Adwick Primary School

ADWICK WASHINGTON INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st to 24 th January 2002

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ADWICK WASHINGTON INFANT SCHOOL

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

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ADWICK WASHINGTON 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. Adwick Washington Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Stafford Road Woodlands Doncaster South Yorkshire Postcode: DN6 7LW

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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: Mr Terry Page

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: April 1997 Adwick Washington Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 2220 Ian Nelson Registered inspector Mathematics Information and communication technology Art and design Design and technology What sort of school is it? What the school should do to improve further The school’s results and achievements Teaching and learning Leadership and management 19335 Susan Dixon Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well the school cares for its pupils Partnership with parents 27369 Carolyn Powell Team inspector Science Geography History Foundation Stage Equal opportunities Special educational needs 25771 Peter Sandall Team inspector English Music Physical education Religious education How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Schools Inspection Unit University of Birmingham Edgbaston Birmingham B15 2TT

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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 Adwick Washington 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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Adwick Washington Infant School - 6 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Number on roll 219 (Average for primary schools) Pupils entitled to free school meals 21% (Broadly average) Pupils with English as an additional language 0% Pupils on the register of special educational needs 15% (Below average)

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

This is an average sized infant and nursery school for pupils aged 3 to 7 years. It serves a former mining community on the outskirts of Doncaster, including an area of social and economic deprivation. The area includes private and local authority housing with the majority of pupils coming from the local authority housing. There are very few pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds. The attainment of children on entry to the nursery is below average.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

This is a good school fully committed to continuous improvement. The very strong and effective leadership of the headteacher and the governors has led to improved standards in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology (ICT). Standards are now well in line with national averages. The school has identified clearly what it needs to do to improve further, set itself challenging targets for improvement and take effective action to begin to achieve them. Teaching is good overall, although it ranges from satisfactory to excellent. Given the rising standards, good leadership and teaching the school provides good value for money.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

What the school does well • The very good leadership of the headteacher and governors is resulting in rising standards. • The overall quality of teaching at the school is good so that pupils make good progress. • Staff at the school are very welcoming, care very well for the pupils and encourage them to do their best, so that pupils are very keen to learn and behave very well in lessons and around the school. • The school has very good systems for assessing the progress pupils make and setting targets for improvement so that pupils know what they need to do to improve their work and behaviour. • The school provides very good support for pupils with special educational needs. • The staff and governors work hard to encourage parents and the wider community to become involved in their children’s learning so that parents have very positive views of the school.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

What could be improved • Provision for the Foundation Stage, building upon improvements recently introduced. • Levels of attendance. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The school was last inspected in May 1997. Since then it has addressed all the key issues by involving staff more in forming targets for the school development plan, raising standards in mathematics and ICT, and improving the teaching where it was weak. The school has also improved the quality of teaching overall, of leadership and management and standards in English and science. Overall, therefore, improvement since the last inspection has been good. Adwick Washington Infant School - 7 STANDARDS

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The table shows that in the latest national tests for seven-year-olds the school’s results were average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing compared to all other schools. When the results are compared to those of schools with similar pupils they are well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. The inspection findings are that standards are average and that they are rising faster than standards nationally. Although standards in writing were above average in last year's test they are currently judged to be average on a wider range of evidence than that in the national tests. There are no significant differences in the attainment of boys and girls. Children enter the nursery with below average attainment but, because of the good teaching and support they receive, all children, including those with special educational needs and the more able, make good progress. The school

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

expects all pupils to work hard and consequently almost all of them achieve well whatever their ability. This leads to a good proportion of pupils gaining the higher than expected level 3 in the national tests in reading and writing and at level 2a in mathematics. Standards in art are well above those expected at this age and standards in physical education (PE) and singing are above average. Standards in all other subjects, except geography, are in line with those expected of pupils of this age. Standards in geography are below average for seven-year-olds.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and enjoy coming to school. They work hard and nearly always try their best.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. No bad behaviour was seen during the inspection.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils get on very well with each other and with the adults in school. They are polite and well mannered and work very well in pairs and small groups.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Attendance Poor. Attendance is well below average.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Despite the school’s attempts to encourage parents not to keep their children out of school unless they are poorly, attendance levels fall well below those of other schools. Adwick Washington Infant School - 8 TEACHING AND LEARNING

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Overall teaching and learning are good throughout the school. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during the inspection and much of it was very good. In two lessons it was excellent. Consequently all pupils, including those with special educational needs and the most able make good progress in their learning. Teachers tell pupils clearly what they will learn in their lessons and set them clear targets for improvement. They focus strongly on basic skills in all subjects and teach literacy and numeracy effectively so that standards are rising. Support staff make a good contribution to pupils’ learning and work as an integral part of the team. Teaching in English, mathematics, science and ICT is good and has led to improved standards in those subjects and to better results in the national tests for seven-year- olds. Consequently pupils learn basic skills in all subjects, use them with confidence, and build on them

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. The school teaches all subjects and has very good links with the wider community.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. The school supports pupils with special educational needs very well and they make good progress towards their targets.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. The school provides very good opportunities for pupils’ spiritual, social and moral development. They are given time for reflection, encouraged to consider others and set clear targets for their own personal development. Provision for cultural development is good.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. The staff know the pupils well and set them clear targets for improvement based upon comprehensive assessment systems.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The school works very well with parents, encouraging them to become fully involved in their children’s learning. The number of parents helping in school during the inspection is testimony to the school’s commitment to work with them for the benefit of their children. The teaching time each week is at the minimum recommended for infant pupils and the school needs to ensure that none of it is wasted.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership and management and has re-structured management roles in school so that all staff with management responsibilities are increasingly effective. She has identified what the school needs to do to continue improving and laid solid foundations on which to build greater successes. Adwick Washington Infant School - 9 How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governors have a very clear view of the school’s strengths and areas for development. They are committed to making it the best they can and have a clear plan for improving their own expertise and effectiveness.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has clear systems for identifying how well it is doing and what it needs to do to improve further.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The strategic use of resources Good. The school plans its use of resources well and monitors the budget effectively. The governors understand the need to get the best they can from the resources they have.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The school has enough suitably qualified teachers and benefits from a good number of dedicated support staff. There is sufficient accommodation overall. The school does not make the most effective use of its space for the younger children, but there are plans to address this. Resources are satisfactory for all subjects, except geography, where they are unsatisfactory, and science, where they are good.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

• Their children like school. • Behaviour in school is good. • Teaching is good and teachers expect children to work hard and do their best. • The school is well led and managed. • The school helps their children to become mature and responsible. • There were no issues that a significant number of parents identified.

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 25

The parents have very positive views of the school and the inspectors agree fully with what pleases them most. Adwick Washington Infant School - 10

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Children enter the nursery with attainment below average for their age. Most pupils make good progress during the Foundation Stage so that many enter Year 1 having achieved the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning. However the progress of some reception children is faster than that of others because the quality of teaching is satisfactory in one class but mainly very good in another.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2 The results of the 2001 national tests for seven-year-olds shows that the standards compared to all schools were average in reading and mathematics and above average in writing. When compared to similar schools standards were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. This shows that standards have improved since the last inspection. Standards have risen faster than standards nationally. There are no significant differences between the standards attained in the tests by boys and by girls. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as they are given very clear targets and the support they need to reach them. More able pupils also achieve well so that they attain the higher levels in the national tests.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3 The inspection findings confirm that current standards are average and that pupils generally make good progress in their learning. This is because teaching overall is good but as it ranges from satisfactory to excellent, pupils make faster progress in some classes than in others. Progress is never less than satisfactory in any of the classes, however. It is particularly good in one of the Year 2 classes. Children attain average standards in speaking and listening having entered the Foundation Stage below average in these skills. By the time they are seven they listen attentively to their teachers so that they can follow their instructions with a minimum of fuss. They discuss issues that are important to them in their circle time sessions and talk sensibly and interestingly with the adults they work with.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4 Standards in reading are average overall. Pupils are taught basic skills like phonics so that they can sound out words they do not know in their books. This also helps them to spell words they are unsure of in a coherent and logical, though not always correct, way. They enjoy reading and are guided through the school’s reading scheme by their teachers to ensure that they have books which are challenging without being too difficult for them. Some of the higher attaining pupils use the library to find information but many pupils are unsure of how it is organised or how to find information in it. Reading diaries tend to focus on what pupils have read rather than how well they have read, and could be used more effectively to highlight strengths and areas for development among individual readers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5 Standards in writing are broadly average. This judgement is based upon a wider range of evidence than that used in the annual tests when they attained above average standards. Pupils enjoy writing for a range of different purposes and try hard. Their handwriting is legible and well formed in the main and they are taught to join their letters correctly although they do not always remember to do this when they are writing unless they are doing a handwriting exercise. By the time they are seven most pupils write in proper sentences with capital letters and full stops and some of the higher attaining pupils are beginning to try to use other forms of punctuation, speech marks for example, with some success.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6 Standards in mathematics are average overall. Pupils have an increasing grasp of basic number facts and tables. They recognise a wide range of plane and solid shapes and Adwick Washington Infant School - 11 the higher attaining pupils are aware of the attributes of these shapes, like the number of faces, edges and corners. The higher attaining pupils also understand the idea that 49 equals four tens and nine units. Pupils recognise halves and quarters with the more able understanding that a half and a quarter is the same as three-quarters. Pupils measure in centimetres with a fair degree of accuracy and read the time confidently.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7 Standards in science are average overall. By the time they are seven the pupils understand the similarities and differences between different types of material, recognise and name parts of plants and understand the need for a fair test.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8 Standards in ICT, design and technology (DT), history, religious education (RE), and music are in line with those expected of seven-year-olds. Standards in geography are below average, however, while in physical education (PE) they are above and in art and design they are well above expectations. Standards in literacy and numeracy are average overall. In most subjects pupils achieve well because the school sets them clear targets and provides good levels of support to help them to attain them.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9 The previous report said that pupils had positive attitudes and mainly very good behaviour. These high standards have been maintained. Pupils have very good attitudes to their work. They come to school eager to learn and they approach their lessons and activities with great enthusiasm. This has a positive effect upon their learning and creates a happy and purposeful atmosphere. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to their teachers and to each other and they offer an enthusiastic response to questions. Throughout the school pupils work hard and concentrate very well, often for prolonged periods. Pupils work alongside each other amicably and willingly offer help and encouragement to their classmates. For example, when working at computers in pairs, pupils take turns well and share their ideas. Children in the nursery and reception classes respond well to any encouragement to be independent although they do not always have sufficient opportunities to be creative and make choices. As

