Heatherside Infant School

HEATHERSIDE INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 22 nd -23rd October 2001

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HEATHERSIDE INFANT SCHOOL

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

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HEATHERSIDE INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Reading Road South Fleet Hampshire Postcode: GU52 7TH

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01252 617101 Fax number: 01252 810065

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs S. Tyler

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 Heatherside Infant School –- 4

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Team members

23818 Alison Pangbourne Registered inspector 9646 Geraldine Osment Lay inspector 1710 Thelma Edwards Team inspector

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Team members

The inspection contractor was: Serco QAA Ltd Herringston Barn Herringston Dorchester Dorset DT2 9PU

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Heatherside Infant School –- 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Heatherside Infant School is situated close to the town centre in Fleet. It draws its pupils mainly from the local area, which comprises owner occupied properties. Children’s attainments on entry are broadly above average. At the time of the inspection, there were 261 pupils on roll. There were 40 pupils with special educational needs, which is a below average proportion. No pupils had statements of special educational need, which is well below average. There were few pupils from ethnic heritages and two pupils speak English as an additional language. This is broadly average. There are slightly more boys than girls. The socio economic circumstances of the pupils are above average with less than one per cent entitled to a free school meal, which is well below average. Since the previous inspection, some mixed age classes have been introduced to keep class sizes below 30 pupils. The school was awarded an Excellence Award for the year 1999-2000 for achieving standards

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

better than schools in similar circumstances.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school with many very good features. Attainment on entry is above average for most children and pupils attain very high standards by the time they leave the school at the age of seven. This is because the quality of teaching is very good and the leadership and management by the headteacher, staff and governors are excellent. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• The headteacher, staff and governors provide excellent leadership, successfully identifying and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued success of the school. • Teachers have very high expectations and organise their classes very well to ensure that the needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and mathematics by the end of Year 2. • The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning. • The school uses information and communication technology well to support literacy and this contributes positively to the high standards in English. • The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good behaviour. • The school promotes a very successful partnership with parents, who are very supportive.

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What could be improved

There are no significant areas for improvement.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

There has been very good improvement since the previous inspection in 1997. Standards, already high, have risen in line with national trends and are now in the highest five per cent of schools nationally. The quality of teaching and learning has improved significantly, with more than twice as much teaching judged to be very good or better. The school has very successfully addressed the issues pointed out in the previous inspection. Very effective assessment procedures ensure that tasks are well matched to the needs of all pupils and information about what pupils have learned in lessons is very effectively shared between teachers, support staff and parent helpers. Cost effectiveness has improved because the school thoroughly evaluates its spending to meet the needs of the pupils. The school is on course to meet its challenging targets and is well placed to make even further improvement. Heatherside Infant School –- 7

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Note: The grade A* means that the school’s performance is in the highest five per cent of schools nationally.

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Key

In order to calculate the grades in the above table, points are allocated to the levels attained and the school’s average points are compared. This shows that standards have remained very high in recent years. The school has set challenging targets and it is on course to meet them.

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Key

Inspection evidence shows that by the end of Year 2, standards in reading, writing and mathematics are similar to those shown in this table and are very high. Standards in any other subjects were not investigated on this inspection.

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Key

The pupils achieve very well with above average standards on entry to the school and very high standards by the end of Year 2. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress, most reaching the nationally expected Level 2. Higher attaining and gifted pupils also do very well with a well above average proportion reaching the higher Level 3 and a few pupils reach Level 4, which is the standard expected for eleven year olds. Pupils who speak English as an additional language also do well, with examples of pupils joining the school speaking no English reaching the expected standard by the age of seven.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are eager to learn because they are offered interesting activities and they are very keen to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well both in and out of the classroom and this contributes to an orderly environment.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils are expected to show a good level of independence. Relationships are very good and teachers know their pupils very well.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Very good. It is well above the national average but some parents take their children on holiday during term time.

