Barrowcliff School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th – 7 th February 2002

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SCHOOL

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

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SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ash Grove Scarborough North Yorkshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Michael Nesfield

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd June 1997 Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 23698 J Schaffer Registered inspector English Physical education Equal opportunities English as an additional language Art and design What sort of school is it? The school's results and pupils' achievements How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 19369 C Wild Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with its parents? 8839 D Kerr Team inspector Science Music Foundation Stage Curriculum 19916 D Atkins Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

15551 P Mitchell Team inspector Information and communication technology Design and technology Special educational needs Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Independent School Inspection Services (ISIS)

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 6

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is a community infant and nursery school. In the infant classes there are 100 boys and 88 girls on roll, making the school similar in size to other schools of this type. The 39-place nursery class offers part-time places in the morning or afternoon according to parental choice. Children start in the nursery class in the term after their third birthday. They transfer to the reception classes in the September before their fifth birthday. Almost all the pupils are of white United Kingdom heritage. A very small number is learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals is above average. Although many families have been settled in the area for a considerable amount of time, there are an above average number who move in and out of the area during their child’s primary education. Within the locality there are some aspects of social deprivation. The number of pupils

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

on the special needs register is similar to the national average but those with statements of special educational need is above average. Most of these pupils have needs related to language difficulties. The accommodation is adapted for disabled pupils and those with medical needs and these pupils are admitted more frequently than to most schools. When children start in the nursery, the attainment of most is well below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The headteacher has been successful in developing a team of teachers who are committed to providing high quality education for the pupils. Pupils’ achievements are good and the standards they reach in reading and writing compare well with those of schools in a similar situation. The school’s aim to achieve a happy school for everyone is well realised; pupils like to come to school and they gain in confidence throughout their time there. The quality of teaching in the nursery is of an exceptionally high standard, and in the other classes, it is very good in reception and good elsewhere. The headteacher, key members of staff and governors provide clear direction for the school’s work. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Children make very good progress in the nursery and reception classes because of the excellent provision in the nursery and the very good teaching in the reception classes. • By the end of Year 2, pupils’ achievements in reading, writing and mathematics are good, because the school has focused on raising standards in these subjects. • Pupils have very good opportunities to use computers in all their learning and they make good progress in information and communication technology. • The school’s very good relationship with parents supports pupils’ learning well. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good and for those with disabilities it is very good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Planning, in Years 1 and 2, does not provide enough opportunities for role-play, drama and creative activities and so pupils’ skills in speaking and listening are not high enough by the time they are seven. • Pupils do not make enough progress in physical education in Years 1 and 2. • The way in which pupils in Years 1 and 2 are brought in and sent out to play does not help establish a quiet working atmosphere as pupils are too noisy at these times. • In Years 1 and 2, pupils sometimes spend too much time in lessons sitting and listening and not enough time being active, and this results in some restlessness and inattention. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school’s improvement since its previous inspection has been good. When it was inspected in 1997, it was asked to improve provision and standards in information and communication technology and opportunities for pupils to write. Both of these aspects now contribute greatly to pupils’ achievements. Teachers have developed the way they assess pupils’ work and subject leaders use the findings from these assessments to plan for future work. The quality of teaching has improved so that pupils learn at a faster rate. Whilst the pupils’ performance in national tests in reading has remained the same, in writing and mathematics it has improved.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The school’s success in teaching writing has meant that the pupils’ performance in national tests has been improving each year. Teachers help pupils become keen writers. In 2001, more pupils achieved level 3 (the level above that expected nationally) than in most schools, and the school’s results compared favourably to those of similar schools. The results in mathematics did not match up to this, although pupils did better in 2001 than in previous years. Currently, standards in mathematics are average, an improvement that reflects the good teaching of mental arithmetic. Every year, girls perform better than boys. The school is looking at the reasons for this and ways to address it. The standard of work, for pupils currently in Year 2, is average in reading, writing, science, art and design, design and technology, information and communication technology, history, geography, music, and religious education. In physical education standards are average, but teachers do not challenge pupils enough so

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STANDARDS

they do not maintain the above average standards achieved by the end of the reception year.

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STANDARDS

The standards pupils achieve are high enough when compared to their prior attainment. Those with special educational needs make good progress towards their individual targets and those who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress in learning English and their progress in other subjects is good. The children in the nursery and reception years make very good progress. The majority are set to achieve the goals for their age in all the areas of learning except in communication and language and literacy where some, despite the very good gains they have made, still do not speak as well as expected for their age. In physical development most are on course to exceed the goals set for them.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Children in the nursery and reception classes are eager to take part in all activities. In Years 1 and 2, pupils are keen to come to school Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 9 and are generally interested in their lessons.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Children behave very well in the nursery and reception classes. In Years 1 and 2, most pupils behave well, but a few become silly or inattentive when expected to listen for too long. Behaviour is good in the dining hall, during assemblies and on the playground, but pupils often become too noisy when they come in from play, and they are not ready to start their work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships in all classes are good. Pupils are friendly to each other and play well together. They show responsibility when there are opportunities to do so.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance This is satisfactory overall. Many pupils have good attendance but some take holidays during school time. Most pupils arrive at school on time and lessons start promptly.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Strengths: The strength of the teaching in the nursery and reception classes lies in the stimulating, high quality activities that allow children to learn through well-planned play and practical tasks. Teachers are skilful at assessing -children’s knowledge and understanding as they work and play and make good use of these assessments to plan future activities. Nursery nurses and early years assistants contribute fully to the effectiveness of the provision.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

In Years 1 and 2, teachers use the national strategies for literacy and numeracy well so that pupils’ skills in reading, writing and mathematics develop at a good rate. Teachers keep a close watch on the targets set for those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language. Teachers plan well with learning support staff, and this contributes to the good progress made by these pupils. Information and communication technology is used very well to develop the learning of all pupils, particularly when extra practice or greater challenge is needed. The work pupils do at home is very well linked to class work.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Areas for improvement: In Years 1 and 2, teachers’ explanations and class discussions are sometimes too lengthy, and as a result, some pupils become inattentive and restless. Two lessons, one on design and technology, and one on geography were unsatisfactory because of this reason. Occasionally, tasks are not relevant to pupils’ level of maturity or interest. Some lessons in physical education are not challenging enough, and so pupils do not try as hard as they could or learn at a fast enough rate.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good overall. In the nursery and reception classes, the curriculum provides a wealth of stimulating experiences relevant to the children’s interest. In Years 1 and 2, all subjects of the National Curriculum contribute to pupils’ knowledge, but on occasions tasks are not relevant to pupils’ level of maturity and interest. Sometimes, pupils withdrawn from class miss too much teaching in other subjects. A very good range Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 10 of activities is provided out of school time.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. Difficulties are identified at an early age and effective strategies are put in place to help pupils make good progress and these are monitored closely. Parents are fully involved.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Although the number of pupils is very small, there is effective support from a visiting specialist teacher and work is well linked to that done in class.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The social and moral development of pupils is rooted firmly in the aims and values of the school. Pupils have good opportunities to reflect on their lives and the wonders of the natural world. They are encouraged to learn to live together sociably and to learn of the cultures of others.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes good care of its pupils. Procedures to assess pupils’ achievements are particularly good and there are very good systems to ensure that pupils’ personal development is recorded and taken into consideration in providing for their needs.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school’s relationship with parents is very good. Parents appreciate the school and the efforts it makes to include them in the school community. Work to be done at home is organised in a manageable and effective way so that many parents help with their child’s learning. A member of staff oversees this aspect of school life, and provides effective leadership. Projects are successful and varied, such as the one that loans portable computers to those parents without a computer at home.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher, ably supported by the deputy headteacher, leads an effective team of teachers who strive hard to improve the school and the standard of pupils’ work. There is a good focus on developing staff’s skills and their contribution to the management of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors are very effective in their support. They know the school well and take proper steps to appraise the work of the senior management team, and to judge the quality of the school’s provision

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school identifies its areas for improvement well and has a robust system to evaluate how well it is achieving its goals. It compares its performance to other schools nationally and locally to judge how well it is doing. It also consults with parents to gain their views of its provision.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources There is very good financial planning and this enables the school to make the most of the monies it receives. Currently pupils are benefiting from small numbers in each class because of the good foresight in financial planning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school has an above average number of teachers and they have a good range of skills and expertise. The number of learning support assistants is high and they are well trained in methods to best support pupils’ learning. The accommodation is good and very well maintained. Resources are satisfactory and good in respect of the provision for computers. The nursery has a very good outside play area but the playground for Years 1 and 2, although a good size, lacks stimulating resources for imaginative play. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 11

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Their children enjoy school. • Behaviour is good and their children make good progress because the school expects them to work hard. • The staff are approachable and work closely with parents. • The school is well led and managed. • There is a good range of activities outside of lessons. • A few parents felt that they did not receive enough information about how their child was progressing.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The majority of parents indicated that they were very satisfied with the school. The inspection confirms parents’ positive views. There were a small number of parents who felt that they did not know what progress their child was making. School reports at the end of the year are of good quality, but inspectors agree that those for Year 1 pupils do not give a clear picture of how well pupils were doing in English, mathematics and science and what pupils need to do to improve further. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 12 Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The school’s success in teaching writing has meant that its results, in the national tests for writing for seven year olds, have been improving each year. Teachers help pupils become keen writers and in 2001 the school’s results were above average compared to similar schools. This was because more pupils achieved the higher level (level 3) than in most schools. The pupils did very well to achieve this, as many start in the nursery with their skills in communication well below average. Their performance in mathematics, however, did not match up to this, although pupils did do better in 2001 than in previous years. The school’s results in mathematics have not improved greatly in the past three years but current standards are better because the pupils in Year 2 have now had the benefit of the good teaching resulting from the implementation of the National Numeracy Strategy for two years. Pupils in Year 2 are

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

achieving standards that are average in English, mathematics and science. However, they have below average skills in speaking and listening. Pupils’ achievements are good, except in speaking and listening. The school’s results in national tests have improved since the time of the previous inspection in 1997, and their achievements are higher.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. For a number of years, the school’s results in reading were below the national average but average in comparison to similar schools. In 2001, more pupils achieved the higher level than in previous years, and a similar percentage to nationally. Many parents read with their child at home and help to consolidate what they learn in school. This, together with the focus on teaching letter sounds, has been effective in helping pupils learn to read more quickly and so standards in Year 2 are average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. When children start in the nursery, their communication and language skills are well below those expected of three year olds. They make up very good ground in both the nursery and the reception classes, but by the end of the reception year they still do not speak as well as most five year olds. They are well on the way to achieving the goals set for their age in reading, writing, mathematical development, personal and social development, and creative development. Children start with average physical attainment in the nursery. They respond well to the very good teaching in all classes, so that those in the reception class are on course to achieve above average standards by the end of the year. Children enjoy learning, and they listen to their teachers well. They are given work well matched to their level of understanding. In a lesson on letter sounds, for instance, the teacher taught several groups at different

