Netley Abbey Infant School

SCHOOL

Westwood Road Netley Abbey Southampton SO31 5EL

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SCHOOL

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. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school.

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SCHOOL

Under the Education (Schools) Act 1992 and the Education Act 1993, 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. School name: Netley Abbey Infant School Inspecti on start date: 08/11/99

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Westwood Road Netley Abbey Southampton SO31 5EL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors:Mr Clifford Simpkins

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection:15 April 1996

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

David Gott Reporting Inspector Mathematics Physical education Attainment and progress Teaching Leadership and management Ian Massey Science Religious education Geography History Curriculum and assessment Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Equal opportunities Sue Burgess Lay Inspector Attitudes, behaviour and personal development Attendance Support, guidance and pupils’ welfare Partnership with parents and the community Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Rebecca Matthews English Information technology Art Design and technology Music Areas of learning for children under five Special educational needs The inspection contractor was:

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Hampshire County Council Education Department - OFSTED Office Clarendon House Romsey Road Winchester SO22 5PW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE

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Main findings

What the school does well Where the school has weaknesses How the school has improved since the last inspection Standards in subjects Quality of teaching Other aspects of the school The parents' views of the school

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Introduction

Characteristics of the school 1 - 7 Key indicators

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Educational standards achieved by pupils at the school

Attainment and progress 8 - 20 Attitudes, behaviour and personal development 21 - 23 Attendance 24 - 26

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Quality of education provided

Teaching 27 - 35 The curriculum and assessment 36 - 43 Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 44 - 48 Support, guidance and pupils' welfare 49 - 52 Partnership with parents and the community 53 - 58

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The management and efficiency of the school

Leadership and management 59 - 65 Staffing, accommodation and learning resources 66 - 70 The efficiency of the school 71 - 75

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PART B: CURRICULUM AREAS AND SUBJECTS

Areas of learning for children under five 76 - 84

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Core subjects

English 85 - 94 Mathematics 95 - 99 Science 100 - 106 Information technology 107 - 113 Religious education 114 - 117

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Other subjects

Art 118 - 120 Design and technology 121 - 125 Geography 126 - 128 History 129 - 132 Music 133 - 135 Physical education 136 - 141

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PART C: INSPECTION DATA

Summary of inspection evidence 142 - 143

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What the school does well

• . By the end of Key Stage 1, the proportion of children attaining higher levels in the national tests is above the national average. • . The governors, headteacher and school management team provide clear educational direction for the work of the school. Staff work effectively as a team to implement the school’s aims and values, and promote a positive ethos for learning. • . The provision made for children with special educational needs and for those under five is very good. • . There is a high proportion of good teaching. It is particularly good in the reception classes. • . The children’s behaviour, relationships with others, and their personal development are very good and they have good attitudes to learning. • . There is very good partnership with parents, which has a positive effect on the quality of education provided. • . The school makes very good provision for the welfare and guidance of all children.

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What the school does well

Provision for moral and social development is very good. • . The efficiency of financial control and school administration is good, and the school provides good value for money.

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Where the school has weaknesses

I. Standards achieved in information technology are below the national expectation by the age of seven. II. The provision of children’s spiritual development is unsatisfactory. III.Financial costing of strategic planning. IV. There are inconsistencies in the application of good aspects of teaching, in Key Stage 1.

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weaknesses. However, the weaknesses will form the basis of the governors’

action plan, which will be sent to all parents or guardians at the school.

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

The school has overcome most of the weaknesses pointed out in the last inspection. For example, there have been significant improvements in children's progress and standards, particularly for higher-attaining children in numeracy, reading, and science, and, with the exception of this year, in writing. Policy documentation, team planning and subject schemes of work are more effective. Very good procedures are now in place for the assessment of children's attainment and progress across the school. The assessments are used well to support curriculum planning, school targets, and to set performance targets for individual children. There is a further need to develop greater accuracy and consistency in the use of assessments for setting daily tasks that match and challenge the abilities of all children. There is a thorough curriculum plan in geography, with detailed topics and skills to be taught each year. The provision for

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How the school has improved since the last inspection

children's cultural development is now satisfactory. However, the policy for this aspect requires further development. The capacity for the school to improve further is very good.

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Standards in subjects

The table shows the standards achieved by seven-year-olds in 1999 based on the National Curriculum tests:

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similar schools

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

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similar schools

This table shows, for example, that standards in reading are above the national average and above those of similar schools. Standards in mathematics, overall, are broadly in line with the national average and the average for similar schools. However, the proportion of children who attained the higher grades in mathematics is above the national average and above average for similar schools. Standards in writing in 1999 are below the national average and below those of similar schools. However, in the daily work of the current Year 2 children, standards in writing are broadly in line with the national average. Over the previous three years, standards in writing in the national tests were above the national average and in line with the average of similar schools. Early indications are that 1999 results in writing are a dip within an otherwise positive trend and standards are now improving. Standards in religious education are

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similar schools

satisfactory in meeting the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. By the age of seven, children’s standards in information technology are below the national expectation. Most children start in reception class with literacy and numeracy skills that are below the county average. They make good progress and enter Key Stage 1 having achieved the national expectation for their age.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 - 7 years

English good good Mathematics good good Science satisfactory Information technology unsatisfactory Religious education insufficient evidence Other activities very good satisfactory

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Teaching in Under 5 5 - 7 years

Throughout the school, teaching is at least satisfactory in 96% of lessons observed. In three out of five lessons, teaching is at least good, and in one out of eight lessons it is very good. In reception year, the teaching of children under five is at least satisfactory in all lessons observed. In nine out of ten lessons, teaching is good, and in one out of three, it is very good. In Key Stage 1, teaching is at least satisfactory in 96% of lessons observed. In a half of all lessons, teaching is good and in one out of ten lessons it is very good. Unsatisfactory teaching in information technology is judged in relation to the unsatisfactory progress children make in this subject throughout Key Stage 1, and the standards achieved by the age of seven which are below national expectations.

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Teaching in Under 5 5 - 7 years

Inspectors make judgements about teaching in the range: excellent; very good; good; satisfactory; unsatisfactory; poor; very poor. 'Satisfactory' means that strengths outweigh any weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour Very good; children’s behaviour, relationships and personal development throughout the school are very good and they have good attitudes to learning. Attendance Satisfactory; this would improve greatly if fewer parents took their children on holiday during term time. Ethos* Very good; the headteacher and staff work effectively as a team to implement the school’s aims and values. Leadership and management Good; the governors, headteacher and deputy headteacher provide clear educational direction to the work of the school. The day-to-day management of the school is good. Subject co-ordinators are knowledgeable and are developing their roles.

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Aspect Comment

Curriculum Good; a broad, balanced curriculum meets statutory requirements. The school gives priority to national improvement strategies in English and mathematics. Pupils with special educational needs Very good provision; children make good progress. Children with special educational needs are well supported by the special needs co-ordinator and learning support assistants. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good overall; provision for moral and social education is very good. It is satisfactory for children’s cultural development, but unsatisfactory for their spiritual development. Staffing, resources and accommodation Good overall; numbers, qualifications and experience of teachers and assistants are well-matched to the demands of the curriculum. Resources are good overall. School buildings and classrooms are well maintained and cleaned to a very high standard. Value for money Good; taking account the below average attainment on

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Aspect Comment

entry, the progress children make, the satisfactory and good standards that are attained, the very good attitudes to learning and the quality of education provided, the school gives good value for money.

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Aspect Comment

*. Ethos is the climate for learning: attitudes to work, relationships and the commitment to high standards

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happy about

• . Parents are encouraged to play an active part in school life and through home/school partnership. • . The school is easily approachable with questions or problems. • . The teaching staff are a strong, united team, working for the benefit of our children. • . Large class sizes in the two reception

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happy about

• . The hall is too small for children to

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happy about

The inspectors’ judgements support parents’ positive views. The inspectors judge that provision is very good for children in the two reception-year classes. The arrangements are very good for the management and care of children during lunch-time. The size of the hall is adequate for children to eat their meals safely and with satisfactory level of comfort. The vast majority of parents support the school and talk highly of its ethos.

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Key issues for action

The following points have been identified as being the most important in order to improve the quality of education and raise standards further. The numbers after each key issue refer to the main paragraphs where the relevant weaknesses are discussed.

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Key issues for action

The governors, headteacher and staff should take the following action:

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Key issues for action

*. raise standards in information technology by:

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Key issues for action

-. improving teacher expertise and the quality of teaching in information technology throughout the school, but particularly in Key Stage 1

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Key issues for action

• . improve provision for children’s spiritual development by:

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Key issues for action

-. identifying opportunities in classroom teaching and across the whole school for developing children’s spiritual awareness

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Key issues for action

-. developing teachers’ confidence, expertise and use of resources to make effective use of these opportunities

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Key issues for action

-. incorporating this aspect more effectively into the daily act of collective worship

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Key issues for action

In the context of the school’s many strengths, the following relative weaknesses should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

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Key issues for action

• . improve further the proportion of good and very good teaching throughout the school by:

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Key issues for action

-. using on-going assessments of children to identify lesson objectives more accurately, and to set work that will challenge and extend the abilities of all children

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Key issues for action

-. systematic monitoring of classroom practice that focuses on further improving the quality of teaching

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Key issues for action

-. the greater involvement of subject co-ordinators to support and monitor good practice

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Key issues for action

see paragraphs: 13, 32, 42, 60, 66, 86, 93, 94, 96, 98, 99, 103, 105, 125, 131

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Key issues for action

• . improve the policy for children’s cultural/intercultural development and its planning in the curriculum

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Key issues for action

see paragraphs: 48, 65 • .improve the quality of short and long-term financial costing of the school’s strategic plans.

