Farncombe Church of England Infant School

SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 3 – 5 December 2001

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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. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Farncombe Infant School Grays Road Farncombe Surrey Postcode: GU7 3LT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 19 March 1997 Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Art and design 1510 Sheila Browning Registered inspector Music Standards of attainment and achievement Teaching and learning How well is the school led and managed? 11414 Ann Bennett Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? English Information and communication technology Geography 23056 Teresa Manzi Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mathematics Science Design and technology Physical education Equal opportunities 25925 Elizabeth Pacey Team inspector

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Special educational needs How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils are? Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point Seal Sevenoaks Kent

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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 Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 6

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REPORT CONTENTS

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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PART B: COMMENTARY

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

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER

OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED TO PUPILS? 18 - 20

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HOW GOOD ARE THE CURRICULAR AND OTHER

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS? 20 - 21

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED? 22 - 26

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 27 - 28

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 29 - 33

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PART D: THE STANDARDS AND QUALITY OF TEACHING IN

AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 34 - 47 Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 7

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Farncombe C of E Infant School, with 133 boys and girls aged three to seven, including 52 designated nursery places, is much smaller than most other infant schools nationally. It is over-subscribed. Almost all the children come from the local area of Goldalming North. The full range of attainment is represented on entry to the school although a significant majority are of lower than average attainment. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs, at 38.8 per cent, is well above the national average. The percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need, at 1.2 per cent, is broadly in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils receiving free school meals, at 11.5 per cent, is broadly in line with the national average, but this does not adequately reflect the social environment of the school. There are very few pupils from ethnic minority groups and pupils

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

with English as an additional language. Although a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds is represented, many pupils come from socially deprived backgrounds.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school gives an acceptable education to its pupils. The standards achieved by the majority of children under five are low and are well below expectations for their age. By the age of seven, standards in the core subjects are well below average but overall good progress is being made from a low base. Pupils show good attitudes and behaviour. They develop good relationships, and generally learn well. Teaching is good overall although there are some inconsistencies. Pupils are cared for and supported well. The school has responded positively to the issues raised in the last inspection report. Farncombe benefits from good leadership by the headteacher. The school provides a positive and happy learning environment based on Christian principles. Parents are supportive of the school. It provides satisfactory value for money overall. Its strengths far outweigh its weaknesses.

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What the school does well

• Overall, teaching and learning are good. • Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour, personal development and relationships are good. • There is a very good range of extra-curricular activities. • Opportunities for pupils’ moral and social development are good. • The support and guidance for pupils are good. • The school works well with parents. • Leadership by the headteacher ensures clear educational direction.

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What could be improved

• Standards are not high enough. • Information and communication technology is insufficiently developed across the school. • The management of, and the opportunities for, pupils with special educational needs. • The effectiveness of delegation of responsibility to those in senior management positions. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 8

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has improved in many respects since it was last inspected in March 1997. It has addressed the key issues in the last report well. Up until this year results in the national tests for seven-year-olds in reading and writing had steadily improved. Mathematics results remained below the national average. The latest results in reading, writing and in teacher assessments for science were well below the national average, they were below in mathematics and those for similar schools but reflected the attainment of those pupils on entry to the school. The proportion of pupils who reached the higher levels increased. Generally, pupils make good progress from a low base but progress is uneven across the school. Higher-attaining pupils and pupils with special educational needs generally make satisfactory progress. Teachers’ expectations and standards achieved have improved through the completion of schemes of work for subjects. Standards have declined since the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

last inspection and are below those expected for pupils of this age in information and communication technology (ICT), geography and history. In other subjects, work is more closely matched to the needs and abilities of all pupils in the majority of classes. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Teaching is inconsistent within the older mixed-age class. The literacy and numeracy strategies are implemented satisfactorily. Lessons are usually well planned with clear learning intentions. Assessment is used appropriately and usually informs future teaching and learning. The headteacher is very focused on school improvement and self-review. She has introduced appropriate and practical methods to raise pupil achievement, and to improve the quality of teaching, learning and curriculum development. Governors take an active role in the school’s development planning. The school development plan clearly identifies the necessary focus for raising standards,

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

developing the curriculum and improving the school buildings and site and resources. Financial planning is appropriate. Monitoring of teaching and learning is part of a structured cycle. The roles and effectiveness of curriculum co-ordinators are at different stages of development. Curriculum and whole-school planning demonstrates that there is now a greater awareness of other faiths and cultures. Many of these are improvements since the last inspection.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 7-year-olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The attainment of children under five is well below that expected nationally in communication, language and literacy, mathematical development, knowledge and understanding of the world and creative and physical development, personal, social and emotional and physical development. By the end of the reception class the children attain standards in all areas of Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 9 learning that are well below those expected for children of this age but they make good progress from a low base, particularly socially.

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STANDARDS

In 2001, the average point scored in the National Curriculum tests showed that pupils in Year 2 attained standards that were well below average in reading and writing, in mathematics they were below the national average and, when compared with similar schools, they were well below. Teacher assessments for science were well below those expected for pupils of this age. The percentage of pupils who achieved higher levels (Levels 3 and above) was above average in reading and in line with the national average in writing and mathematics and results in science teacher assessments were well above the national average. The performance of pupils over the last three years has fallen below the national average for their age group but over the past five years, 1997-2001, results have fluctuated and indicate slight improvement apart from in the latest year 2001. The school has suitable targets. Standards seen during the inspection reflect those shown in the table above. Work seen in science,

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STANDARDS

however, indicates that standards are in line with the national average. Standards are in line with those expected for pupils of this age in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education. They are below those expected in ICT, geography and history. Religious education was not inspected; it will form part of a Section 23 inspection by inspectors from the Church of England.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils’ attitudes to learning start from a very low base. As they come to understand what is expected of them they are keen and want to get on with their work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour is good, and pupils play well together.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils make considerable gains in their social skills during their time at school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance in the last school year was broadly in line with the national average. Monitoring has improved the attendance. Some pupils are late for school too often.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Pupils come to school with enthusiasm. They learn to work purposefully and quietly. Pupils are eager to get involved wherever they are given the opportunity. Relationships among pupils and with their teachers are good. As they get older pupils are better able to work with each other. The level of unauthorised absence was better than the national average.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Lessons seen overall 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

Teaching of children under five is good overall. The children are given a good start to school. Teaching for pupils aged five to seven is good overall, but it is uneven. In English and Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 10 mathematics a large proportion of teaching is good, and in science it ranges from very good to satisfactory. Teachers generally use a good variety of effective teaching methods, but they do not plan together and so pupils of the same age in different classes do not receive exactly the same curriculum. The teaching methods for developing literacy and numeracy skills are appropriate. The school generally meets the needs of all pupils well. However, pupils with special educational needs are almost always withdrawn from class, and they miss much of their class work. The balance of specific help provided in class and outside is unsatisfactory. When challenged by interesting and stimulating activities, pupils show a high level of interest

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

and enjoyment in their work. Overall, pupils generally make good progress from a low base but it is inconsistent across the school. Progress is accelerated in the mixed-age reception and Year 1 class and Year 2 class.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory. The curriculum is broad and balanced. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory. A small number of pupils with severe special education needs (SEN) receive good specialist support within their class and they make good progress. However, the majority of pupils with SEN do not have equal access to the curriculum because of the way the timetables are arranged.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils learning English as an additional language No pupils at the school are learning English as an additional language.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Satisfactory overall. Provision for pupils’ personal, including moral and social development is good. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. The school takes good care of its pupils, and makes proper provision for their health, safety and welfare.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are supportive of the work of the school. A good number of parents get involved with day-to-day activities in the school. A few feel that they are held ‘at arm’s length’ and that their contributions are not welcomed. Teachers do not always plan work for their classes taking into account the curriculum content for differing year groups, or for pupils who learn at different rates. As a result the range of opportunities within some subjects is limited and this has a negative impact on pupils’ attainment. Some areas of ICT are not being taught. The school keeps thorough assessment files and teachers know how their pupils are getting on academically. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 11