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

levels to match letter sounds to words or to build simple three-letter words with the sounds they knew. As a result, even those with lower attainment matched the sounds on a picture card to other words beginning with that letter. Those with significant special educational needs learnt particularly well during this session because the special needs support assistant skilfully used the same methods as the teacher with those pupils needing one-to-one support.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The school had focused its attention, during the previous year, on improving teachers’ expectations of what higher attaining pupils could achieve in English and mathematics. This was a successful initiative. Pupils who can work more quickly than others are challenged well and given the opportunity to work at a faster pace. In English, for example, teachers give them a greater number and harder words to learn to spell than other pupils. They made good progress in a Year 2 lesson, when they Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 14 learnt spellings and identified words that were spelt differently but used similar sounds. They spelt out, for instance, the correct letters for the two similar sounds, ‘or’ and ‘aw’ to spell the words ‘form’ and ‘claws’ correctly. In mathematics, higher attaining pupils are given larger numbers to work with and expected to calculate quickly. They can add and subtract multiples of 10 and are beginning to gain good

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

confidence in adding single-digit numbers that go across from the ‘teens’ into the ‘twenties’. Those of average, or slightly below average attainment make good progress. They tackle work at the same level as those of higher attainment but with more support from teachers or learning support assistants. For example, in an English lesson those of average attainment wrote a list of sentences giving information about dinosaurs, producing almost as many of their own ideas and written sentences as those with higher attainment. However, they had the support of a skilful learning assistant, who helped them improve the grammatical structure of their work, as some found it difficult to make the generalisations necessary for this particular task. In mathematics, most pupils have a good understanding of how to add or subtract 10 to or from any number up to 100. They have a well-established understanding of the value of a digit according to its position in the number. In the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

past, pupils have not learnt enough about shape, space and measure or learnt to work out problems in these elements of mathematics. The school has good plans to spend more time teaching about shape and measurement. In their current work on angles, shapes, position and direction, all pupils are achieving standards that would be expected of seven year olds.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the time they are in Year 2, higher attaining pupils have the confidence to speak to large audiences. For instance, in assembly a higher attaining pupil asked the sensible question: “Is it hot inside?” to the visitor who had brought a huge lion costume to show all the school. However, many pupils do not have a wide range of words at their disposal to describe and explain their thoughts. For instance, pupils of average attainment had difficulty explaining how to make a picture using the technique of collage. They did not know the term, even though it had been taught to them recently, and they struggled to describe their actions. In mathematics lessons, many pupils needed practice in using the terms ‘in front of’ and ‘behind’ accurately. Teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to discuss as a class, but on occasions these are not as productive as teachers had hoped because pupils find it difficult to listen to

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

others and only a small number can contribute. Children in the nursery and reception classes make good progress in developing their skills in speaking and listening because of the very good opportunities for them to talk to each other and try out new words in the role-play activities. These methods are not often used in Years 1 and 2, although the school had identified that this would be helpful for the development of pupils’ skills in communicating to each other. Pupils’ achievements in speaking and listening are not satisfactory.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Pupils make good progress in learning to read. By the time they are in Year 2, those with average and higher attainment have begun to read increasingly complex stories and can make suggestions, based on previous events, as to what might happen next. Some read with good expression and know their favourite authors and stories. Those who learn more slowly than others use sounds very well to help them read unknown words but, because they lose fluency in their reading, they often struggle to make sense of what they have read. Pupils have a good grasp of how to use non-fiction books and they read what is written on their computer screen confidently when the words are known to them. Pupils’ skills in science develop at a good rate because teachers provide good opportunities for pupils to learn through investigation and practical activities. All pupils are encouraged to record their work and those of average and higher attainment write up their findings in their own words. Those of

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 15 lower attainment are supported in their efforts to record by an adult, or given a simpler means of recording, such as a tick sheet. Good teaching and the focused leadership of the subject co-ordinator have led to pupils making good progress in learning about information and communication technology. The current and effective focus has been relatively recent and so the attainment of those in Year 1 is almost as high as that of pupils in Year 2. Pupils in both year groups understand that much information is stored on the system, on disks and in the wider world on the Internet. Most pupils use the mouse effectively and at a level beyond that expected for their age. They understand the function keys well but are slow in their use of the keyboard. Pupils reach the expected standards in Year 2 in physical education, but teachers do not provide enough challenge in lessons and so they do not achieve as well as they

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The progress of pupils with special educational needs is good. The teachers know the pupils very well and provide work at the right level for them. In English, for instance, they revisit the letter sounds that they have forgotten and build up their understanding of using a range of strategies to read an unknown word. In mathematics, they work with numbers below ten to gain confidence in addition and subtraction. Experienced and very competent learning support assistants work with the pupils and help them to learn and concentrate in the lessons. Each pupil’s needs are assessed and they receive extra help on an individual basis to meet these needs. Pupils enjoy their work and so work hard. There are good relationships between the staff and pupils and these motivate them to work hard and increase their confidence. The pupils who speak English as an additional language are given good support from the visiting

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

specialist teacher that is well linked to their work in class. They make similar progress to others. In learning to speak English their progress is satisfactory, but like other pupils in the school they would benefit from more opportunities to develop their skills in role-play and active tasks.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. In almost every subject, the performance of girls in the national tests at the end of Year 2 is better than that of the boys. On entry to the nursery, boys’ attainment is below that of the girls. The school has identified the need to improve the attainment of boys. It is at early stage in addressing this as a school priority. During some lessons, girls clearly paid better attention than boys because boys were not able to sit and listen for as long as girls. When lessons moved at a good pace and there were practical tasks to engage their interest, the rate of boys’ learning improved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ enthusiasm for school and their interest and involvement in activities are good, and parents agree that their children like school. Pupils are willing to help others and adults, and take part in activities outside lessons such as the choir and art club. In Years 1 and 2, pupils’ attitudes in lessons are satisfactory. They often begin the lessons full of interest and enthusiasm. However, they are easily distracted, especially when they have to sit for too long in some lessons, when they begin to lose concentration and become restless. Where teachers have planned a variety of appropriate activities and keep the pace brisk, pupils are able to sustain their interest and concentration throughout the lesson. This is a similar picture to the time of the previous inspection.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Children have very positive attitudes to learning in the nursery and reception classes. They enjoy coming into the nursery and quickly settle to the interesting games and activities that are set out for them. They play sensibly together in the role-play areas of the reception classes and generally settle down to work quickly when asked. A small Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 16 number of children in the reception classes get restless quickly when sitting on the mat listening to the teacher and their fidgeting can slow the lesson down, particularly in the afternoons when they are tired.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. In Years 1 and 2, behaviour is satisfactory. Pupils eat their lunches sensibly and play together well in the playground. Play is often noisy and boisterous but harmonious. During the inspection there were no obvious signs of any bullying or isolation of individuals. Pupils behave noisily in the corridors and cloakrooms, as if they were still in the playground. This means that pupils are often unsettled and not ready for work in the classrooms, and lesson time is wasted while quiet and order are restored. Behaviour in the classrooms is satisfactory. Although most pupils work sensibly and want to please the teachers there are a minority who call out, are fidgety and chatty and do not take a full part in the lessons. In a few lessons this disrupts the learning of others. There has been one exclusion in the past year, for one day. Exclusions are only used as a last resort for assaults on pupils or staff and are always followed by a

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

parental interview and an action plan to deal with the inappropriate behaviour.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Relationships are good and it is a happy school. The majority of pupils relate well to their teachers, to other adults and also to one another. This is encouraged through pupils working together in pairs or groups in lessons. Pupils are generally polite, friendly and welcoming to visitors. During assemblies, pupils show respect for the occasion, and in lessons demonstrate respect for other races and religions. For example, they showed respect for the Qu’ran as a holy book during a religious education lesson. They were fascinated by the display and work on the Chinese New Year and eager to learn how to use chopsticks. All adults set good examples of caring and helpfulness and pupils are eager for jobs to do.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. They gain social skills and support local and national charities, acting upon their own initiative when given the opportunity to do so. The recent focus on developing pupils’ initiative and sense of responsibility is having a positive effect. For example, through personal and social education they explore ways of helping around school, and discuss the importance of the school’s ‘Golden Rules’. During an assembly about the Chinese New Year, those pupils chosen to speak were confident, as they stood up to ask the visitor sensible questions.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated well into classes and are fully included in all activities and visits. Care is taken to encourage pupils to become as independent as possible. For example, under supervision, they use the stair lift with another pupil but press the button to start the lift themselves.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Pupils’ attendance is satisfactory. It has shown a steady improvement in the last three years and although unauthorised absence is above the national average in the last year, there has been a significant improvement since 1999. In the academic year 2000/01, owing to a few families moving out of the area without informing the school, unauthorised attendance rose. The majority of pupils are punctual but there is a minority who do not arrive on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching has improved since the previous inspection. In the nursery and reception classes teaching is very good with some aspects in the nursery that are excellent. Children learn quickly in these classes and their personal and social skills develop very well. In Years 1 and 2, teaching is good overall but some aspects Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 17 are in need of improvement. The school has paid good attention to developing the teaching methods recommended in the national strategies for literacy and numeracy and so pupils make good progress in learning to read, write and gain mathematical skills.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. In the nursery and reception classes over two thirds of the lessons were very good and one lesson was excellent. The remaining lessons were good with just one session being satisfactory. None were unsatisfactory. In Years 1 and 2, there were a similar number of lessons that were good to those that were satisfactory. Standards of work in pupils’ books and teachers’ planning suggest a higher standard of teaching, particularly in science and English. The small proportion of unsatisfactory lessons was in design and technology, and geography, when pupils spent too long listening to teachers’ explanations and the time for them to engage in practical activities was cut short.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In the nursery, the teacher and nursery nurses work closely together to plan an exciting programme of work, and practitioners make very careful and regular assessments of each child’s progress. This enables them to tailor activities for individual children’s needs. Staff plan activities daily that build carefully on what children already know, so as to move them on a step further in their learning. The planning and assessment in reception are equally detailed but in these classes, there is not such a wide range of attractive resources and equipment, and this limits the planning for some activities. This is particularly the case in the provision for role-play and outdoor play. Nevertheless, activities are very well matched to children’s needs and provide them with lots of opportunities to explore and develop their ideas, learning at a good rate as they do so.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Planning is done well in the year group teams in Years 1 and 2. Teachers take good note of their assessments and evaluations from the previous week to decide on the work and tasks that will meet the needs of the pupils. Tasks are planned to match the needs of pupils with different levels of attainment and planning shows that teachers consider whether pupils are in the group that best meets their needs. For example, in one lesson after a group read, the teacher decided that one pupil who had read the text easily would be better suited in a higher group. The school focus, on increasing the number of pupils achieving the higher level in the national tests, improved teachers’ awareness of their own expectations and whether they were high enough. As a result, those with higher attainment are regularly challenged, In mental arithmetic sessions, for example, teachers expect them to use larger numbers in their