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Aspect Comment

• Pupils’ attitudes to their learning are a strength. Very good attitudes were seen in almost all lessons and were never less than good. Outstanding attitudes were seen in a lesson for children in the Foundation Stage. Heatherside Infant School –- 8

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The quality of teaching is very good overall and leads to very good learning. There is consistency in the quality of teaching and no lessons seen were less than good. English is taught very well across the school. Literacy is also taught very well because the school has very successfully adapted the National Literacy Strategy to meet the needs of the pupils, with a structured approach to the teaching of writing. This contributes to the high standards in writing. The teaching of mathematics is also very good. Teachers provide challenging investigative activities and use questions very well to extend learning. Numeracy skills are also taught very well.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

Strengths in the quality of teaching include very good organisation which ensures that the needs of pupils of different abilities are very well met, the effective use of classroom assistants and parent helpers and very high expectations, which encourage pupils to improve their work. As a result, pupils make very good gains in their learning. They show a very high level of concentration and interest in their work. They have a very good understanding of their own learning because teachers explain what they are going to learn at the beginning of lessons and check what they have understood at the end. The school meets the needs of all its pupils very well. Tasks are very thoroughly planned to meet the individual needs of higher attaining pupils, those with special educational needs and those for whom English is their second language.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. A wide range of visits and visitors enriches it. Effective use is made of the school courtyard and grounds to support studies in many areas of the curriculum. Pupils develop their literacy skills very effectively through information and communication technology.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Individual education plans identify clear targets. Teachers and classroom assistants provide very good support. A particular strength is the collection of work maintained for each pupil, which shows very good progress through the year.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. These pupils are very well integrated into the school and receive very good support that enables most to reach the expected standard in reading and writing by the end of Year 2.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision. The school very effectively promotes co- operative and collaborative work that has a positive impact on pupils’ personal development. Good emphasis is placed on understanding other cultures and parents and visitors regularly share their values and customs with the pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school cares for its pupils very well. Teachers know their pupils well and very effectively monitor their personal development. • The curriculum meets statutory requirements. Heatherside Infant School –- 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Outstanding. The headteacher sets a very high standard that contributes to the success of the school. The way in which all staff work as a team towards continued improvement is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Excellent. The governors play an active and very effective part in the management of the school, contributing strongly to very high standards in many of its aspects.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The school evaluates its performance very thoroughly and takes steps to address any weaknesses. For example, it identified that standards in writing could be improved further so a structured programme to teach writing skills, starting in the reception classes, was introduced. As a result, standards in writing are rising even further.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Excellent. Classroom assistants provide very good quality support and the way in which funds have been used to enhance the school both inside and outside contribute very positively to the standards attained.

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Aspect Comment

• A particular strength is the outstanding leadership of the headteacher. She has successfully established a strong team that is committed to continual improvement. She is very well respected by parents, staff and pupils. • The way in which the school applies the principles of best value is excellent. It evaluates and compares both its spending and standards very carefully.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and parents feel comfortable in approaching the school with questions and concerns. • The teaching is good and children are expected to work hard. • Behaviour is good. • The school works well with parents. • Some parents would like more activities to be arranged outside lessons. • Some parents would like more information about how their children are allocated to classes.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team fully supports the very positive views held by parents. With regard to their concerns, they found that there is a good range of activities, such as visits to places of interest, visits by artists and theatre groups and musical tuition provided outside of lessons. Meetings were held and information sent to parents when pupils were allocated to classes and a meeting was held at the beginning of the school year for parents to meet their new teacher and raise any questions. These arrangements were judged to be appropriate. Heatherside Infant School –- 10

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and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued

1. The headteacher has an excellent vision for the continued development of the school focused on very high standards and very high expectations. The shared commitment to improvement shown by all staff and governors ensures that pupils do very well by the time they leave the school. One of the reasons why the school is so successful and that standards are so high is that the headteacher, subject co-ordinators and governors analyse its performance very thoroughly and take immediate steps to improve any areas where standards could be raised. For example, the school identified that standards in writing, although high, were not as high as those in reading. To address this the school looked at strategies to improve writing from the pupils’ first year in school. For example, teachers place great emphasis on the construction of sentences as soon as pupils begin to write, stressing the importance of punctuation and words used to connect sentences. Pupils are reminded that a full stop