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher provides good leadership. The role of the deputy headteacher is underdeveloped. The effectiveness of subject co- ordinators and the co-ordinators for special educational needs varies, reflecting their own professional development.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is active and wishes to support the school fully. Governors are now at a stage where they can develop their accountability and effectiveness.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is now more accountable and evaluates its performance effectively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The number of teaching staff is sufficient, they are well qualified and their experience meets the needs of the curriculum. The appropriately qualified support staff are highly valued by the school and are suitably deployed. Since the last inspection much refurbishment of the building has taken place. It provides a pleasant and clean environment. The library is small and under-resourced. The ICT suite is under-used and under-resourced. Resources are satisfactory in other curriculum areas. The headteacher has successfully endeavoured to put in place effective structures and support to address the needs to raise standards and improve teaching, learning and the curriculum. The working relationship between the headteacher and deputy headteacher is ineffective. The school seeks to gain the best value when purchasing goods or services.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • The school is easily approachable with questions or problems. • The teaching is good. • Children are helped to become mature and responsible. • Children like school. • Behaviour is good. • Teachers expect children to work hard and to achieve the best standard of which they are capable. • Information about child’s progress.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views, but in their judgement, some pupils of higher attainment are not sufficiently challenged. Parents receive good information about their children’s progress. Written comments from parents were mostly supportive of the school, its work, the headteacher and staff. A few parents expressed concerns about identification and communication procedures for special educational needs. The school is aware that arrangements in this area need to be formalised. Parents were aware of tension and discord amongst the staff; this was evident during the inspection. Parents said they felt their motives for offering help in the school were questioned and that they wanted to be considered as an asset to be harnessed for the benefit of the school. The inspection team is unable to comment on this point. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 12

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. On entry to the nursery, the attainment of children is low and well below that of other children of the same age, nationally. Nursery screening assessments show that the majority of children start school with very underdeveloped skills and understanding in all areas of learning, particularly in communication, language, mathematical and personal, social and emotional skills. By the end of the reception class, the children attain standards in all areas of learning that are well below those expected for children of this age, but they make good progress, particularly socially. This is because they benefit from good teaching both from their teachers and from classroom assistants, who usually support all classes well.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In 2001, the average points scored in National Curriculum tests showed that pupils in Year 2 attained standards that were well below average nationally and when compared with similar schools in reading, writing and mathematics. The school’s results in science teacher assessments were well below those expected for pupils of this age. This marks a decline since the last inspection in 1997 in reading and writing. Mathematics has remained below national averages. Teacher assessments in 2001 for English, mathematics and science were largely accurate. At the end of Year 2, standards were not high enough when compared with similar schools. Despite efforts to improve standards there appears to have been a decline in both attainment and progress since the last inspection. However, this reflects both the changing intake of the school and also the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs in 2001,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

which distorts comparisons in a small cohort. Over 50 per cent of the 2001 Year 2 class were registered as having special educational needs for either, learning or behavioural difficulties or both. It is also worth noting that the numbers entered for the national tests were small; it is inadvisable to place too much emphasis on one year’s results. The percentage of pupils who achieved the higher levels (Levels 3 and above) was above the national average in reading, and average in writing and mathematics. Writing across the school has been identified as an area for development.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. The performance of pupils over the last three years has fallen below the national average for their age group. Over the previous five years, 1997-2001, despite fluctuations, results indicate slight improvement apart from in the latest year, 2001. The targets for 2000 were exceeded. An increase in the number of pupils achieving Level 2 has resulted from the school’s emphasis on these pupils. The school has supported several children who were likely to be working towards Level 1 so as to enable them to achieve this level.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Results of boys and girls were not significantly different in 2001. Girls aged seven outperformed the boys in reading by 1.3 per cent, in writing by 1.1 per cent and in mathematics by 0.2 per cent. During the inspection there was no significant difference between the achievements of boys and girls.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. By the end of Year 2, standards seen during the inspection generally reflect those described above, with the exception of science. Work seen in science indicates that standards are now in line with the national average. Standards are in line with those expected for pupils of this age in art and design, design and technology, music and physical education. This is an improvement for design and technology, where some areas of the subject were not covered at the time of the last inspection. Standards in art Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 13 and music have remained the same. Standards were above the national expectations in physical education at the time of the last inspection and have thus declined. Standards are below those expected in ICT, geography and history. At the last inspection the use of equipment to explore real and imaginary situations in ICT was undeveloped; this deficiency has been partially addressed. During the last inspection

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

attainment in both history and geography was in line with national expectations. The school has been trying to raise standards in English, mathematics and science and consequently the development of other subjects has been marginalized. Religious education was not inspected but will form part of a Section 23 inspection by inspectors from the Church of England. The school has suitable targets that realistically reflect the attainment of pupils on entry and pupils are making appropriate progress towards them.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. In English in Year 2, most pupils’ speaking and listening skills are well below national expectations. When pupils start school most have difficulty in expressing their thoughts. Most pupils listen attentively in class. By the time they leave school too few pupils attain good standards in reading. Most pupils’ reading skills are below national expectations, reflecting their ability on entry. Generally pupils make good progress from a low base as they move through the school, and rapid progress is made in the Year 2 class. Pupils make satisfactory progress in writing but standards remain below national expectations. In writing too little care is taken to produce work that is neat and well punctuated. The school is fully aware that pupils need more support in terms of developing their speaking, listening, reading and writing skills, and has good planning methods in place which are beginning to address these concerns.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In mathematics, pupils’ mental agility remains below average and this restricts their progress. Pupils are building on their knowledge and understanding of number using the four computations of addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. Younger pupils identify and write numbers and words up to 20 correctly. Pupils are beginning to grasp the meaning of mathematical terms such as ‘bigger than’ and ‘smaller than’ but find counting backwards difficult. Older pupils identify odd and even numbers clearly. The use of ICT is insufficiently developed in mathematics. Investigations and problem solving are under-developed in mathematics. Results in mathematics have remained below the national average over the past four years.

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Literacy

8. The National Literacy Strategy is being implemented but it is not yet making sufficient impact across the school. Not all teachers follow the guidance. Standards of literacy are well below those expected for pupils. Pupil’s speaking and listening skills are well below average. The ‘plenary sessions‘ at the end of the ‘literacy hour’ are often too short and the pupils are given too few opportunities to report on what they have learned. Writing skills are not transferred sufficiently across all areas of the curriculum and some teachers do not set high enough standards. Regular reading practice is planned for in all classes to extend experience and develop skills in reading. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 14

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Numeracy

9. The National Numeracy Strategy is being implemented effectively and is steadily raising pupils’ attainment. Numeracy is used across the curriculum, for example, in design and technology when measuring balsa wood for making sand carts. A few pupils in Years 1 and 2 entered data gained from a mathematics activity, checking the colour of sweets, to make a bar graph. In music, pupils counted the beats in a selected piece of music and followed instructions for counting in when singing in parts. Pupils use time lines in history and carry out work on directions and compass points in geography.

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Pupils with special educational needs

10. No pupils are disapplied from the National Curriculum tests. The school identifies those with special educational needs at an early stage and is aware of the needs of different groups of children. However, when addressing the individual needs practice is inconsistent. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs, at 38.8 per cent, is well above the national average. The percentage of pupils with statements of special educational need, 1.2 per cent, is broadly in line with the national average. Targets are set for pupils in their individual education plans (IEPs). The vast majority of the special educational needs teaching is carried out away from the classrooms. The special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs), rather than the class teachers, draw up pupils’ IEP’s. Thus class teachers do not have ownership of these plans and do not monitor individual targets. As a result pupils are not always fully

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Pupils with special educational needs

included in the curriculum of the class and this restricts their progress, which is only satisfactory. In comparison, those pupils given planned support in lessons benefit from direct help related to their individual needs. They undertake similar work to that of their peers in class. The quality of this provision is very good and consequently they often make very good progress. There are few higher-attaining pupils. In the older mixed- year groups, insufficient attention is paid to planning work for pupils who are at different stages of learning or who learn at different rates. As a result, many activities do not challenge pupils appropriately and they do not make sufficient progress. When challenged pupils demonstrate a high level of interest.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils come in to school with enthusiasm. During their time in school, their maturity develops from a very low base, as they come to understand what is expected of them. When they arrive they sometimes find sharing and waiting hard; by the time they leave the school they have learnt how to organise themselves and to get on with their own work. The under-fives enjoy moving between activities and trying different things. Nursery pupils like dressing up and role-playing the Christmas story. Reception class pupils join in the plenary activities well: they sing, use their fingers to show numbers, sit quietly and concentrate. They are keen and want to get on with their work, but can be a little chatty towards the end of a long session. Pupils in the mixed reception and Year 1 class liked the teacher’s puppet, and found it fun to learn in this way. They behaved very well in a physical education (PE) lesson, listened very well and were enthusiastic.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