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

calculations, than those used by others. Spellings are targeted at different levels so that all pupils are working on words that they are ready to learn. Teachers make good use of the individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs to plan work for them in class as well as when they are withdrawn for extra support. The very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language have good support from a specialist teacher once a week. They make satisfactory progress in learning to speak English. Learning support assistants have been well trained in the new national initiative to help those in Year 1 who have fallen behind in English. They give good support to these pupils, although sometimes pupils are not ready to learn because they are missing another lesson such as gymnastics. The session at the end of lessons is used well to help assess pupils’ achievements and to help them

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Pupils learn at a good rate in most lessons because of the following strengths in teaching: Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 18 • good knowledge and understanding of the best ways to teach pupils the basic skills of using letter sounds to work out unknown words to read and write, and of how to make quick mental calculations;

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• good knowledge of how to develop confidence in writing and the provision of many well thought out opportunities to do so;

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• good provision of practical and investigative activities in science;

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• very good use of information and communication technology to support learning in other subjects; and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• very good use of homework that involves parents in their child’s learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The main areas for development in Years 1 and 2 to improve pupils’ achievements are:

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• the avoidance of sessions when pupils sit for too long listening to teachers’ explanations and questions so that they become inattentive and teachers have to take time from the lesson to re-establish a calm working atmosphere;

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

• higher expectations in physical education and design and technology, so that pupils are given challenging experiences.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers and learning support assistants work very well together to encourage those pupils who are potentially disruptive. For instance, in some lessons, the support assistants very successfully provide a short time away from the group for those pupils who find it difficult to concentrate throughout the session. Good relationships are apparent in every class and teachers and learning support assistants provide friendly and positive encouragement, to which most pupils respond very well. Occasionally, this does not prevent silly behaviour and in nearly every case, it is because some pupils, particularly boys, have found it too challenging to sit and listen to explanations for the expected length of time. Teachers are aware of the need to seek different methods to meet the needs of these pupils, but there are times when the tasks provided and the content of the lesson are not relevant to pupils’ level of maturity or

p.18

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

their interests. This adversely affects the way pupils behave and their rate of learning. On occasions, during whole class reading sessions, opportunities are missed to make best use of the skilled support staff by dividing the pupils into two groups so that questions could be better targeted to individual needs.

p.18

PUPILS?

23. The school’s curriculum is broad and balanced. Its clear structure ensures coverage of all subjects of the National Curriculum. The school meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education and a daily act of collective worship. In the nursery and reception classes, teachers plan a particularly rich and stimulating curriculum that pays very good attention to the national guidance for this age

p.18

PUPILS?

24. Sound strategies are in place to underpin the teaching of literacy and numeracy, and enough time is given to these priorities. The school allocates a generous amount of time to physical education, but pupils do not make enough progress because there is not enough guidance on what levels pupils should achieve at each age. Provision for information and communication technology, which was a key issue in the previous Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 19 inspection, is now much improved. Planning in nearly all subjects includes a good range of opportunities for pupils to develop their skills and knowledge of information and communication technology using varied equipment across the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

25. All subjects are taught each term and this helps to ensure that learning is fresh in pupils’ minds when they meet the next level of difficulty in a skill or subject. In the main, planning reflects the units of work in each subject that are recommended nationally. These units were introduced a year ago and the school has been monitoring their effectiveness. Some, however, are not relevant to pupils’ interest or level of maturity. The deputy headteacher, whose role it is to oversee the planning of the curriculum, had identified this problem. As a result, the school has begun to look for ways to plan the curriculum so that pupils have more opportunities for learning through practical and role-play activities. Role-play and drama activities, however, are currently underdeveloped in Years 1 and 2. Because of the organisation of the daily timetable, pupils often spend too long sitting and listening so that they become

p.19

PUPILS?

26. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good in respect of their individual plans and it has improved since the previous inspection. Any problems are identified at a very early stage, and strategies are well thought out to help individuals. However, the lack of opportunities for practical activities and role-play adversely affects the progress of these pupils in a similar way to that of other pupils. Support staff are knowledgeable and highly effective in their role. Very good liaison and working relationships exist with other professionals, such as the speech and language therapist and physiotherapist, who visit and work with staff frequently. Provision for the very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language is good with a visiting teacher providing assessment and some specialised teaching. Both those with special educational needs and those who speak English as

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PUPILS?

an additional language are full, respected and valued members of the school.

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PUPILS?

27. The school makes good provision for the development of pupils’ personal, social and health education. The co-ordinator has undertaken a useful audit related to the ‘Healthy Schools’ initiative. The subject is timetabled regularly throughout the school and pupils are given opportunities to consider problems and issues relating to themselves and to the school. This is developing their understanding of their own feelings and those of others. The headteacher operates an open door policy to care for children with personal problems.

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PUPILS?

28. Good planning ensures that visits and visitors to the school make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Pupils visit churches, the local monument and the beach as part of their study of the local area. There are also frequent visitors to the school who bring valuable support by adding interest to the curriculum. The assembly programme makes regular provision for a wide range of visitors and welcomes parents and members of the local community into the school. This is one of the strengths of the school.

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PUPILS?

29. In addition to homework, the school provides a range of extra-curricular activities which successfully enrich the curriculum and support pupils’ learning. There is an art club, choir, computer club, and ‘think club’. The latter comprises Year 2 pupils who meet at lunchtime with the co-ordinator for personal, social and health education, to consider some school issues. The children are then invited to contribute their ideas for staff to consider. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 20 30. The very close links with the neighbouring junior school are effective in helping to motivate pupils, for instance, by indicating that the older pupils might be invited to see their work. Parents appreciate that there is a good partnership between the two schools and that at the time of transfer to the junior school, their child will be well supported. Helpful connections are being forged with the local special school. Fund

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PUPILS?

raising for charities is important to the school. Pupils are encouraged to support a range of local, national and international charities. Displays and photographs serve as a useful reminder to pupils of what has been achieved in the past, and to raise pupils’ awareness of their responsibilities to others and to the community.

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PUPILS?

31. The school has a policy of good quality that promotes equal opportunities. The governors have made it a high priority to support all groups of pupils in their learning, and to ensure that the school is open to admit everyone whatever their disability. The headteacher monitors the policy and in general takes good care to ensure that pupils have equal access to the curriculum and other learning opportunities. However, on a few occasions, the organisation of the timetable is such that pupils withdrawn from class to receive extra help miss too much teaching in one particular subject. When pupils return to a class, some teachers are not careful enough to ensure that an adult explains to them what has happened in the part of the lesson they have missed.

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PUPILS?

32. Provision for spiritual development is good. Collective worship offers opportunities for pupils to celebrate festivals and other occasions and provides time for quiet reflection. Religious education gives pupils the chance to consider their own beliefs and values, and to develop an understanding of and respect for the beliefs, cultures and values of other people. Opportunities for spiritual development through subjects such as history, geography, literacy, music, dance and art enhance this area of the curriculum.

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PUPILS?

33. Provision for both moral and social development is good. It is reinforced through the school’s expectations in its daily life and classroom practices, through ‘Golden Time’ and ‘Golden Rules’. Pupils are encouraged to think about the consequences of their actions. The only detraction from otherwise very good provision is the lack of good organisation for the way pupils come in from, and go out to play. The quality of relationships between adults and pupils across the school enables children to feel safe and secure. Pupils are given opportunities to act as helpers, for example, in the hall by helping to set the chairs for assembly and again at lunchtime. They are given responsibility for tidying classroom resources and keeping cloakrooms in order. In class and in the activities provided out of school time, there are frequent opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively in pairs, and in various groupings, so developing their

p.20

PUPILS?

34. The school provides an appropriate emphasis on cultural development, and provision for this is good. Traditional games are introduced in the playground. Through history and geography, pupils find out about their own locality both in present times and in the past. Art and music provide pupils with good opportunities to understand how these have contributed to the varied cultural heritage of the modern world. Art from different parts of the world and artists of many cultures are represented in the school’s curriculum. Teachers frequently provide opportunities for pupils to listen to and appraise a wide range of taped music. Religious education and assemblies help develop knowledge of other religions and cultures. Educational visits, visitors to the school and links with the local community and with communities further afield enrich pupils’ awareness of people and places beyond their school and local environment.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 21 35. Overall, the school provides good care of its pupils. Good relationships are evident throughout the school and pupils respond well to the enthusiasm of the teachers and feel secure in their care. This is appreciated by parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The procedures for child protection, safety and welfare are well established. The school complies with the local authority’s Child Protection procedures and monitors their implementation appropriately. The quality of liaison with other welfare agencies is sound. A member of the governing body has good expertise in health and safety and has helped in the development of good practice, such as ensuring that all aspects of the accommodation are assessed with regard to any possible risks. The policy is reviewed annually so that attention can be given to any new legislation or aspects of concern. Teachers are required to identify any risks in their daily planning, and this good practice keeps such matters to the forefront of their attention.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school promotes the awareness of health and safety issues with parents and with pupils. The programme for personal, social and health education supports pupils’ understanding of issues such as their own personal protection. The importance of healthy eating is delivered through a planned programme, and visits by the community policeman help the pupils to be aware of road safety and the danger of talking to strangers. The provision for first aid is good. The school has well- established arrangements for dealing with accidents and many members of staff have received training in basic first aid. Supervision at mealtimes is good. The school has a more than adequate number of lunchtime staff, and they have developed good relationships with the pupils.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The ways in which the school monitors and promotes regular attendance are good. The administrator has recently been given the responsibility of monitoring attendance and consequently an improvement has been made in the unauthorised absence for 2001/02. For instance, on the first day of absence, the administrator contacts parents, by telephone, to obtain a reason for the non-attendance of a child. The careful monitoring of absences provides useful information on the types of absence of each child and this is made known to parents through the progress evenings and end of year reports. Although the school requests that parents do not take their children out of school in term time for holidays, there are a number of parents who still do so. In some classes at the beginning of the school year, the numbers who are on holiday are high which affects their progress. There is a clear commitment to improving

