head teacher has underpinned the school’s successes by continued attention to improving the school and has been accomplished through consistently good relationships, very good teamwork and a high capacity to succeed. The quality and range of the curriculum are very good and have enabled pupils to concentrate well and work hard. The value for money provided by the school is good.

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What the school does well

• Children in the Foundation Stage are given a very good start in their education and make good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching. • The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen, read and write have enabled good improvements in English. • The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good improvements in mathematics, science and information and communication technology. • The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have enabled the school to improve.

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What could be improved

There are no major issues that the school needs to address. 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 1997and has made good improvement since then. Pupils’ standards have improved in reading, writing and science and have risen from above average to well above average. Attainment in mathematics has improved even further, with standards that were close to the average in 1997 that are now well above average. The management of pupils’ behaviour has also improved. The school has produced an effective behaviour policy that is implemented consistently by teachers, resulting in good behaviour throughout the school. In addition, classroom and playground rules have been discussed and jointly decided by teachers and pupils. This has made the rules more meaningful to pupils. The school now monitors pupils’ progress in learning very carefully and tracks this against targets set for each pupil. The introduction of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, as well as assessments of pupils’

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

achievements, ensures that activities in lessons match the needs of the pupils. Teaching and the quality of marking are also monitored effectively, resulting in good improvements. Music provision has improved by purchasing new instruments, incorporating musical performances in the school’s events, and through the employment of a voluntary and unpaid music specialist teacher who is working alongside one of the class teachers during music lessons.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

1 The Foundation Stage ends when children are ready to enter Year 1. Wood Street Infant School - 7

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

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

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Key

The school’s test results show high standards compared with all other schools nationally. Its result for mathematics shows it is in the top five per cent of all primary schools in the country. Compared with schools that have a similarly low proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals the results point to standards that are well above average in reading and mathematics, and above average in writing. The school’s results show an upward trend in writing and mathematics, and results over the last three years in reading have been consistently well above the national average. The present standards observed by the inspection team during the two days of the inspection are still well above average in each of the above areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ attainments when they enter the school are above average. By the time children are ready to move in to Year 1 their attainments are well above average. When they leave the school at the age of seven their

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Key

attainments have been maintained at levels that are well above average. This shows that pupils are achieving well. Pupils with special educational needs and higher attaining pupils also achieve well as a result of the good support provided by classroom assistants during lessons and the careful planning and help by class teachers. Standards in information and communication technology meet national expectations.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy attending school and work hard with sustained concentration.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils are trustworthy, courteous and respectful of their own and other people’s property. They behave well in the classroom, in the school hall and in the playground.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good; pupils are caring and friendly towards each other, staff and other adults. They have a clear awareness of the impact of their actions on others and know the difference between right and wrong. Teachers provide excellent role models for courtesy and fairness. Pupils take on responsibility willingly. Relationships among pupils and between adults and pupils are excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good; the attendance rate is better than the national average and pupils arrive at school punctually.

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Aspect Comment

The personal and social development of children in the reception class is very good and is well above the level expected for children of this age. Lessons start on time after breaks. Pupils’ good attendance and punctuality have a positive impact on their attainment and progress. Bullying or oppressive behaviour is rarely experienced but, when it does occur, it is dealt with quickly and successfully. Wood Street Infant School - 8

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Lessons were consistently very good in the reception class and children get a first-rate start to their education because relationships and planning are of very high quality. There were no unsatisfactory lessons seen during the inspection. Teachers have good subject knowledge and this contributes greatly towards the pupils’ good learning. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good; pupils acquire skills well and are stimulated to work hard. The good teaching of basic skills in reading and writing contributes significantly to pupils’ good progress and to the good attitudes they have to their work. Teachers set specific goals for pupils and their progress results from careful planning of lessons so that the needs of different pupils are met effectively in literacy and numeracy lessons. Throughout the school, teaching is effective at drawing out pupils’ ideas and engaging them in discussions.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