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and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued

gives time to take a breath. Useful prompts such as ‘Say the sentence to your partner; write the sentence; read the sentence to your partner; does your sentence start with a capital letter and end with a full stop?’ ensure that pupils think carefully about their sentences and that, by the beginning of Year 2, they are able to write sustained accounts that are well punctuated and use interesting vocabulary. For example, ‘Where Camille lived sunflowers grow so tall that they look like real suns.’ Initiatives such as these have a positive impact on the standards attained.

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and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued

2. All teachers work together in their year groups as ‘Improving Standards Teams’. The teachers closely monitor and analyse standards in reading and writing and set school targets for improvement. They analyse the results of national tests to establish what needs to be done to raise the levels attained for individuals by the end of each year. For example, they set targets and plan suitable tasks so that pupils who might be expected to reach Level 2C, which is barely the expected level, can attain a higher level. At the same time, they strive to improve the proportion of pupils who exceed the expected level. The school has also closely evaluated the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies to ensure that they fully meet the needs of the pupils. As a result, the school ensures that opportunities for pupils to read individually are provided and that there is ample time to develop writing skills. Close analysis of last year’s test results identified a need to focus on non-fiction texts

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and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued

and although pupils currently borrow non-fiction texts, a more structured programme is shortly to be introduced where pupils borrow non-fiction texts which include information cards for parents so that they can assist their child with reference skills. All these examples illustrate the school’s commitment to improvement and are a significant factor leading to the very high standards attained.

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and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued

3. The consistency of practice seen during the inspection is because subject co-ordinators have had very good opportunities to monitor standards and teaching. The co-ordinators for English and mathematics have a very clear view for the development of their subjects. They have worked hard to ensure that strategies that have been successful in raising standards in the past have been well integrated into the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. This continual self-evaluation, fostered so successfully under the leadership of the headteacher and governors, ensures a very clear focus to school improvement.

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and addressing areas for improvement and this contributes very positively to the continued

4. The role of the governors is very well developed and they play an active part in the management of the school. They keep themselves very well informed of the work of the school through regular planned visits to see it at work as well as more informally, as many of them act as helpers in classes. They contribute very positively to policy and decision-making and have a thorough understanding of standards in the school through their own analysis of the available data. They evaluate spending very carefully, ensuring that decisions focus on raising standards. Their commitment is evident in the way in which they have engaged extra administrative support because their comparison with similar schools showed that they had provided less support than many schools of the same size. The commitment shown by the governors has a beneficial effect upon the success of the school and the standards attained. Heatherside Infant School –- 11

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

5. In the National Curriculum tests for seven year olds in 2000, pupils reached very high standards in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards are similar this year. One of the reasons why standards are so high is because teachers have very high expectations and organise their lessons in such a way that the needs of all pupils are very well met. This is as a result of careful assessments of their progress. Numerous examples were seen during the inspection where teachers took great care to ensure that tasks were well matched to the needs of all and that no time was wasted. This was particularly evident during literacy and numeracy sessions where the classroom assistant sometimes worked with a group while the teacher worked with the rest of the class. This was a particular feature in classes that include two year groups where the range of ability was wide. For example, in a literacy lesson for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, the classroom assistant worked with a group of younger pupils

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

to build up words from initial sounds while the teacher worked with older pupils to explore words using ‘magic e’ such as ‘mole’, ‘nose’ and ‘rose’. Very good organisation and skilful planning ensured that the teacher and classroom assistant finished their teaching at the same time, so allowing the whole class to come together to learn how to write instructions. The pupils then moved on to work on different tasks according to their abilities, supported by both the teacher and classroom assistant. Very high expectations in this lesson encouraged pupils to improve on previous work by adding extra information to their own instructions for feeding a pet that they had produced earlier. For example, a pupil in Year 2 added ‘take the lid off carefully’ to his previous instruction of ‘open the tin’. Encouragement from the teacher enabled another pupil to add ‘soapy’ to his instruction ‘wash with hot water’. It is this emphasis on improving writing further that contributes very positively to the high