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

attendance in the school. The current improvements in attendance rates demonstrate the effectiveness of the school’s good relationship with parents. 39. The procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are satisfactory. The policy for promoting positive behaviour is sound, and the climate within the school usually promotes good behaviour. However, effective procedures to encourage good behaviour on the corridors at the start and end of play are lacking. Arrangements for monitoring and reducing instances of inappropriate behaviour are well established and parents are happy with the school’s procedures for inappropriate behaviour. The school rewards good behaviour with letters to parents informing them of their child’s success and certificates are awarded in celebration assemblies. A separate anti- bullying policy is not in place but the school outlines its procedures in the prospectus, and records of instances of bullying and harassment are carefully kept.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school has developed very good and efficient procedures to assess pupils’ achievements. They are manageable and helpful so that teachers can use them effectively to judge needs for future learning. Assessments in the nursery and Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 22 reception classes are very closely linked to the steps identified in the national guidance for this age, and teachers use daily assessments and observations to determine the tasks and aspects of learning for the next day. This excellent practice is one of the very good reasons for the high quality teaching and learning in this age group. In Years 1 and 2, teachers set individual targets for pupils and write these in their workbooks. This good assessment practice motivates pupils. Teachers mark work with these in mind and congratulate pupils when they have been achieved. Teachers also let pupils know what they expect them to learn in different subjects

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

either daily or weekly. Where daily assessment is not so effective, teachers have not focused clearly on the objectives for a lesson, shared these with pupils, and then checked at the end to see if they have been achieved.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Half-termly assessments and records are of very good quality and well maintained. The school’s system for assessing pupils’ achievements in writing is particularly good and well directed. Pupils’ progress year on year is shown very clearly and weaknesses can be spotted. Occasionally the need to focus on a skill is not picked up, as with the handwriting of some pupils with lower attainment in Year 1, when the teachers’ assessments noted poor pencil control but did not provide the activities to improve this, so the poor letter formation continued for too long. The process of tracking pupils’ achievements from the start of their time in the nursery to the time they leave the school is beginning to provide very useful information on pupils’ individual achievements and the school’s success at meeting their needs.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' personal development are good. Pupils are well known to all staff. Although the school does not have a formal policy, effective records of personal development in behaviour and achievements are kept. The detail and amount of the records vary amongst staff, but overall pupils’ needs and successes are very well identified. Individual education plans for pupils identified as having special educational needs are of very good quality. Plans have clear targets for pupils to reach, against which progress is reviewed in small and achievable steps. The provision to meet the requirements for those pupils with statements are very good, as is the integration of those pupils with disabilities into the life of the school. The introduction of the Early Literacy Support programme is having a positive effect on pupils who have difficulty in keeping up with the objectives in the national literacy

p.22

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Overall, the school has a very good relationship with its parents, which benefits the pupils’ personal and academic progress. Almost all the parents have very positive viewpoints about the school. They know the school well and appreciate what it does for their child.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. Most parents are happy with the quality of education provided by the school, and almost all the parents think that pupils of all levels of attainment make good progress. In general, parents are pleased with the values and attitudes promoted by the school and consider the pupils’ behaviour to be good. Parents feel that they have access to the school and that they can approach the staff with ease. Parents’ views have been sought by the school through their own questionnaire and many of the resulting suggestions have been acted upon, but the analysis of the responses was not made available to the parents.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. The quality and quantity of information provided for parents are good. At the beginning and end of the school day, the school is enlivened with parents, either coming in to Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 23 speak to the teachers or to collect their children. Teachers are always available to talk to parents and the friendly greetings that take place create very good relationships. New pupils entering the school are very well looked after. Parents appreciate the home visits, and transfer arrangements for pupils moving from nursery to school are very good. A very good prospectus with a wealth of information provides parents with information to prepare for their children embarking on school life. Newsletters are provided regularly, with requests periodically for parents to help in school. Information about the topics to be covered each term is available in the prospectus, but it would be helpful to include this in more detail in the newsletters at the start of each term.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. A few parents felt that they were not provided with good information about their child’s progress. Annual reports for pupils in Year 2 include the results achieved in National Curriculum tests. Reports for those in Year 1, however, do not give parents enough information about how well their child is progressing with regard to the expected levels in the National Curriculum for English, mathematics and science. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are made fully aware of how their children are progressing towards their targets. Parents are invited to the reviews of pupils’ educational plans. In the autumn term, parents have the opportunity to discuss their children’s progress. At any time during the school year teachers or the headteacher are happy to discuss with parents their child’s progress. Parents are invited to come in to school to discuss their child’s annual progress report in the summer term, but

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

the wording of the invitation could indicate this was only for parents who have a concern. The governors’ annual report to parents contains valuable information on the work of the governing body and the decisions they have made. Some of the information that must be contained in the report is not covered in enough depth to fully meet the requirements.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The overall contribution of parents to their children's learning at school and at home is very good. Work for pupils to do at home with parents is organised effectively. Parents can be seen helping in the classrooms; for example, a parent helps with country dancing classes and parents assist with reading and preparing for lessons. Each week a group of parents work with their children in a national project known as ‘Share’, whereby they help their children in literacy and numeracy projects. A group of parents are directly involved, through a school working party, in investigating the ways boys learn, and how the school can raise the achievement of boys. The ‘Story sacks’, that parents helped to produce, provide attractive books and activities for them to work on at home. A successful innovation that has proved very popular with parents is the loan of portable computers, mostly aimed at families who do not have access to

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

computers at home. Presently there are five computers available and the school has plans to increase the number as soon as possible. Reading and homework diaries are used effectively, and as a result make a positive contribution to pupils' progress. A few parents would like to see more space for their comments on the reading cards. Parents are invited to take part in assemblies to help celebrate the pupils’ achievements. The home-school agreement works well as a means of establishing a partnership between the school, parents and pupils. The school’s good relationship with parents, evident at the previous inspection, has been developed even further.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The headteacher, key members of staff and governors provide effective leadership for the school and work well together towards realising their identified priorities. The headteacher has an open and friendly approach and this is communicated very well to the whole school community. All staff feel valued, and so there is a strong Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 24 commitment to improve and provide the best for the children. This is similar to the findings at the time of the 1997 inspection.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The headteacher and deputy headteacher have strengths that complement each other. Their roles and responsibilities are clearly defined so that they accomplish tasks efficiently and effectively. They set a high standard for others to follow. After attending a course on leadership, the headteacher altered the organisation of the senior management. The team is now flexible, in that it is partly dependent on the focus of the school’s priorities. It is a good system that allows all staff to contribute their expertise when appropriate. When an area of the curriculum is a focus, subject co-ordinators become part of the senior management team. This has given impetus to the development of the role of subject co-ordinator. Recent innovations and priorities under this system, such as the development of the use of information and communication technology, and the project aimed at increasing the involvement of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

parents in their children’s education, have been particularly successful. The member of staff responsible for overseeing the provision for pupils with special educational needs is included in the senior management team and provides very good leadership through example and efficient administration. 50. Year group team leaders are responsible for overseeing the planning and provision for their particular age groups. However, their responsibilities are not as clearly defined as elsewhere in the school’s management structure. It works well in the nursery and reception years because the team leader has been able to make exceptionally good use of the guiding principles of the new national planning document for this age group to develop, plan and monitor the work of the team. The team leaders in Years 1 and 2, have had to base their planning on a variety of documents including the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, nationally recommended schemes for some of

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the other subjects, some schemes chosen from other sources and school policies. As a result of this fragmentation, and without an overall view, their task has been more difficult and less effective. For instance, the national literacy and numeracy strategies have been implemented well in themselves, but when lessons precede one on personal, social and health education, pupils are expected to sit for too long a time listening, and as a result become restless and inattentive. A further example relates to equal opportunities, the principles of which are contained in the school’s own policy document. It is not clear, however, whether it is the year group team leader’s job to monitor this aspect or whether it is the task of subject co-ordinators, and so some inequalities, in respect of the times when pupils are withdrawn from lessons, have been overlooked.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. School improvement planning is securely based on the process of review and evaluation carried out by staff, the headteacher and governors. Governors are knowledgeable about the school and therefore make a strong contribution to development planning. Staff draw up good action plans to address the needs of their subjects and areas of responsibility, and these form the basis of evaluation and review. Appropriate time and resources are allocated for staff to work on the plans they have put in place. The strategic planning of finances and resource implications are embedded successfully in the plans for improvement.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school has a good appreciation of the importance of providing training in a targeted and efficient manner. This extends to all members of the school community. Lunchtime staff and learning support assistants are provided with good opportunities to train and develop their skills. There is a good programme of support for those staff who are starting their career in teaching. Even when the school has been unable to access the usual extra funds for this, training has been put in place so that staff and pupils can benefit. The procedures for performance management have been Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 25 implemented well, and they have begun to play a part in school improvement and teachers’ professional development. The school has an appropriate programme for monitoring the quality of teaching, and has developed its own procedures to do this effectively. However, within the process there is insufficient focus on the rate of pupils’

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

learning in lessons, as opposed to provision by the teacher. The headteacher and subject co-ordinators monitor the pupils’ performance in the school’s own assessments and the school’s results in national tests. Information gained is used well to identify school priorities.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school is fortunate in that the governors bring not only commitment but a wealth of experience and expertise to their roles. They visit the school and talk with staff, particularly those with whom they are linked through joint responsibilities. Governors have been invited into classrooms to observe lessons and they report their observations back to the full governing body. The chair of governors maintains a well- run organisation of committees that respond well to the needs of the school. New governors are integrated well into the governing body and provided with appropriate training. Governors are supportive and have a clear understanding that part of their role is to ask questions and to help the leadership sustain the quality of provision in all areas of school life. There is a consciousness that the school is an important part in the life of the local community and governors support the school’s initiatives to