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Characteristics of the school

1 Netley Abbey Community Infant School is an average-sized infant school with a current roll of 226 children aged four to seven years. There are 114 boys and 111 girls. At the time of the inspection there were 65 children who were under the age of five. These include 17 of the youngest four-year-old children, 12 boys and five girls, who attend the school each morning on a part-time basis. They are integrated within one of the two reception classes with other four-year-old children who are a little older and attend full-time. The school follows county admissions’ procedures and all children are eligible for a place in the September of the school year in which they are five.

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Characteristics of the school

2 The school predominantly serves the villages of Old Netley, Netley Abbey and Butlocks Heath. The number of children on roll is at its lowest level over the last eight years. This is because there have been no significant movements of young families into the immediate area in recent years. However, since the last inspection in April 1996, there has been an increasing number of children entering the school from out of the area. Now, almost one in four children is from surrounding districts, including Bursledon and a large community estate at Pilands. A broad range of social and economic circumstances are found among the families who attend the school. Overall, the areas from which the school enrols could be described as neither advantaged nor disadvantaged, and this aspect has not changed since the last inspection.

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Characteristics of the school

3 Children at the school represent the full ability range. However, baseline assessments indicate that the average level of attainment of all four-year-old children who enter the school is below the county average, particularly in language development. This is because there is a significant minority of children with special educational needs (SEN). In 1998 and 1999, 40% of all children in the school were identified as having SEN, which is well above the national average. There are no children with statements of SEN which is well below the national average. The number of children eligible for free school meals (9%) is broadly in line with the national average. The number of children speaking English as an additional language (0.6%) is slightly higher than in most schools.

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Characteristics of the school

4 The site is spacious and the buildings offer considerable advantages, such as specialist areas for teaching information technology, art, cooking, design and technology and music. The classrooms are well designed and proportioned for children of this age range.

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Characteristics of the school

5 The school’s aims provide a very good set of principles within which the school operates and include:

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Characteristics of the school

• . to create an atmosphere of positive encouragement in which children, governors, parents and staff feel secure

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Characteristics of the school

• . to develop the skills and promote the ability of each child in all areas of the curriculum

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Characteristics of the school

• . to promote a respect for their environment and the people within it • .to prepare children for the next stage of their education within the guidelines of the National Curriculum and to foster links with the junior school.

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Characteristics of the school

6 The school’s main targets for 1998/99 were:

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Characteristics of the school

• . to raise the percentage of children who leave Year 2 able to read the national literacy strategy Key Stage 1 list of high frequency words

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Characteristics of the school

• . to raise the percentage of children who leave Year 2 able to write, spell and use the national literacy strategy Key Stage 1 list of high frequency words

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Characteristics of the school

• . to improve the percentage of Year 2 children in the higher levels in mathematics for the national tests.

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Characteristics of the school

7 The school’s main targets for 1999/2000 are:

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Characteristics of the school

• . to raise standards in writing so that there is a 10% increase in the number of children achieving Level 2 and above in the end-of-Key Stage 1 national tests

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Characteristics of the school

• . to raise the level of achievement so that 88% of children achieve Level 2 or above in the end-of-Key Stage 1 national tests for mathematics

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Characteristics of the school

• . to continue to raise the level of achievement in mathematics so that in the Key Stage 1 national tests:

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Characteristics of the school

-. of those children attaining Level 2, the majority attain the higher levels 2A or 2B

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Characteristics of the school

• . to narrow the difference between boys’ and girls’ attainment so that there is a 5% reduction in the gap at Level 3 in the Key Stage 1 national tests.

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Attainment at Key Stage 1 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for latest reporting year: Year Boys Girls Total

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Results

above Total 69 61 65 Percentage at NC School 86 (76) 76 (83) 81 (85)

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Results

Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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Results

Teacher Assessments English Mathematics Science Number of pupils Boys 32 33 35

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Results

above Total 65 67 70 Percentage at NC School 81 (78) 84 (80) 88 (86)

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Results

Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (86)

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Results

Percentages in parentheses refer to the year before the latest reporting year

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Attendance

Percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year: %

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Attendance

Authorised School 5.9 Absence National comparative data 5.7 Unauthorised School 0.4 Absence National comparative data 0.5

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Exclusions

Number of exclusions of pupils (of statutory school age) during the previous year: Number

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Quality of teaching

Percentage of teaching observed which is: %

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Quality of teaching

Very good or better 12.7 Satisfactory or better 96.4 Less than satisfactory 3.6

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Attainment and progress

8 Children start at the school with varied pre-school experience and the ability range is wide. A baseline assessment indicates that the majority of children enter school with below average literacy and numeracy skills. A significant number of children have special educational needs (SEN). Once in school, the children make good progress in all areas of learning. Good day-to-day assessment procedures in reading, writing and numeracy ensure that children in all groups have well- matched activities for their needs and abilities. At the time of the inspection, the standards children achieve in their daily work are broadly in line with the expectation for their age. This is after only a short time of working within the six areas of learning identified in the Qualification and Curriculum Authority’s ‘Desirable Outcomes for Children’s Learning’. At an appropriate stage in their first year, depending on maturity and ability, the children begin to undertake work

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Attainment and progress

based on the National Curriculum Programmes of Study.

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Attainment and progress

9 The standards attained by children aged seven in the 1999 national tests and teachers’ assessments are above the national average in reading, below the national average in writing and in line with the national average in mathematics and science. Standards in comparison with schools with children from similar backgrounds match the school’s national results. However, there is a higher proportion of children attaining the higher grades in mathematics and science than is found nationally or in similar schools. The 1999 results in mathematics and science are matched by the school’s test results over the last three years. This trend is continuing within the daily work of current Year 2 children where standards attained are broadly in line with the national expectation for their age, with a significant proportion attaining at higher levels. Over the previous three years, the standards attained in writing in the national tests were consistently above the

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Attainment and progress

national average and above those of similar schools. During the inspection week, the standards attained in reading and writing by children in Year 2 were broadly in line with the national expectation for their age. Early indications would therefore suggest that the 1999 test result in writing is a dip within an otherwise positive trend, and standards are improving. Throughout the school, standards in religious education (RE) are satisfactory in meeting the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. By the age of seven, children's standards in information technology (IT) are below the national expectation.

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Attainment and progress

10 The standards attained by children in physical education (PE) are generally above the national expectation for their age. Standards are broadly in line with national expectations in art, design and technology (DT), history and music. There was insufficient evidence of children's work available during the inspection to form a judgement about children's attainment in geography. 11 The standards overall, that are being attained by the majority of children at the end of Key Stage 1, are broadly similar to the last inspection. However, in reading, writing, mathematics and science, there have been significant improvements in the proportion of children who attain the higher grades in the national tests and assessments for seven-year-old children. There has been some improvement in the standard of PE since the last inspection.

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Attainment and progress

12 Progress in English is satisfactory overall and occasionally good. It is good in the reception year and in speaking and listening throughout the school. Role-play provision is stimulating and varied. It provides an important opportunity for children to use specific and appropriate language in different situations. Progress in reading is satisfactory overall. By the age of seven, children can read simple text accurately and can answer questions to show their understanding. Some children make very good progress and are reading at a higher level. Parents support their children in reading through the home-school partnership. Children make satisfactory progress in writing. They are taught cursive script on entry to the school and, by Year 2, many children use clear and well-formed handwriting. Children learn to write for a variety of purposes and their punctuation and spelling skills are satisfactory. The school has identified the need to improve

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Attainment and progress

the quality of extended writing because of the low attainment of most children in the 1999 national tests. From the evidence of children’s work during the inspection week, the school’s improvement measures are beginning to raise standards in writing throughout the school.

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Attainment and progress

13 Progress in mathematics is generally good. The introduction of more whole-class teaching, placing more emphasis on mental and oral work, is helping children to understand the concept of number. Children sit in ability groups and tasks are generally well-matched to the needs of each group. However, there are occasions when the tasks provided for some average and higher-attaining children are not sufficiently challenging and do not extend their learning. An improvement in the use of day-to-day assessment, and more confidence in the use of the numeracy strategy’s learning objectives, would enable teachers to judge more accurately the needs of different ability groups.

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Attainment and progress

14 In science, progress is satisfactory overall, and often it is good. In reception classes, children are able to talk about their observations when completing a circuit to a light bulb. In Year 2, children are learning how to make their own predictions and carry out investigations using a fair test.

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Attainment and progress

15 Children's progress in IT is unsatisfactory throughout Key Stage 1. Information technology is used during literacy and numeracy lessons but the tasks are usually low level and are not building or developing skills. Overall, children have not had a consistent experience in the variety and range of software and hardware. The IT development plan currently highlights some of the necessary improvements within the subject.

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Attainment and progress

16 In RE, all children make satisfactory progress throughout the school. They have a sound knowledge of Bible stories and stories from other religions. They reflect upon and relate Bible stories to their immediate world and childhood experiences.

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Attainment and progress

17 Throughout the school, children make good progress in music and PE, and satisfactory progress in art, DT, geography and history. 18 The school monitors the attainment of boys and girls and is aware of differences, especially in reading and writing where boys are close to the national average but girls are well above. This difference is even more pronounced for children attaining the higher levels, where girls do significantly better than boys in reading. In fact, the trend for boys’ attainment between 1994 and 1998 is down whereas, for girls, the trend has continued upwards. This is now one of the school’s priorities for 1999/2000.

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Attainment and progress

19 Children with SEN make good progress overall. This is a result of the very good opportunities planned by the class teacher and the support they receive from learning support assistants. Children's records and profile books indicate that this progress continues over time. Precise targets within the Individual Educational Plans (IEP) break down the next steps in children's learning into manageable and achievable stages. The IEP are reviewed regularly and provide useful information for teachers and learning support assistants about appropriate provision.