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

6. The needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language, those with special educational needs and those pupils who have been identified as gifted and talented are also very well met. For example, in a mathematics lesson for pupils in Year 2, very high expectations where the teacher asked questions such as ‘Who can give me a multiple of 2?’ and ‘How do we know a number is even?’ prompted responses such as ‘An even number is something you can split in half without using fractions’ from a higher attaining pupil. Pupils with special educational needs then worked with the classroom assistant to count in twos and threes while other pupils solved problems involving multiplication. A positive feature of this lesson was the way in which an able mathematician was given his own programme of work which was linked to the tasks undertaken by the others in the class but was sufficiently challenging. As a result he was able to solve problems such as ‘If there are 54

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

boxes of pencils with 12 in each, how many are there altogether?’ using a range of different strategies. In the plenary session, pupils of all abilities, including the able pupil were fully included. It is this attention to ensuring that all pupils are sufficiently challenged according to their ability that is fundamental to the high standards attained.

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

7. In an English lesson for pupils in Year 2, very good provision for pupils who speak English as an additional language ensured that they could take a full part in the lesson. For example, one pupil noticed the word ‘how’ in a list of instructions and proudly pointed to it on a display elsewhere in the classroom. The teacher praised him, so boosting his self-esteem. In the same lesson, another pupil received very good support in a small group, ordering instructions for cleaning a pet’s home. He was sufficiently confident to explain his work and went on to talk about his home and family and how very friendly the other pupils were to him when he joined the school. Both staff and pupils take special care to include pupils of all abilities and backgrounds in the life of the school.

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

The quality of teaching is very good and leads to very good learning.

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

8. The high quality of the teaching is another reason why the school is so successful. Lessons are very well planned to be interesting and to meet the needs of all pupils. For example, in an excellent lesson for pupils in Year R, the children were very well motivated to learn scientific vocabulary because the teacher showed them an attractive range of autumn fruits and flowers. Very good questioning skills ensured that children learned that conkers are the fruit of a horse chestnut tree and that apples are the harvest of the orchard. During the inspection, pupils in Years 1 and 2 were learning about pets. They were very well motivated to sequence instructions and produce lists because teachers had provided coloured sheets for them to cut and sequence and attractive paper Heatherside Infant School –- 12 on which to write their instructions. Consequently, because the pupils were motivated by the materials offered they were keen to find out more about pets and worked hard to complete their

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

9. Teachers use questions very effectively to test out understanding and provoke thought. This is a particular feature of mathematics lessons. For example, in an excellent numeracy lesson for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, questions such as ‘If we count backwards do the numbers get bigger or smaller?’ and ‘Why is the number square good for counting?’, enable pupils to give their reasons and promote further discussion. Open-ended questions such as ‘What can you tell me about this number?’ give good opportunities for pupils of all abilities to take part and allow the teacher to assess what individuals understand. In another lesson, for pupils in Year 2, skilful questioning while using a number square prompted a pupil to point out that you can’t count to 45 in twos. As a result of discussion, pupils were then able to point out that you could stop at 44. In another class, the exploration of number patterns on a number square prompted a pupil to describe the pattern he could

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

see by moving diagonally across the number square, demonstrating his understanding of tens and units. The emphasis placed on challenging questions and open-ended tasks contributes strongly to the very high standards in mathematics.

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

10. Very effective use of classroom assistants and parent helpers ensures that there are sufficient adults to support the needs of pupils of different abilities and to help all pupils make very good progress. All adults work very well together as a team and are very well prepared. A particularly good example was seen during the inspection in a class for pupils in Year R and Year 1. Here, the pupils were divided into small groups, each led by a teacher, classroom assistant or parent helper, for ‘circle time’. This very effective organisation meant that the pupils could each have a turn in sharing their thoughts about the afternoon’s activities without having to wait long for a turn or to be intimidated by speaking in front of a large group. As a result, all pupils made very good gains in developing both social and speaking and listening skills.