Those in the Year 1/2 mixed class obeyed instructions in physical education quickly and quietly. They got equipment out in preparation for numeracy work, and were able to work on their own whilst their teacher was busy. They learn to work quietly and purposefully because the adults in the room have a quiet manner with them. By Year 2 pupils are concentrating and fully absorbed in lessons; they are keen to complete tasks, chatting together about what they have found out. They work well on their handwriting without teacher support. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 15 12. After-school activities are popular and well supported. Pupils are eager to get involved wherever they are given the opportunity. Behaviour in class is good, and pupils play well together in the playground. No unkind or anti-social behaviour was observed during the inspection, and there have been no exclusions since the last Ofsted inspection. Pupils

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

know that they should tell an adult when someone misbehaves, though they say they would also tell the miscreant off! They know that the school focus is on being kind to each other. They behave well in assembly, and wait patiently in the dining hall until everyone has arrived to sing grace. They take prayers and grace seriously, and understand that these parts of the day are special.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils know the school rules and want to achieve individual and class awards for good behaviour. They undertake small routine class tasks with enthusiasm.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Relationships among pupils and with their teachers are good. As they get older they are better able to work with each other, to share, and to work well in pairs, for example to allocate roles without fuss. In circle time they enjoy passing a smile and will talk about their feelings and experiences sensibly, listening to each other well. They make considerable gains in their social skills during their time in school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Attendance in the last school year was broadly in line with the national average, although it had been below average for a number of years. Monitoring has improved the attendance from 93.2 per cent to 94.0 per cent in the last year. The statistics only relate to pupils over the age of five, and because this covers about half the pupils it means that small variations can have a large effect on the figures. The level of unauthorised absence was better than the national average. Some pupils are late for school too often.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The quality of teaching for the under-fives was always satisfactory and in over two-thirds of lessons observed it was good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The best lessons are characterised by the teacher’s enthusiasm and ability to make learning fun. The children are suitably challenged and all are involved. Time and the teacher assistants are used very well to involve and help all children to learn and complete tasks. Expectations are high. Good links are made across the areas of learning. When pupils with special educational needs are supported in class they make good progress. Assessments of attainment on entry to the school are made early in order to help teachers plan work. However, the results of these assessments are not collated promptly enough by the local education authority to help the teachers use the results easily.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. There are few areas of relative weakness, but these include occasions when children with special educational needs disrupt the class because not all staff intervene appropriately. The school is aware of this and is considering ways to improve.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. In Years 1 and 2, the quality of teaching and learning was good overall but it was uneven across the school. In just over six out of ten lessons seen teaching and learning were good; in just over one in eight they were very good. In the remaining lessons teaching and learning were satisfactory. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen. Since the last inspection teaching and learning in Years 1 and 2 have remained good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In English and mathematics a large proportion of teaching and learning was good. In science, teaching ranged from very good to at least satisfactory. Teaching in physical Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 16 education was good and in all other subjects it was at least satisfactory. The teaching methods for developing literacy and numeracy skills are appropriate.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers are usually knowledgeable about the subjects they teach. Across the school teaching of basic skills is reinforced well in all subjects. Although daily and short-term lesson planning is generally satisfactory, it does not always take into account what pupils have learnt already, or of their maturity in mixed-year classes. Because teachers do not plan together, pupils of the same age in different classes do not receive exactly the same curriculum. As a result, the quality of learning is uneven because of different interpretation of the plans in single and mixed-year classes. In the older mixed-year class insufficient attention is paid to planning work for pupils who are at different stages of learning or who learn at different rates. As a result, many activities do not suitably challenge pupils and they do not make sufficient progress. For instance in mathematics, a whole class activity involved using cubes to find number bonds to five,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

when this should have been an activity for those pupils finding number bonds difficult to grasp. In science, when studying materials one class enjoyed active participation in experiments while the other group tended to work from more closed prepared sheets. There is some confusion about what should be taught and to whom in the older mixed- year class. Longer term planning linked to the Qualification and Curriculum Authority (QCA) guidelines is developing appropriately in all subjects. The school focus this term has been for co-ordinators to monitor lesson planning within their subject responsibility. Insufficient links are built between subjects, such as ICT.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Teachers’ expectations of work range from very high to just satisfactory. The better teaching is characterised by very good questioning which stimulates pupils’ curiosity and encourages them to explore ideas, as for instance, in science when exploring what happens to a teddy’s shadow. Teaching in history in Year 2 was very good because the teacher checked the pupils’ knowledge and challenged them at a fast pace to think about facts relating to Florence Nightingale’s life. In contrast, the other Year 2 pupils spent a long session talking about different types of light, at a level suitable for Year 1 pupils, and then had too short a time to consider the meaning of ’famous’ and the life of Florence Nightingale. In both geography and history, despite the fact that the pupils’ progress is accelerated in the Year 2 class, overall, pupils make unsatisfactory progress. This is because the level of challenge is inconsistent throughout the school.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Another contributory factor is that schemes of work are still developing in some subjects. Weaknesses are found when pupils do not always steadily build on what they have learned before and when the pace of lessons is too slow and delivery is uninteresting. Some teachers have too low expectations of pupils. Teachers’ expectations of behaviour are high. They generally use a good variety of effective teaching methods. Questioning to promote further learning and to consolidate what pupils know is usually good. Teachers manage and control pupils well throughout the school. Generally, teachers maintain good relationships and when appropriate show a sense of fun.

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The school generally meets the needs of all pupils well. However, as pupils with special educational needs are almost always withdrawn from class, the balance of help provided in class and outside is unsatisfactory. Pupils are withdrawn from class on a regular basis for individual or small group support. There is no rotational arrangement. This can lead to pupils missing crucial or interesting parts of lessons. Pupils with special educational needs do not always have appropriate support in lessons, for example in some mathematics lessons. Those pupils who are identified as having difficulty with mathematics are usually withdrawn from the class to have help. The work they do with the support teacher does not necessarily link with the work they are missing in class and this means that they are not having the same access to the same Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 17 curriculum as their classmates. Because class teachers and special educational

p.16

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

needs teachers tend to work in isolation, pupils with special educational needs are not always given work based on their individual education plans when in class. This not only restricts their progress but also means that they are not always fully included in the class.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. There is insufficient shared planning between class teachers and special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs). As a result, pupils are not always offered appropriate work. For example, following a literacy hour based on phonics, some pupils were then withdrawn to do yet more phonic work. Class teachers do not draw up pupils’ individual educational plans after Stage 2 and do not monitor individual targets; these are drawn up by the SENCOs. Consequently the progress that pupils make is only satisfactory. Those pupils supported in lessons, benefit from help directly related to their individual needs and they undertake similar work to that of their peers in class. The quality of this provision is very good and consequently pupils with special educational needs often make very good progress.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. When challenged by interesting and stimulating activities, pupils show a high level of interest and enjoyment in their work. They work well together and support one another well. Teachers explain the learning intentions clearly at the start of lessons and, by referring to them throughout the lesson, consolidate pupils’ knowledge and understanding. This is an improvement since the last inspection and is good practice.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Generally teachers use time effectively. Resources and equipment are well used in music and physical education. The suite for ICT is not used very well to develop specific ICT skills or to enhance other work in the curriculum. Resources for ICT are insufficient and many teachers are not using the suite because the programs do not match their pupil’s needs. During the inspection a parent governor provided very good ICT support to individuals and groups of pupils in classrooms. The use and development of ICT across the school constitutes a weakness. Classroom assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning especially where they and the teacher have discussed what pupils need to achieve.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. On-going assessment of pupils’ learning is satisfactory. Teachers assess work carefully and give praise and encouragement which raises pupils’ self-esteem. There is some variation in the quality of marking, from ticks to useful evaluative comments and explanations. In discussion, pupils told inspectors that they found such written comments helpful. Teachers regularly moderate work within the school. As yet they do not monitor or evaluate the achievement of pupils in parallel classes. Assessment data and test results are effectively analysed but are not yet consistently used by all teachers to raise standards and reinforce teaching and learning. Homework is set regularly and contributes well to pupils’ standards and progress.

p.17

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. Overall, pupils generally make good progress from a low base. Progress is inconsistent across the school and is especially erratic in the older mixed-age classes. Progress is accelerated in the Year 2 class and in the mixed reception and Year 1 class. In most lessons pupils gain skills, and advance their knowledge and understanding. This is more noticeable in the single-year classes. Pupils are learning to apply their intellectual, physical and creative efforts appropriately. In music and physical education they apply themselves well. Throughout the school pupils work productively and at a good rate. They are interested and concentrate well. When given the opportunity pupils work well independently. Pupils work well in pairs, small groups and as individuals. They are generally clear about what they have to do to improve the quality of their work. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 18

p.17

PUPILS?