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

develop community links and parents’ involvement in their child’s learning.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The school has a good understanding of the need to respond to the recent requirements to ensure that the school includes all groups of pupils in its provision. Governors have taken care to provide well for pupils with disabilities, those from different ethnic groups and those who speak English as an additional language. The school takes good steps to see that these pupils are not treated in any way differently to others. There is a good awareness of the need to develop pupils’ understanding of life in a multi-ethnic society. The school has monitored its curriculum provision to ensure that activities are identified for raising pupils’ awareness of different ethnic groups and cultures in all subjects.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The chair of the finance committee is very knowledgeable and has helped the school develop good strategic planning so that school developments can be adequately supported. The school has begun to access a range of additional grants and these are used for their designated purposes. The school has good systems of financial management and a very close watch is kept on spending. Large items of spending are put out to tender in order to obtain the best possible value. Parents’ views are sought on different aspects of school life and provision. Comparisons with other schools in similar situations and with those in the immediate locality are used to judge the effectiveness of the school.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school makes efficient use of the above average number of qualified teachers on the staff by reducing the size of classes in order for pupils to have more individual help. This has been effective in helping to support pupils’ progress in reading. Support staff work closely with teachers and are very effective in giving help to those pupils with special educational needs. The school has an above average allocation of time for specialist teaching for those pupils who speak English as an additional language and visiting staff disseminate good practice. On a few occasions, better use could be made of learning support staff; for instance, whole class group reading sessions could be made smaller if the learning support assistant took responsibility for reading with one of the attainment groups. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 26 57. The good accommodation provides well for all subjects of the National Curriculum

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

and is maintained to a high standard. There is a very good level of cleanliness in all areas of the school. The adaptations and provision for pupils with disabilities or medical conditions are good. The communal areas reflect school life very well and displays within these areas are stimulating and value the work pupils have produced. Greater use could be made of the library if it was more accessible to pupils. At the present it does not afford good opportunities for pupils to browse through and enjoy books. The school makes very good use of information and communication technology in all areas of school life. The technician provides very good support, and as a result teachers can use information and communication technology to reduce the burden of administration and to supplement their teaching resources. The school recognises the importance of national initiatives such as the introduction of the new

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

Code of Practice for special education need. Nevertheless, the numerous demands made upon the school, particularly from the Department for Education and Skills to respond to consultation documents are seen as a hindrance to its central work of providing for its pupils. Office staff provide effective support. The school has allocated a small amount of their time to take on teachers’ administrative tasks (good practice not seen in many schools of this type). The office area is cramped and the school’s current plans to improve this are good. The nursery outside play areas are very good. The playground for the Year 1 and 2 classes is a good size but it lacks equipment to stimulate and develop pupils’ social and language skills as they play outdoors. Resources overall are satisfactory and in some areas, such as information and communication technology and the nursery, they are very good. The reception classes do not have enough resources for role-play, and this is also the case in Years

p.26

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

1 and 2, thereby limiting teachers’ planning for these activities. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 27

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

58. In order to maintain standards and to keep making improvements, the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) improve pupils’ skills in speaking and listening, and their personal and social development by providing more opportunities for them to learn through role-play, drama and creative activities; (paragraphs: 1, 5, 7, 22, 25, 73, 90, 100)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) ensure that pupils make good progress in physical education by raising teachers’ expectations and their knowledge and understanding of the subject; (paragraphs: 6, 21, 110)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) improve the way in which pupils are taken out and brought in from play so that a good working atmosphere is maintained, and monitor this in line with the school’s behaviour policy; (paragraphs: 11, 33, 39)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4) ensure that there is a good balance between the times pupils sit and listen or join in discussion with the times they participate in active tasks by improving :-

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. methods in the classroom; b. the organisation of the daily timetables. (paragraphs: 8, 9, 21, 50, 76, 84, 93, 96, 112)

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issues above, the following minor areas for improvement should be considered by the governors for inclusion in the action plan:

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

A. Some pupils miss too much teaching in other subjects when they are withdrawn from class for extra support. (paragraphs: 31, 50, 83)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

B. Annual reports for pupils in Year 1 do not give parents enough information about how well they are making progress in English, mathematics and science with regard to National Curriculum levels. (paragraph: 46).

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 28

p.28

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 43

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents approximately two percentage points.

p.28

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR - Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 33 188

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 65

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 5 47

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 23

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data O.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 29

p.28

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 35 26 61

p.29

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 19 24 25 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 23 24 23

p.29

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

Percentage of pupils School 69 (75) 79 (83) 79 (79) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.29

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 20 22 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 24 23 24

p.29

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

Percentage of pupils School 72 (74) 74 (75) 72 (77) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.29

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 30

p.29

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.30

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.30

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11 Financial year 2000/01

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y R – Y2 Total income 450996

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 502951

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 115 Expenditure per pupil 1898

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 29112

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 14482

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher (FTE)

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

p.30

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 65

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 31 FTE means full-time equivalent. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 32

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 62 36 0 0 1

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 43 49 3 1 2

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 41 4 0 4

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 55 34 7 1 1

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 68 31 1 0 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 33 1 0 0

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 44 48 5 1 2

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 63 30 1 0 3

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 60 34 4 0 1

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 32 37 11 0 14 Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 33

p.32

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Children enter the nursery knowing less about the world around them and with poorer speaking skills than most children of their age. This reflects in other areas of learning where language is important, such as mathematical development. Their attainment is better in physical development, personal and social development and creative development, but still below the levels expected for their age.

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children start in the nursery when they are three and attend for either the morning or the afternoon session. They move on to one of the three reception classes where they attend full time. The quality of teaching in the nursery and reception classes is very good in all areas of learning and this is an improvement since the inspection in 1997. All the nursery and reception staff, including the nursery nurses, have a very good understanding of how the youngest children learn. They provide a rich and practical curriculum based on all the areas of learning, which develops children’s skills and knowledge in a systematic way, enabling them all to achieve very well as they move through the Foundation Stage. By the time they leave the reception year, most children are on course to achieve the level expected for their age in all areas of learning, except in the development of language, where some children still have

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

ground to make up despite the very good progress they have made.

p.33

Personal, social and emotional development

61. There is very good provision for this area of learning and by the time they leave the reception class, children have attained the expected levels in personal, social and emotional development. Children achieve very well in nursery and reception as a result of very good teaching. The good arrangements for entry put in place by the nursery teacher ensure that children are well prepared for school. Strong links with home are established and children and parents are made welcome at the start of the session. The nursery is particularly well organised to develop children’s independence and routines are very well established. Children feel secure in them and very quickly learn to select activities, play sensibly with each other, work at a task until they have finished it and tidy things away when asked. Reception children take turns in the role- play activities and show consideration to children who want to join them at play, for

p.33

Personal, social and emotional development

example, at the class hairdressing salon or the playground police station. All the adults in each class have high expectations of behaviour and are good role models, encouraging children to consider the impact of their actions on others. For example, when reading the story of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, the nursery teacher pretended to telephone Goldilocks’ mother to ask her whether she knew that Goldilocks had gone visiting a strange house on her own and whether she was worried about it! Children receive clear guidance about how they should behave towards one another and learn to sit quietly and concentrate in lessons. As a result children are very well prepared for their next stage of learning. They understand what is right and wrong, and most are ready for the more formal routines of the next class. A small number of lower attaining children still require further opportunities to develop their social skills through well-structured play activities.

p.33

Personal, social and emotional development

62. Teachers make very good provision for children with special educational needs and ensure that any problems with behaviour are sensitively managed. Difficulties are identified early on and action is taken quickly to address them. The monitoring of Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 34 children’s personal development is excellent and teachers keep comprehensive records of individual progress.

p.33

Communication, language and literacy

63. Children in nursery and reception make very good progress in this area of learning and achieve very well. Nevertheless, a larger proportion than average speak indistinctly and have very limited vocabulary when they enter the school, and have a lot to do to catch up. By the time they leave reception most have caught up well but standards in this area are still slightly below the levels expected for their age.

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

64. Children are given plenty of informal opportunities to develop their speaking and listening skills in the nursery through the many well-structured play opportunities that the teacher and nursery nurses provide. The adults support children in their tasks and take time to talk to them about what they are doing, encouraging them to explain and describe their work. When they join the nursery, few children can speak more than a few words in response to questions, although most of them understand what the adult is asking. By the time they leave reception they are confident to ask and answer questions in front of the whole class. In both nursery and reception classes, children enjoy listening to stories and develop an appreciation of books which stays with them as they move up the school. The youngest children know that the words and pictures in a book carry meaning and that words on a page must be read from left to right. The

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

older children in reception study books more formally in the literacy hour. They can discuss the story by using clues in the illustrations and read simple sentences as a class. Teachers stimulate children’s interest in books by their own evident enjoyment and by the good questions they ask. Writing is developed systematically. In the nursery there are regular opportunities for children to begin to communicate through drawing, painting and mark making, with activities carefully planned to ensure children learn how to hold their crayons, pencils and brushes correctly and know where they should start on the paper. In the reception classes, children begin to write independently and with increasing confidence. By the time they leave reception the children with higher attainment can write complete sentences independently, some with capital letters and full stops used correctly. However, there are a significant

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

number of children who find it difficult to think of the words that they want to use and so do not form sentences at a level expected for their age. In all classes, teachers work hard to improve children’s language skills by speaking clearly themselves and reinforcing good spoken English. Group activities in literacy lessons are planned carefully to build on what children have already learnt.

p.34

Mathematical development

65. Children make very good progress with their mathematical development, and their attainment by the time they leave reception is very close to average. Their progress in this aspect is limited only by their language development and consequently by their understanding of the mathematical language. Teaching is very good. Teachers and nursery nurses make many opportunities to practise counting and develop mathematical vocabulary within a range of nursery and reception activities, and teach the basic skills of number and shape very well. Children in reception regularly count around the circle to work out how many are present each day and how many are having school lunches, for example. In a very good lesson in reception, adult helpers had set up a shopping street in the playground. Children played outside with supermarket trolleys, groceries and coins, moving from shop to shop along the chalked street, on activities planned to develop their understanding of number and

p.34

Mathematical development

Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 35 coins. The careful planning and teaching ensured that learning was fun, and children responded with enthusiasm and interest.

p.35

Mathematical development

66. Teachers in both nursery and reception make regular assessments of what children have learnt and provide a programme of teaching that enables them to make systematic progress. As a result children are confident with their work in this area. Most can count forwards and backwards confidently to 10 and some to 20 and they are beginning to learn the language of subtraction. They know the names of different shapes and the higher attainers can name three-dimensional shapes, such as cuboids and cylinders.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

67. This aspect is taught very well in both the nursery and reception classes. The very good planning of daily activities helps to ensure that children learn about the world around them in many incidental areas of play. For instance, two children eager to play with the Noah’s Ark toy with their parents shortly after arriving in the nursery began to learn the names of different animals as they looked for pairs. Children develop an increasing awareness of the world in which they live through a broad and exciting range of first hand experiences, and adults support children very well in investigating and questioning their surroundings. This is very evident in the work on senses in reception. Children know that they can experience the world in different ways through their senses and that all of these can be represented on a picture of the human face. They know that materials can be distinguished by the way they feel and use a variety