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needs of all pupils are met. This contributes to very high standards in English and

11. Other features of very good teaching include the very effective use of time targets to ensure that pupils know how long they have to complete an activity. This results in pupils remaining on task and settling quickly to activities. Teachers manage their pupils very well and attractive resources, such as whiteboards are used to stimulate the pupils’ interest. As a result of all these very good features, pupils have a very good understanding of their own learning and work very hard to succeed. They are highly motivated and produce a very good quantity of work during lessons because they know that they are expected to work hard.

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The school uses information and communication technology well to support literacy and this

contributes positively to the high standards in English.

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The school uses information and communication technology well to support literacy and this

12. As part of its drive to continually raise standards even higher, the school identified a need to further develop the use of information and communication technology in English. Evidence seen during the inspection shows that this is successful. All literacy lessons are planned to include the use of information and communication technology to develop the skills being taught in the lesson. For example, in a lesson for pupils in Year 2, pupils worked in pairs to type their own instructions for how to clean a pet’s home. They used a program that enabled them to choose key words chosen by the teacher, but they were also required to type their own text, use correct punctuation and sequence their instructions correctly. As a result, pupils developed their skills in spelling, punctuation and instructional writing. In another lesson, for pupils in Year 1 and Year 2, a similar task was offered where pupils typed instructions for a neighbour to look after a pet. Good examples were seen where

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The school uses information and communication technology well to support literacy and this

pupils were required to improve their printed instructions by writing more detail. In a lesson for pupils in Year 1, pupils used a program to draw their pets and were then asked to add its title, so contributing to spelling skills.

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The school uses information and communication technology well to support literacy and this

13. Two good lessons were seen during the inspection for pupils in Year 1. In both these lessons, pupils learned the importance of reading instructions. They were asked to read the typed instructions for their drawing task before drawing a picture of a pet and writing a caption. As a result of this they developed an understanding of the importance of writing instructions and developed their spelling skills. Classroom assistants and parent helpers play an important part in the development of information and communication technology in English. The teachers have been recently trained in the use of the subject and share their expertise with the classroom assistants and helpers. As a Heatherside Infant School –- 13 result, pupils often work on these activities at other times of the day under their supervision. This means that pupils do not have to wait too long to have their turn on the computers. Activities such as

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The school uses information and communication technology well to support literacy and this

these make a positive contribution to standards in English.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

14. Attitudes and behaviour in lessons were very good in almost all lessons. They were never less than good and one outstanding example was seen. Pupils know that they are expected to behave very well and they try hard to meet these expectations. They are highly motivated and show great interest in their work and a determination to succeed. This is because tasks are interesting and they have plenty of opportunities to find out for themselves. For example, the current topic about pets is well matched to their interests and as a result, pupils are keen to find out more in lessons. A singing lesson for children in a reception class began with mouth exercises where children pretended to chew a toffee. This amused them and ensured that they were keen to join in. Recent work on sunflowers shows that pupils have had very good opportunities to grow magnificent specimens in the courtyard, measure them and produce attractive collages in a wide range of media of which they are justifiably

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

proud. Samples of writing based on the story of Camille and the sunflowers show that this topic has inspired much creative writing of good quality.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

15. A particular strength is the way in which pupils are encouraged to work in pairs and groups. Numerous examples were seen of pupils giving spontaneous help to others and sharing resources. For example, pupils worked happily in pairs to sequence instructions for how to clean a pet’s home, taking turns to choose which would come next. They decided, in pairs, whether statements about caring for pets belong on a ‘do’ or ‘don’t’ list, and shared their opinions with others on their table. The teacher had skilfully pre-empted any possibility for argument by providing each pair with statements on different coloured paper. This ensured that each pair could identify their own statements from others on the table. Opportunities such as these contribute to the very good behaviour seen in lessons. The very youngest children share construction kits amicably. Very good behaviour was seen when pupils used the computers, taking turns to use the ‘mouse’ and helping each other to find the