28. The curriculum for the under-fives is good and supports their development in the six areas of learning well. In Years 1 and 2 the curriculum is broad and includes all the subjects of the National Curriculum including sex education, education about drugs misuse and religious education. Provision for pupils’ personal and social education is satisfactory. Classes have a weekly circle time when pupils have the chance to talk about issues, to listen to one another and to develop their social skills. However, not all elements within subjects are treated with equal importance. For example, the investigating and problem-solving element of mathematics is underdeveloped and some areas of information and communication technology (ICT) are currently not being taught and for information and communication technology this is a statutory breach. As a result the range of opportunities within some subjects is limited and this has a negative

p.18

PUPILS?

impact on pupils’ attainment. The school is implementing the strategy for numeracy appropriately, but it is taking time for the strategy for literacy to have an impact on standards.

p.18

PUPILS?

29. For all subjects overviews show what is taught to each year group on an annual basis. Teachers use these overviews to plan the work for topics in more detail. Most pupils are taught in classes with two age groups. However, teachers plan work for the class as a whole without taking into account the curriculum content for different year groups or pupils who learn at different rates within the class. As a result, although teachers’ planning is very carefully monitored, some pupils do not have access to the full curriculum during their time in the school. This affects adversely the development of their skills, knowledge and understanding. Teachers with pupils of the same age in different classes do not plan together. Because teachers sometimes interpret the topics differently, the work carried out by pupils of the same age in different classes is not always the same. For example, when learning about light, one class carried out

p.18

PUPILS?

investigations about shadows whilst in another pupils made circuits to light a bulb. There are other examples of this kind. This is a concern of some parents which is upheld by the inspection findings. There is no whole-school overview of the work to be covered each year by every year group. This makes monitoring the curriculum received by pupils as they progress through the school very difficult, especially where there are classes with mixed-age groups.

p.18

PUPILS?

30. A small number of pupils with severe special educational needs receive specialist support within their class. However, the majority of pupils with special educational needs are nearly always withdrawn from class for additional support at regular times. These pupils do not have equal access to the same curriculum as others in their class.

p.18

PUPILS?

31. The school provides a very good range of extra-curricular activities. These include gymnastics, football, art and craft, computer and science clubs. All pupils are encouraged to join, and boys and girls are enthusiastic about the activities. The school works hard to involve the local community in pupils’ learning. For example, pupils enter gardening competitions, a local landscape gardener and a grandfather have helped pupils to develop and plant the garden area, and the mayor has visited to talk about her work. Pupils enjoy a variety of visits to places such as Windsor Castle and the local church where they had a ‘wedding’ to reinforce work on celebrations. Pupils learn the importance of making contributions to the community by raising money for a range of charities including Children in Need, Poppy Day and the local children’s hospice. All of these activities enrich the curriculum and provide valuable opportunities to develop

p.18

PUPILS?

pupils’ personal and social education. Good links are maintained with other local Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 19 schools. Teachers visit each other for training. Liaison with the local junior school takes place before pupils transfer and helps to make the transition process run smoothly.

p.18

PUPILS?

32. Since the last inspection all schemes of work have been reviewed. Medium and short- term planning is completed, which includes learning intentions, activities, resources and sometimes assessment opportunities; this is similar to findings of the last inspection. Teachers do not share planning and therefore there are several instances of pupils being given different levels of work within the same year groups. This endorses the concern that parents expressed. Improvements are seen in the action planning developed by co-ordinators for curriculum development.

p.19

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

33. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education is satisfactory overall. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is satisfactory. There are close links with the local church. Regular acts of collective worship provide pupils with the opportunities to reflect on themes such as what Christmas means. Grace is said before lunch. Pupils learn about other faiths, for example, Judaism, and are taken to visit different places of worship such as a mosque and a synagogue. They learn about a range of festivals such as Divali. In this way they are taught to understand and value the traditions and beliefs of other people.

p.19

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

34. The provision for pupils’ social and moral development is good. Pupils are taught very clearly about telling right from wrong. Classes have their own rules displayed and pupils know and understand the school rules. They show good self-discipline and have a well- developed sense of fair play. Pupils behave well and work well together, helping and caring for one another. During circle time they are encouraged to think about other people’s feelings, for example on starting at a new school. They respond thoughtfully to these discussions and show a good awareness of how to treat others with tolerance and respect. Established pupils act as ‘buddies’ for new pupils to help them settle in to school happily. Lunchtime supervisors make lunch a pleasant occasion, with pupils sitting together chatting and going to collect their meals quietly and politely. The school cook organises competitions with prizes that add interest and enjoyment for everyone in

p.19

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

the dining room. Some pupils are given responsibility for taking the register to the office, help with seating pupils at lunch-time and help clear away in the canteen.

p.19

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

35. Provision for pupils’ cultural development is satisfactory. This is an improvement on the previous report when it was judged unsatisfactory. Opportunities for raising pupils’ cultural awareness occur throughout the curriculum, as for example, in religious education, history and music. Visits such as those to the Tower of London and H.M.S. Warrior, where pupils joined in a Victorian Christmas dinner, give them the opportunity to learn about their own cultural traditions. Understanding of other cultures is enhanced when, for example, visitors bring Indian dance and culture to the school; photographic evidence shows pupils studying Chinese New Year against the background of a variety of artefacts. Theatre groups visit the school every term. Resources for cultural development are satisfactory. They include a range of religious and everyday artefacts. There is now a satisfactory range of musical instruments from other countries.

p.19

Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

However, the number of books and posters illustrating multicultural themes is more limited. The school is keen to provide even more opportunities and has planned to invite visitors to talk about Africa, and about a Hindu wedding in the near future.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 20 36. The school takes good care of its pupils, and makes proper provision for their health, safety and welfare. The headteacher knows each pupil well, through observation and maintaining contact with their parents. Individual pupils who are going through crises in their young lives are supported very well. The headteacher takes matters of child protection seriously and liaises with the relevant outside agencies. The headteacher recognises that more work needs to be done to develop staff training and awareness in this area. Pupils who are injured or unwell at school receive good care, although there is no privacy and they receive treatment in the entrance area; if they have to remain there, they are not clearly within sight of the office staff for supervision. Governors receive health and safety reports regularly, and the situation is much improved since the

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Class teachers know their pupils well. They keep good, thorough assessment files and know how their pupils are getting on academically. There is a clear, systematic way of summarising aspects of personal development before the termly interview with parents, but this is not in place in the Year 1/2 class. Using this information, teachers offer good support and guidance to their pupils, and devise individual targets with them in order to improve their work. Pupils are beginning to write their own targets, to be attached to their annual reports.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The headteacher monitors absence weekly, focusing particularly on those pupils with records of poor attendance or lateness. She keeps in close contact with the education welfare officer, who provides good support. Nevertheless, improvements in attendance have been slight.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Pupils are treated as individuals and, if poor behaviour occurs, teachers and parents work together to find a resolution. There is a strong expectation of good behaviour, and simple reward systems are appreciated by the pupils. Induction of new pupils is thoughtful, and pupils are given considerable freedom to decide for themselves when they are ready to stay for school lunch, or to begin swimming. Supervision at lunchtime is good, and there is plenty of outdoor play equipment and markings.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. The school holds a considerable volume of analysed data concerning the achievement of the pupils. All pupils have an individual portfolio. Pupils in Reception undertake baseline screening and their progress is tracked by the class teacher. In Year 1, pupils take numeracy and literacy baseline assessments and higher-attaining pupils undertake further testing. In Year 2 pupils are streamed and take reading tests including the standard assessment tests. This is in addition to ongoing class assessment and to checking IEP targets and working with outside agencies where appropriate. Individual targets are set for literacy and numeracy, and pupils are aware of these.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Overall, assessment information is used well by the majority of class teachers but inconsistently by a few. Not all teachers follow the school’s new system for assessing reading.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Assessing and recording the progress of pupils with special educational needs are satisfactory. Where specialist support and assessment is carried out alongside the class teacher, pupils make very good progress. However, generally this information is not shared enough with class teachers in order to plan the next stage of the pupils’ learning. Baseline assessments are made during the Foundation Stage. However, the school is waiting for the local education authority to advise them on how to formalise assessments for pupils with special educational needs in Years 1 and 2. Very good liaison is maintained with other agencies such as speech therapists, and their advice is Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 21 followed carefully. As a result, pupils with statements are given sensible and achievable targets that help them to make progress.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. Parents are supportive of the work of the school, appreciating what it provides for their children. A fair number attended the pre-inspection meeting and there was a strong, positive response to the pre-inspection questionnaire. In more than half the areas of the school’s work surveyed, over 95 per cent of parents replying were supportive, and this is a very high level. Fourteen per cent of parents did not feel well informed about how their child was getting on, and seven per cent did not agree that their child gets the right amount of work to do at home, with five unsure. In the other areas at least 91 per cent were happy. The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views, but in their judgement, some pupils of higher attainment are not sufficiently challenged. Parents receive good information about their children’s progress. Written comments from parents were mostly supportive of the school, its work, the headteacher and staff. A