By expecting a high level of response from the pupils, teachers get them fully involved in what is going on in the lesson. Pupils’ behaviour is managed very well in most lessons and this results in intellectual effort and a good pace to their working. Teaching focuses support for individuals well because teachers have a good understanding of what pupils can do and what they need to learn next. They use the expertise of teaching assistants effectively; these adults are clear about what they are expected to do and so pupils have effective individual or small group help. Literacy and numeracy skills are used in a good cross-section of lessons and this affords good opportunities for pupils to consolidate their skills in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The range and quality are very good. Strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy are very good. There is an effective balance to the curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision is good. Pupils’ individual education plans are well targeted and regularly reviewed. There is very good support in the classrooms from well- trained learning assistants.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language All of the pupils who speak English as an additional language speak English fluently. They are well supported whenever they have difficulties.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development The school has a very good programme for pupils’ personal, social and health education. Provision for pupils’ social and moral development is very good. Arrangements for cultural and spiritual development are good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare are good. There are very effective, detailed and systematic procedures for knowing how well pupils are doing, that are used extensively to monitor pupils’ progress, and for planning the next step in each child’s learning.

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Aspect Comment

The school works very well in partnership with parents. Parents have been involved in meetings to discuss initiatives that might form part of the school improvement plan and there is very good communication between home and school. The school achieved a place in the final twelve schools for Surrey’s Parent Friendly Award last year. All areas of the curriculum meet statutory requirements and the school’s provision for extra-curricular activities is very good. Wood Street Infant School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff Very good. The head teacher provides very good leadership and gives a clear direction for the work of the school. Subject co-ordinators work very hard to maintain or improve provision.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors know the school well, although do not yet systematically compare available information with other schools. They play a strong part in shaping its direction. The governing body fulfils its statutory duties well.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Evaluation of the school’s performance is effectively carried out. Lessons are observed effectively by the head teacher to monitor the quality of teaching. The school does not analyse pupils’ answers in the annual national tests in order to identify weak areas in pupils’ understanding. The school has a useful chart that provides details of aspects of school evaluation that are planned for each month of the school year.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Classroom and support assistants are used very effectively and work very closely with teachers. The administrative assistant enables the smooth running of the school. The budget is used wisely. The grant for special educational needs and the standards fund are used effectively to raise standards in the school.

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Aspect Comment

The governing body checks the budget rigorously and discusses the school’s improvement plan thoroughly and monitors it regularly. Initiatives are put in place to improve standards but, as yet, the governors do not monitor the school’s standards or compare its academic performance with other similar schools, but they have already received training for this and this issue is well in hand. The school applies the principles of best value well. The school consults parents on issues such as induction and the school improvement plan. It has acted on initiatives requested by parents. For example, it introduced lunchtime and after-school clubs and Open Afternoons. The school requests three separate quotations for large expenditures and one of the governors who is experienced at handling tenders oversees the process.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school. • The good leadership and management of the school. • The school expects children to work hard and achieve their best. • They feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • The school’s interesting range of activities outside of lessons. • Behaviour in school is good. • There are no significant points that parents raised that they would like to see improved.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with all of the positive views of the parents. There is a very positive sense of co- operation evident between parents and the school. Wood Street Infant School - 10

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good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching

1. Children in the reception class arrive at school each day eager to participate in the work planned for them. The varied activities have been planned very carefully by the teacher to promote interest, enthusiasm and step-by-step learning. Lessons begin very promptly with whole-class items that enable the children to enjoy their learning. Varied and effective teaching methods keep the children interested. For example, singing an adaptation of ‘Ten Green Bottles’ consolidates their developing knowledge of addition. Their understanding of initial sounds of words is reinforced by, for instance, an activity that involves children saying the sound of the first letter of an object they had been given and then being told “only put it back in the box where it came from if it began with a ‘w.’” This resulted in children drawing on their knowledge of letter sounds and also thinking if it belonged to a specific category. The

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good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching

idea of two simultaneous thought processes is challenging for this age group of children.