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

16. Pupils are expected to take responsibility from an early age and this develops well as they move through the school. The youngest children are already settled in to school routines and can work and play independently while their teacher is working with another group. Older pupils are trusted to change their own books in the library, sensibly scanning them in and out. They take responsibility for writing the number of hot dinners and packed lunches on the blackboard and take registers to the office sensibly. Many examples were seen during the inspection of pupils returning resources and using their initiative; for example, holding doors open for visitors.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

17. High quality displays illustrate the rich curriculum offered to the pupils and the reason why they are so keen to come to school. For example, pupils have visited Beaulieu very recently. Visitors to the school include artists, authors, puppeteers and theatre groups. Each year group visits a church of a different denomination and the large courtyard is used very effectively as an outdoor classroom. The atmosphere of the school is bright, stimulating and welcoming with many interesting items on display for the pupils to explore. As a result, pupils are highly motivated and eager to take part in all the school has to offer. All these factors contribute very positively to the very high standards attained.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

The school promotes a very successful partnership with parents, who are very supportive.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

18. Almost all parents who responded to the questionnaire were very positive about many aspects of the school. They particularly praised the leadership of the headteacher, the way in which they can approach the school with questions and concerns, the children’s behaviour and the way in which their children are expected to work hard. All these factors are fundamental to the ethos of the school and contribute to the high standards.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

19. Parents and grandparents provide very effective support in a variety of ways. For example, over 100 help in school each week. During the inspection, many assisted with tasks such as hearing reading and helping with a wide range of activities, particularly working with small groups. They are Heatherside Infant School –- 14 very well prepared by the teachers and work very much as part of the team. Their valued help makes a positive contribution to the standards attained.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

20. Some parents expressed a concern that the school could provide more activities outside lessons. However, inspection evidence shows that although there are no after school clubs, which is not unusual in an infant school, the school does provide a very stimulating and enriching range of visits and visitors to the school. These include visits to places of interest, both locally and further afield. Visitors to the school include artists, musicians and theatre groups and music tuition is also provided. All these opportunities enrich the education offered to the pupils.

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The wide range of opportunities for learning promotes very good attitudes and very good

21. The school provides regular opportunities to keep parents informed about their child’s progress. Information includes regular newsletters, details about topics and homework, good annual reports, and consultation evenings and meetings about the curriculum. Parents are invited to discuss their child’s progress each term and to share the setting of both social and academic targets with the teachers. Some parents with children in the mixed age classes expressed a view that they would like more information about how children were allocated to the classes. However, the practice of mixed age classes is well established in the school and meetings were held when it was first introduced. Parents are given the opportunity to meet their child’s new teacher very early in the term. The very good understanding which parents have about the work of the school and the very high esteem in which they hold the headteacher, teachers and support staff ensures a very successful partnership.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

There are no significant areas for improvement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

There are no significant areas for improvement. Heatherside Infant School –- 16

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage 11 44.5 44.5 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 261

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 40

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 4

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.2 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Heatherside Infant School –- 17 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 (Year 2) Year Boys Girls Total

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 01 58 41 99

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 57 58 58 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 41 41 41

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 99(97) 98(100) 100(99) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (85) 91 (90)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 58 58 58 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 41 41 41

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 100 (98) 100 (98) 100 (99) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Heatherside Infant School –- 18 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 0.5 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0.5 Black – African heritage 0 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 3.1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 11.8 Financial year 00/01

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.1

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 559798

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 12 Total expenditure 551037

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 24 Expenditure per pupil 1843

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance brought forward from previous year 8761 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 2

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Heatherside Infant School –- 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 42 48 1 1 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 41 56 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 27 57 8 2 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 29 50 9 3 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 39 4 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 41 1 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 38 56 4 1 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 57 41 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 45 47 0 0 8

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 18 31 21 4 26

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Other issues raised by parents

A significant number of parents ticked ‘Do not know’ in their response because their children had only just started at the school at the time the questionnaire was sent out.

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