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

few parents expressed concerns about identification and communication procedures for special educational needs. The school is aware that arrangements in this area need to be formalised. Parents were aware of tension and discord amongst the staff; this was evident during the inspection. Parents said they felt their motives for offering help in the school were questioned and that they wanted to be considered as an asset to be harnessed for the benefit of the school. The inspection team is unable to comment on this point.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The headteacher is successful in her ‘open door’ policy: all those responding to the questionnaire would feel comfortable approaching the school with a question or a problem. Some parents are aware of tensions between the staff, and this is affecting parental attitudes. A few feel that they are held ‘at arms, length’ and that their contributions are not welcome in school. Parents and governors acknowledge that the headteacher puts the needs of the children first: their education, welfare and safety. A good number of parents do get involved with day-to-day activities in school, and large numbers turned out for the class assembly during the inspection.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. Written information provided for parents is satisfactory. The school and nursery brochures are illustrated with pupils’ photographs and drawings. There are frequent newsletters, which give forward information and reminders. Parental complaints about the quality and timeliness of these newsletters could not be substantiated. Although curriculum plans are displayed in classrooms, they are not easy documents for parents to understand; they do not receive appropriately written curriculum information so that they can understand the kind of work their child will be doing, and ways in which they can help at home. This was a deficiency mentioned at the time of the last report.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. Termly parent-teacher consultation meetings give parents a good idea of how their child is getting on. The school has a useful pro-forma for teachers to use to summarise a pupil’s areas of strength, difficulties, and things to focus on next. This is a valuable communication tool, and copies are made so that parents can take them home for reference. The majority of teachers use these pro-formas but practice is inconsistent. End-of-year reports give parents further information about what their child knows, understands and can do, and highlight certain areas that need to be worked on. The tone of these reports is supportive and encouraging but, as no national comparisons are made, parents may be led to believe their children are achieving at a higher level than they are. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 22 47. Indicative of the school’s attitude to its parents is the fact that it applied and was short-

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

listed for the local authority ‘parent friendly’ award in 1999/2000. The Friends Association is active in organising events and in fund-raising. Many parents support their children with reading at home.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The headteacher provides good leadership. She has a very clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school and of what is required to raise standards. She has successfully endeavoured to put in place effective structures and support in order to address the necessary educational priorities. The headteacher and deputy headteacher do not have an effective working relationship and the role of deputy headteacher is underdeveloped. This contributes to some of the difficulties in which the management of the school finds itself.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Management roles and responsibilities are clearly defined. The deputy headteacher is also a class-based teacher. The headteacher and deputy headteacher do not have an effective working relationship. The ineffectiveness of the deputy headteacher has contributed to the other teachers taking greater responsibilities to share the workload. Staff are hard working and there is a real commitment to improve the school. However, there is evident mistrust and dissatisfaction amongst many of the staff and governors with regard to how this might be best brought about.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The roles of subject co-ordinators and the two SENCO’s are well defined. Teaching staff undertake their roles with dedication and, on occasion, enthusiasm as subject co- ordinators. Their effectiveness varies, largely reflecting their own personal and professional development. Strengths include clear subject action planning which identifies areas for further development. Co-ordinators have focused on reviewing and developing schemes of work and monitoring colleagues planning within their subjects. Standards, teaching and learning, have been monitored by the headteacher and the local education authority (LEA); opportunities for subject co-ordinators to carry out monitoring are planned for next term.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The headteacher has focused well on the priorities identified in the last inspection and has identified other necessary changes to take the school forward. They are carefully analysed and evaluated in the strategic planning and through the school development plan (SDP). Targets are appropriate and realistic. National and local performance data is analysed and evaluated to assess the attainment of pupils but not all teachers use this information to inform their teaching.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The governing body is active and wishes to support the school fully. Some governors are fully involved in the work and progress of the school and want to be more proactive; others are less involved. They are now at a stage whereby they can develop their own accountability and effectiveness. The chair and vice chair are parent governors and this has on occasion caused some conflict of interest for individual governors and with the management of the school. This is apparent with regard to issues of confidentiality and misunderstanding, and or misinterpretation of governors’ true intentions. Governors show great interest in the day-to-day work of the school and are involved in regular training. However, they have not yet fully developed their role in shaping the direction of the school and their future partnership, particularly in terms of how best to respond to the school’s future development and priorities in a purposeful and non-confrontational

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

manner. Governors also have a role to play in working with the headteacher to bring all of the staff together, by dissipating the current discord and enabling them to work purposefully in a cohesive and professional way. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 23 53. The school development plan (SDP) is well structured and is much improved since the last inspection. It is now a useful working document which sets out appropriate areas of focus, each of which has an action plan with an overview of priorities for development and cost implications. Development is closely related to the aims of the school, but not yet linked with the financial and performance management cycles. The SDP was formulated after the last inspection. Governors are now more informed and are very much more involved in monitoring and evaluating the school’s progress and they would like greater involvement. They would have much to contribute in consultation with the

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. There is no whole-school overview of the curriculum and work to be covered each year by every year group. This makes monitoring the curriculum received by pupils as they progress through the school very difficult, especially where there are classes with mixed age groups. Each subject has an overview to show what is taught to each year group on an annual basis. Teachers plan work for the class as a whole without taking into account the curriculum content for different year groups or pupils who learn at different rates within the class. As a result, although teachers’ planning is carefully monitored, some pupils do not have access to the full curriculum during their time in the school. This has a negative impact on the development of their skills, knowledge and understanding. There are further examples of the difference in the type of work carried out by different classes with pupils of the same age. This was a concern of some

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

parents that is upheld by the inspection findings.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school has a commitment to policies and practices that promote equal opportunities and educational inclusion of all pupils. However in practice this is not as advanced as it should be. The school satisfactorily manages annual reviews for pupils with statements of SEN. The governors meet their statutory obligations in the annual report to parents. There are two part time co-ordinators for special educational needs, one dealing with the Foundation Stage, the other with Years 1 and 2. Two designated parent governors ably support the school. They have a good understanding of the SEN needs within the school and they are keen to find out more. Pupils’ progress against the targets is tracked by the two co-ordinators with responsibility for SEN. The co- ordinators provide appropriate IEPs for pupils when they are withdrawn from class. However, class teachers have insufficient involvement in writing the IEPs and the vast

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

majority of the special educational needs teaching is carried out away from the classrooms. As a result, the IEPs are not used sufficiently to plan work for the next stage of learning in class, nor do the co-ordinators have a sufficiently clear idea about what has been planned for in the class work. Consequently, pupils are not always fully included in the curriculum of the class. This lack of liaison restricts the progress of pupils with special educational needs. In contrast, where there are good links between specialist support teachers working in class alongside the class teacher, pupils with special needs make very good progress. The school keeps parents of pupils with special educational needs notified of their children’s progress. However, information is exchanged in too a informal a manner, which is unsatisfactory. There is no formally agreed system for recording contacts between parents and teachers and this can

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

sometimes lead to misunderstanding. Parents of pupils with statements of special educational need are fully involved in all appropriate review procedures.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school has improved in many respects since it was last inspected in March 1997. Up until 2001 in the National tests for seven-year-olds, achievement in reading and writing steadily improved. Mathematics results, however, have remained below the national average. Generally, pupils make good progress from a low base but progress is uneven across the school. Higher-attaining pupils and pupils with special educational Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 24 needs generally make satisfactory progress. Teachers’ expectations and standards achieved have improved because of the completion of the schemes of work. Standards have declined since the last inspection and are below those expected for pupils of this age in ICT, geography and history. Work is more closely matched to the needs and abilities of all pupils in the majority of classes. Teaching is inconsistent within the older mixed-age class. The literacy and numeracy strategies are being implemented