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good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching

2. The class teacher has an infectious yet quiet enthusiasm for the children’s responses to questions. This provokes interest and excitement as they take turns to tell the teacher and each other about stories they know that are related to the theme of the lesson. Good listening skills are promoted following a session when all children sat in a circle and were asked to talk to each other about their favourite colours. The teacher used a good strategy to ensure successful listening by saying to the children, “Now turn to the person sitting next to you and tell them what their favourite colour is.” The teacher values children’s answers and contributions during times when the whole class comes together and this develops a sense of self worth and pride in achievement. For example, one boy wrote a number 2 on the board for the first time and was congratulated warmly. Children were introduced to mental calculations and were asked to imagine a small specific number of sweets in each hand and

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good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching

to say how many sweets in total. They were praised fulsomely for getting the correct answer and this induced excitement about achieving and a real desire to acquire further knowledge, skills and understanding. Other similar positive examples were common in the teaching, and promoted pleasure in learning. The high quality of the teacher’s marking is also instrumental in enabling children to make good progress in their learning. Every item of work has a written comment that is designed to motivate and move them forward in their knowledge and understanding. Written remarks that are read to the children at appropriate times contain comments such as, “Well done you found ‘went’ in the word bank yourself.” These enable children to feel good about their individual achievements and encourage them to greater intellectual effort.

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good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching

3. Carefully planned activities by the teacher are very well matched to different children’s stages in learning and result in good progress in their learning. This was illustrated well in a very good lesson focused on developing children’s mathematical knowledge. The classroom assistant supported a less able group of children very well in the school hall during a mathematics development lesson. The children were rolling a die, counting the dots on the upper face and placing the corresponding number of plastic bottles in a hoop and then identified the correct number on a number line. Another group rolled two dice, counted the dots on each of the upper faces, recorded the two numbers on a template provided and then counted the total. A third group of more able of children rolled dice and counted out the corresponding number of small biscuits, counted the totals and recorded the addition sums. In this way, all children were learning at an appropriate pace for them. The teacher’s very

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good progress in their learning as a result of high quality teaching

good assessments of children’s achievements and careful recording of the results underpinned this so that the information could be used to decide the next steps in their learning. The class teacher and classroom assistant support the very few children with special educational needs very well indeed. They work with them individually or support them whilst in a small group. Wood Street Infant School - 11 4. Children work hard and take a pride in their work. These developing attributes are valuable ones to develop at such an early age and result in rapid learning. For example, in the period of a few months most children move from writing over the top of the teacher’s words to copying the words underneath on the page of their book and then to assembling separate words from the word bank into a sentence and then copying them onto the page. They recognise rhyming words and can count up to ten objects with some higher attaining children

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

read and write have enabled good improvements in English.

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

5. A love of reading is encouraged from an early age at the school. A number of five year old children have already built a good sight vocabulary of printed words that has enabled them to begin to enjoy books. One five year old girl stated that she read every day and liked books about dancing and a similarly aged boy expressed the view that he enjoyed reading very much. Most Year 2 pupils read avidly. They read daily at home, enjoy listening to stories read by their parents and some confess to enjoying exciting and scary books. The majority read fluently and with understanding, and as well as being taught effectively at school the written dialogue between teachers and parents about pupils’ reading skills has made a very positive impact on reading standards in the school.

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

6. The extensive use of large print books enables infant pupils to follow the text simultaneously and to participate in good quality discussions about, for example, the difference between fiction and non-fiction books. The teacher’s good open-ended questions provide opportunities for pupils to extend their answers and to practise explaining their views at length. This has a good impact on their quality of writing because the experiences they have gained at explaining their thoughts when speaking result in a greater ability to express their ideas in writing. During discussions, pupils who speak English as an additional language are well supported. They sit near the teacher so that she can make sure that the pupil listens attentively, understands what is being said and participates meaningfully in the discussion. More able pupils are extended and teachers ask questions such as, “What is this sign (question mark) here for?” Following the discussion, pupils were given tasks appropriate for

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

their stage of learning. More able pupils selected a non-fiction book and wrote a review of the contents. Average pupils worked on identifying what different books were about whilst lower attaining pupils worked with information and communication technology to ‘drag and drop’ statements that described fiction or non-fiction books under the appropriate headings. Such activities build pupils’ vocabulary, help to practise verbalising their thoughts and link closely with developing writing skills.