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

they progress through the school, pupils grow in confidence and gain the skills needed to become independent learners. Throughout the school, pupils show genuine appreciation for the success of others. The high value placed upon pupils and their achievements is evident through the attractive displays of their work in most classrooms and corridors and in the celebration of each other’s work in special assemblies.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10 The behaviour of all pupils is very good. Behaviour is consistently very good in lessons, assemblies and at lunchtimes. Pupils understand and meet the school’s high expectations very well and children in the nursery soon learn to follow routines. They use equipment and other resources carefully, work quietly and industriously and rarely need reminding about appropriate behaviour. At lunchtimes and break times they enter and leave classrooms quietly and sensibly and they move around the school in an orderly fashion with a minimum of fuss. There have been two exclusions in the past year and these were supported by appropriate procedures. No bullying of any kind was observed during the inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11 The relationships amongst all members of the school community are very good. Adults in school treat pupils with care and respect. This results in the pupils being polite and helpful towards each other and to adults. Lunchtimes are sociable and pleasant and outdoor play is happy and orderly with no evidence of conflict. Pupils' personal development is also very good. They are provided with opportunities to take responsibility and to develop independence, for example by serving lunch to their fellows and by tidying away after lessons. Opportunities are provided for pupils to express their opinions and feelings and they do so with growing maturity as they progress through the school. For example, in a Year 2 religious education lesson pupils discussed the emotions of the characters in the story of Adwick Washington Infant School - 12 The Prodigal Son. Pupils learn to respect others’ values and beliefs and are encouraged to

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

consider carefully the effect of their actions on others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12 At the time of the last inspection attendance was judged satisfactory. Since then it appears to have deteriorated. Attendance rates fall well below the national average and are unsatisfactory. Absences are often due to childhood illnesses but a significant number are connected to unauthorised absence or to holiday taking in term time. For these pupils in particular, there is an adverse effect upon their learning and progress. For those pupils whose levels of attendance causes concern the assistance of other agencies is sought. Most pupils are eager to come to school and they arrive on time. However a number often arrive late and miss the start of the first lesson or activity. Registration is none the less efficient and this time is well used for a variety of activities and personal study.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

13 The overall quality of teaching is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when it was judged to be mostly satisfactory or better. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen during this inspection. Teaching ranged from excellent to satisfactory, with much of it being judged to be very good. Of the 48 lessons seen 4% were judged to be excellent, 27% very good, 38% good and 31% satisfactory. The overall teaching judgement of the inspection team is based upon observing lessons, looking at pupils’ work and discussions with pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

14 Teaching at the Foundation Stage is good overall although it varies from satisfactory to very good. In the nursery, teaching is nearly always good. In one of the reception classes the teaching is mostly very good. The teaching in the other reception class, however, rarely rises above satisfactory. Consequently the children make better progress in the nursery and one of the reception classes than they do in the other reception class. Teaching in the class where there are reception and Year 1 pupils is good overall and children make good progress. The best teaching includes a wide range of appropriate activities and the effective use of support staff to work with individuals and small groups of children. Teachers and support staff plan activities carefully and make good use of praise and encouragement. Consequently children are well motivated and enthusiastic in their learning. They acquire basic skills in reading, writing, speaking and number work and all children, including those

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

with special educational needs make good progress. In the reception class where teaching is satisfactory most children make satisfactory progress. However, their progress does not match that of children in other classes. On occasions planned activities do not take place and children miss valuable learning opportunities when lessons end early to allow children time to get ready to go home.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

15 In Years 1 and 2 teaching is good overall and much of it is very good. This is where the excellent teaching was observed. It ranges from satisfactory to excellent overall. The teaching in one of the Year 2 classes is of consistently high quality and ensures that the pupils make very good progress in most of their lessons. For example, in an ICT lesson, pupils learned some quite sophisticated techniques for altering font sizes, colours, types and even shades of colour in a very short period of time. In the best lessons in Years 1 and 2, teachers expect a great deal from their pupils in terms of behaviour and effort. They set high standards and the pupils strive to reach them. They respond with enthusiasm and listen attentively to their teachers and to each other. They settle to their tasks and concentrate well on the job they have to do with a minimum of fuss. Teachers plan lessons well. They tell

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

pupils what they will learn during the lesson and set them challenging targets. These targets relate to learning, and where necessary to behaviour. So for some pupils their targets include 'taking turns', and 'not calling out', while for others they are much more focused on learning new skills and developing their knowledge and understanding. There is a very strong emphasis on meeting the needs of all pupils and in the best lessons teachers make very Adwick Washington Infant School - 13 effective use of the learning support staff to assist individuals or groups of pupils. Consequently pupils with special educational needs are withdrawn regularly for short periods with support staff and hardly miss what is happening in the classroom. In this way they make good progress towards their learning targets. The effective use of support staff means that the more able also receive adequate attention and receive the support they need to achieve

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

their best. This is borne out by the good proportion of pupils attaining the higher levels in the national tests for seven-year-olds. In the occasional lesson, however, teachers do not make as much use of support staff as they might because they are not actively involved in the initial teaching session.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16 The emphasis on teaching basic skills is maintained and covers most subjects. Not only, therefore, do pupils learn phonics and basic number work to help with their reading and mathematics, they also learn basic skills in drawing and painting so that they produce some fine art work. In ICT they save and retrieve their work, control a robot and produce colourful pictures and patterns. In manipulative skills their models are of good quality and in music their singing takes good account of pitch and dynamics. Teachers also emphasise the correct vocabulary for the subject they are teaching, making good links with literacy. For example, in a Year 2 science lesson on how materials change the pupils identified a range of suitable words like 'moisture', 'dough', 'scrumptious' and 'soggy' to describe the biscuit ingredients at various stages of their biscuit making. In ICT the teacher uses terms like 'font', and 'bold' and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

commends a child’s use of the term 'italics'. Teachers make effective use of the computers in the shared areas to reinforce these basic skills with number and spelling programs. Pupils respond very positively to the opportunity to work independently on computers and are often absorbed in their work. Teachers set homework tasks for pupils to encourage them to follow up lessons with their parents after school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17 The teaching of literacy and numeracy is well organised and is leading to rising standards of reading, writing and number work. The literacy and numeracy hours follow the recommended guidelines.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

18 The school provides satisfactory learning opportunities at the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2. No overall judgement was made on this aspect in the last report but several criticisms made at that time have been rectified, so improvement since then is at least satisfactory. The range of learning opportunities is broadly based and relevant, meeting statutory requirements. The school has helpful policies for all subjects and schemes of work to support teachers’ planning. The detail of medium-term planning ensures coverage in most subjects, although in geography the subject is taught too infrequently for pupils to make the expected progress. Pupils in classes where there is more than one age group are well catered for, often by sensitive use of the support staff. Some of the learning opportunities for children in the Foundation Stage are over-directed and controlled and prevent the children from developing their investigative and creative skills by making independent choices.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

19 Within this positive picture there are, however, some concerns about the use of time. The school currently just meets the minimum guidelines for teaching time set nationally, but five minutes is lost from this each day through setting up the classrooms for lunch. Literacy and numeracy sessions sometimes last for seventy minutes, a long time for young children to maintain concentration. Science, on the other hand, has too little time allocated on teachers’ timetables to teach all aspects thoroughly, and teachers only manage to do this by taking time from other subjects. Adwick Washington Infant School - 14 20 Religious education is taught in line with the locally agreed syllabus, and acts of worship fully meet requirements. There is no formal programme for sex education, but issues that arise are dealt with honestly and sensitively. The school’s programme for personal, social and health education includes suitable opportunities to discuss the dangers

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

of drugs, while health issues such as ‘my body’ and ‘healthy eating’ are taught in science. All classes have a weekly session of ‘circle time’ which makes a good contribution to their personal and social education.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

21 The school has introduced the national strategies for literacy and numeracy effectively; they are having a positive impact on teaching and learning and a good effect on pupils’ progress. Staff work hard to ensure that pupils have equal access to the curriculum, including those who find learning a challenge and more able pupils. Girls and boys are given the same opportunities and teachers have similar expectations of both. The ethos of the school is one in which all pupils are encouraged to succeed, while at the same time being given support where this is necessary. Consequently the more able are given every opportunity to succeed and not left to coast along with work that is too easy for them. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Arrangements for these pupils are well organised and successful. The support for these pupils is organised to make sure that they do not miss out on work the rest of the class is doing. Individual education