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

satisfactorily, although the literacy strategy has not impacted on raising standards as yet. Lessons are well planned and indicate clear learning intentions that are shared with pupils. Assessment is used appropriately and usually informs future teaching and learning. The headteacher is very focused on school improvement and self-review. Management has targeted and introduced effective and practical methods to further raise pupils’ achievement, the quality of teaching and learning and curriculum development.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The school has addressed the key issues in the last report however the key issues were not directly focused on raising standards. Governors now take an active role in the school’s development planning. Much refurbishment of the building and replacement and installation of equipment has taken place. Effective systems are in place to monitor and evaluate the impact of the SDP on the quality of teaching and learning and standards of attainment. The SDP clearly identifies the necessary focus on raising standards, on curriculum development, and on developing the school buildings and site and resources. Financial planning and monitoring are appropriate. The roles and effectiveness of curriculum co-ordinators are at different stages of development. All have good action plans for development of their subject and have reviewed or are reviewing the schemes of work. Planning is monitored and meets the

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

requirements of the National Curriculum. However, planning is not yet fully developed in all subjects, for example in history and geography. A systematic and structured cycle of monitoring of teaching and learning is in place. Monitoring of writing, numeracy and work sampling has taken place. Subject co-ordinators now feedback to staff at meetings after monitoring. Long-term schemes of work are completed and draft schemes of work are developing that refer to the progression of skills and knowledge. All subject co-ordinators have a budget and plan ahead financially for their subjects. Curriculum and whole-school planning demonstrate that there is a greater awareness of other faiths and cultures. Year 2 pupils have visited a mosque and a synagogue and the school has worked with an Indian arts group.

p.24

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. Despite the tensions among the headteacher, deputy headteacher, governors, staff and, to some extent, parents the school provides a positive and caring environment based on Christian principles in which children are happy and learn. Statutory requirements are fully met with the exception of modelling and control in ICT.

p.24

Staffing

59. The number of teaching staff, including part-time staff, is satisfactory and their qualifications and experience enable them to meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and the needs of pupils. There are enough appropriately qualified support staff and they are usually suitably deployed. Classroom assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning especially where they and the teacher have discussed what pupils need to achieve. The school has been most unfortunate in having several long-term staff illnesses and this has inevitably impacted on its work. They are fortunate in having a volunteer librarian who works in the library every Wednesday afternoon. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 25 60. Arrangements for the professional development of staff are good. Teachers attend the required in-service training activities. An appraisal system for teaching staff is effective

p.24

Staffing

and teachers usually carry out appropriate curriculum responsibilities. Co-ordinators monitor the quality of planning but as yet have not had the opportunity to monitor teaching and learning throughout the school and assist colleagues in raising standards of learning.

p.25

Accommodation

61. Since the last inspection much refurbishment of the building has taken place. The school provides a pleasant and clean environment with both hard play and grassed areas. Classrooms and hallways are carpeted. The library and ICT and resources area are attractive. The library has been reorganised to make books more easily accessible to the children but it is small and inadequate. The ICT area is under-used and under-resourced. Storage is used effectively to reduce clutter and the school is tidy and orderly with attractive wall displays of pupils’ work. For the under-fives there is good large play equipment in a covered area to develop formal and imaginative games. However, children in the Reception/Year 1 class do not have as much access to its use as do children in the Reception and Nursery classes.

p.25

Accommodation

62. The buildings are clean and well maintained and the classrooms are generally suitable to deliver the National Curriculum. Imaginative use of space has provided a small curtained area off the hall for withdrawal and small group work. However, confidential papers and files are housed here and, although locked away, should be in a more secure place. Another small room adjoining the dining area has been converted to provide another small teaching space. The dining area is made particularly welcoming with murals and table decorations.

p.25

Learning resources

63. Overall, learning resources are adequate. Since the last inspection much furniture and equipment including playground equipment has been replaced. The library although attractive and well organised is under-resourced. There is a good range and quantity of books in the classrooms but there are too few in the library, and many are old and dated. The librarian and the literacy co-ordinator have already undertaken a review of the book resources and have plans to replenish stock when funding becomes available. There is an appropriate range of artefacts used in displays, and resources and equipment are well used in music and physical education but are insufficiently used in ICT. The school has an appropriate ratio of computers to pupils, although few are capable of running a full range of up-to-date software. The suite for ICT is not used very well to develop specific ICT skills or to enhance other work in the curriculum.

p.25

Learning resources

Resources for ICT are insufficient and many teachers are not using the suite because there are not enough programs to match their pupils’ needs. The use and development of ICT across the school are a weakness. The school has an environmental area, with a pond that is a useful resource. The local environment, including the church, local shops and educational visits, all enhance the pupils’ learning.

p.25

Efficiency

64. Financial planning is good. The headteacher and the governors exercise effective budgetary control and they make informed decisions about the use of resources available to the school. Careful financial planning ensures that annual expenditure is focused to support educational developments and priorities that are reviewed annually. The school development plan includes appropriate priorities that are costed and linked Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 26 to the school budget. The school plans ahead effectively. If the financial, performance management and SDP cycles were brought together this would further tighten up its effectiveness. The governing body receives regular financial reports from the school and, at the request of governors, the school bursar has endeavoured to present reports in a more accessible format.

p.25

Efficiency

65. Day-to-day financial management and administration are good. Routine administrative procedures operate efficiently and unobtrusively. The administrator has a clear role and gives very good support to pupils and staff. Appropriate use is made of ICT systems to maintain financial control and accountability. The recommendations raised in the external audit have been addressed. Staff with curriculum responsibilities, discuss budget allocations and receive regular financial statements. The school has a current reserve in its budget that is appropriately allocated to cover staffing contingencies and future building repairs. Teaching and learning support assistants are usually deployed efficiently, and financial resources are used effectively to maintain provision and fund future developments. The accommodation is used well. The best value principles of comparison, challenge, consultation and competition are applied in the management

p.26

Efficiency

and use of resources. Taking into account the standards achieved, the overall good quality teaching and learning, the broadly based curriculum, good behaviour of pupils and good leadership by the headteacher, coupled with effective financial systems, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

66. In order to raise further the standards of work and the quality of education provided, the governors, headteacher and senior managers should:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that pupils receive an appropriate curriculum for their ages and abilities; • requiring that all teachers share their lesson planning and build on existing good practices; • raising all teacher’s expectations and thereby ensuring a greater consistency in teaching and learning throughout the school; • ensuring that all teachers use assessment information to inform future teaching and learning. (Paragraphs 3, 6, 7, 9 – 11, 19 – 23, 26, 28, 29, 40, 74, 75, 77 – 79, 82 – 85, 88, 100, 101, 103).

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) Ensure that the full National Curriculum for ICT is in place and that ICT is developed across the school by:

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• including the control and modelling elements of ICT in what is taught; • building on the existing schemes of work in subjects to provide for planned opportunities to use ICT where appropriate; • improving the resources for ICT; • training support staff to assist in the teaching of ICT. (Paragraphs 7, 25, 59, 61, 83, 104 – 108).

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the management of, and the provision for, pupils with special educational needs by: Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 27 • reviewing the timetabling arrangements for pupils withdrawn from class; • providing appropriate in-class support for pupils with special educational needs; • involving class teachers in the writing of the IEP’s and reviewing of targets; • improving the liaison between class teachers and SENCO’s. (Paragraphs 10, 22, 30, 53, 76, 77, 79, 84).

p.26

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) Address the ineffective responsibilities of those in senior management positions by:

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• reviewing the role of the deputy headteacher and allocating appropriate responsibilities with given criteria and clear deadlines for completion; • monitoring and evaluating the efficiency and effectiveness of the tasks undertaken which are assigned to this post; • stressing the need for all those with management positions, including governors, to work together in eliminating the existing tensions and discord amongst staff, parents and governors. • reviewing the roles of the SENCO’s to maximise their support for pupils with special educational needs; • ensuring that all staff are fully aware of the formal procedures when communicating with parents of pupils likely to be identified as having special educational needs; • ensuring that all confidential records are suitably and securely housed. (Paragraphs 46, 47, 50, 53).

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school has already included the first key issue in its school development plan.

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The following less significant weaknesses should be considered by the school for inclusion in the action plan.