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

of words to describe the texture. Many of the activities set up for them are well planned to reinforce their learning; for example, the water play tray in one class contained spaghetti so that the children could experience and enjoy the movement of the wet spaghetti through their fingers, and find words to describe it. Children testing the smells of various fruit and vegetables could sort them according to whether they liked or disliked the smell and knew that tastes could be categorised into sweet and sour. Children learn to use technological equipment in the nursery, and develop these skills very well in reception. They can use the computer as a tool for writing, drawing and finding out information, and know the functions of some of the keys, such as the ‘delete’ key.

p.35

Physical development

68. Very good teaching in both the nursery and reception classes results in children making very good progress in this area. Their skills and confidence increase as they participate in a well-planned range of practical activities which help them develop fine movements. For example, children working with playdough can manipulate, roll and shape the dough into zig-zag patterns. They are given plenty of opportunity to develop cutting, colouring and pasting skills through a wide range of activities. In the nursery, teaching in the outdoor play area is very well thought out. Children are encouraged to using a very good range of wheeled toys, prams and small apparatus such as bats and balls. The teacher and the nursery nurses work with them to help them increase their confidence and try new ideas. Opportunities for outdoor play are limited in the reception classes but still provide children with good opportunities for learning.

p.35

Physical development

Teachers provide very good lessons in the school hall and children learn at a good rate to climb and move confidently on the large apparatus. Children respond very well to these lessons, listening to instructions and trying hard to improve their actions. They work together to move large benches safely, move around in a controlled manner and understand the effect of exercise on their bodies. They can find different Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 36 ways of moving and balancing on different parts of the body and the quality of their movements is better than that expected for children of their age.

p.35

Creative development

69. This area of development is very well provided for in the nursery and teaching is very good. As a result, children’s attainment at the end of reception is broadly at the level expected. Through a variety of carefully planned and imaginative activities, the children explore the properties and effects of colour and texture in paint and collage and their work is attractively displayed on the walls. Teachers have a good understanding of how to allow children time to investigate the materials and tools they are using and when to move them on to achieve at a higher level. As a result, children work productively and with a keen interest in what they are producing. Children in both the nursery and reception make recognisable three-dimensional models out of card, containers and lids. Children making fabric collages in the reception classes can select carefully from a wide range of different materials and decide where to stick

p.36

Creative development

them for best effect. In the nursery children have regular opportunities to sing from memory and join in with action songs. Children in the reception classes independently select instruments from a music table and enjoy singing and playing quietly to themselves on occasions. Children in the nursery enjoy their opportunities for role- play. They immerse themselves in the activities and use props and resources imaginatively, readily involving adults in their play. Children in the reception classes are not as imaginative because the resources for role-play are older and less attractive to use, and on occasions, teachers miss opportunities for developing learning further through role-play activities.

p.36

ENGLISH

70. In recent years, the school has built up a good level of expertise in teaching pupils letter sounds, and how to use these as they write and read. This has helped pupils become confident writers. At the previous inspection, the school was asked to improve the range and purpose of pupils’ writing. The school has addressed this thoroughly with the result that in the national tests for 2001 the school’s results were above average in comparison to similar schools. The pupils with higher attainment did particularly well, achieving a higher proportion of level 3 results (the level higher than expected for this age) than in most schools. The pupils’ performance in reading was not as good. It fell below the national average, but was typical of that of similar schools. Pupils’ performances in national tests have improved since the 1997 inspection.

p.36

ENGLISH

71. Every year, the girls do better than the boys. The school has looked at the reasons for this, and noticed that when children start in the nursery, boys’ attainment is well below that of girls in communication, language and literacy. The school has wisely made it a school priority to look for ways to raise the attainment of boys. Although this initiative is at an early stage, the school has already begun some work on it. Parents have been asked to take part in a working party and training for staff has been arranged. Teachers have looked at the books they use and are choosing more non-fiction books as a focus of lessons as most boys enjoy these more than stories.

p.36

ENGLISH

72. Currently, in Year 2, pupils’ achievements are good in reading and writing and the standard of their work is similar to the national average. Their attainment in speaking and listening, however, is below average. Pupils with special education needs make good progress in accordance with their individual education plans. Learning support assistants teach them well, both in class and when they are withdrawn for short Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 37 periods of time to tackle those aspects of reading and writing that they find especially difficult. Their achievements are assessed very systematically so that they can be moved on to new work as soon as possible. There is good support, from a visiting teacher, for the very small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Vocabulary that is being used during lessons is reinforced well in the session when they are withdrawn from class, so that they are able to better

p.36

ENGLISH

73. Teachers have identified the need to give pupils opportunities to improve their skills in speaking and listening. In both Years 1 and 2, a significant number of pupils do not speak clearly, and have only a limited number of words at their disposal. A few find it very difficult to listen to others. Teachers provide some good opportunities to help develop speaking and listening skills, mainly through class discussion times. However, on many days pupils spend a long time sitting and listening, and not enough time being active and talking to each other purposefully about the things they are doing. As a result, some become very inattentive and it is often the boys. In Year 1 lessons, a small group of pupils was given a short time to take on the roles of doctors, nurses and patients in the class ‘surgery’. They played very well together with the limited resources. The activity, however, was not well developed or

p.37

ENGLISH

sufficiently integrated into the work of the class, and as a result, pupils did not improve their skills in speaking and listening as well as they might have done. There are too few opportunities to enrich and develop pupils’ vocabulary, interest and desire to talk and listen to each other through well-developed role-play activities.

p.37

ENGLISH

74. The teaching of reading is good and this is helping standards improve. Teachers have good knowledge and understanding of how to introduce new letter sounds and to reinforce those already known. As a result, pupils make good use of letter sounds to work out unknown words when they read. In Year 2, pupils of average attainment can use letter strings such as ‘ph’ with confidence to work out the word ‘photograph’ and those of lower attainment know a good range of vowel and consonant blends. Pupils generally work hard during the part of the lesson when letter sounds are taught and when teachers ask them to join in with a whole-class read. In a good lesson in Year 2, the teacher had chosen a non-fiction book about dinosaurs that interested all pupils, but particularly the boys. The pupils of higher attainment were challenged to work out the scientific and lengthy names of different dinosaurs. They skilfully used

p.37

ENGLISH

their knowledge of letter sounds, and were pleased with their success. In the main, only pupils of higher attainment read with fluency and expression. Others have not yet gained these skills. During group reading sessions, some teachers do not concentrate enough on helping individual pupils develop expression. Occasionally, teachers ask a group of pupils to read in turn whilst others listen, and this results in some pupils becoming less interested in the story than when they read individually. The school has worked hard at encouraging parents to help with their child’s reading. Currently many parents hear their children read, and this is contributing well to the progress that the pupils make and is one factor in explaining why standards in reading are improving.

p.37

ENGLISH

75. The school is successful in encouraging pupils to become confident and keen writers. Teachers have good strategies to encourage pupils to write using the sounds they know to approximate spellings. Good opportunities are provided for pupils to gain an understanding of how to develop a story sequence. Many pupils in Year 2 can write simple stories that describe events and characters in lively language. For example, a pupil of higher attainment writing a story about an adventure in space landed in a “moon snoop” and met an alien that “did cartwheels all the time”. Pupils have a good attitude to writing and even those with lower attainment attempt to write their own Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 38 ideas confidently. In 2001, pupils did not achieve a high enough standard in spelling. The co-ordinator drew up an action plan to address this and teachers are now using good methods to improve spelling in short daily sessions. Most pupils form letters

p.37

ENGLISH

correctly. However, in Year 1 a small number of pupils with lower attainment do not control their pencil well enough to form letters at a standard you would expect. Some of the strategies that teachers use to help them improve are not well matched to their needs, for instance, writing underneath words the teacher has written for them. As a result, they continue to form their letters less well than they should, even though they have improved the general level of their writing.

p.38

ENGLISH

76. Teaching is never less than satisfactory and generally good,. with a small proportion that is very good. Planning reflects the requirements of the National Literacy Strategy. There are very good systems of assessment in place, and in general these are well used to plan work and future provision. Teachers and learning support assistants develop good relationships with pupils so that they are well motivated to work hard at their tasks. On occasions, though, a few pupils become unable to control their behaviour and teachers have to spend time re-establishing a good working atmosphere. This generally occurs when pupils have spent too long listening to teachers’ explanations and questions. Occasionally, learning assistants are not used efficiently. For instance, during the class read, opportunities are missed to break the group into two smaller groups so as to better match the level of reading to pupils’ level

p.38

ENGLISH

of attainment. Good use is made of information and communication technology. Pupils use word processing to write their own sentences, and a wide range of programs are used to develop skills in handwriting, spelling, reading and punctuation. In other subjects, and in particular in science, pupils are given good opportunities to develop their skills in reading and writing.

p.38

ENGLISH

77. There is good leadership. The co-ordinator is a very good role model in her own teaching and has a clear vision of how to take the subject forward. A plan for action supports the current development on improving spelling and has identified the need to improve provision for role-play to develop pupils’ skills in speaking and listening. The school’s results in national tests are analysed and action taken to address areas of concern. The co-ordinator monitors teachers’ planning to ensure that there is a good balance in all elements of the subject. Teaching is observed, and when necessary teachers are given good guidance as to how to improve. However, the co-ordinator does not monitor the pupils’ work to any great extent and this leaves a gap in the overall view of the school’s provision. Resources are generally good, although there is not enough equipment for role-play to develop speaking and listening.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

78. The school has implemented the National Numeracy Strategy well and so pupils are learning at a good rate in their lessons. Their achievements are good. By the time they are in Year 2, the standard of pupils’ work is average. This is a marked improvement on the pupils’ performance in national tests in 2001 when standards were well below most schools and below those of schools in a similar situation. In that year the school focused its attention on increasing the number of pupils achieving the higher level (level 3) and it was successful in doing this. However, there were too many pupils who did not achieve the expected level. The school is now effectively addressing this problem with support and a focus on improving standards for all groups of pupils. By analysing the test results, teachers have become very aware of the way in which boys fall behind the girls and they have begun to use effective

p.38

MATHEMATICS

Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 39 strategies to motivate and challenge boys. Standards are similar to those at the time of the inspection in 1997, but the results in national tests have improved.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