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Attainment and progress

20 With the exception of IT, there have been improvements in progress and standards overall since the last inspection. This is because: the school has a strong, positive ethos for learning; there is good daily management; the children’s behaviour is very good; there is an effective school improvement plan; and the school is monitoring the curriculum, the quality of teaching and children's standards. In addition, the school has successfully introduced the national strategies for numeracy and literacy. All these factors are making significant contributions to raising children's standards and supporting the school in achieving its targets. The capacity for the school to improve further is very good.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

21 Most children, including those with SEN, have good attitudes to their work. They listen carefully in class and persevere with their tasks. They are interested in their work, enjoy reading and sustain their concentration during lessons. Children are supportive of each other when working in groups or pairs and most are able to work independently. For example, reception children sweep up sand as they clear up, a Year 1 pupil said: “I love maths” as the class worked on an extended numbers game and Year 2 children enjoyed making pairs of ears during a science experiment. Children respect each other’s feelings, listening well, for instance, during circle times and class discussions. They applaud the efforts and achievements of others, such as when one class presented their assembly to parents and the rest of the school. As at the time of the last inspection, children’s attitudes to learning are very positive.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

22 Relationships are very good between children and staff and between children themselves. Children are polite and confident with adults and are happy to talk about themselves, their work and their feelings about school. Behaviour in class, at lunch-time and in the playground is very good. Class teachers use reward systems and privilege time to encourage good behaviour. The classroom ‘golden rules’ are often referred to, encouraging all children to co-operate and function well as a group. Children understand the rules of the dining hall and co-operate well to ensure that lunch-times are sociable and orderly. Occasionally, some children are restless in assembly. Where behaviour has been identified as a problem, the school is successful in providing appropriate support. There were no exclusions last year.

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Attitudes, behaviour and personal development

23 Personal development is enhanced by the increasing responsibility that children take as they progress through the school. Even the youngest return registers to the office. All classes have a jobs board and children are responsible in their use of self-registration procedures before teachers count the number present. Year 2 children prepare material for composting, pick up litter and help reception children in the playground. Children vote in their classes for a Friday afternoon privilege-time activity. Each year, the whole school entertains local elderly people with a performance of the Christmas production. Children help to raise money for a range of charities, such as Comic Relief, the National Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children, People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals and Guide Dogs for the Blind. Educational trips and visitors to the school also make a good contribution to children’s personal development which, as at the time of the

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Attendance

24 Levels of attendance and the rate of unauthorised absence are broadly in line with those found nationally. Attendance figures would be greatly improved if fewer parents took their children on holiday in term time.

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Attendance

25 Most children arrive promptly for school but a small number are regularly late which can be disruptive for the rest of the class during registration activities.

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Attendance

26 Registration complies with statutory regulations. The sessions are well used throughout the school to promote children’s independence and develop their social skills.

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Teaching

27 The quality of teaching is good overall and this is a significant improvement since the last inspection. Teaching is at least satisfactory in 96% of lessons observed. In three out of five lessons, it is at least good, and in one out of eight lessons it is very good. Examples of good and very good teaching occur across the school and in a range of subjects. However, the best teaching is most often seen in reception year with the children under five. In only two lessons was teaching seen to be unsatisfactory, and this was in different areas of the school.

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Teaching

28 The quality of teaching for children under five is good in nine out of ten lessons. In one out of three lessons it is very good. No unsatisfactory lessons were observed. Teachers have a very good understanding of how young children learn and of the national requirements. Careful planning, preparation and organisation, in partnership with learning assistants and other adults in the classrooms, result in a high degree of order and purpose. Clear objectives are identified in the planning and teachers have high expectations for children's learning. For example, early emphasis is placed on developing children's vocabulary and their initial reading and numeracy skills. Adults read with and support children's enjoyment of books. The home-school partnership in reading is part of a monitored language activity with the youngest children. Features of significant strength include particularly successful organisational methods and the

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Teaching

management of children. Learning assistants are effectively deployed and encourage children to adopt good learning habits and good behaviour. This very good team-work is having a positive impact on the progress that children are making. For example, children have very good opportunities to use and extend their knowledge creatively in a range of carefully structured and well-supported under-five activities. At an appropriate stage, older children begin to undertake literacy and numeracy work based on the Programmes of Study of the National Curriculum. The children respond well in these lessons and make good progress.

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Teaching

29 In Key Stage 1, teaching is at least satisfactory in 96% of lessons observed. In a half of all lessons, teaching is good and in one out of ten lessons it is very good.

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Teaching

30 Teachers' relationships with children are very good. They have high expectations of children's behaviour and are successful in promoting a positive ethos for learning. Classrooms are well organised and all teachers make good use of praise and encouragement to build children's confidence and develop their self- esteem. They are generally secure in the knowledge of the subjects they teach and lessons are nearly always well structured. The national literacy and numeracy strategies are having a strong and positive impact on practice and provide a good framework within which teachers work effectively. Good teaching within the school is marked by high expectations of children's attainment, effective management of children and in setting tasks that are challenging and well-matched to children's different levels of ability.

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Teaching

31 Very good teaching is seen in lessons where teachers develop children's knowledge and understanding through carefully structured investigations and well- prepared opportunities for children to follow lines of enquiry and research. For example, in numeracy lessons, some higher-attaining children in Key Stage 1 are given very good opportunities to apply their knowledge of ordinal numbers in progressively challenging problem-solving tasks. In gymnastics and dance lessons, children are given very good opportunities to plan and use their skills creatively to link different movement patterns into sequences and dance forms. In all of these lessons, the quality of teachers’ questions makes children think and extends their understanding. Children are given very good opportunities to reflect and talk about their work and discuss how they might improve. It is these elements of teaching which have made such a significant contribution to

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Teaching

improvements in children's progress and standards since the last inspection.

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Teaching

32 Within some lessons that are satisfactory, there are weaknesses that the school must address. Some teachers are not consistently accurate in the setting of tasks that systematically develop the skills and understanding of the above average and high-attaining children. For example, in numeracy lessons, some teachers do not always structure and direct questions appropriately to engage children of different ability levels. In some literacy lessons, the work set is not always sufficiently challenging or well-matched to children's needs An issue for school management is to develop strategies that will increase the proportions of good and very good teaching throughout the school, but particularly in Key Stage 1. Only one IT lesson was observed during the inspection week, so it is not possible to make a judgement based on a sufficient number of direct observations about the quality of teaching in IT. However, by inference, the quality of provision

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Teaching

is unsatisfactory across Key Stage 1 because children's progress and standards in IT are satisfactory in reception year and, by the age of seven, standards are below the national expectation.

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Teaching

33 Teaching for children with SEN is supportive and consistent. Individual Educational Plans provide teachers and learning support assistants with targets to support learning, ensuring that work is well-matched to children's abilities and learning styles. Learning support assistants work sensitively with individuals and small groups within the classrooms. The special needs co-ordinator also supports children and her developing role, working alongside the class teachers, is having a positive effect.

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Teaching

34 Teachers are reviewing their teaching methods in relation to the needs of girls and boys. They are taking account of grouping strategies, seating arrangements, use of praise and more structured planning.

p.23

Teaching

35 Homework is well used in Key Stage 1 to extend children's progress and improve standards in mathematics and reading.

p.23

The curriculum and assessment

36 The curriculum for children under five provides a broad range of rich and varied experiences. It covers all areas within the ‘Desirable Outcomes for Children’s Learning’. All children have equal access to the curriculum. The school uses the county baseline procedures to discover children’s individual strengths and weaknesses. This information is used effectively to provide focused teaching that enables children to make good progress.

p.24

The curriculum and assessment

37 The school’s planned curriculum in Key Stage 1 is generally good. It is broad and balanced and meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, including RE. The school gives priority to national improvement strategies in English and mathematics. This has resulted in a reduction in time available for other subjects but the school has worked hard at preserving time for its support of creative subjects such as music and PE. Since the last inspection, guidance has been produced to support planning in all areas of the curriculum. Detailed guidance in mathematics, science and history, offers further clarity on what knowledge and skills children should learn as they progress through the school. Teachers plan in year groups and coverage of the curriculum is monitored by subject co-ordinators. There are also planned opportunities for children to extend their personal and social development through a

p.24

The curriculum and assessment

well-planned programme of personal and social, and health education (PSHE) and the regular use of circle time. The school has also introduced a structured, but more informal, time each morning for children to practise a range of learning and social skills, including spelling, writing and IT. This time is used effectively and promotes a good start to the day.

p.24

The curriculum and assessment

38 Each subject co-ordinator monitors curriculum coverage of their subject with colleagues through regular meetings. In English and mathematics, the subject co-ordinators assist in analysing children’s assessment data and in monitoring the quality of subject provision, including teaching, throughout the school.

p.24

The curriculum and assessment

39 The school attempts to provide a stimulating curriculum through visits out and visitors to the school. For example, the school makes use of the grounds and the local area in science and geography, and the links to the local church are good. Visits, covering work in a range of subjects, are made to Marwell Zoo, Intech and Wickham. There have also been visitors to the school, such as a storyteller, theatre group, an Indian dance troupe, emergency services’ representatives and a local poet on Poetry Day.

p.24

The curriculum and assessment

40 The curriculum is accessible for all children. The school meets statutory requirements for annual reviews for children with SEN. There are very good procedures for identifying and providing for children with SEN. In addition, consideration is given to the needs of higher-attaining children. There is an able- child policy statement and an able-child co-ordinator who helps to identify such children and co-ordinate their provision. This is done through classroom extension activities, including the literacy hour, monitoring progress, interviews with the child and discussion with parents. However, there is some inconsistency in this provision between classes. The school is also aware of those children with a traveller heritage and has effectively supported their progress through involvement in specific projects aimed at improving their attainment. There are differences in boys’ and girls’ attainment. These have been recognised by the school and

p.24

The curriculum and assessment

targets for improvement have been included in the school’s priorities for 1999/2000.

p.25

The curriculum and assessment

41 Homework is used effectively in Key Stage 1 to support children’s learning. This focuses on reading and numeracy, with reading record books for recording and communicating with parents. There are also mathematics challenges, with guidelines for parents which aim to involve them fully in the process. There are a series of activities during the long lunch-time which support children’s development. For example, they have use of a climbing frame and access to a wide range of games equipment which enables children to practise their skills. There are no formal after-school activities in which children can take part.