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

7. In an interesting history lesson on Florence Nightingale for Year 2 pupils, the teacher used a variety of pictures to remind them about the knowledge they had already gained in previous lessons. A good quality debate followed that centred round the contrast between Florence Nightingale’s life in England and the conditions experienced by the soldiers in the Crimean war. Pupils listened very well to each other’s opinions, with most expressing their views clearly and fluently. They then worked in groups to sequence the story of Florence Nightingale’s life, using a set of pictures. These were assembled on a section of card folded in the manner of a concertina and pupils included lengthy pieces of writing explaining each of the illustrations. Other pupils used computers to write short prayers about the life of Florence Nightingale, using a word-processing program. On other occasions, pupils write enthusiastically, for instance, about the Great Fire of London. They use Samuel Pepys’

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

approach to the recording of events and discuss how the fire started, how it spread and the impact of the wind direction.

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The very good encouragement and wide range of opportunities for pupils to speak, listen,

8. A close examination of pupils’ writing shows that pupils’ learning is extended according to their abilities and matched to their individual needs. For example, more able pupils are encouraged to plan their stories and to focus on adjectives and the use of longer sentences using connective words. Average ability pupils focus on straightforward punctuation ensuring Wood Street Infant School - 12 their writing is divided into sentences beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full stop. Lower attaining pupils are supported well by classroom assistants and teachers with the spelling of words and in identifying ‘families’ of words that have similar sounds and contain similar strings of letters. Teachers use careful planning to promote independence and use assessments of pupils’ achievements to make sure that the next step in their learning is appropriately planned.

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

improvements in mathematics, science and information and communication technology.

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

9. Younger children carry out a wide range of activities that have resulted in accurate identification of the whole range of British coins. A wide variety of practical activities involving different resources for mathematical learning has developed good competence in counting, ordering and simple addition amongst these young children. Comparing lengths and sizes of different objects has enabled reception class children to develop the mathematical language of size such as ‘longer than’, ‘shorter than’, ‘larger than’ and ‘smaller than.’ Their skills in counting are consolidated by the use of computers. For example, children use programs that are fun to operate that involve quick counting to avoid pitfalls in the scene evolving in front of them.

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

10. Infant pupils carry out investigations and experiments that challenge them and enable them to gain a good understanding of scientific principles because of first-hand direct involvement in planning and executing the plans. Year 2 pupils learn about making a scientific test a fair one so that the results are certain to be valid. This is advanced thinking for their age group and enables them to attain high standards in science. They find, for example, the best place to defrost an ice cube in the classroom and decide to try three different places. They ensure the test is fair by double checking that each of the cubes is the same size, that they place them each in situ at exactly the same time and that they check the size of the cubes at exactly the same regular intervals. Year 1 pupils reinforce their learning by experimentation and through design and technology. For example, pupils had learned in previous science

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

lessons how to construct an electrical circuit in order to illuminate a bulb and also how certain metals allowed electricity to flow through them. Being challenged to construct a simple burglar alarm that would indicate an intruder by lighting a bulb deepened their knowledge and understanding. The teacher’s high expectations of what the pupils could accomplish was rewarded by hard work, serious good quality discussions and good thinking about their previous learning. Most pupils succeeded in constructing designs that worked and in doing so achieved a much deeper understanding of electricity.

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

11. A small group of Year 2 pupils learned how to program a technological toy so that it moved along a complicated set path. They worked in the school hall and through trial and error they gradually enabled it to negotiate an accurate path around the map of an imaginary island keeping close to the coastline. They were tenacious in their attempts and experienced a series of failures during the session. However, through persistence they successfully negotiated the route and demonstrated the journey to the rest of the class once they had saved the program in the toy’s memory. The opportunity to try out operations and eventually experience success enabled a greater development of knowledge, understanding and skills.

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

12. Infant pupils use number lines, hundred squares and other mathematical equipment to develop very good quality skills in understanding patterns of number and number operations. They use number lines and charts to quickly double and halve numbers and by frequent experience and challenges they commit these to memory. They divide shapes into quarters and halves, they use groups of objects to practise adding and subtracting, they build up the pattern of four and five-times tables using hundred squares, and they construct block graphs that represent results of investigations. Such regular activities lead to a quick recall of number facts, a better understanding of mathematical operations and good mastery of how to apply their knowledge to the solving of problems. Wood Street Infant School - 13 13. Throughout this process of providing relevant practical opportunities for pupils to be challenged and to consolidate their learning, pupils with special educational needs are well

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The good quality practical activities provided for pupils have enabled very good

supported. Activities are often adapted to suit their learning requirements or the teacher aims appropriate questions at them in whole-class sessions that enable them to answer, clarify their thinking and move forward in their knowledge and understanding. Classroom assistants skilfully support them in group activities, asking questions and making timely suggestions that promote their independence in learning.