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

plans contain specific short-term targets to focus the teaching. Pupils are supported in the classroom by learning assistants and are also withdrawn for specific work outside the classroom. The headteacher and special needs co-ordinator, together with the support assistants, ensure that all pupils receive the right levels of support to meet their individual needs.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

22 There are, at present, no extra-curricular opportunities for the pupils although the school is currently exploring the possibility of offering some. The school has worked hard to forge very good links with the community, both locally and further afield. The Friends' Association works hard to raise funds, currently to develop the outside areas, as well as supporting summer and Christmas fairs. Various organisations, including parents, worked to develop and decorate the school library. The school encourages visitors to work with the pupils, and has a very positive attitude to parental help. There are business links, and the school has applied to join the ‘Young Enterprise’ Scheme. The link with the North Sea oil rig ‘Dunlin Alpha’ is very special to everyone involved, as can be seen from the letters and e- mails they send each other and the photographs of the crew’s visit to the school.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23 The school is building good links with the junior school to which most pupils transfer. The special needs coordinators from both schools meet together and time is built in for subject coordinators to talk to each other. Year 2 pupils are invited to concerts at the junior school as well as visiting before they transfer so that they feel more at home on their first day. There is also an arrangement whereby pupils from the infant school have regular access to the junior school’s computer suite, which improves their skills in information technology.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24 The school makes very good provision for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural education of pupils. This is an improvement since the last inspection when overall provision was judged to be good.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25 Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is very good. Values and beliefs are well taught in religious education lessons. There is a strong Christian ethos that embraces everyone within the school. Although there is no specific planning for this aspect, spirituality is woven into several areas of learning. For example, the pupils express wonderment as the teacher demonstrates the capacity of the computer in a word processing lesson. During school assemblies a candle is lit to focus pupils’ attention during times of prayer. In one assembly, the pupils were delighted as a group appeared in a Chinese dragon outfit as part Adwick Washington Infant School - 15 of the theme of 'traditions'. There are good links with the local church and visiting clergy regularly take assemblies.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26 The provision for pupils’ moral development is very good. There is a strong moral code, which is part of the fabric of the school and is implicit in the expectations teachers have of their pupils. Class targets are discussed and displayed and the school promotes a strong sense of trust together with honesty, fairness and respect for others. Staff treat all pupils fairly and with respect, setting a good example for them to follow. Pupils are clearly able to distinguish between right and wrong behaviour. They are given opportunities to reflect on and discuss inappropriate behaviour both in the classroom and at circle time. The ‘golden assembly’ rewards academic and personal achievements both in and out of school.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27 Arrangements for pupils’ social development are very good. Pupils are encouraged to help each other, particularly during lessons. Circle time provides opportunities for pupils to listen with care and to respect each other’s perceptions. There are good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility for tasks in their classrooms and around the school. Relationships in lessons are very good, with boys and girls working together quite naturally. There are frequent planned opportunities for pupils to work and discuss together in pairs and small groups in many subjects. There is a good response to collections and charities.

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28 Provision for pupils’ cultural development is good. In assemblies, they look at a variety of traditions including Hogmanay. Pupils are helped to develop a sense of their own cultural identity, for instance through visitors from the local community. The school is active in music and dance and pupils can name a wide variety of music ranging from the Beatles to Mozart. Works of famous artists can be seen around the school and pupils’ work is valued and framed to contribute to a display in the entrance area. Different aspects of culture, both past and present, are reinforced through literacy and history lessons, supported by some visits, for example to the local church and to a museum. Visits by an Asian musician enable pupils to discover aspects of other cultures. They learn to look respectfully at customs other than their own, for instance, when they learn about Festivals of Light in religious education. The

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

school is planning to arrange visits to a mosque and a temple to extend the pupils’ cultural development.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29 The previous inspection report judged provision for pupils’ welfare and guidance to be satisfactory. The school has improved and now has very good arrangements for the care and protection of its pupils. The school provides a safe, caring and attractive environment which has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. The staff know and support the pupils well and very good relationships exist throughout the school. Health and safety procedures are very good. There is a good draft policy awaiting adoption by the governing body and the daily practice is very good. Pupils are encouraged to consider their own safety and that of others. This is clearly reflected in the manner in which they conduct themselves. For example in a design and technology lesson pupils used scissors, glue and staplers very sensibly when making Chinese dragons. The arrangements for child protection are good. There is an appropriate

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

policy that provides suitable guidance for all staff. Regular meetings ensure that all adults in school have a good level of awareness.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30 The procedures for assessing and monitoring pupils’ academic and personal progress are very good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Pupils’ personal development and progress are regularly assessed and recorded and this provides a good base for the setting of personal targets for pupils and for sharing them with parents through home-school books and at consultation events. Throughout the school and the nursery, staff use a variety of tests and assessments to see how well pupils are progressing in each Adwick Washington Infant School - 16 subject. They analyse this information very well in order to set targets for the school and to plan the next stages of learning effectively. For example, assessment information has been used very well to raise the standards in science. Pupils’ individual records include samples of work and detailed records which allow the school to track carefully the progress of each

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

child, to identify areas of difficulty and to set clear targets for improvement. This information is shared with the pupils and with their parents on a regular basis. Assessment is used effectively to set targets for pupils with special educational needs and to draw up their individual education plans.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31 The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very good. There is an effective system of rewards and clear rules that are well understood by all. The emphasis placed upon praise is very effective in promoting good behaviour in lessons and in boosting self-confidence and pride in all pupils. There are good procedures for monitoring and eliminating oppressive behaviour. Incidents are rare and pupils are involved in appropriate discussion in circle time. Parents are provided with clear information about the school’s behaviour and bullying policies.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32 The procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good. The school meets with statutory requirements and the administrative arrangements are efficient. Attendance is closely monitored and swift action taken to investigate absences. The school is well supported by the Education Welfare Service and works with the service to encourage all the parents to fully appreciate the benefits of good attendance and punctuality.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

33 The partnership with parents is very good and a strength of the school.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

34 The parents' views of the school are very positive. Parents are very appreciative of all that the school provides. They are especially pleased with the happiness of their children when at school, the good behaviour that the school promotes and the way in which their children are helped to become mature and responsible. Parents feel that the teaching is good and that the school has high expectations. They have expressed their support for the leadership and management of the school and appreciation for recent changes and initiatives. No areas of concern have been raised and the inspection findings fully support all the positive views of parents.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

35 The school has developed very effective links and good relationships with the parents. They are welcomed into the school and nursery at the start and finish of each day. This provides a good opportunity for teachers and parents to exchange information on a daily basis. The school provides good opportunities for parents to take part in school life and to be effective partners in their children’s education. They are invited to assemblies and various special events to give them insight into the work that their children are doing, including, for example, the annual events that take place to mark the National Science Week and World Book Day. Parents have welcomed the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the work their children do through attending a course on the National Literacy Strategy.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36 The impact of parents' involvement on the work of the school is good. A number of parents and carers help in the classrooms on a regular basis. This valuable support has a positive impact upon pupils’ learning because they have more adult attention. Other parents offer their help by supporting the Friends’ Association which provides the school with welcome additional resources. The school has identified the involvement of parents in the work of the school and their children’s education as an area for further development and has plans to encourage even greater involvement of more parents. Adwick Washington Infant School - 17 37 The quality of the information provided for parents is very good. The school brochure, governors' report and newsletters are very well written and keep parents well informed about the life of the school. The school produces a variety of clear and informative booklets about

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

different aspects of life in the nursery and school. Information about pupils’ work and progress is given in good quality written reports and through regular consultation events. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection. Written reports offer clear information about the work that pupils have done and their achievements. Areas of difficulty are clearly identified and targets for the future are given both here and more frequently in the home-school books. The school gives parents very detailed information about the work that pupils will be doing in the coming weeks in order to allow them to offer appropriate support at home.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38 The contribution that parents make to their children’s learning at home and at school is good. Homework is well supported in the nursery and throughout the school and this has a beneficial effect upon pupils’ learning. Parents are well informed about the purpose and requirements of homework and they make good use of home-school books to record the work that has been done at home. Parents feel that the school has high expectations for their children and many parents are clearly committed to supporting this. However the low levels of attendance at school overall show that not all parents share this same commitment and this is why the school is working to improve links with parents and carers.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

39 Leadership and management are very good. The previous report gives no overall judgement on the quality of leadership so improvement since then cannot be easily judged. The headteacher and the governors have a very clear vision for making the school the best they can. The headteacher has identified the priorities for improving the school and laid the foundations for those improvements. Consequently standards are already beginning to improve. The head has identified already all the key issues arising from this inspection and had begun to address them through the school strategic plan before the inspection began. She carried out a full and comprehensive audit of the school when she arrived and arranged for the local education authority to carry out a review to confirm her findings. The head has inspired the confidence of the staff, governors, parents and pupils with the quality of her leadership.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40 Among the early priorities identified by the head was the need to involve staff more fully in the management of the school and to delegate more effectively to those holding posts of responsibility. She has done this so that all the staff feel much more involved in helping to set the overall direction of the school. They contribute to the development of the school strategic plan, have a stronger role in monitoring their subjects and have a subject budget to manage. Both the staff and the headteacher recognise the need to ensure that all those with management posts now receive proper training to enable them to fulfil their management responsibilities effectively. This process has begun but needs to continue so that all staff with management roles become fully effective.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41 The governors are experienced and fully committed to school improvement. They recognise quite clearly their own strengths and areas for development and these are highlighted in the governors’ development plan which forms part of the school strategic plan. This shows that they are fully committed to learning all that they need to know to be able to carry out their job as well as they possibly can. They fulfil their statutory responsibilities very well and are very aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They work very closely with the head and staff to support school developments and to improve their own knowledge and expertise so that they can become increasingly effective. Adwick Washington Infant School - 18 42 The school has a good performance management policy in place and has implemented it effectively so that staff know what their development targets are and how to achieve them. It has a comprehensive system for the induction of newly qualified teachers