p.25

The curriculum and assessment

42 The procedures for assessing children’s attainment and progress are very good. They are generally well used to support curriculum planning, school targets and to set individual children’s targets. For example, the senior management team currently analyses end-of-key stage data to determine issues to be addressed which then inform school improvement targets, such as writing and boy/girl differences in attainment. In reception classes, the county baseline assessment is used appropriately to identify children’s strengths and weaknesses, and used to set long and short-term targets for each child. These performance targets are monitored on a regular basis and can lead to further action, which is dependent on whether the target is being met. Teachers regularly update their records of children’s progress in a range of subjects. Samples of children’s work are kept in their profile books. The work is marked appropriately and moderated to national

p.25

The curriculum and assessment

levels of attainment. Subject co-ordinators in English and mathematics help to set criteria that teachers use to set performance targets for individual children. Curriculum plans indicate assessment opportunities to check children’s rate of progress towards their targets. These assessments are generally well used. However, for some teachers, there is a need for more accuracy and consistency in the setting of tasks that will challenge and extend the abilities of different groups of children.

p.25

The curriculum and assessment

43 Individual Education Plans are well kept and parents are appropriately involved in annual reviews. Overall, there is very good management of the systems by the co-ordinator, and there has been a significant improvement in the assessment, recording and reporting of children’s attainment since the last inspection.

p.25

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

44 Provision for children’s moral and social development is very good. The school makes satisfactory provision for cultural development. Provision for the children’s spiritual development is unsatisfactory.

p.25

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

45 Provision for children’s spiritual development has declined since the last inspection. Children are gaining insights into the values and beliefs of others and their own personal responses are encouraged and valued by teachers. There is also a strong sense of belonging to the school which is well fostered, particularly through RE. However, opportunities are missed in many other subjects for children to be encouraged to reflect on the beauty and excitement of the natural world or human achievement, and there is insufficient use of resources to stimulate the children. The school’s acts of collective worship often do not engage children sufficiently, nor do they set the right tone for appropriate reflection and children become inattentive and restless.

p.25

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

46 Provision for children’s moral development is very good. The difference between right and wrong is well taught and all adults act as very good role models in the way they deal with children and react to each other. Staff take opportunities to reinforce examples of appropriate behaviour whenever they can, including at the beginning of lessons, through raising children’s awareness of what is expected. ‘Golden rules’ for the school and in classes are few in number and children are often reminded of them. The children are involved in monitoring their own behaviour and progress towards ‘privilege time’ through class charts.

p.26

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

47 There is very good provision for children’s social development. There are very good relationships between children and adults in the school. Children relate well to each other and are considerate of each other’s needs. This is particularly evident in PE as they consider the safety of each other when using gymnastics apparatus. Boys and girls often work well together in class. There are opportunities for children to take on a range of responsibilities in class as monitors for the register, in practical group-work activities and in assembly. They do this with a degree of self-confidence and independence which is developed from the early years through the self-registration system. There is a significant contribution to children’s understanding of citizenship through the way they vote each week on the activity for privilege time. The PSHE programme and use of circle time allow teachers and children to consider things of value to others and to explore personal

p.26

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

and group feelings. Fund-raising for charities helps children to become aware of the wider problems of people outside the school community.

p.26

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

48 The provision for children’s cultural development is satisfactory. Through aspects of English, geography, history and music, children are introduced to their local and national cultural heritage. Good use is made of the local area, including visits out to parks and the local church to support their studies. In RE, children become familiar with, and respond positively to, religious and cultural diversity through the study of aspects of Hinduism. There is also an appropriate range of fiction which illustrates the diversity of the United Kingdom. The school has sought to acknowledge the cultural heritage of those children from traveller backgrounds through projects and resources, and the headteacher has sought to develop her own knowledge and understanding. Aspects of cultural diversity are sometimes effectively highlighted through a cultural week in the school. However, the policy for this aspect is not well developed. There is insufficient guidance

p.26

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

provided to enable teachers to plan effectively for its inclusion in curriculum subjects, which results in missed opportunities.

p.26

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

49 The school makes very good provision for the educational and personal support and guidance of its children and this is a major strength. There is a friendly, purposeful atmosphere in the school, with very good relationships between children and staff and between children themselves. Teachers, support staff and volunteers work well as a team which parents feel is “strong, united and welcoming”. When practical help is necessary, for instance if children are unwell or need first aid, it is given calmly and quickly. Children are well supervised throughout the day and staff ensure that those travelling by bus are seated safely with their belts fastened before they leave. Some parents are concerned that the size of the school hall makes it difficult for all children to have enough time to eat their lunch. However, inspectors feel that the efficient organisation observed at lunch-time has overcome any problems.

p.26

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

50 There are very good systems for monitoring children’s academic progress through setting annual performance targets and regularly checking their rate of improvement over the year. Personal development is very well monitored and, each week, those children who earn a sticker from the headteacher are mentioned in the school newsletter. If necessary, children are involved in monitoring their own behaviour by completing ‘smiley’ charts. Entries in the Gold Book celebrate good work, effort and behaviour. Parents appreciate how well the behaviour policy is working to create a very pleasant working atmosphere.

p.27

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

51 The monitoring and promoting of attendance are very effective, with efficient systems in place to identify any trends in absence or unpunctuality. Parents are regularly reminded that taking their children on holiday in term time can adversely affect their attainment and progress.

p.27

Support, guidance and pupils' welfare

52 Child protection procedures are very well organised and staff are appropriately trained. Sex education is covered by teaching about how the body works. There are visits from the police liaison officer who advises all children on keeping safe. The recent safety week is an annual event. There are very effective arrangements for ensuring children’s health, safety and well-being and the school provides a secure environment for learning.

p.27

Partnership with parents and the community

53 The school makes very good provision for establishing educational partnerships with parents and the community, and this is a major strength.

p.28

Partnership with parents and the community

54 The quality and quantity of information for parents are very good. The school lays the foundation for very good communication with parents at the pre- school stage. Arrangements for the induction of reception children are very good. Home visits and opportunities to visit the school during the summer term prepare the children for joining the school in September. As at the time of the last inspection, parents like the friendly, weekly newsletters. Children’s annual reports are clearly written, with targets for future development. There is good guidance for helping with homework.

p.28

Partnership with parents and the community

55 The great majority of parents come to the termly consultations with teachers and curriculum information evenings are well supported. The school has a strong commitment to partnership with parents of children with special needs. Parents are involved in regular reviews of IEP and have regular opportunities to speak to the class teacher and the special needs co-ordinator. They are provided with appropriate information about their child’s progress. Reports to parents are lengthy but clearly identify children’s strengths and weaknesses and their targets.

p.28

Partnership with parents and the community

56 Parents’ involvement in the life of the school is good. Many parents regularly help in classrooms, with cooking, on trips or in other practical ways. They continue the work of the school at home by, for instance, hearing their children read or helping them to learn spellings. Six children are being helped by the better reading partnership. Parents who returned the pre-inspection questionnaire feel it is easy to approach the school with questions or problems. Just over half return the school’s own annual questionnaire. Much information is exchanged informally at the beginning and end of the day.

p.28

Partnership with parents and the community

57 The active Friends Association organises a range of social and fund- raising events, including a popular summer fair. Last year, the Friends raised over £4,000 to provide extra resources and equipment. A substantial sum is also available each year from the Butlocks Heath Trust Fund.

p.28

Partnership with parents and the community

58 The school’s links with the community, both in terms of visitors and educational trips, are as good as they were at the time of the last inspection. These effectively broaden children’s experience and personal development. In the past year, for instance, children have walked to St. Edward’s Church, attended a ship launch and visited Marwell Zoo. Visitors have included an Indian dance troupe, emergency services’ representatives and a local poet on Poetry Day. There is good liaison with the adjoining junior school.

p.28

Leadership and management

59 The headteacher, deputy headteacher and all staff work very effectively as a team to implement the school's aims and values and promote a strong, positive ethos for children's learning. A high priority is based on raising the standards attained by children of all abilities. It is within an ethos that places equal value on the development of children's attitudes to learning, their personal relationships and their moral, social and cultural development.

p.29

Leadership and management

60 The leadership and management of the school are good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when they were described as sound. The headteacher and deputy headteacher operate as a cohesive unit with clearly defined roles and responsibilities which they carry out very effectively. They fulfil their role as line mangers and provide effective support for all teachers and for those who have management responsibilities. Their monitoring of classroom practice during literacy and numeracy lessons has helped to improve children's standards and the quality of teaching in English and mathematics throughout the school. The subject co-ordinators for English and mathematics are developing their roles and are beginning to assist in classroom monitoring and support of their respective subjects. The management and deployment of teaching staff throughout the school are very good. Some parents are not happy about the large

p.29

Leadership and management

class sizes in the two reception year classes. The inspectors judge that provision is very well managed by teachers and learning support assistants which enables children to make good progress. Similarly, the school’s arrangements for managing part-time teachers in two Year 1 classes are very good. Children’s progress and standards are not adversely affected by the arrangements.

p.29

Leadership and management

61 At the time of the last inspection, the infant and junior schools had a joint governing body. In September 1998, this changed and the infant school now has a governing body of its own. The change was part of a planned development for both schools. The governing body of the infant school is therefore quite new. However, the chair of governors, vice chair and chair of resources (finance) are all very experienced governors from the previous administration. They bring an appropriate degree of stability, as well as continuity and progression, to the development of the school and the new governing body. All other members are new to their role of a school governor. They have attended appropriate local authority governor training, and serve the school with enthusiasm.