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The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have

14. The head teacher was appointed two years ago and has planned a range of improvements to the school very carefully and successfully. In addition, her interpersonal and leadership skills have resulted in good support from staff, governors and parents.

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The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have

15. The first step taken by the head teacher was to carry out a self-evaluation of the school involving the teaching staff. Discussions led to areas being identified appropriately for professional development and to the joint formulation of a teaching and learning policy for the school. This led to agreement amongst teachers and members of the support staff on the methods to be used for teaching the pupils and how learning should best be accomplished. Assessments of pupils’ attainments were carried out and pupils’ work was monitored regularly. Lesson planning involved using information gained from assessing pupils’ attainments in order to plan activities that met their needs. Pupils with special educational needs were supported more effectively by good teaching and by good quality support assistants in the classroom. This has been underpinned by good financial management, by effective use of special needs funding and by careful use of the school’s standards fund.

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The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have

These improvements have led to happy children and pupils who achieve well and who enjoy coming to school. Improvements continued and were driven by regular staff meetings based mainly on developing the curriculum, ongoing professional interviews between the head teacher and all staff, and realistic but challenging targets set for every child and pupil in the school. This has led to results in the 2001 annual national tests in reading and writing that were well above the national average and in the top five per cent of primary schools in the country in mathematics. Compared to schools with a similarly low percentage of pupils entitled to free school meals, the reading results were well above average, writing results were above average and mathematics was well above average. These coincide with the findings of the present inspection. Pupils’ standards are still well above average in all three areas of the curriculum.

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The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have

16. In order to achieve all round improvements the head teacher arranged for members of the support staff to receive good quality training to work with groups of pupils and to carry out assessments. One support assistant received training in providing social skills training for pupils who would benefit. This has enabled these pupils to raise their self-esteem and to become more confident and independent in their learning.

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The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have

17. The head teacher has also successfully gained the confidence of parents. This has been accomplished by very good communication. Parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting with the registered inspector were confident in their view that communication had improved since the present head teacher had been appointed. One of the first decisions made by the head teacher was to move the head teacher’s office from the top floor of the old school house to a position at the front of the school where she would be easily accessible to parents. This, together with regular and informative newsletters as well as regular use of a whiteboard reminder at the front of the school, helps to keep parents fully informed about what is going on at school. Parents were invited to participate in an exercise that involved them, as well as governors and school staff, in putting forward carefully considered suggestions on how the school could be improved. Subsequently, the most popular ones

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The very good leadership and management of the head teacher and governors have

were included in the school improvement plan. In addition, a suggestions book for parents to write their ideas for further improvement was introduced some time ago and they are issued Wood Street Infant School - 14 with questionnaires to canvass their views on, for example, the effectiveness of the school’s induction procedures for reception children. Almost every parent who replied to the pre- inspection questionnaire felt that they would feel comfortable in approaching the school with questions or problems. Parents are also pleased that pupils’ behaviour has improved since the last inspection. Every single respondent to the pre-inspection questionnaire expressed the view that the school was responsible for helping their children become mature and responsible and almost every parent thought that the behaviour of the pupils was good. An overwhelming majority (96 per cent) felt that the school was well led and managed.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

In the context of this very effective school there are no major key issues for it to address. Wood Street Infant School - 15

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 45 33 22 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than 11 percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 74

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 6 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Wood Street Infant School - 16

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 13 4 17

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 11 11 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (87) 88 (80) 100 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 11 13 13 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls * * *

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (87) 100 (87) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 91 (90)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

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

* Because fewer than ten girls took the tests in 2001 the numbers at each level are omitted from the tables in line with the governors reporting arrangements to parents. Wood Street Infant School - 17

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 2000/2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.5

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 217608

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 209743

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 73 Expenditure per pupil 3085

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 12395

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 20260

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1.5

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Wood Street Infant School - 18

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 64 30 4 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 43 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 48 42 4 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 45 45 6 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 85 13 0 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 64 34 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 49 45 2 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 85 11 0 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 34 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 75 21 2 0 2

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