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and as a consequence they feel well supported and perform their duties well.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43 The school’s aims are included in the school brochure and demonstrate its commitment to equality of opportunity for all pupils and to developing them all intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally. They are reflected in all the work of the school. The co- ordinator for pupils with special educational needs works diligently managing the team of support assistants together with visiting specialists. Very thorough individual education plans are written and the coordinator and staff arrange regular reviews of the pupils’ needs.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44 The school is good at identifying its priorities and at supporting these in the way it allocates the budget. All grants for specific purposes are properly allocated, for example, to support pupils with special educational needs. The governor' finance committee regularly monitors the budget to ensure that it is on track. There are effective day-to-day budget management systems in place, making effective use of computer systems. The governors have a clear understanding of the need to obtain the best value they can from their spending decisions by challenging the need for the spending in the first place, consulting users on their views, ensuring a competitive price and comparing the school’s performance with that of other schools. All those who hold a budget, including subject co-ordinators need to be mindful of this, and it should be included in any management training that staff receive. Overall the

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45 The school has a satisfactory number of suitably qualified teachers and these are well supported by a good number of hard working and effective support staff. This enables the school to provide good levels of support for pupils in small groups and individually and ensures that the needs of all pupils are well catered for. Support staff are usually deployed very effectively in lessons and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning but occasionally the structure of lessons means that they sit for long periods while the teacher works with the whole class. This is not an efficient use of their time and the school needs to ensure that they are actively involved at all times. The school has plenty of accommodation but needs to be more creative in how this is used in the Foundation Stage to enable the reception children to have access to appropriate outdoor play facilities. Resources for learning are satisfactory for

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

all subjects except for geography where they are unsatisfactory and science where they are good. Adwick Washington Infant School - 19

p.18

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to carry on raising standards the school should:

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Continue to improve provision for children in the Foundation Stage by: (Paragraphs 1, 14, 18, 49, 50, 51, 61, 63, 66)

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Ø Making more imaginative and effective use of the indoor space available and providing outdoor play opportunities for the reception children; Ø Adopting more creative and versatile approaches to organising learning, particularly in the reception classes, to raise all the teaching and learning to the quality of the best.

p.19

wish to consider the following minor issues:

• Build upon the recent re-structuring of management roles and responsibilities by ensuring that all those with management posts receive the training they need to become fully effective in their roles; (Paragraph 40)

p.19

wish to consider the following minor issues:

• Work with parents, carers and education welfare officers to improve levels of attendance, including monitoring the effect of frequent absences on pupils’ ability to do well at school and in the national tests for seven-year-olds; (Paragraph 12)

p.19

wish to consider the following minor issues:

• Regularly review the overall use of time to make sure that all pupils receive at least the recommended teaching time each week. (Paragraph 19) Adwick Washington Infant School - 20

p.19

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 21

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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 two percentage points.

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 30 189

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/a 46

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 1

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5 33

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 19

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Adwick Washington Infant School - 21 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

p.20

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 31 23 54

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 26 26 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 21 20

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 85 (72) 87 (72) 94 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 26 29 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 20 22 19

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 85 (72) 94 (92) 81 (74) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage Black – Caribbean heritage

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage Black – African heritage

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group Other minority ethnic groups

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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. Adwick Washington Infant School - 22 Teachers and classes Financial information

p.21

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.5 Financial year 2000-2001

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.2

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 494854

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 477194

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 192.5 Expenditure per pupil 2273

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 6070

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 23730

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.22

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

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Adwick Washington Infant School - 23 Results of the survey of parents and carers

p.22

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of responses in each category

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child is making good progress in school. 59 39 2 0 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Behaviour in the school is good. 61 39 0 0 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 45 4 0 6

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 46 46 4 0 2

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 24 2 0 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 44 0 0 0

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school works closely with parents. 48 44 2 0 6

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is well led and managed. 59 37 0 0 4

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 56 41 2 0 2

p.23

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 56 41 4 2 32 Adwick Washington Infant School - 24

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

46 The school has significantly improved the leadership of the Foundation Stage since the previous inspection, which has resulted in a more cohesive approach by the teachers and support staff. This, together with an established curriculum and assessment process, ensures that most children make good progress.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

47 Children are admitted to the nursery in the year in which they are three and transfer to one of the three reception classes the following year. Two reception classes provide for most reception children. The third class consists of reception and Year 1 children. Reception children in the mixed age class receive a proper Foundation Stage curriculum.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

48 Children enter the nursery with below average levels of attainment. Overall they make good progress although progress is inconsistent between the reception classes. By the end of the reception year most children have achieved the Early Learning Goals and are at a level of attainment expected for their age, with some achieving above this level. Most children achieve the expected levels in aspects of personal, social and emotional development, communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, in their knowledge and understanding of the world and creative and physical development.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

49 The curriculum provided for these children is satisfactory in that it provides for all areas of learning throughout the Foundation Stage. The nursery staff plan a curriculum which encourages children to learn both indoors and outdoors, covering all areas of learning through a good range of planned activities. Aspects of the Foundation Stage curriculum however are over-directed and controlled. For children in the nursery and for some reception children there are too few opportunities to use resources freely in order to develop their investigative and creative skills or allow them to make choices for themselves. While most Foundation Stage staff use the teaching time effectively and efficiently this was not the case in one reception class during the inspection where valuable teaching time was lost. This results in some reception children having better learning opportunities than others. For example, some planned teaching did not take place, with other activities being substituted

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

which were less demanding. This slows the learning of this group of children. The reception classes do not make the most effective use of the space available within and between the two classrooms to create a truly exciting and dynamic Foundation Stage area. There are also some constraints as this area is used for eating lunch.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

50 Reception children do not have the same access to appropriate outdoor play facilities as the nursery children. However the school has plans to provide an appropriate area when funds become available.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

51 The teaching is good overall. Teaching in the nursery is nearly always good, but teaching in the reception classes varies considerably. While teaching here is always at least satisfactory, the teaching of the Foundation Stage co-ordinator is mostly very good indeed, providing a broad range of experiences that are well matched to the needs of each child. Where teaching is satisfactory, activities are less well focused, resulting in some children making less progress than they might.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

52 The teachers and support staff manage the children well and use praise and encouragement to build their confidence. As a result, relationships between children and adults are good. The children are keen to learn and standards of behaviour are very good. The staff encourage children to think about what they are doing and mostly ask questions Adwick Washington Infant School - 25 which extend children’s learning. The support team make a good contribution to children’s learning, for example in the nursery when they are involved in role-play or telling stories in the library areas. In reception, support staff work effectively with groups or individual children, including those with special educational needs. They make a significant contribution to the children’s learning, playing a prominent role in the good progress made by all Foundation Stage children.

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53 Good assessments are used throughout the Foundation Stage to monitor children’s progress towards the Early Learning Goals. The assessments made at the beginning and end of the nursery year are thorough. Assessments are completed at the beginning and end of the reception year and most assessments are used well to make sure all work planned is taught at the right level for the children’s abilities. Children who require more support or have a special educational need are identified through this very thorough process. Good use is made of on-going daily assessments and these are linked to the staged levels of attainment, known as 'stepping stones', in the planning. In the better lessons, this good practice ensures that children’s work is consistently at the right level for their ability.

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54 The learning environment for children in the nursery and most reception classes is bright and attractive, particularly where teachers spend time displaying children’s work.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

55 Many children enter the nursery class with below average skills in personal, social and emotional development. As a result of good teaching overall, most children make good progress. By the end of the reception year children achieve most of the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning. Although nursery children are encouraged to take responsibility in the way they choose their name badge on arrival and record their visit to the milk table and computer, insufficient emphasis is placed on the development of independence in children’s learning. Throughout the key stage they are not given sufficient opportunities to develop a good level of independence within the classroom and select resources in their activities.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

56 Children feel safe and secure and display a good level of trust in the way they arrive at each session, leaving their parents quite happily. All children behave very well and are clear about what is expected of them throughout the sessions. They concentrate, particularly when the activities are relevant and interesting, and where children are interested and motivated, they work hard.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

57 In circle time all children learn to be aware of their own feelings and listen to others, helped by sensitive teaching.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

58 The teaching of communication, language and literacy is good overall. Many children start from a low base but through mostly good teaching they make good progress. By the end of the reception year children achieve the expected levels of attainment with some children achieving above this level.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

59 In both the nursery and reception classes good opportunities are provided to develop children’s listening and spoken language, particularly as they share their ‘news’ in the nursery and play on ‘Captain Hook’s ship’. Reception children develop their communication skills, pretending in the ‘ice house’, ‘jungle house’ and ‘castle’. The nursery and reception children enjoy stories. Younger children listen to Peter Pan as their ‘theme’ book and enjoy incidental stories told during sessions in small groups. Older children listen enthralled, especially when Adwick Washington Infant School - 26 the teacher is skilful and fires their imagination. This was seen when children listened to a story about ’Stella’, involving a good sense of fun, but with well focused aspects of learning.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