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Ensure that all pupils in the Reception/Year 1 mixed class have equal access to the outside equipment. (Paragraph 59).

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Address the deficiencies of the library. (Paragraphs 59, 61). Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 28

p.27

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 39

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 133

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 8

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Special educational needs Nursery YR– Y2

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 8 43

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 7

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

% % Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 29 School data 6.0 School data 0.1

p.28

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 30 Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total

p.29

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 20 17 37

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 15 [11] 15 [11] 16 [11] Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 [13] 13[13] 13 [13]

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 73 (89) 76 (89) 84 (89) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Boys 15 [11] 16 [11] 17 [9] Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 14 [13] 14 [13 ] 13 [11]

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentage of pupils School 78 (89) 81 (89) 81 (74) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 31 Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.30

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Any other minority ethnic group 47 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7.17 Financial year 00/01

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 18.5

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 309124

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 9 Expenditure per pupil 1874

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 153 Balance brought forward from previous year 11236

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Balance carried forward to next year 46597

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1.5

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.6:1

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of education support staff 2

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total aggregate hours worked per week 46

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 32 Recruitment of teachers

p.31

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4.5

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4.0

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.32

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

FTE means full-time equivalent. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 33

p.32

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 68 29 3 0 0

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 62 34 2 0 2

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 38 7 0 5

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 55 31 14 0 0

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 27 0 0 0

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 32 2 0 2

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 62 29 9 0 1

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 70 23 4 1 1

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 29 0 0 2

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 64 30 2 1 2

p.33

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Eleven written comments were received and most were supportive of the school and its work, the headteacher and staff. Some parents expressed concerns about the identification and communication procedures for special educational needs. The school is aware that these procedures need to be formalised. These parents were also aware of tension and discord amongst the staff. Parents said that they felt their motives for offering help in the school were questioned but that they wanted to be considered as an asset to be harnessed for the benefit of the school. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 34

p.33

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

67. The children start school in the nursery when they are three years of age. They attend for either morning or afternoon sessions for a year before they move to full-time education in one of the two reception classes. One class contains only reception age children and the other both Reception children and Year 1 pupils. Nursery screening assessments show that the majority of children start school with very underdeveloped skills and understanding of all areas of learning, particularly in language, mathematical and social skills. By the end of the Reception class the children attain standards in all areas of learning that are well below those expected for children of this age but they make good progress, particularly socially. This is because they benefit from good teaching both from their teachers and from classroom assistants, who usually support all classes well. The children with special educational needs are particularly well

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

supported in class and they also make good progress.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. The children are taught the appropriate curriculum for the Foundation Stage. This curriculum covers the six areas of learning and development and, as the children reach the early learning goals (ELGs), or targets within this curriculum, they are introduced to the National Curriculum. (Most children should achieve the ELGs by the end of the Foundation Stage in personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development and creative development). There is good provision for these children except that the children in the mixed-age class have too little access to the outside work and play area. This area is generally used well. It is well resourced with a good variety of equipment to develop physical and social skills but much of the equipment needs replacement. Teachers plan for this area so that activities link well

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

with all areas of learning and this helps the children to enjoy their work. The last inspection report noted that the school gave the children a good start to school. This good standard of provision has been maintained.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Personal, social and emotional development :

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

69. By the age of five the children’s development in this area matches expectations for this age. They are well behaved and polite. Most can dress and undress independently and manage their own personal needs. This is because the teachers and the assistants allow the children to try for themselves. The children sit quietly and many initiate ideas and speak confidently to answer or ask questions. This is a good improvement from when they first start school, when they find it difficult to take turns, are reluctant to answer questions and are very dependent upon adults. They make good progress because they are listened to and their ideas are valued. They work well as part of a group, take turns and form good relationships with their peers and with adults. Children move confidently between activities as the teachers give clear instructions and provide interesting and varied tasks . They are sensible and follow well-established routines.

p.34

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

The children are settled, try hard with their tasks, concentrate and work well by themselves, even when not directly supervised, for example, at the computer and in the role-play area, which they tidy up very well by themselves. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 35

p.34

Communication, language and literacy

70. In communication, language and literacy by the end of the Reception year most children attain standards that are well below those expected for their age. A few children attain standards that are in line with expectations. The children who achieve the expected standards enjoy stories and join in with repeated text. Some children can predict what might happen next in a favourite story. They remember stories and talk about them. They recognise print and use picture clues appropriately. Very few children can read a few familiar words in a simple text and some children cannot recognise their own name. However, generally they are making good progress in learning letter names and sounds, particularly when the teacher make this work fun, for example, by using sock puppets. Children are becoming more confident in recognising sounds in words. They start school with a limited vocabulary but, as a result of the good development of their social

p.35

Communication, language and literacy

skills they are better able to listen and learn new words. The good relationship established between the staff and children gives the latter the confidence to extend their replies. Several children, however, need considerable help to make their descriptions of story characters more interesting, such as a ‘little old woman’ or ‘sly old fox’. They write with keen enthusiasm in the pretend ‘office’, progressing well from scribble writing to strings of letter-like shapes and a few recognisable words. This is because the children respond well to the good opportunities for writing provided by the teachers. The children progress well in the early reading and writing skills, and higher-attaining children can write a sentence correctly on their own but are not yet using full stops in their work. Overall, good progress is made during this first year at school.

p.35

Mathematical development

71. Most children attain standards in mathematics which are well below those expected for their age. However, they make good progress because of good, systematic teaching. For instance, nursery children compare objects according to weight and size. Most count to five. By the end of the Reception year several children count confidently to 20. They also count back from this number. A few children count to 100 and most can add or subtract one from a given number. They are beginning to compare two numbers using terms such as ‘more’ or ‘less’. They talk about, recognise and make simple patterns, choosing and naming the colours used. When children start school very few know their colours. In Reception most children identify and name several two- dimensional shapes but in the Nursery very few children can do this, although several recognised the triangle shape when drawing Christmas trees on the computer. The

p.35

Mathematical development

children are well prepared by their teachers for the National Curriculum. Teachers plan their lessons well to match the needs of all the children and in most cases challenge the children through good questioning. Teacher assistants work effectively with their groups and are given good guidance by the teachers.

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

72. Most children attain standards below those expected for their age. The area outside is well used by the teachers and their assistants to challenge and question the children. Since the last inspection the Nursery has been allocated a computer. Although this is not used often, the few children observed had reasonable control of the mouse and, with help, several had produced pictures on the computer. These are well displayed. In the mixed Reception and Year 1 class, children were given the opportunity to direct a remote-controlled aeroplane. In the Nursery the children enjoyed planning and making pizzas and joining different containers such tooth-paste cartons and cardboard rolls to make fireworks. In the mixed-age class, the Year 1 pupils helped the younger Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 36 Reception children make model houses. They measured and cut wood for the frames and joined these. In the Nursery, children played with magnets to find out what they do

p.35

Knowledge and understanding of the world

but did not know the word ‘magnet’. They tested materials to find out ‘what keeps us dry in the rain?’. By the end of the Foundation Stage the main area where the children are finding difficulties is in using the correct vocabulary to express their ideas and ask questions about why things happen and how things work.

p.36

Physical development

73. Most children attain the standard expected for their age. They make good progress. This is due to the fact that the teachers are good at teaching physical skills and the Nursery class is organised well to enable the teacher to work with small groups of children in the hall while the assistants work in class with the other children. In these lessons the children use the hall space well as they are given different coloured areas to work in. They run but find it hard to skip or move sideways. By the Reception year pupils show that they aware of space and distance, for example, when throwing beanbags into a bucket. Generally the children try hard, listen carefully and follow instructions. In the Reception classes the outside area is used well by most children to give them opportunities to ride wheeled vehicles to improve their co-ordination. They do this competently but still find it difficult to share equipment. Children’s fine manipulation

p.36

Physical development

skills are developing well. They build with small construction equipment. Most hold pencils correctly and cut with scissors reasonably accurately. They squeeze, roll and pinch clay and play-dough to make the required shapes with enjoyment. The teachers plan well for physical development and make these experiences enjoyable.

p.36

Creative development

74. Most children attain the standard expected for their age and enjoy a wide range of interesting activities planned by their teachers. They paint freely and are often absorbed in this activity. They name different colours and have a clear idea of the picture that they want to paint. They draw with pencils and crayons in increasing detail. In music, children in the Nursery are unable to follow the syllables as beats in their friend’s names but soon learn to sing a range of nursery rhymes. Children enjoy imaginative play in situations such as being in the Nativity stable. Role-play areas are generally designed and used well to encourage children to practise a variety of skills including those related to creativity. Generally the children’s creative efforts are valued, art work is displayed well and the children make good progress.