p.29

Leadership and management

62 The governors are very clear about the values the school is promoting and are well informed on school matters. The headteacher has the full support and trust of the governing body, some of whom are regularly involved in the daily life of the school. The numeracy, literacy and SEN governors all monitor and report on the implementation of the curriculum by visiting classrooms and observing children learning. The governing body ensures that the school complies with statutory requirements, including a daily act of collective worship. 63 The school's strategic improvement plans are carefully focused on raising standards and improving the quality of provision. These plans are used well as a management tool to bring about improvements. They provide clear and purposeful educational direction to the work of the school. However, more focused monitoring to improve the proportion of very good teaching in Key

p.29

Leadership and management

Stage 1 would make this good school even better.

p.30

Leadership and management

64 The management of the provision for children with SEN is very good. There is a good policy and all requirements of the SEN Code of Practice are in place. The deputy headteacher is a very effective special needs co-ordinator, who has developed a good information management system about all the children with SEN. She monitors and supports the work of learning support assistants. They meet regularly and are provided with relevant training opportunities. She also provides good support for class teachers and works regularly with small groups of children. The governor with responsibility for SEN is kept well informed by the SEN co-ordinator and provides a good level of support. The school has an appropriate equal opportunities policy. Children’s standards are monitored by gender and there is an appropriate action plan in place to address differences in boys’ and girls’ attainments in English and mathematics.

p.30

Leadership and management

65 The school has overcome most of the weaknesses pointed out in the last inspection and there have been significant improvements in other key areas. For example, there have been significant improvements in children's progress and standards, particularly for higher-attaining children in numeracy, reading, writing and science. Policy documentation, team planning and subject schemes of work are more effective. Procedures for assessing children's attainment and progress are now effective across the school and are well used to support curriculum planning and school targets for improvement. There are significant improvements in geography since the last inspection when it was judged to be not meeting requirements. There is now a thorough curriculum plan, with detailed topics and skills to be taught each year. The provision for children's cultural development is now satisfactory. However, the policy for this aspect requires further development.

p.30

Leadership and management

With the school's strong strategic improvement plans and good management, the capacity for the school to improve further is very good.

p.30

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

66 All teachers are committed and hard-working. They have a good knowledge of the requirements of the National Curriculum and RE. Staff involved in the areas of learning for children under five understand well how young children learn. Overall, staffing is generous compared to similar schools. This is because the school has a higher than average number of learning support assistants. They are used well and make a valuable contribution to children’s learning, particularly children with SEN. All subjects are managed effectively by teachers who are responsible for developing policy and schemes of work. The subject co-ordinators for English and mathematics assist with the monitoring of children’s standards and the quality of teaching in classrooms. Other subject co-ordinators are beginning to develop their monitoring roles by assessing and moderating children’s work across the school. The school’s administrative staff, the caretaker

p.30

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

and the senior midday lunch-time supervisor are valued and committed members of the staff team. They are fully involved in supporting the smooth running of the school and the care of the children.

p.30

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

67 There have been considerable staffing changes over the last three years due to teacher promotion, emigration, marriage, or maternity leave. New and existing staff are well supported. The school has guidelines for teachers, learning support assistants and lunch-time supervisors, which help them to do the job most effectively. There is a clearly costed, prioritised and appropriate programme of in- service training for teachers. All teachers have received training in implementing the national literacy strategy, and whole-staff training in numeracy has begun this term in line with the requirements of the national numeracy strategy. In addition, there is a regular after-school programme of staff development that focuses on aspects agreed as whole-school priorities. Staff appraisal is linked to a programme of staff development interviews and curriculum review meetings.

p.31

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

68 Accommodation is very good. The school buildings have been specially designed to accommodate children of infant school age. They are well maintained and cleaned to a very high standard. Classrooms are well furnished, have good décor, and are of adequate size for the number of children in school. Storage facilities in classrooms are satisfactory. Shared areas for practical work and separate, quiet, reading areas in each classroom enhance children’s learning. There are separate classrooms with divided areas to support class or group teaching in IT, art, music, food technology and DT. There is a room with a suite of computers for whole-class teaching and learning that is in addition to individual computers within each classroom. There is a good size hall that is well used and a very attractive library that is large and light. Outdoor areas are neat and tidy, with climbing frames, games areas, and quiet areas with bench seating. The

p.31

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

environmental area and outdoor playground contribute positively to the standards of children’s work, particularly in Key Stage 1.

p.31

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

69 Overall, the school has an appropriate range and quantity of learning resources that are of good quality. They are generally well used. There is good basic provision in each classroom for the teaching of numeracy and literacy in line with the national strategies. There are plenty of fiction and non-fiction books in classrooms and in the library. The provision for children under five and those with SEN is very good. Resources in science are satisfactory overall. There is a very good outdoor environmental area and school pond which enhance children’s learning. Provision for IT is good overall. The ratio of computers to children is very good, although some computers are old and require frequent maintenance. The school has an Internet connection in the library. Gender and cultural diversity, including equal opportunity, are identified within resources, particularly in English, RE, geography, history and music. Good use is made of educational visits to local

p.31

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

places of interest and visitors to the school, all of which contribute positively to the quality of children’s learning.

p.31

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources

70 Overall, the school’s resources are well organised and maintained. The school has improved the access to, and the quality and quantity of, resources substantially since the last inspection, although IT and its use require continued development as national strategies are implemented.

p.31

The efficiency of the school

71 The school’s financial planning is broadly satisfactory. The school’s improvement plan is carefully costed and controlled. However, although the school is aware of factors that will have an impact on its budget in the longer term, strategic planning and costing are insufficiently documented.

p.32

The efficiency of the school

72 The school has used any accumulated funds to maintain staffing levels and to plan for structural improvements, such as the Year 2 extension. A priority has been given to a high staffing ratio based on children’s needs identified from baseline assessment data. The governors are involved in a clear budget cycle which considers future numbers of children and staffing needs and includes regular, monthly monitoring, ensuring effective monitoring of expenditure. They make good use of the Local Education Authority’s comparative data to analyse their expenditure pattern and raise questions over best practice. There is an increasing and appropriate emphasis on examining value for money by the resources committee. This is at an early stage of development and will need to include all spending decisions so that the governing body is able to hold the school to account for the standards it achieves.

p.32

The efficiency of the school

73 The day-to-day management and administration of the school’s budget are very good. Current routines and systems are operated by very experienced administrative support staff which ensures the smooth running of the school and effective checks on expenditure.

p.32

The efficiency of the school

74 The school is making good use of financial resources, including grants for SEN. Teachers and learning support assistants are very effectively deployed. The learning support assistants work with individuals and groups of children, supporting literacy and numeracy work and make a very good contribution to teaching and learning. Learning resources are effectively deployed and used to promote teaching of subjects and aspects. Accommodation is now more generous because of the fall in numbers of children, but rooms have been effectively utilised for art, DT and music.

p.32

The efficiency of the school

75 On taking account of the below average attainment on entry, the progress children make, the satisfactory and good standards achieved and the deployment of resources, the school provides good value for money. This is an improvement since the previous inspection.

p.32

Areas of learning for children under five

76 Provision for children under five is very good and is a strength of the school. This represents an improvement from the previous inspection. Children are admitted to school in the September of the school year in which they are five, with the youngest initially on a part-time basis. Two teachers, each with at least one learning support assistant present at all times, teach them in two classes. At the time of the inspection, there were still 17 children attending on a part-time basis and 48 children who were under five. Arrangements for the induction of reception children are very good. Home visits and opportunities to visit the school during the summer term prepare the children for joining the school in September. As a result, the majority of children come happily to school.

p.33

Areas of learning for children under five

77 Over the last two years, a baseline assessment of the children has indicated that attainment on entry is lower than the county average, especially in language and literacy skills, but also in mathematics and science. Although a county comparison is not yet available, this year’s results show a similar profile. A significant number of children are judged to have particularly low skills in literacy and numeracy and they are supported appropriately. Overall, children, including those with special educational needs (SEN), settle quickly into school and make good progress. This is because of the good and often very good quality of teaching and learning support. At the time of the inspection, the standards children achieve in their daily work are broadly in line with the expectation for their age. This is after only a short time of working within the six areas of learning identified in the Qualification and Curriculum Authority’s ‘Desirable Outcomes for

p.33

Areas of learning for children under five

78 The personal and social development of the children is good. They are able to co-operate together on tasks, and they use their classroom ‘golden rules’ to help them understand how they should behave. Relationships are good between all children and adults. In the morning, children come willingly into the classrooms and can register themselves by selecting their lunch choice. They settle to a variety of pre-selected tasks to develop fine motor skills. They work quietly and are absorbed in their activities. The familiar classroom routines allow them to develop great independence from an early stage.

p.33

Areas of learning for children under five

79 Because of the low attainment on entry, a high priority is placed on the development of language and literacy skills and children make good progress in all aspects. They listen and respond well to stories and enjoy sharing big books with their teachers. They show an interest in all books and most are making a good start in identifying letter sounds and recognising them as initial sounds in words. Although speaking and listening skills are not generally well developed, the children speak confidently to each other and are developing their skills through role-play and co-operative activities. The teachers use language thoughtfully and carefully to provide a good model for the children. Children are provided with a wide range of opportunities for developing good hand control and are making good progress in their letter formation. Overall, the standards children achieve are in line with the expectation for their age.

p.33

Areas of learning for children under five

80 Children make good progress in mathematics and are achieving standards in line with those expected for their age. The majority can recognise and use numbers up to 10 and beyond, and count forwards and backwards. They use their counting skills in rhymes and games. They can sort according to size, shape and colour and they have access to a large range of practical equipment that supports their understanding of mathematical concepts.

p.34

Areas of learning for children under five

81 Children are given opportunities to explore their knowledge and understanding of the world through a variety of activities. They have identified objects that use electricity to work, can manipulate a range of different construction kits and observe the effects of the weather. During these activities, they show sustained concentration. They can use painting programs on the computer and access talking books from CD Roms. The standards children achieve in this aspect of learning are in line with the expectation for their age.