60 Children in the nursery show an interest in books, both in the print and illustrations as they ‘read’ with an adult or on their own in the library area. By the end of the reception year children make good progress in their enjoyment of books. They share books with their teachers and take them home on a regular basis. Children recognise most initial sounds and some can recognise familiar words. More able children understand the effect of blending sounds together and try to use them in their reading. All children take books home on a regular basis and receive good parental support, which is evident in their home-school diaries. Although the style of the National Literacy Strategy is used for lessons in the reception classes, it is adapted to the needs of the children and care is taken to ensure that all work is pitched at the right level. Most teachers plan well for these children.

p.26

Communication, language and literacy

61 In the nursery, children are provided with opportunities to practise their writing. In the reception classes children practise writing in a variety of planned activities. However, there is less opportunity for them to follow up such activities and write informally, such as lists, letters and books when lessons are too structured. Most children form letters of the alphabet correctly and some children make good use of their knowledge of phonics in their spellings. Children confidently operate the computer and tape recorder as they practise their listening and reading skills.

p.26

Mathematical development

62 By the end of the reception year many children reach the expected levels in their mathematical development and some achieve beyond this. Most children make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage as a result of mostly good, well-focused teaching. In the nursery they use everyday situations to compare numbers as they count, for example the days of the month when completing their daily calendar. The mental agility sessions for reception children are used successfully and children make good progress in their understanding of numbers. This is seen in the alert and quick way children answer questions as they identify missing numbers on a hundred square. Most mathematical activities extend children’s learning but in lessons where the activities are insufficiently planned children do not make the progress they should. These children need to experience mathematics in a less formal way that includes more purposeful opportunities for structured play, to promote and

p.26

Mathematical development

develop a wide range of mathematical experiences.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

63 Children make good progress from a low base as they enter the nursery so that by the end of the reception year most have reached the necessary levels in the various aspects of this area of learning. In the nursery children look at and investigate their natural surroundings. They observe the weather and record what they see on a daily calendar. Children are interested and curious as they plant seeds in flower boxes in the nursery garden. Reception children in class 1 describe how ice melts in their warm hands and watch as the ice changes to water. In class 2 children observe change through bubbles but are disadvantaged by being provided with inappropriate tools such as pipe cleaners. In class 3 children are successful in their bubble painting as they observe the changes in shapes, guided by well focused teaching. Overall, children have fewer opportunities to investigate creative materials independently due to the organisation and the way in which all resources

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

are prepared and planned. Children take pride in their finished results such as Captain Hook’s boat, but children are not involved in the selection of resources, encouraged to try their own ideas or given the opportunity to try out tools they may need. Children are confident in the use of computers and tape recorders, which effectively support their learning. Children recall Adwick Washington Infant School - 27 recent events in their news and circle times and talk about their birthdays as special events. All children learn about Christmas as part of their own culture and learn about the cultures of others through experiences such as making Rangoli patterns.

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Physical development

64 Children make good progress in their physical development and by the end of the reception year reach levels that are in line with those expected for children of this age. In the nursery, children have regular access to the garden where they explore, run and play as they control their wheeled toys confidently. Nursery children travel around the hall as they learn to skip, not always being successful in avoiding each other! They further develop these skills in the outside garden area on a daily basis. Reception children climb and balance using the hall apparatus and move with appropriate co-ordination and control.

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Physical development

65 Children learn to use tools such as brushes and scissors in organised lessons, but have few opportunities to use them of their own volition on a regular basis.

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Creative development

66 The children make good progress from a level below that expected for children of this age, as they enter the nursery. By the end of the reception year, children reach most of the Early Learning Goals in this area of learning, except in the development of their creativity and exploration. There are too few creative experiences provided for the nursery children. When these activities are planned they are too closely directed. This is particularly true in art and music. Children are not exposed to sufficient resources in art or music, or given the opportunity to experiment for themselves. There are insufficient opportunities for them to make, paint and draw, or freely try different colours or textures on both a large and small scale. Most reception children make appropriate progress in all areas of their creative development, although some are impeded by the inappropriate resources provided for example, in specific painting activities. Staff provide good experiences in the way children mix

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Creative development

paint to create their own colours but they need additional experiences to develop self- expression. A good feature of one reception class is when music is played as children arrive. Parents and children respond to the calming influence and the music sets a pleasing tone for the day. Children enjoy their sessions singing together, confidently singing songs from memory.

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ENGLISH

67 In the previous inspection, in 1997, standards in English were judged to be in line with the national average. The most recent national test results showed pupils at the end of Key Stage 1 to be in line with standards nationally in reading, and above average in writing. Standards in both reading and writing were well above those found in similar schools. In writing in particular, a significant number of pupils attained the higher levels 2a and 3. This inspection, based on a wider range of evidence than that included in the national tests, indicates that pupils are reaching average standards in all aspects of English. This indicates good progress, especially as test results since the previous inspection, apart from last year, have mainly been below those found nationally. Both boys’ and girls’ results have improved significantly.

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ENGLISH

68 Although many pupils enter nursery with relatively limited skills in speaking and listening they make good progress, and by Year 2 most express themselves with confidence and listen carefully to their teachers. Standards are similar to those found in the majority of schools. Opportunities for speaking and listening are planned in all classes on a regular basis. There is a good focus on role-play, whether through using puppets or in activities such Adwick Washington Infant School - 28 as ‘the garage’. Good use is made of learning support staff and parent helpers to develop pupils’ language, and some teachers plan carefully how this can be extended, for example through suitable questions.

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ENGLISH

69 Pupils in all classes show real interest and enjoyment as they read or share the ‘big books’ with their teacher in the literacy hour. Teachers ask questions that make the pupils both listen and think, for example, ”What will happen now?” or “How does the character feel?”. However, not all teachers encourage pupils to expand their answers from a single word or phrase, so that they answer in complete sentences and engage in a more extended conversation. In shared reading teachers focus on expression as well as accuracy, encouraging the pupils to look for punctuation such as question and exclamation marks.

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ENGLISH

70 Overall standards of reading are average. There is a strong emphasis on phonics throughout the school, and basic reading skills are taught consistently. As a result, most pupils are able to ‘sound out’ unknown words, which helps their reading. It also has a positive effect on their spelling, as most pupils spell unknown or difficult words in a recognisable way, knowing which letters are likely to make the correct sound. Their spelling is less assured when it comes to common words. Many pupils make careless errors in their writing and there is very little evidence of these being corrected by teachers in line with the school’s policy on marking. Spelling homework is set, although pupils of very different abilities sometimes get the same words to learn.

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ENGLISH

71 The books pupils read are chosen for them from the school’s reading scheme. This ensures that they are reading at the correct level of word recognition, but for better readers especially, some of the texts lack interest and excitement. There is no opportunity for pupils to select from a wider range of literature, including non-fiction, allowing them some freedom to follow their own interests and inclinations. Despite this, pupils enjoy reading and are keen to show how well they can manage. Reading diaries list books read, but there is very little comment to say how well the pupil is reading, or what they need to do to improve. Some older pupils have used the school library to choose books to help them with a topic, but many have not, and they have little idea of how it is organised.

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ENGLISH

72 Standards of writing are broadly as expected at this age. Pupils write for an increasing range of purpose and audience as they move through the school, and higher attaining pupils in particular show a good range of vocabulary, especially when writing poetry or when inspired by an exciting stimulus provided by the teacher. Where writing appears to be more of an exercise, or is worksheet based, the standard is lower. Pupils in Year 2 learn to join their letters in writing practice, but are not yet transferring this consistently to their other written work. Handwriting generally is legible and correctly formed, although a large minority of pupils struggle with their presentation.

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ENGLISH

73 Most Year 2 pupils use capital letters and full stops correctly when writing sentences, and higher attaining pupils have a growing awareness of other punctuation such as question, exclamation and speech marks. There is some evidence of teachers making good use of writing opportunities in subjects such as history and religious education, but there is no overall plan to encourage extended writing for a variety of purposes. In science, for example, there are missed opportunities for pupils to experiment with instructional or report writing. Pupils use dictionaries confidently, and good use was made of a visiting author to encourage pupils to see themselves as writers.

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ENGLISH

74 Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in English. This is due to their work being well targeted at their ability level, and to the level and quality of support they receive, not just from teachers but also from some very able and hard-working support staff. Adwick Washington Infant School - 29 75 Pupils’ attitudes to their work are consistently good in lessons, and occasionally very good. They enjoy literacy sessions, especially reading the ‘big books’, which teachers work hard to make fun. Where this happens the level of interest and concentration shown by the whole class is very impressive. Pupils are prepared to listen, as well as participate, and relate well to teachers, support staff, parents and visitors. They behave well when working independently, although some higher attaining pupils could produce more if teachers made their expectations clear. When asked to collaborate with a partner they do so sensibly, and

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ENGLISH

this could be used more widely, especially in discussions.

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ENGLISH

76 Overall teaching is good. Much of the teaching of English seen during the inspection, around 40% of lessons, was very good, but the analysis of pupils’ work suggests that this is not always the case. Teachers plan their literacy lessons well, and tell pupils clearly what they will learn during a lesson. They are not quite as good at getting pupils to consider how well they have learned, although in one class pupils held up between one and five fingers to show how well they understood the lesson. As well as the strengths in planning, teachers are confident when teaching phonics and other basic skills. They manage their pupils very well, combining firmness with lots of humour. Relationships are very good. They have a good knowledge of each pupil’s strengths and what they need to do next. Expectations of work produced could be more demanding at times, as could the use of time overall. Teachers work and plan together with their learning support assistants very well, and the latter make a

p.29

ENGLISH

significant contribution to the pupils’ learning. Occasionally teachers do not make effective use of support assistants in whole class teaching sessions of the literacy hour.