79. Teachers make good use of whole class sessions to sharpen pupils’ skills in counting, and in making simple calculations in their head. At the age of seven, pupils can count forwards and backwards in ones, twos, fives and tens, and can add three numbers together mentally. Most have appropriate strategies to add and subtract two- digit numbers and perform simple multiplication and division. They recognise patterns in numbers and can name two- and three-dimensional shapes. Pupils of all levels of attainment are making satisfactory progress in learning to use mathematical terms correctly and to explain how they have carried out a calculation. Pupils of higher attainment are challenged by being asked to work with higher numbers or involving calculations that cross from the ‘teens’ into the ‘twenties’. Those of lower attainment are given good support and work well on counting in tens and twos. In their lessons

p.39

MATHEMATICS

on angles and directions, all pupils made good progress in understanding the difference between a half and a quarter turn.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

80. The quality of teaching across the school is good and sometimes very good. Teachers are familiar with the National Numeracy Strategy and apply it effectively. The three-part lesson is established and teachers plan carefully. Learning objectives are clearly explained to pupils at the beginning of the lesson. Oral and mental activities, involving all pupils, provide a brisk start to lessons. Teachers use questioning well and use a range of appropriate strategies to explore mathematical ideas and to reinforce mathematical language. They generally maintain a sound pace and have good class control. Pupils listen attentively, and are keen to respond to questions or to offer an answer to the problem that has been posed. Pupils with special educational needs are effectively supported and make good progress. During group work, pupils are generally able to work collaboratively and with real effort. Teachers plan well to include use of information and communication technology as

p.39

MATHEMATICS

part of mathematics. A very good example of this was in a Year 2 lesson where a teacher used both a programmable robot and a computer program to help develop pupils’ language and understanding of position, direction, movement and angle. Good connections are made between mathematics and geography as teachers introduce positional language when talking about points of the compass related to their local area. They also make good use of time, for example, helping pupils develop their mathematical thinking skills when changing for a physical education lesson, ensuring fun but purposeful activities.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

81. The co-ordinator, who has recently taken on responsibility for the subject, has good knowledge and understanding, and is enthusiastic about the subject. She has made a very useful beginning by undertaking an analysis of some of the problems which pupils have had in recent national tests, and also by providing learning opportunities and activities which will engage boys. The school has very good procedures for assessing pupils’ ongoing progress. A good start has been made on monitoring as part of the subject action plan.

p.39

SCIENCE

82. Standards in science are similar to those attained at the inspection in 1997, and are broadly average at the end of Year 2. Pupils achieve appropriately in all strands of the subject and their scientific skills develop well because they have good opportunities to experiment and learn through practical activity. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 40 83. Pupils in Year 2 have developed their understanding of physical processes through a study of electricity. They understand how to set up a simple electric circuit with a battery, wires and a light bulb and know that the circuit must be complete for the battery to light. Higher attaining pupils understand that some materials such as plastic can be used to make wires safe and that the electricity will not flow through these materials. Pupils studying living things are able to categorise animals into different groups according to their characteristics. They know, for example, that mammals

p.39

SCIENCE

have live babies and suckle their young and that reptiles lay eggs. Care has been taken to ensure that all aspects of the National Curriculum have been covered thoroughly. This is an improvement on the previous year, when teachers’ assessments showed standards to be below average, and particularly in the aspect of physical processes. Pupils with special needs are usually well supported and make good progress. Teachers understand their problems and give extra help where necessary. Very occasionally, some pupils miss their science lessons because they are taken out of the class to have additional help with literacy.

p.40

SCIENCE

84. The quality of teaching is sound with good features. Teachers plan carefully to ensure that all aspects of the science curriculum are covered over the course of the year. They assess pupils’ progress regularly so that they know what to teach next, and give pupils enough opportunities to work practically and find things out for themselves. A notable feature of their teaching is that they encourage pupils to talk about their findings and record what they have learnt independently. This contributes very positively to pupils’ language development as well as to the development of their scientific skills. Pupils generally enjoy their work in science. They respond well to practical work and when given the opportunity, they work well in groups on scientific research. For example, pupils in a Year 2 lesson, on the classification of animals, worked well together to draw up a list of similarities and differences between humans

p.40

SCIENCE

and a given animal. Just occasionally, when asked to sit for too long listening to the teacher, they become restless and easily distracted, causing problems for those wanting to listen, and slowing the lesson down.

p.40

SCIENCE

85. The school recognises that the recent priorities of literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology have limited opportunities and time for development in science. Teachers have received little recent training in the subject, and teaching and learning in science have not been monitored in any systematic way. The co-ordination of the subject has been successful in ensuring that the curriculum is taught in a balanced way and that resources have been maintained appropriately. The school grounds are not used as effectively as they might be for environmental studies.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. The school provides pupils with a good range of materials and processes to work with in art. This develops their skills and knowledge well. The standard of pupils’ work by the time they are in Year 2 is similar to what is expected of seven year olds. At the time of the previous inspection, attainment was found to be good, but the programme of study is now more exacting. All pupils’ achievements are satisfactory.

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ART AND DESIGN

87. In Year 1 classes, pupils have begun to learn to try out their ideas in a sketchbook. This has only recently been started and was used for work in the autumn term on portraits of their own faces, achieved by collage using different coloured paper. Pupils tried drawing different parts of their face such as their mouths and noses before putting the whole picture together. This helped them achieve a good balance in the shape and proportions of the finished portraits. However, pupils in this year group found it difficult to respond to their teachers’ request to evaluate tools and techniques Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 41 in a lesson on investigating ways of applying paint and colour to paper. This was because the pupils had not had enough recent experience of painting and making pictures and so most just wanted to paint without the constraints of evaluation.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. In Year 2, pupils made sculptures, in the autumn term, using small blocks of wood and these were of a higher standard than usual. The teachers started by introducing pupils to modern wood sculptures by famous artists, and developed pupils’ understanding of how to consider and create form within a set space. Pupils made group sculptures that had many aspects of interest, and then went on to create their own individual pieces, many of which showed a good understanding of the effects of different forms. Like the pupils in Year 1, pupils in Year 2 do not have many opportunities to use paint and as a result some find it difficult to evaluate their work or identify how they might change it.

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ART AND DESIGN

89. Teaching is satisfactory overall, but where teachers have greater knowledge it is very good. It is well linked to work in other subjects and supports learning in other subjects. For instance, in a good lesson in Year 2, pupils learnt to apply a colour wash as a background to a painting of an imagined scene of the world at the time of the dinosaurs to link with their studies in English and history. Pupils really enjoy their work in art and design and try hard to do their best. There is a good system of assessment that allows teachers to plan work to develop skills and knowledge systematically.

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ART AND DESIGN

90. The subject is well led. The co-ordinator has good plans to develop teachers’ knowledge and to promote the subject in the school. She has reviewed teachers’ plans to ensure that all aspects of the National Curriculum are covered. Many pupils’ needs would be well met from a greater number of opportunities to paint and make pictures outside of art lessons. There is an art club that is run at lunchtimes and it is well attended although it has not been going for very long. This provides pupils in Year 2 with good opportunities to explore and develop work in a wider range of art and craft. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 42

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. Standards reached by pupils in Year 2 are typical of pupils of this age and have been maintained since the last inspection. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, achieve satisfactorily. Higher attaining pupils complete the same work as others but more is expected of them in their designs and finished products. The national recommendations have been adopted as a scheme of work. This enables teachers to know what to teach over the year, provides a breadth of study, including food technology, and helps pupils to build up their skills term by term. The subject manager is new and there has been very little development in the subject over the last few years. However, good assessment procedures have been introduced recently, although these are too new to have yet had an impact on standards. The teaching is satisfactory overall but there is some lack of knowledge and understanding of the subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. In Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve satisfactorily. They learn to produce ideas and plans using pictures and words to explain their ideas. For example, pupils in Year 2 looked at examples of puppets and then designed and drew their own dinosaur glove puppet. They listed the materials they would need to make the puppet and discussed problems they had encountered. Three pupils wanted to make a dinosaur with a long neck and, following skilful questioning by the teacher, they decided to use pipe cleaners for this as a fur fabric would not stand up. Pupils enjoyed designing their puppets and started work enthusiastically but those with significant difficulties, with controlling their own emotions, lost concentration quickly and were easily distracted. They are able to work with solid materials, such as wood, to produce, for example, a letter rack. They use tools carefully, sawing the wood for decoration and finishing their

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

work using sandpaper and varnish. They are able to glue in extra strips of wood to strengthen it.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. Teaching and learning overall are satisfactory, with one unsatisfactory lesson in Year 1. In this lesson too long was spent discussing what was going to happen and pupils began to get restless and lose concentration. In the main, good projects are planned that interest and motivate pupils. For instance, earlier in the year pupils in Year 2 had enjoyed making an item out of wood to take home and use. Appropriate vocabulary is used and explained, for example, the names of the fruits and vegetables and words such as ‘slicing’, ‘grating’ and ‘coring’. Pupils designed their salad on a paper plate but salad ingredients were already chopped up and opportunities were missed to allow pupils to become more competent in using tools. Class management is satisfactory resulting in satisfactory behaviour, although in the unsatisfactory lesson there was noisy and silly behaviour from some pupils. Teachers value the pupils’ work and

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

praise them appropriately, which helps to develop confidence.

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GEOGRAPHY

94. Standards for pupils in Year 2 in geography are in line with national expectations for seven year olds. Teachers make good use of the locality, and particularly the contrast between the seashore of Scarborough and the inland area around the school to develop pupils’ geographical skills. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. By the end of Year 2, pupils are able to draw a good freehand map of their route between home and school. They are aware of what should be included in a map. Those of higher attainment can describe the more attractive features of the local area, Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 43 and suggest ways of tackling a local issue such as parking near the school. Most pupils, including those with lower attainment, can identify the differences between their own locality and a contrasting area. Pupils of higher attainment use geographical vocabulary well.

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GEOGRAPHY

96. Teaching is sound overall but inconsistent. When teaching is good, investigative approaches are used well to promote pupils’ curiosity. They work well together and share resources sensibly. However, on occasions, pupils spend too long listening to lengthy introductions, with the result that they do not have enough time to spend on practical activities. Good opportunities are provided to develop skills in fieldwork and in the use of maps and plans. A good range of computer programs is used to help develop pupils’ understanding of direction, and the concept of maps and plans.

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GEOGRAPHY

97. The co-ordinator has monitored planning to ensure that the National Curriculum requirements are met. Using the national guidance, the co-ordinator has provided a clear structure to help teachers focus on the key ideas and skills to be taught and to provide a generally interesting programme of work. On occasions, units of work are not relevant to pupils’ interest or level of maturity. There have been no opportunities to monitor teaching and learning. There are effective procedures for assessment of pupils’ progress.

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HISTORY

98. By the time pupils are in Year 2, the standard of their work matches national expectations for seven year olds. This is similar to the findings of the inspection in 1997. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress from one year to the next.