p.34

Areas of learning for children under five

82 Opportunities for the use of role-play, sand and water are well developed, although there are fewer times for the children to develop their gross motor skills through outside play, using wheeled toys and larger equipment. The outside play area is small and uninspiring. In physical education lessons, they develop body awareness and learn to move imaginatively and with increasing control. Overall, the standards children achieve in this aspect of learning are in line with the expectation for their age.

p.34

Areas of learning for children under five

83 Through drawing, painting and collage work, children are allowed to develop an understanding of texture, colour and shape. They listen and respond to music through dance, and enjoy singing and using percussion instruments. Overall, children are achieving standards that are in line with the expectation for their age.

p.34

Areas of learning for children under five

84 The quality of teaching for children under five is consistently good and often very good. Teachers and support staff work effectively together to provide a stimulating range of activities which are appropriately matched to the abilities and needs of the children in the reception classes. All children, including those with SEN make good progress. The outcomes of baseline assessment are used to group children and to set targets for individuals and groups. Staff plan effectively and provide a very good structured environment in which young children can learn. Initially, curriculum planning is based on the six areas of learning and experience. At an appropriate stage during their first year, depending on ability and maturity, many children begin to undertake work based on the Programmes of Study of the National Curriculum.

p.34

English

85 Overall standards attained in reading by children aged seven in the 1999 national tests are above the national average and above average in comparison with schools with children from similar backgrounds. The proportion of children attaining the higher level grades is above both the national average and the grades achieved by children in similar schools. Although this represents an improvement on the previous year’s results, there is also a considerable proportion of children achieving at lower levels. Standards in writing in the 1999 national tests are below the national average and below average when compared with similar schools. Attainment at the higher level is also below average. Half the pupils are judged to be achieving at the lower levels. Overall, standards in writing are lower than those achieved in the previous three years, which were all above the national average. The school explains the 1999 result in writing as a dip in an otherwise

p.34

English

positive trend, which happened because there were insufficient opportunities for children to practise their extended writing during that school year. Various strategies have been put in place to ensure that children are now provided with sufficient opportunities for extended and sustained writing. Although it is too early to judge the success of these strategies, standards of writing during the inspection week are in line with national expectations for children’s ages, which is an improvement.

p.35

English

86 Observations in lessons and scrutiny of samples of work show that children’s progress is at least satisfactory, and good in almost a half of all lessons observed. There are inconsistencies between children in different ability groups. For example, lower-attaining children generally make good progress and are well supported through the use of other adults in the class. However, the average and higher-attaining children do not always make as much progress as they should. There are often inappropriate levels of challenge in group activities within the literacy hour. These are usually stand-alone activities, which do not always link to previous learning or enable children to make sufficient progress.

p.35

English

87 The school has a commitment to raising children’s standards and sets performance targets for improvement. The school is developing tracking documents and using baseline assessment information to support this in the future.

p.35

English

88 Throughout the school, attainment in speaking and listening in children’s daily work is in line with national expectations. All children, including those with SEN, make good progress. They are provided with good opportunities to express and explore their thoughts and feelings within circle time and in role-play sessions. Role-play provision is stimulating and varied across the school and provides an important opportunity for children to use specific and appropriate language in different situations. Children listen attentively in class to their teachers and their friends.

p.35

English

89 Attainment in reading is generally above the national average by the end of the key stage. However, the ability range is wide and there is a large proportion of children who attain lower levels. Overall, children of all abilities, including those with SEN, make satisfactory progress. By the age of seven, most children read simple texts accurately and can answer questions to show their understanding. They can express opinions about characters or events in the story and can use a variety of strategies to establish the meaning of unknown words. Children who are reading at a higher level, are becoming more independent in their reading. They are accessing a range of different texts and becoming increasingly fluent and accurate. Children throughout the school enjoy using the school library. They regularly access a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. They can talk about their choices and their preferences. There is a good range of books for the children to

p.35

English

choose from. They also enjoy the large texts used during literacy sessions, which are used to good effect to develop their reading skills.

p.36

English

90 Attainment in writing in children’s daily work is broadly in line with the national expectation for their age. Overall, children make satisfactory progress in writing and, occasionally, it is good. Children are taught a cursive script on entry to school and, by Year 2, many children use clear and well-formed handwriting. They write for a variety of purposes, including stories, letters and poems. This year, the school is providing specific, regular lessons for children to develop writing stamina and encouraging opportunities for sustained writing. Early evidence would suggest that this might have an impact on improving the below average standards that were attained in the 1999 national tests. Punctuation and spelling skills are satisfactory across the school.

p.36

English

91 Literacy skills are evident in work across the curriculum, particularly in history and religious education. However, too little use is made of information technology (IT) within English and children are not given enough opportunity to develop their keyboard and word processing skills. Although IT is often used as an activity during the literacy hour, these activities are too often insufficiently challenging for most children and do not support the development of appropriate skills.

p.36

English

92 In all years, there is usually a good response from children to the full range of English activities. They are attentive and keen to participate in discussions. They share resources and ideas, and co-operate well. During the literacy hour, children work well in groups and independently.

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English

93 The quality of teaching is good overall. It is rarely less than satisfactory and in half of the lessons it is good. There are many more strengths than weaknesses. Where teaching is good, children read and respond to interesting texts, with the teacher using challenging questions to develop children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. Teachers work hard with groups of children to guide their reading and writing. Learning support assistants are used to good effect to support the lower-attaining children. However, planning for literacy does not always identify the specific needs of groups of children within each class and learning objectives are sometimes too general to be relevant to any one ability group. Planning does not always indicate the level of achievement expected of the children, which means that the activities do not always provide a suitable level of challenge. This accounts for some teaching only being satisfactory. An

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English

improvement in the use of day-to-day assessment would ensure a better match of work to children’s needs.

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English

94 The English co-ordinator provides good leadership of the subject and is aware of the current status of her subject. She has produced an effective development plan for the current year to support the developments in writing, the literacy hour, English lessons and in other subjects. She monitors planning, teaching and resourcing, but now needs to monitor the level of challenge within the literacy hour and develop strategies for the improvement of standards across the subject. She has arranged to attend training to support her in this. There are differences in boys’ and girls’ attainment in reading and writing. These have been recognised by the school and targets for improvement have been included in the school’s priorities for 1999/2000. The curriculum is enhanced by regular visits from storytellers, theatre groups and poets. The national literacy strategy has been successfully implemented and this is having a positive effect on raising

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English

standards. The school has generally been successful in achieving its priority targets for 1998/1999. Standards overall have improved since the previous inspection and the capacity for the school to improve further is very good.

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Mathematics

95 The standards attained in mathematics by children aged seven in the 1999 national tests are broadly in line with both the national average and in comparison with schools whose children are from similar backgrounds. However, the proportion of children who attained the higher grades in the 1999 national tests is above the national average for higher-grade attainment, and above average in comparison with children attaining higher grades from similar schools. The test results in 1998 are similar to those of 1999. These test results are matched by the standards attained by current Year 2 children in their daily work, which are in line to meet those expected for seven-year-olds, with a significant number attaining more highly.

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Mathematics

96 Progress in mathematics for most children, including those with SEN, is generally good, although there are inconsistencies between classes and different ability groups of children. Children enter Year 1 with a sound understanding of number. In their daily lessons, most Year 1 children can count on and count back from one to 20, recognise numerals and names of numbers, and have appropriate mental recall of basic number bonds. Higher-attaining children successfully use ordinal numbers, first to thirtieth, in practical applications and to solve problems. These skills develop further so that, in Year 2, most children have a sound grasp of addition and subtraction, repeat number patterns, arrays, and calculate simple shopping bills using amounts up to 10 pence. Higher-attaining Year 2 children use two-digit numbers confidently and can discuss different strategies for mental calculations. By the end of Year 2, most children have a sound grasp of place

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Mathematics

value, simple fractions, and can use and apply addition and subtraction facts up to 100. They use appropriate mathematical vocabulary to recognise and describe common two and three-dimensional shapes, and use standard measures, such as centimetres, to measure accurately. The introduction of the national numeracy strategy is having a positive impact on children’s progress. They sit in ability groups within classes and work is generally well-matched to the needs of each group. However, some average and higher-attaining children occasionally spend too long practising their skills, rather than extending their learning.

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Mathematics

97 Children’s attitudes to learning are good. Most children enjoy their mathematics lessons and are confident in answering questions. Their behaviour in class is very good. They co-operate well together, particularly when using and sharing practical equipment.

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Mathematics

98 Overall, the quality of teaching is good. There was no unsatisfactory teaching during the inspection. Since September, teachers have adopted the national numeracy strategy, which is having a positive impact on the quality of teaching throughout the school. Weekly plans have clear objectives and all lessons are well prepared. Most teachers have a secure understanding of the subject and use a good range of strategies to meet the needs of children effectively. Lessons start with good, clear introductions and a brisk, mental and oral arithmetic session. Usually, there is good structure to the main activity of lessons. The percentage of children with SEN is well above that found in most schools. They are very well supported and make good progress. The best lessons observed have brisk pace, are well-matched to children’s needs and abilities, and the teachers use questions effectively to check children’s

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Mathematics

understanding, clear up misconceptions and to challenge them to think more deeply. For example, higher-attaining Year 1 children were challenged appropriately in their use of written and numerical ordinal numbers when matching calendar dates with given weather patterns. The extension activity broadened the investigation and involved the addition and subtraction of ordinal numbers. The average and lower-attaining children were appropriately challenged by their tasks in the use of ordinal numbers, and were well supported by adults. Whilst activities are usually well-matched to the needs of younger children or lower-attaining children in each class, they do not always provide sufficient challenge to the above average and higher-attaining children. In these instances, teachers have not always accurately assessed children’s knowledge, so children’s skills and mathematical strategies are not systematically developed through a suitable level

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Mathematics

of challenge. For example, extension activities are sometimes more of the same work, pitched at the same level, rather than widening the investigation to develop children’s conceptual understanding of number. This accounts for some teaching being satisfactory rather than good or very good.