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ENGLISH

77 Leadership and management of English are good. The coordinator for English is keen, enthusiastic and knowledgeable and leads by example. The National Literacy Strategy has been well implemented and is having a positive impact on standards. The school has adequate resources for English including a well stocked and attractive library. Good assessment systems enable teachers to plan work at suitable levels and set targets for pupils. Computers are used effectively to reinforce basic skills like spellings as well as for pupils to word process their work. The subject is in a good position to consolidate and extend its recent improvement.

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MATHEMATICS

78 Standards in mathematics are average by the time the pupils are seven-years-old. This is an improvement since the last inspection when standards were said to be below expectations. In the latest national tests for seven-year-olds, pupils attained standards that were average when compared to all schools. When the results were compared to those of pupils from similar backgrounds the Adwick Washington pupils attained above average standards. Standards in mathematics have risen over recent years and pupils make good progress throughout the school.

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MATHEMATICS

79 By the time they are seven, pupils have a very secure understanding of basic number facts. They count, add, subtract and know some of their tables. They confidently count in tens forwards and backwards and understand the idea that 49 is four tens and nine units. The higher attaining pupils put numbers in the correct order when they are presented as numerals and as words and they know the names and attributes of a wide range of solid shapes. They know the names of the plane shapes that form the faces of the solid shapes. These pupils work confidently with money problems, giving the correct change from purchases. They are confident with fractions and recognise halves and quarters and that one half and one quarter makes three-quarters. They measure accurately in centimetres. Many average and lower attaining pupils tackle similar tasks to those set for the higher attaining ones because they receive very good support from teachers, learning support assistants and

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MATHEMATICS

parent helpers. The work pupils do in Year 2 builds very effectively upon what they learn in Adwick Washington Infant School - 30 Year 1. Here pupils learn basic number facts like pairs of numbers that make ten or twenty. They measure articles using non-standard measurements like pencil lengths and make up given amounts of money from a range of coins. They recognise odd and even numbers and tell the time to the hour and half hour. Most pupils in most classes make good progress in mathematics. They achieve good standards whatever their ability because the school provides good levels of support for them. They are set clear targets for improvement based upon extensive assessment and tracking systems and are given support and encouragement to reach those targets. Targets are set for individuals and for different ability groups and pupils know what their targets are and strive to reach them. This is one of the

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MATHEMATICS

reasons why the school has raised standards and ensured that those capable of gaining the higher level 2a in the national tests for seven-year-olds achieve those levels.

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MATHEMATICS

80 Teaching in mathematics is good. Teachers plan their work well and tell the pupils precisely what they will learn in each lesson. They identify what various ability groups in the class need to know and prepare tasks to help them gain that knowledge. A particular strength of the best lessons is the way teachers and support staff work together. In a Year 1 class, for example, the teacher had prepared a briefing sheet to make sure that the other adults knew what to do and split the class into several groups with an adult for each one. This meant that all the pupils had far more adult attention than would normally be possible. The quality of the work of learning support assistants, particularly with small groups of pupils with special learning needs, ensures that all pupils achieve the best they can in lessons. In a class with Year 1 and Year 2 pupils for example, the learning assistant worked very effectively with the

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MATHEMATICS

Year 2 pupils, leaving the teacher to concentrate on the Year 1 pupils. The learning support assistant coped well with a particularly demanding pupil who was very upset and clearly did not want to work. She not only ensured that he did not disrupt the work of the other pupils but also that he himself produced some worthwhile work. In another lesson, the learning assistant took some of the more able pupils to weigh one another and plot the results on a simple chart, leaving the teacher free to support the other pupils on a range of practical weighing activities. Teachers do not always use the learning assistants as effectively as this, however. In occasional lessons they sit observing for too long when more creative use could be made of their time and expertise. Teachers expect a lot from their pupils. They expect them to pay attention and listen, to concentrate on the tasks they give them, to share

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MATHEMATICS

equipment and work together with minimal teacher support at times and to learn and use proper mathematical terms. As a consequence of setting such high standards pupils are nearly always very enthusiastic in lessons. They are keen to learn but understand that however excited they are about knowing the answer they should not call out. They work very well together and look after the equipment they use very well. They rarely waste time in lessons, concentrating on the work they have to complete. Occasionally teachers take a little too long on the whole class teaching part of a lesson when they could usefully split the class and allow well briefed learning support assistants to follow up a briefer whole class input with a more focused session targeted more closely to a particular ability group.

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MATHEMATICS

81 All pupils make good progress, including those with special educational needs and the most able, because the school has such comprehensive systems for assessing and tracking pupils’ progress and setting specific targets for them to achieve. Assessments of children when they enter the nursery show that their knowledge and understanding of mathematics is below that expected. Because of the good teaching and support they receive at the Foundation Stage and in Years 1 and 2 they reach average standards overall by the time they are seven with a good proportion attaining beyond the expected levels for their age.

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MATHEMATICS

82 The National Numeracy Strategy is well established and has helped to raise standards since it began. All teachers follow the recommended structure. They also emphasise correct mathematical terms so that they are extending pupils’ vocabulary. By giving pupils pair and group work they encourage them to develop their speaking, listening Adwick Washington Infant School - 31 and social skills, like sharing and taking turns. Computers are well used to reinforce basic skills through simple number exercises that also help to develop pupils’ understanding and expertise of ICT and skills in mental calculation.

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MATHEMATICS

83 The co-ordinator for mathematics leads the subject very well. She looks at teachers’ planning and observes lessons to check on the quality of provision. She analyses assessment information to check for any gaps in knowledge and understanding and to find areas for the school to develop to raise standards. She has devised a mathematics action plan showing the priorities for development based upon her analysis of standards. This action plan is encompassed in the whole school development plan.

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SCIENCE

84 Standards were said to be in line with expectations at the time of the last inspection. The pupils currently in Year 2 are achieving average standards. Analysis of the standards achieved in recent years shows that they have been well below average so current standards represent a considerable improvement on those achieved in the recent past. Raising standards in science has been a school priority. Looking at pupils’ work, and talking to them, indicates that the recent changes the school has made to its science curriculum and assessment procedures, together with strong leadership and more informed teaching, are having a positive effect. As a result, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of science is improving significantly.

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SCIENCE

85 The school plans science using national guidelines, adapted where necessary for the mixed ages in classes. This way of planning is still very new, and more thought needs to be given as to how much is planned into a single lesson, as on occasion there is too much content for the time available and other subject time is used to complete a lesson. Teachers do not use science lessons effectively to develop pupils’ literacy skills and there is too little emphasis on handwriting, spelling and presentation and too much on the use of worksheets. More opportunities could be planned for practical applications of numeracy and information technology, especially in the presentation of results. On occasions there is insufficient time for pupils to record their results and evaluate them at the end of a lesson.

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SCIENCE

86 Most Year 2 pupils have a good understanding of materials and their properties. They describe them using suitable language such as ‘hard’, ‘soft’ and ‘bendy’, and sort them into different types such as glass, wood or metal. Looking at their work and talking to them indicates that they are covering all aspects of science, have a suitable level of knowledge and understanding and carry out a number of experiments, understanding the importance of a ‘fair test’. They describe plants using vocabulary such as ‘stem’ and ‘root’, and know how plants live and reproduce. They describe changes caused by heating and cooling different materials, and know that some can be reversed while others cannot. Pupils explain how objects move and slow down in terms of a push and pull and more able pupils use the terms ‘force’ and ‘friction’. However, as nearly all science recording is based on worksheets, older pupils in particular have too few opportunities to write at any length about their discoveries.

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SCIENCE

87 In conversation, pupils demonstrate a good grasp of the different aspects of science, but this is less evident from the work in their folders. While they describe experiments they have carried out and know both the purpose and the result, there is very little evidence of older pupils being challenged to choose their own resources and set up their own experiments. This is a missed opportunity to encourage enquiry skills and develop real scientific thinking. The exception to this is in class 3 where pupils select their own resources and work to a good level of scientific understanding. Adwick Washington Infant School - 32 88 Pupils with special educational needs, as well as lower attaining pupils, make good progress overall. The work they are asked to do usually offers a suitable challenge and they are well supported by both teaching and non-teaching staff.

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SCIENCE

89 The teaching of science is good overall. It is never less than satisfactory and there are also examples of very good and excellent teaching in both year groups. Teachers plan thoroughly and have a good grasp of the scientific ideas they are teaching. Most teachers use accurate scientific vocabulary and encourage pupils to do the same. Relationships are good and teachers manage pupils well, having high expectations of behaviour. They use questions effectively to encourage pupils to think for themselves, but more opportunities could be provided for pupils to discuss problems in pairs or small groups so that all pupils are involved and speaking and listening skills are developed alongside scientific understanding. Teachers use written assessments following each unit of work to judge progress and to improve future teaching and learning. Teachers make lessons interesting so that pupils are enthusiastic

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SCIENCE

about science and enjoy the subject. Consequently they behave well, pay attention and listen sensibly.