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HISTORY

99. Teachers use resources well to help pupils gain an understanding of the passing of time. In particular, pupils are taught well to use a line to symbolise the passage of time. By the end of Year 2, pupils have begun to understand how to put events, and the famous people that they have learnt about, in an order relating to time. During their study of Scarborough in the autumn term, they learnt to compare seaside holidays today with those in the past. Pupils of higher attainment can find information from simple sources and understand how this can be used to identify similarities and differences between their lives and a different time. All pupils, including those of lower attainment, understand that we find out about the past in a variety of ways. They explain, for example that older people have memories of the past and that museums keep objects that were used long ago.

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HISTORY

100. Teachers plan well for history, linking work to other subjects including geography and English. Resources, such as pictures and artefacts, are used to bring the subject alive and to engage the interest of pupils. Subject knowledge is appropriate and teachers generally provide activities that are at the level of pupils’ attainment and help them to move on with their learning at a satisfactory rate. On occasions, role-play is used to help develop pupils’ understanding. For example, pupils in a Year 1 class dressed in nurses’ uniforms from both past and present when they were learning about Florence Nightingale. However, the opportunity to use role-play activities as a means for pupils to consolidate their learning about history has not been fully developed.

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HISTORY

101. The co-ordinator monitors the subject effectively to ensure that skills and knowledge are built on term by term. The long-term planning, based largely on national Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 44 guidelines, provides teachers with clear indications of key aspects and skills to be developed. School documents provide a basis for effective continuous assessment of pupils’ learning in history.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

102. Pupils in Year 2 reach the standards expected nationally of seven year olds, and they achieve well. This is an improvement since the last inspection. This has been achieved because the very competent subject manager has implemented a new policy and scheme of work which covers all aspects of the National Curriculum, and involves a skills teaching lesson each week, practice of these skills regularly and the use of information and communication technology to support other subjects. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers have been trained and have the knowledge and understanding to teach the subject effectively. Pupils enjoy using computers and work hard, with concentration. An effective assessment system has been devised which provides a detailed profile of the skills the pupils have learnt. These are all improvements from the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

103. Teachers use information and communication technology very well to support other subjects. For example, in one week, pupils in Year 2 used a digital camera to record their work in dance, word-processed work in English and used a tape recorder to record their spellings. At other times, they have used a painting program in art, a CD- ROM for research in science and the Internet to find out about road safety in geography. They use equipment with confidence and understanding beyond that expected for their age. They have a good understanding of the benefits of the different resources and how information and communication technology can help them in their work and their learning.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

104. Teachers plan well so that pupils can learn new skills as a class and then get sufficient opportunities to practise these individually throughout the week. Explanations are clear, and support given when necessary. Pupils are allowed to investigate and try things out for themselves. In some lessons, computers are used to develop and extend the learning of those with higher attainment, whilst in other lessons, they are used to support those who need extra practice. For instance, in Year 1, pupils having difficulty in remembering the correct way to form letters worked at a handwriting program in which they had to form a letter on the screen using the mouse. They worked very hard, despite the fact that one incorrect move sent them back to the beginning to try again. Throughout Years 1 and 2, pupils achieve well. Those with special educational needs achieve well as they get additional help and the extra practice they need. Higher attaining pupils achieve well. They get an opportunity

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

to learn more demanding skills and reach standards above national expectations by the end of Year 2.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

105. Pupils are able to open and run programs and print their work unaided. They use the mouse competently. They are slow when using the keyboard as they search for the letters but are confident in using capitals, the space bar and the ‘delete’ keys. They know that CD-ROMS are useful because they “have a lot of information” and are confident in finding the icon on the screen, opening it up and finding the information they want. They are able to enter data collected on class birthdays into the computer and produce graphs and charts of their results. They enjoy giving a set of instructions to a floor robot to reach other planets from the earth base. They are excited by what they are able to do and co-operate well together in mixed gender pairs and groups. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 45 106. Resources are good in the classroom, and a small suite of four computers provides extra practice at lunchtimes. The appointment of a part-time technician ensures that

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

the hardware is in good working order and new software is promptly installed. These contribute to the raised achievement. A recent initiative to lend laptop computers to parents has helped to raise confidence in the use of information and communication technology of both parents and pupils.

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MUSIC

107. The school has made improvements to the provision in music since the last inspection and standards in Year 2 are typical of those for most seven year olds. Teachers have introduced a published scheme of work that guides them through a range of suitable activities and is particularly valuable in supporting those who are not confident about teaching the subject. Pupils’ achievement is satisfactory overall, and it is good in singing. Pupils have regular opportunities to sing and play simple instruments, listen to a variety of music from home and abroad and discuss how they feel about it. As a result, pupils in all classes sing with confidence. They learn songs by heart and can accompany their singing by clapping out rhythms and maintaining steady beats on percussion instruments. They listen appreciatively to music and can describe its mood and pace in simple terms. Pupils with special needs are fully

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MUSIC

included in lessons and make satisfactory progress.

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MUSIC

108. The quality of teaching is satisfactory, and good in those lessons where teachers have the confidence to adapt the published programme to meet the specific needs of their pupils, for example by increasing the pace of the lesson or introducing instruments to enliven it and sustain pupils’ interest. In lessons where the pace is slower, or the teachers spends too much time talking, pupils become restless and distracted and their progress is slower.

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MUSIC

109. Most pupils enjoy their music. In assemblies they sing together with obvious pleasure, keeping in time well and in some instances singing confidently in two parts. They readily offer to play instruments in front of the class, and in singing practice they perform with confidence in front of the whole year group. Older pupils benefit from the opportunity to sing regularly in the school choir and perform to parents and visitors. This makes a very positive contribution to the quality of singing in the older classes and in assemblies. The school is well resourced with enough instruments for each class to have a basic supply of percussion instruments and tuned instruments are centrally stored and readily accessible when required. Teachers make good use of a computer program to help pupils develop their skills of composing and to support work in some lessons.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. The time allocated for physical education and the manner in which it is organised on the weekly timetable is very good. All pupils have three lessons each week to develop their skills in dance, gymnastics and outdoor games. At the time of the previous inspection, standards were satisfactory and this has been maintained. However, overall pupils’ achievements are not satisfactory. The above average standards that are achieved by children in the reception classes are not maintained in Years 1 and 2. During lessons many pupils show that they could achieve a much higher standard if this was expected .

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111. By the time they are in Year 2 pupils have begun to use their feet well to gain control of a ball. They can run with it and many are able to swerve to avoid an attacker. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 46 However, they do not work well with a partner and so skills in passing and receiving are not as high as they could be. In dance, pupils produce inventive and adventurous movements to interpret the mood of a piece of music. Teachers do not pay enough attention to developing pupils’ awareness of their actions and so pupils are not skilful at improving and refining their work. For instance, in a dance lesson based on the class topic on dinosaurs, one talented pupil ‘flew’ round the room with movements that immediately brought to mind the pterodactyl she was portraying. Others were not asked to try it out for themselves and so did not fully benefit from the demonstration.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112. Teaching is generally satisfactory, although inconsistent in quality. Lessons are planned with an appropriate introductory session to warm up the body, although on occasions it is too brief to do this, but they are not rounded off by a good ending, either to draw the lesson together or to calm the pupils down. Teachers include good references to what is happening to pupils’ bodies when they exercise. In the best lessons, good attention is paid to developing the whole range of skills expected in the National Curriculum, both on the floor and on the apparatus. However, in the less successful lessons, the skills developed in the floor work session are not translated well to the apparatus. For instance, in a Year 1 lesson, pupils were not clear about the distinction between balancing and moving after their floor work. As a result, they were not sure what the teacher was expecting from them when they started work on the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

mats and they produced very low level work. In the main, expectations are not high enough and this is demonstrated by the lack of teachers’ attention to the quality of movements, and the range of strategies to improve them. In those lessons where teachers expect quiet working, pupils respond well, but in some lessons, pupils’ concentration is interrupted by too much chatter and the need for teachers to re- establish a proper working atmosphere .

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. The co-ordinator has good plans to develop the subject and has been successful in ensuring that the range of National Curriculum requirements are met at frequent intervals so that pupils do not forget what has been taught previously. The co- ordinator has some good expertise in the subject and has planned further training for staff. The school has not had any training in the subject for some time and this has resulted in gaps in teachers’ knowledge and understanding. Good links are sought with other subjects. In Year 1, for instance, a very good strategy to teach pupils ordinal numbers was met by each pupil carrying a number to signify their position in the line as they entered the hall. Assessment procedures are good but relatively new, and as yet are not helping to raise standards. Barrowcliff Nursery & Infant School - 47

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

114. Standards in religious education are in line with the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and pupils are making sound progress. This is a similar picture to the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

115. By the end of Year 1, pupils understand the concept of belonging, related to their own experiences, and are beginning to link these to religious beliefs. They know that a church is a special place for Christians and that the Bible is their holy book. They have some understanding of the importance of Christmas as a time of celebration and some can make the connections between the story of the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Wise Men with their own feelings and experiences of giving and receiving gifts. They are introduced to some of the beliefs and practices of Muslims.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

116. By the end of Year 2, pupils understand the concept of celebration and can identify some of the main ways in which the festivals of Christmas, Easter and Harvest are celebrated. They are beginning to understand the religious significance of the festivals, and how celebrations are important for churches and communities. They know that the Qu’ran is the holy book for Muslims and have some understanding of how it should be treated. They can relate the idea of something precious to something they value in their own lives. Work of high quality on display on Creation shows that children are being introduced to stories from a wide range of cultures.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. Teaching throughout Years 1 and 2 is good. Planning is detailed, drawn from the locally agreed syllabus, supplemented by relevant aspects of national schemes. Teachers use a variety of approaches to motivate pupils, for example, visits to places of worship, visitors to the school, use of artefacts, stories and discussion. Festivals such as Eid and Chinese New Year are celebrated to raise children’s awareness of the richness of cultural diversity. Acts of collective worship support the overall teaching of the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118. Pupils have good opportunities to think about attitudes and values and to express their views, through discussion. When teaching is good, pupils treat artefacts very carefully, listen attentively to each other’s views and show respect for other beliefs and cultures. They have positive attitudes to their work and to the subject.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119. The subject is well led and the school has a good action plan to take the subject forward. Religious education is an area of focus for improvement as part of the current school development plan. The policy is due for review; in-service training needs and resources are also due to be reconsidered. As part of overall school planning, effective assessment procedures have been put in place to include religious education. Although these are at an early stage of implementation, they will form a useful part of future monitoring as part of a strategy to raise standards further.

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