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Mathematics

99 The mathematics co-ordinator provides good leadership and management of the subject. She is the most recent appointment to the school and has a clear understanding of the subject areas for development. Training for implementation of the national numeracy strategy has been undertaken by the co-ordinator, headteacher and a governor of the school. The programme for dissemination to all staff is under way. There is an effective development plan and school improvement targets have been set to raise children’s standards in numeracy. The subject co-ordinator monitors planning, teaching and resourcing. She has not yet had the opportunity to work alongside all colleagues to share and develop good practice. Over the previous three years, girls have been attaining better results than boys in the national tests. This has been recognised by the school and targets for improvement have been included in the school’s priorities for

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Mathematics

1999/2000. There are planned opportunities for children to develop their numeracy skills in science, DT and geography. The school has been successful in achieving its priority targets for 1998/1999. Standards overall have improved since the previous inspection and the capacity for the school to improve further is very good.

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Science

100 Standards in science are in line with national averages overall, with a significant proportion of children achieving higher than this. In the 1999 teacher assessments for seven-year-olds, the overall children’s performance in comparison with similar schools was average, although the proportion of higher levels of attainment was above average. Boys and girls tend to perform similarly overall. This is broadly similar to the last inspection although, over the last three years, the number of children obtaining higher levels has increased. Standards have tended to be strongest in understanding life and living processes and weakest in experimental and investigative aspects.

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Science

101 All children, including those with SEN, make good progress throughout the school. At the beginning of Year 1, children are able to describe their observations when completing a circuit to light a bulb, as well as show an awareness of the dangers of electricity. Year 2 children can identify parts of the eye and higher attainers describe specific functions. They are encouraged to make their own predictions and carry out investigations, guided by the teacher, in establishing how sound enters the ear and the effect of shape and size. They are also beginning to understand the idea of fair tests.

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Science

102 Children enjoy science lessons. They are often interested in the work and show enthusiasm for investigations. They are willing to offer ideas, speculate and make predictions. For example, Year 2 children made use of previous learning to make sensible suggestions when offering explanations for the difference in the size of animals’ ears. When prompted skilfully by teachers, they can offer reasons for findings, although this often lacks appropriate scientific vocabulary.

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Science

103 The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and often good. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed. Teaching is at its best when expectations are clear, learning objectives are focused, and children’s understanding is developed through sustained questioning. This challenges children to think and make deductions based on evidence. Teachers sometimes make good use of children to illustrate an answer or quickly test out a child’s findings with the whole class. Where teaching is less effective, and only satisfactory, the work set for some children has insufficient challenge or extension. In these instances, the questions teachers ask are limited, which sometimes results in teachers drawing conclusions and providing answers on behalf of children, with very little time to review what has been learnt. Although teachers’ subject knowledge is satisfactory, there is still some lack of confidence and greater consideration needs to be given

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Science

to the way in which investigations are planned.

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Science

104 The quality of planning is good. Included are built-in assessment opportunities and guidance on knowledge and skill development across the subject. Teachers’ lesson planning does not always indicate the National Curriculum level at which children should be working and therefore expectations for different ability levels are not always clear.

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Science

105 The subject has a new co-ordinator who has identified areas for improvement in the subject and produced an action plan. This plan has appropriate priorities, including more specific target setting to improve expectations. However, it also needs to include the quality of teaching, especially teachers’ questioning skills. In addition, the amount of time devoted to science needs more careful analysis to give a more accurate picture of teaching time. Monitoring has started to develop but is limited to coverage and is not yet focused on the quality of teaching and learning.

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Science

106 Science resources are adequate. Good use is made of the school grounds and pond to support learning. With the developing skills and knowledge of the new co-ordinator and the level of good support from the school’s management team, the capacity for the school to improve standards in science is good.

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Information technology

107 During the last inspection, standards in information technology (IT) were judged to be in line with national expectations. This is no longer the case. Evidence gained during the inspection week from observations and scrutiny of children’s work indicates that attainment is unsatisfactory. Although very little direct, targeted teaching of IT was observed during the inspection, computers were seen in use during literacy and numeracy lessons and at other times.

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Information technology

108 Although IT is used regularly in the reception classes to support children’s learning, it is not developed sufficiently across the rest of the school and, by the age of seven, children’s attainment is below what is expected nationally for their age. Progress is unsatisfactory throughout Key Stage 1. Information technology is used during literacy and numeracy sessions, but the tasks are usually low level and are not building or developing skills.

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Information technology

109 There is documentation within the school that outlines the progression of skills needed for IT at this age, but it is not evident in practice. Children are not familiar or confident with the basic IT skills commensurate with their age and ability. Their keyboard skills are insecure and they do not know how to edit, save or retrieve text. They cannot load programs and are not provided with sufficient opportunities to take responsibility with their management of IT skills. Overall, children have not had a consistent experience in the variety and range of software and hardware, and therefore their progress over time is unsatisfactory.

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Information technology

110 Children of all ages enjoy using the computer and work with concentration, individually and in pairs. However, the tasks they are asked to perform are not sufficiently challenging, particularly for the more able, and children are not independent in their use of the computers.

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Information technology

111 Very little direct teaching of IT was observed during the inspection, so it is not possible to make a judgement on the quality of teaching. Staff’s experience and expertise in IT are variable. The co-ordinator has been in post for one year and is aware of the developments necessary in her subject. She has spent her management time so far on setting up systems rather than developing good practice in the classrooms.

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Information technology

112 Many of the computers are old and in need of frequent maintenance. There is an IT suite with six computers in the school, but this was not timetabled for use during the inspection. The school has an Internet connection in the library, but this has not yet been used and this under-utilisation represents poor efficiency in the subject.

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Information technology

113 The current scheme of work does not identify the systematic teaching of IT skills with appropriate progression across the school. There also needs to be an audit of software to ensure that programs used are of the highest quality and support the children’s learning needs. The National Curriculum Programmes of Study are not fully covered in this subject. The IT development plan currently highlights some of the necessary improvements. The school’s capacity to improve in this area is satisfactory.

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Religious education

114 Although little teaching of religious education (RE) was seen during the inspection, evidence from this, scrutiny of children’s work and discussions with children indicate that standards in RE are satisfactory in meeting the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus and children make satisfactory progress. The youngest children are able to talk about aspects of their lives which have a special significance for them. Through Year 1, they are aware of important aspects of religions, such as worship and stories in Christianity and Hinduism. By Year 2, they are aware of special places of worship for Christians and Hindus and can identify features of religions they have studied. This includes important stories; ideas and religious practices. They can recount the story surrounding the Hindu festival of Divali and higher attainers can see similarities and differences with events in Christianity. They are aware of some traditional Bible stories including

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Religious education

the Creation story. However, many children are less secure on the meaning of these stories, especially for believers. More-able children are beginning to explain religious symbols such as the light. The subject makes a significant contribution to children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Religious education

115 Children, including those with SEN, have a good attitude to learning in RE. They generally listen well to teachers and each other, especially when talking about things and people which are precious to them.

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Religious education

116 Too few lessons were seen during the inspection to form a judgement about the overall quality of teaching.

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Religious education

117 A revised scheme of work which meets the requirements of the new Local Education Authority’s syllabus has been completed. This is of very good quality and offers detailed coverage of the Attainment Targets with learning objectives, assessment opportunities and suggested sequence of lessons. This is an aspect that shows significant improvement since the last inspection. There are close links with the local Church which supports learning through regular visits. A start has been made on monitoring by the new co-ordinator, although this is currently confined to checking year-group planning rather than on the quality of teaching. Resources are adequate and are enhanced by a range of artefacts that children are encouraged to handle with respect. Following the excellent planning of the previous co-ordinator, the support of the school’s management team and the quality of the new co-ordinator, the capacity for the school to improve its provision

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Art

118 Children’s attainment in art is in line with national expectations. Children of all abilities, including those with SEN, make satisfactory progress in their understanding and skills development in art. They are introduced to a wide range of media, such as paint, collage, clay, papier-mâché and pastels. Examples of previous work displayed around the school, and a portfolio of best work, show the range of opportunities provided for the children. Sketchbooks are used in some classes, as was suggested in the last inspection. They do not yet contribute greatly to developing quality in children’s artwork. 119 Children enjoy art and take pride in their achievements. In a lesson on impressing designs on to clay tiles, the children used the materials sensibly and concentrated on their work. Artwork is not always displayed to its best effect, to enhance its appearance.

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Art

120 Very little teaching of art was seen during the inspection, so no judgement can be made about the quality of teaching. There is a new art co-ordinator, who has yet to make an impact on standards within the subject. In response to the last inspection, there is evidence of children working in the styles of commercial artists and more famous artists, such as Van Gogh. Standards would be improved if there was greater concern for the quality of children’s finished work. Overall, the standards achieved in art and the quality of provision are similar to the previous inspection. The capacity to improve within the subject is satisfactory.

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Design and technology

121 In design and technology (DT), children in Key Stage 1 achieve standards that are broadly in line with those expected nationally. This is a similar position as that found at the last inspection. There is now a scheme of work to support the subject. The majority of children, including those with SEN, make satisfactory progress in designing, and making a variety of products and models, which are well integrated into the work of the class. Examples include designs and models of playground equipment, bridges and vehicles with wheels and axles. They work with different materials and a variety of tools. The use of construction kits is a feature of each class.

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Design and technology

122 No judgement about the quality of teaching in DT can be made, as there was no DT taught during the inspection week. The previous half term had been a focus time for DT and evidence of that work was available in the school. There was evidence of food technology and children were involved in a variety of baking experiences. In these activities, children are supported well by volunteer parents, who are well briefed about how to question children and encourage them to become fully involved in the activity.

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Design and technology

123 The planning of DT activities shows a development of skills across the years. There is no evidence that assessment takes into consideration the level of ability of the child or that teachers adjust tasks or expectations accordingly.