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SCIENCE

90 The coordinator has revised the curriculum in line with national guidelines. This ensures coverage of all aspects of science as well as revisiting them at regular intervals so that all pupils can build on prior knowledge and understanding. She monitors the quality of pupils’ experiences by looking at books and teachers’ planning, and plans to observe teaching as science is one of the school’s target areas for development. Teachers’ confidence has improved and they are well supported in their lesson planning by the co- ordinator who acts as an excellent role model. Resources are well organised and the profile of science has been raised, particularly through the annual ‘science weeks’.

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ART AND DESIGN

91 No art lessons were seen during the inspection and judgements are based upon a scrutiny of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils and staff. Overall standards of the work seen during the inspection show art to be well above expectations. Pupils achieve very high standards in drawing, painting and modelling. Standards have been maintained since the previous inspection when they were said to be well above expectations.

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ART AND DESIGN

92 Pupils throughout the school take great care in their drawings and paintings. When they draw natural objects like pieces of wood or bark in Year 2, for instance, they look very closely at the shape and texture of the material. They use lines and pattern to represent the texture and grain of the wood. Drawings show meticulous attention to detail. These pupils have also drawn pictures of small animals, birds and feathers, and each picture shows the same attention to detail, to shape and pattern and texture. This illustrates a very clear emphasis on learning basic skills like close observation and pencil control. The pupils also take great care when painting so that in their tree studies throughout the school they have painted real trees branching from their trunks into ever-smaller boughs, branches and twigs. They are beginning to appreciate perspective so that fences in some of these paintings can

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ART AND DESIGN

be seen to be receding into the distance. Their skill in mixing precise colours and shades was shown in the autumn trees of the pupils in Year 2 when they painted the leaves in an array of shades as though they had caught the autumn sunlight. The trunks of these trees were painted beautifully in a wide range of shades of brown to catch the texture of the bark. Other classes had portrayed trees in winter scenes using paint or charcoal and chalk and adding snow covered houses in some cases. Again the perspective and scale of the paintings, the care taken with details like windows and doors, for example, show a level of maturity and sophistication not normally seen at this age in most schools. Adwick Washington Infant School - 33 93 As no lessons were seen definitive judgements on teaching and learning cannot be made from first hand evidence. However the results on display point to very good teaching and learning throughout the school with a good emphasis on basic skills. In discussion with

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ART AND DESIGN

pupils they said they enjoyed art but they felt they did not do it often enough. They particularly mentioned how much they liked drawing the various stuffed animals and birds from the school’s collection. Their comments and the care they have taken over their paintings and drawings point to real enthusiasm for art. They clearly make very good progress and learn a lot about how to represent what they see. They build upon earlier learning in a structured way as the tree studies show. They also create pictures and patterns using computer programs.

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ART AND DESIGN

94 The school has a good collection of well-displayed prints of famous paintings and these enable the pupils to appreciate great works of art. However there are few examples of art from other cultures and these would further enhance provision. The co-ordinator monitors standards in art by looking at the pupils’ work and displays on a regular basis and has a comprehensive collection of photographs of pupils’ artwork over several years to ensure that standards are maintained.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

95 Standards in DT are in line with those normally found in Year 2. Pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress as they move through the school, building on what they have learned earlier in a systematic and structured way. Standards appear to be much the same as at the time of the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

96 Year 2 pupils make models having planned and designed them first. They make simple drawings and plans of what the model will look like and think of ways to join the various pieces together. For example they make simple wheeled vehicles out of waste materials and include simple circuits with batteries and bulbs. They use tape, glue and split pins to fasten the various bits together. Pupils say they always have to plan what they are going to make and evaluate how successful they have been when the model is finished. They make puppets using papier-mâché and balloons for the heads. In pasting the newspaper to the balloon pupils take great care to smooth down all the edges as the teacher instructs. They learn to plait string to make hair for their puppets and work very well together in pairs to help each other with this task. They concentrate very hard on the tasks, taking great care and showing great patience and perseverance. Year 1 pupils make Chinese dragons by folding

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

lengths of paper together. Others learn to weave although many find this very difficult and do not appreciate the need to alternate each strip to give the woven pattern. They show appropriate manipulative skills for pupils of this age.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

97 Teaching overall is good on the basis of the two lessons seen. Teachers show pupils basic skills in model making and give them the opportunity and encouragement to practise their manipulative skills. They make good use of adult helpers to oversee small groups so that they get extra support. For example the group of Year 2 pupils making puppet heads worked with a work experience student from the secondary school, leaving the teacher to focus on those plaiting string for the hair. Consequently both groups achieved good levels of success with no mess. Year 1 pupils had the support of learning support assistants and parents to help with the tricky task of weaving. Pupils enjoy their design work because, although the tasks are challenging at times, they are well supported. Consequently they work very hard, behave very well and tidy up efficiently at the ends of sessions. The good levels of support mean that all pupils are able to succeed.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY (DT)

98 The school has a satisfactory scheme of work for DT and is currently reviewing and revising it to ensure that it provides the best for the pupils. There is little formal monitoring of standards or teaching and learning, although the co-ordinator does take photographs of Adwick Washington Infant School - 34 finished models. There is no evidence of the use of computers to support DT. Literacy skills are developed in planning models and noting what materials will be used and through evaluating how successful each project has been. There is less evidence of numeracy skills being developed and the school could usefully look at ways of doing this, perhaps through more need to measure accurately in design projects.

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GEOGRAPHY

99 Standards of attainment in geography are below expectations by the end of Year 2. This represents a fall in standards since the previous inspection. The subject is taught in ‘blocked’ units; therefore only a limited amount of evidence was available. One short lesson was seen in Year 2, together with a small amount work in this year’s topic books. Judgements are therefore based mainly on speaking to pupils in Year 2.

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GEOGRAPHY

100 Pupils remember studying some aspects of the school’s immediate locality while in Year 1, but are very vague as to the purpose of their investigation. They know what a globe is and how to use it but do not remember drawing any plans or maps, although they have looked at a map in history when learning about Grace Darling. They attempt to use compass points but with little understanding, and are unsure of the regions which make up the British Isles. Pupils’ attainment is limited by their lack of geographical vocabulary and the way in which the curriculum is organised. Insufficient time is allowed to teach the subject within the existing timetable and the infrequency of lessons prevents learning from being consolidated. This, together with insufficient pupil assessment, results in assumptions being made concerning pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Progress for all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is unsatisfactory. There are insufficient links made with literacy or

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GEOGRAPHY

numeracy and the use of ICT is planned for but not yet established.

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GEOGRAPHY

101 Current planning is based on national guidelines but the long-term plans do not ensure that pupils have geography often enough to build upon previous learning as they move through the school. The co-ordinator has, however, identified the need to teach the units of work more frequently in order to consolidate pupils’ learning. The co-ordinator aims to monitor planning more closely in both year groups. Resources are insufficient and need improving and updating. The link the school has developed with the crew of an oil rig in the North Sea is a good feature, but pupils are not aware of it in geographical terms.

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HISTORY

102 Standards of attainment are broadly average by the time pupils are seven. As the previous inspection report judged standards to be above expectations this represents an apparent decline in standards since the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

103 History receives the same curriculum time allocation as geography but the units of work are taught more frequently and historical information is gained through other subjects, for example in literacy sessions. This results in higher standards in history than in geography.

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HISTORY

104 In discussion with Year 2 pupils they display an appropriate sense of time and are able to provide approximate time scales when discussing events in the past or linking dates to objects. For example, pupils provide good ideas concerning the differences between the past and present, especially in their own lives; saying that “children’s bikes didn’t have stabilisers” and “children went to bed early and had no choice of food”. Pupils relate to time in terms of last year in school and sequence events in their own lives quite readily. Stories from the past are enthusiastically relayed by the pupils in discussion. They know that books and museums are good ways of finding out about the past as well as asking older people about Adwick Washington Infant School - 35 past events. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported in lessons, particularly in their writing activities, and so make good progress.

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HISTORY

105 Teaching and learning are good overall. Lessons are never less than satisfactory and some teaching is very good. The pupils are attentive and behave very well in lessons. When the teaching is very good the drama of the story enthrals them and they retain the historical facts very well. This was seen in the lessons about the life of Grace Darling and her daring sea rescue. Pupils were fully involved and responded with ‘oos’ and ahs’ at the appropriate points in the story. Pupils work very well together, sharing ideas and discussing elements of the story in small groups as they write in various styles, recording relevant events.