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Design and technology

124 Equipment and resources for DT are good. They are well organised and stored appropriately. The designated room for DT activities provides good accommodation for the subject.

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Design and technology

125 The DT co-ordinator provides useful practical support to her colleagues and has organised resourcing and project packs efficiently. She has not yet had the opportunity to monitor the quality of teaching or the appropriateness of activities for all children. The capacity to improve within the subject is satisfactory.

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Geography

126 There was insufficient evidence of children’s work available during the inspection to form a judgement about children’s attainment and the quality of teaching in geography.

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Geography

127 However, there are significant improvements in the subject since the last inspection when it was judged to be not meeting requirements. There is now a thorough curriculum plan for the subject which details topics to be covered each year and a grid which outlines children’s skills development during the key stage. From reception year, children are introduced to talking about and recording the weather, using symbols. There is a strong emphasis on an enquiry-based approach and there is evidence that this is put into practice through children’s visits to the local recreation ground and maps of routes to school. By Year 2, most children are able to use a key on their maps and higher-attaining children can give and follow directions using the appropriate language. There are other planned opportunities to develop children’s geography, including visits to the local church, Westwood and Wickham.

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Geography

128 The subject now has a secure place within the curriculum of the school. The scheme of work covers all the main components of the subject. The capacity for the school to improve further within the subject is very good.

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History

129 Standards in history are in line with national expectations for the children’s age and progress for all children, including those with SEN, is satisfactory. From reception year, children show they can distinguish between the past and present by sorting people and objects into ‘Now and Then’. In Year 1, children of all abilities are aware of the events and main characters of the Gunpowder plot and sequence them in the right order. In Year 2, children are beginning to offer valid explanations for the way in which The Great Fire of London spread and understand the ways in which people at the time dealt with the event. They can also identify differences over time in places studied, such as Netley and Wickham.

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History

130 Children enjoy history sessions and show an interest and curiosity about the past. They are keen to take an active part in lessons and share their work and ideas. They respond with enjoyment and focused attention when teachers use role-play to help create a character from the past whom they can question.

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History

131 Teaching is satisfactory overall and sometimes good. It is at its best when the learning objectives are clear and shared with children. In these lessons, there is a quick series of questions to establish understanding from previous work and activities are well-matched and challenge the range of children’s abilities. This allows all to progress in both skills and understanding, which are then reviewed in a short plenary session. Less effective, satisfactory teaching occurs when the pace of the session slows and higher-attaining children do not have a chance to show what they can do. Teachers use a range of resources and teaching strategies to enrich the subject, including artefacts, pictures, timelines and role- play.

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History

132 The subject is well managed and there is a good scheme of work to help teachers in their planning. The scheme includes the main skills in history which help build continuity and progression in children’s learning. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Timelines are a feature of classrooms and are used to develop an understanding of past times. There has been very little opportunity for the co-ordinator to monitor the subject actively, other than through planning. The subject’s contribution to literacy skills is evident in most classes, but it has not yet been fully considered by all teachers. Assessments opportunities are identified and the results are recorded by teachers. Resources, including artefacts, are adequate and well maintained. The capacity to improve within the subject is good.

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Music

133 The last inspection found some shortcomings in the provision for music. These have largely been addressed and music plays an important part in the life of the school. Attainment for children in Key Stage 1 is broadly in line with national expectations for their age. Throughout the school, all children, including those with SEN, make good progress. They are developing an understanding of dynamics and can control their voices and instruments appropriately. They can sing songs from memory and enjoy a range of opportunities for singing during the week in large and small groups. Assemblies provide an opportunity for children to listen to a range of music. Children’s response to music is lively and enthusiastic. They listen and respond thoughtfully to taped music. Music is also used to good effect as a stimulus in dance lessons.

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Music

134 The teaching of music is generally good. Planning is appropriate and lessons are well structured and well prepared. The use of time within the lessons is good, with a variety of complementary activities supporting the children’s learning and providing effective pace. Teachers’ knowledge of the subject and their organisation and management of the lessons are generally good.

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Music

135 The music co-ordinator has only just taken over the role and has yet to make an impact on standards within the subject. Resourcing is good. There is a wide variety of instruments, although the school would benefit from providing some with deeper tones and a wider range of instruments from other cultures. The specialist music room provides an attractive and useful space for performing and listening to music. There is still little evidence of using music from other cultures, as recognised in the last inspection. The capacity to improve within the subject is very good.

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Physical education

136 Standards overall in physical education (PE) throughout the school are generally above the national expectation for the children’s ages. However, there are some inconsistencies in standards between different activities. The majority of children in Key Stage 1 attain good standards in gymnastics and dance activities. They can link different movements into basic gymnastics sequences and dance patterns, showing good control, poise and balance in relation to their age. Children have a good understanding of safe practice in their handling and use of gymnastics apparatus. Ball skills, such as throwing, catching, bouncing and dribbling, are less well developed. Nevertheless, most children still attain at least the national expectation in games activities, with a minority achieving higher.

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Physical education

137 Progress for all children, including those with SEN, is good throughout the school. They enter Key Stage 1 with an above average level of movement skills in gymnastics and dance activities. As children get older, their gymnastics sequences and dance patterns become more skilful, more imaginative and more confidently executed. This is because, from an early age, children learn to observe and evaluate each other’s work and improve their awareness of how success in PE should be judged. Progress in games skills is less secure.

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Physical education

138 Children enjoy their PE lessons and have good attitudes to learning. Children of all abilities respond enthusiastically, energetically and want to improve their skills. All children learn to work safely on their own, with a partner or in groups.

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Physical education

139 The quality of teaching is good overall. Very good relationships ensure children experience enjoyment and maintain their self-esteem. Within lessons, opportunities are well structured for children to practise and refine basic movement skills. When teaching is very good, the tasks set enable children to use and apply their skills in progressively challenging situations, and the questions teachers ask provide very good guidance for children to evaluate and improve their level of skill.

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Physical education

140 The subject is well co-ordinated. Recently revised schemes of work in gymnastics and dance are having a positive impact on raising children’s standards. The subject co-ordinator attends courses and shares good practice through leading in-service training sessions for teachers in the school. Resources for gymnastics and dance are very good. They are adequate for the teaching of games. The school is part of a national initiative for school improvement in PE, sport and dance. The children take part in local dance festivals and sports days. At lunch-time, there are opportunities for children to use a large outdoor climbing frame and a range of games equipment to practise their skills.

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Physical education

141 There have been significant improvements in children’s standards and the quality of teaching since the previous OFSTED inspection. The subject co- ordinator and the school’s management team have made significant contributions to these improvements. The school’s capacity to improve further is very good.

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Summary of inspection evidence

142 The team consisted of four inspectors including one lay inspector. All aspects of the school’s life were included in the inspection and first-hand evidence was collected over 16 inspector days.

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . 55 lessons or parts of lessons were observed

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . a range of assemblies, registrations and other activities was visited

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . a large number of meetings were arranged with the headteacher and staff

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . team members had discussions with several governors

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . inspectors looked at the work of a wide range of pupils during lessons and work that was on display

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . other evidence was gathered from national and school assessment data

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Summary of inspection evidence

• .inspectors studied the work, records and reports of a representative sample of 24 pupils and heard 24 of them read

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Summary of inspection evidence

• .inspectors had discussions with pupils about their work and shared books with pupils

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . school documentation was scrutinised before and during the inspection; this included management and curricular documentation, budget figures, the most recent auditor’s report, teachers’ planning notes and records of work

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Summary of inspection evidence

• . the school premises, grounds and the full range of resources were inspected and considered

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Summary of inspection evidence

• .the Reporting Inspector held a meeting attended by 18 parents

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Summary of inspection evidence

• .the responses of questionnaires returned by 92 parents were analysed.

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Pupil data

Number of pupils on roll (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils with statements of SEN Number of pupils on school's register of SEN Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals YR - Y2 217 0 86 18

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Qualified teachers

Total number of qualified teachers (full-time equivalent) Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

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Education support staff

Total number of education support staff 9 Total aggregate hours worked each week 140

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Financial data

£ Total Income 426,890.00 Total Expenditure 435,190.00 Expenditure per pupil 1,813.29 Balance brought forward from previous year 22,068.00 Balance carried forward to next year 13,768.00

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Number of questionnaires sent out 225 Number of questionnaires returned 92

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Responses (percentage of answers in each category) :

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PARENTAL SURVEY

Strongly agree Agree Neither Disagree Strongly disagree I feel the school encourages parents to play an active part in the life of the school 75.0 25.0

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I would find it easy to approach the school with questions or problems to do with my child(ren) 65.2 34.8

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school handles complaints from parents well 31.4 58.1 10.5

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school gives me a clear understanding of what is taught 40.7 52.7 5.5 1.1

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school keeps me well informed about my child(ren)'s progress 37.9 54.0 6.9 1.1

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school enables my child(ren) to achieve a good standard of work 32.6 59.6 7.9

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school encourages children to get involved in more than just their daily lessons 29.2 48.3 21.3 1.1

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PARENTAL SURVEY

I am satisfied with the work that my child(ren) is/are expected to do at home 35.2 54.9 5.5 4.4

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school's values and attitudes have a positive effect on my child(ren) 50.6 46.1 3.4

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PARENTAL SURVEY

The school achieves high standards of good behaviour 46.1 50.6 2.2 1.1

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PARENTAL SURVEY

My child(ren) like(s) school 54.4 41.1 3.3 1.1

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Other issues raised by parents

The comments made at the parents’ meeting, which was attended by 18 parents, were very supportive of the school. A small minority of parents expressed some concern about:

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Other issues raised by parents

• . large class sizes in the two reception year classes

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Other issues raised by parents

• . the hall being too small to accommodate children for lunch “without being crushed”.

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Other issues raised by parents

All the issues arising from the parents’ meeting and the parents’ questionnaire were addressed by the inspection team and their findings are contained within the report.

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