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HISTORY

106 The management and planning for history are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is developing a long-term plan to adapt the national guidelines to ensure pupils build effectively on their learning as they progress through the school and that sufficient time is given to history. This review is also intended to produce assessment systems to enable teachers to check the progress pupils make in a more structured and systematic way. Sufficient resources are available. Although there is some use of ICT in history at the present time it is not widespread and opportunities are missed in developing skills and knowledge in both areas. Adwick Washington Infant School - 36

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

107 Overall standards in ICT are in line with those to be expected of pupils in Year 2. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when standards were below expectations. Pupils use computers to reinforce basic literacy and numeracy skills through exercises and games on spelling, phonics, solving simple number problems, matching shapes and reading. They use them with the support of learning assistants as well as independently.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

108 Alongside this use of computers to reinforce learning in other subjects pupils learn ICT skills through direct teaching and practising what they have been taught. For example, they learn to word process their work. In Year 2, the higher attaining pupils learn to move text around the screen, to alter the size of the writing, the font being used, the colour of the text and how to create particular effects like headlines. They learn how to choose the exact shade of a colour and how to save this new colour so that they can use it for future work. They know that the computers are set to automatically produce a font called Arial unless they choose a different one. Alongside the technical ICT skills they also learn the appropriateness of particular fonts for the kind of writing they are doing. For example a pupil commented that one font was good for “spooky” writing but not for a headline about Grace Darling. Average and

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

below average Year 2 pupils learn how to give instructions to produce a square on the computer screen by typing in the number of paces and the direction of turns that the cursor needs to make. This builds effectively upon work in the reception and Year 1 classes where the pupils learn to program the Roamer to make it move in a particular direction. Year 1 pupils know that some machines and toys work by remote control and learn how to use adventure programs that require them to consider the possible consequences of decisions they are asked to make. These lessons build very effectively upon the work the school does in social and personal development through circle time. Pupils in Year 2 know how to import graphics to illustrate their writing and demonstrated this by using some Christmas pictures to illustrate some writing they did in December.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

109 Teaching of ICT is good overall and this has contributed to the improved standards since the last inspection. Teachers are confident with the programs they teach the pupils to use. They use learning support assistants very effectively to support small groups who are reinforcing what they have been taught. Teachers balance the need to teach ICT skills with the need to make effective use of the equipment during the day. Consequently pupils are often to be seen working independently on computers in the shared areas, making effective use of the headphones to avoid disturbing other pupils. Teachers expect a lot from their pupils. They teach at cracking pace, as in the word processing lesson at Year 2, and the pupils thoroughly enjoy the challenge. They listen attentively, contribute their ideas and are really awe struck by what the computer will allow them to do. Teachers choose programs that interest and engage pupils so that they become absorbed in their work. They also ensure

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

that, when pupils work independently outside the classroom on computers, they are not left there so long that they miss out on activities inside the classroom. They take great care to ensure that all pupils receive equal opportunities. For example, the records of pupils’ progress in one class show that lower attaining pupils need support in saving and retrieving their work while the higher attaining pupils do so independently. Consequently all pupils including those with special educational needs make good progress in their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

110 The school has forged a link with the workers on an oil-rig in the North Sea and the pupils and workers regularly e-mail each other with their news. The Year 2 pupils thoroughly enjoy receiving news of the rig and telling the workers there what they have been doing in school recently. Adwick Washington Infant School - 37 111 The co-ordinator for ICT looks at teachers’ planning but does not yet observe lessons to check on the quality of teaching. She is currently reviewing the scheme of work and matching it to the national guidelines for ICT.

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MUSIC

112 Overall standards in music remain satisfactory, as they were at the time of the last inspection. However pupils’ singing ability is above average in Year 2, due to the high quality of the teaching provided by the music coordinator. No music lessons taken by class teachers were seen, so other judgements are based on teachers’ planning, a little previous recorded work and talking to pupils, especially those in the Year 2 classes. These suggest that other aspects of music such as composing, recording, performing and appreciating are broadly in line with expectations.

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MUSIC

113 Pupils sing with visible enthusiasm and pleasure, whether in lessons or when singing hymns for assembly. They know the words to many songs, and pupils in Year 1 deal confidently with spirituals such as ‘Hand me down my silver trumpet, Gabriel’, which involve complex lyrics and phrasing. This challenge to fit in the words makes a positive contribution to pupils’ speaking skills in an atmosphere they enjoy. The great majority sing in tune and in time, and are able to demonstrate both the ‘pulse’ and the rhythm of the songs they sing, either by clapping or using instruments such as tambourines.

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MUSIC

114 Singing takes place every week in the hall as a year group, and the good number of pupils contributes to the volume and atmosphere. The teaching is positive and enthusiastic, demonstrating good knowledge of both the subject and the pupils. Relationships are very good and lessons are full of pace and humour. As a result all pupils make good progress, with clear benefits to the confidence of those with special needs. They acquire new skills while consolidating those already learned.

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MUSIC

115 Discussions with Year 2 pupils showed them to have a fair knowledge of different types of music and composers, ranging from Mozart to the Beatles. They listen to music before and after assembly each day, where it is not just treated as a background but discussed with, and explained to the pupils. Where possible it is linked to assembly themes such as ‘tradition’. They name and describe a variety of percussion, but are much less confident with tuned instruments such as glockenspiels or xylophones. They are uncertain when asked about playing with others, composing a tune or recording their work on paper so someone else can play it. At present the school does not make use of information and communication technology, where pupils can use published programs to write tunes, amend them and play them back on the computer.

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MUSIC

116 The coordinator brings both expertise and enthusiasm to music, as well as the ability to play the piano standing up so she can still see the pupils. Where she is directly involved the standards are high and, just as important, the pupils really enjoy music and benefit greatly. The challenge for the school is to spread this attitude and approach to other areas of the music curriculum, as well as ensuring that pupils have access to the full range of music making.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

117 At the time of the previous inspection standards in physical education were judged to be sound in all three aspects of gymnastics, dance and games. Only gymnastics lessons were seen in the course of this inspection, so there is no evidence to indicate current standards in dance and games. Standards reached by pupils in gymnastics are judged to be above national expectations, indicating good improvement since the last inspection. Planning Adwick Washington Infant School - 38 for the aspects not seen is thorough and based on a scheme of work produced by the local authority, suggesting that previous standards have been at least maintained.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118 The majority of pupils in Year 1 show good control in their movements. Almost all show great confidence when working on the apparatus, climbing and travelling at different heights and in various directions. Where pupils are less confident, teachers are aware and offer good levels of support and encouragement, as do their classmates. While performing to a good standard, pupils are less adept at following the teacher’s instructions and intentions, tending rather to set their own agenda as they challenge themselves against the apparatus, even though teachers frequently emphasise the lesson’s objectives. Year 2 pupils in a similar lesson make better progress as they listen more carefully to what the teacher expects and try to put it into practice. They are inventive when finding different ways of travelling, and are clearly used to this way of working as they explore skills of balance and reproduce simple

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119 The quality of teaching is consistently good. Teachers have very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, and their response indicates that this is normal practice. Relationships are friendly and positive. Lessons are very quiet, which helps pupils to concentrate and improve their skills. This also means that little time is wasted. Listening skills develop as they follow instructions, especially the Year 2 pupils. Warming up before lessons, as well as cooling down at the end, is featured by all teachers and is of good quality, with pupils being encouraged to understand the importance and benefits of the practice.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120 Setting up the apparatus for the whole afternoon has benefits in that time is used productively, but it does not necessarily support the skills that teachers are trying to develop or give pupils the chance to set it up under the teacher's direction. Lesson planning needs to be looked at more carefully to make sure that the apparatus chosen will underpin the teachers’ intentions. There are also times when teachers could define more carefully the exact achievement they are looking for, such as how long a position needs to be held to count as a balance. Pupils are expected to operate with a good degree of independence, which the great majority do. Teachers also make good use of exemplars by asking pupils to watch good practice: asking them to make positive comments about the strengths of each other’s work would extend this.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121 The coordinator is enthusiastic and sets a good example in her teaching. Resources for games, such as small apparatus, are good, but more mats are needed for gymnastics so that pupils can practise floor work in comfort and safety.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

122 The previous inspection judged standards to be above those expected nationally. It was only possible to see two religious education lessons in the current inspection, one of which was very brief. Judgements are based on these, on looking at planning and pupils’ work, and talking to pupils and teachers. On this evidence standards are now in line with expectations, indicating that previous standards have not been maintained, although pupils’ knowledge and understanding of Christianity is generally good. Pupils’ knowledge of other faiths, however, is limited.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123 The school is planning from national guidelines, adapted where necessary to fit in with the locally agreed syllabus and the school’s perceived needs. Pupils’ knowledge is patchy. For example, although the school teaches pupils about the Sikh religion, those in Year 2 could tell the inspectors little about it. Another example is when pupils talk about the festival of Divali, saying that it is connected with light and that part of the celebration involves lighting candles. However, they also think it is a Chinese (or possibly Scottish or German) festival. Adwick Washington Infant School - 39 They do not appreciate the significance of light and darkness in this instance. However, they do realise that in assembly the lighted candle is there ‘so you can ask God for nice things’.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124 Pupils in a Year 1 class know about the rituals involved in Christian christening, and some remember the local vicar coming to school to demonstrate these to them. The teacher makes good use of visual aids, including photographs and a christening candle. Some pupils talk about christenings of siblings and cousins they have attended. A few understand that the ceremony is to celebrate ‘new life’, and that it is a matter of choice: not everyone is christened. However, the opportunity to gain further knowledge through discussion is overtaken by the pupils’ interest in the articles they are passing round, and the lesson is too short for the teacher to change direction.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125 In Year 2, higher attaining pupils enjoy a very good lesson on the stories told by Jesus. They have a good knowledge of these stories, as do the pupils in the other Year 2 class, talking as they do about the ‘cleansing of the temple’ and the ‘good Samaritan’. They understand that Jesus told these stories to help people to understand God’s wishes, and to give them advice on how to behave and treat other people. This helps them to make the connection between religion and morality. They clearly understand the concept of ‘forgiveness’, and can relate to the feelings of all three characters in the ‘good Samaritan’. The lesson makes a good contribution to pupils’ social and moral development, as well as to their speaking and listening skills. There are good displays of their visit to St Laurence’s Church and the work they did in connection with this.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

126 The coordinator has appropriate plans to develop the subject, which include a wider programme of visits and visitors, particularly to increase pupils’ knowledge and understanding of other faiths. There is a basic collection of artefacts, supported by some good posters.

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