p.36

Creative development

75. The quality of teaching is good overall. In all of the lessons observed it was at least satisfactory and ranged from good to very good. The best lessons are characterised by the teacher’s enthusiasm and ability to make learning fun. The children are challenged and the teacher gives very good demonstrations and involves them all well. Time and the teacher assistants are used very well to involve and help all children to learn and to complete tasks. Good links are made across the areas of learning to reinforce and extend teaching points. Expectations for behaviour are high. The teachers and their assistants clearly know their children well. When children with special educational needs are supported in class they make good progress. Assessments are made early in order to help teachers plan work but the results of these assessments take a long time to be collated to help the teachers use the results easily. The teachers have good

p.36

Creative development

relationships both with the children and also with their parents. They work hard to prepare the children for the main school by providing several pre-school visits but do not yet send books home in the Nursery so that parents can help their children learn to read. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 37 76. There are few areas of relative weakness, but these include occasions when the children with special behavioural needs disrupt the class because not all staff intervene appropriately. The school is aware of this and is considering ways to improve . Overall, however, the children are given a good start to school with good teaching. This is similar to the situation at the time of the last inspection.

p.36

ENGLISH

77. Standards in English have fallen since the last inspection, despite every effort to improve. The standards of attainment in national tests at the end of Year 2 are well below the national average, and well below the average for similar schools. This is partly due to the improvement in standards across the country and to the fact that the school has had much to do to catch up with other schools in many areas of the curriculum. Too few pupils attain high standards in both reading and writing when they are seven years old. As in the last inspection, pupils start school with poor skills in English and make good progress in the Foundation Stage. However, progress in Years 1 and 2 is erratic. The new co-ordinator has made many positive changes but these are not yet improving standards sufficiently quickly. Not all teachers follow the school’s new system for assessing reading, nor do all of them challenge pupils to be more

p.37

ENGLISH

creative in their writing. This is particularly the case in the mixed Year 1 and 2 class where expectations are only suitable for the youngest pupils. Consequently, although many pupils make satisfactory progress from a low start, too few of all Year 2 pupils are likely to achieve the required standard. Pupils’ progress, however, is more rapid in the Year 2 class.

p.37

ENGLISH

78. The results of the end of Key Stage 1 tests in the year 2001 were well below the national average for reading and writing. When compared with similar schools, results of tests were also well below average for reading and writing. This year test results fell significantly. Over the previous five years, however, the rate of improvement in English was erratic, but in line with the national trend. Inspection evidence shows that the majority of pupils in the Year 2 class are likely to achieve average standards in this year’s tests but again too few pupils are on course to attain the higher levels. Other Year 2 pupils are unlikely to meet this standard, which is likely to reduce the level of attainment across the school. The literacy strategy is not making sufficient impact on pupils learning across the school.

p.37

ENGLISH

79. The pupils make good progress overall. Although the quality of teaching seen during the inspection was good overall, scrutiny of pupils’ work suggests that over time teaching is satisfactory. Pupils made very good progress in the Year 2 class and in the mixed Reception and Year one class. In these classes teaching was very good. In the mixed Year 1 and 2 class pupils’ progress was satisfactory but the progress of pupils with special educational needs was not helped, for example by them being withdrawn from class for extra tuition in phonics, when the whole class was benefiting from a good reading session. As a result of this withdrawal the pupils with special educational needs spent an hour examining words. This is too long. Liaison between the SENCOs and class teachers is not good enough to help pupils remain interested and enjoy learning.

p.37

ENGLISH

80. When pupils start school their English skills are well below average. By the time they leave too few pupils attain good standards in reading. They find it hard to use clues from text. They read hesitantly and find it difficult to decipher new words. The main weaknesses in pupils’ reading are in using expression when reading aloud and in understanding the hidden messages within the text. As a result too few pupils are expected to achieve above average standards in their tests. Pupils find it difficult to find information. There are too few books in the library and many are too old. Pupils, Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 38 however, take a book home from the library each week due to the valuable help given by a school governor. This is especially helpful, as few pupils belong to the local library. In writing too little care is taken to produce work which is well punctuated. Joined

p.37

ENGLISH

handwriting has been recently introduced into the Year 2 class. There is no evidence of pupils re-drafting and improving their work across the school. There is also a lack of creative writing except in the Year 2 class where plans are very specific and pupils experience challenges in reading, writing, comprehension and handwriting. However, writing skills are not transferred sufficiently across all areas of the curriculum and some teachers do not set high enough standards.

p.38

ENGLISH

81. Speaking and listening skills are well below average. When pupils start school most have difficulty in expressing their thoughts. However, most listen attentively in class. The plenary sessions at the end of the ‘literacy hour’ are often too short. The pupils are given too few opportunities to report on what they have learned and thus to learn from each other.

p.38

ENGLISH

82. The overall quality of teaching in the lessons observed was good but it ranged from very good to satisfactory. The teachers have received training in literacy but this is not having sufficient impact upon raising the standard in English because not all teachers follow the school guidelines sufficiently well. High standards of English are not sufficiently stressed in all subjects, and in all classes. Not enough links are built between other subjects, such as ICT. Very good teaching occurs when teachers are secure in their subject knowledge and, with the help of the co-ordinator for SEN and good support from teacher assistants, set tasks which match pupil’s individual needs. Lessons proceed at a lively pace and pupils are given a good range of activities. The pupils are challenged. The teacher also plans for reading opportunities and spends time reading with groups. Good use of questioning ensures that tasks are understood

p.38

ENGLISH

and replies are used to make ongoing assessments of pupils’ progress. Questions are directed at specific pupils to help all concentrate in case they are chosen. Lessons are well organised to keep all pupils interested and to ensure that most of them complete their work. Planning is often good but is inconsistent. Generally, teachers maintain good relationships and show a sense of fun when appropriate. Homework is sometimes given to help pupils extend their knowledge. Teacher assistants are often used to best effect to assess pupils’ skills. Weaknesses in teaching are found when the pace of lessons is too slow to encourage the pupils to think hard and do their best. In the few weaker lessons the teachers do not give sufficient support to enable the pupils to succeed. The lesson plans are not sufficiently detailed, and the needs of both Year 1 and 2 pupils are not sufficiently considered to enable pupils to progress.

p.38

ENGLISH

83. The curriculum meets the requirements of the National Curriculum, and the Literacy Strategy is in place. The policy has appropriate aims and the scheme of work provides detailed guidance for teachers. However, not all teachers follow it. Planning is reviewed regularly and samples of pupils’ work are examined but classroom observations have not taken place recently. However, the new co-ordinator is fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses within the school. She has very good strategies to improve standards and is very keen to do so. She has the support of most staff.

p.38

ENGLISH

84. The school has satisfactory resources in classrooms for everyday use. The library has been improved but still has too few reference books. The funds for the delivery of the National Literacy Strategy have been used to provide a variety of ‘Big Books’ but in some classes several books are worn and too old.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 39 85. Standards in mathematics are below average. However, all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. This appears to mark a decline in both attainment and progress since the last inspection, but standards reflect both the intake of the school and also the high proportion of pupils with special educational needs that distorts comparisons in a small cohort. Teacher assessments in mathematics are realistic and show a very slow improvement against sensible school targets and over time.

p.39

MATHEMATICS

86. There is an appropriate emphasis on developing numeracy skills, and all lessons include mental and oral work in mathematics. Although this is helping to develop pupils’ mental agility it remains below average and restricts their progress especially in lessons where the mental mathematics is not demanding enough. Younger pupils successfully learn to identify numbers to 20. They write numbers and their words correctly and can put them in the right order using phrases such as ‘bigger than’ and ‘greater than’. In one class pupils counted slowly in twos to 20 and back, although they found counting backward rather difficult. A lack of challenge to pupils was clearly demonstrated when a whole class used cubes to find number bonds to five rather this being an activity only for those pupils finding number bonds difficult to grasp. They sorted sweets confidently into groups according to colour and made tallies of them to discuss which colour was most

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MATHEMATICS

represented. Older pupils successfully identify odd numbers bigger than 30 and can explain the difference between odd and even numbers clearly and well. They enjoy the challenge of quick-response mental mathematics using multiples of 10, and doubling and halving numbers successfully. Good progress is made in explaining strategies for subtraction. Pupils are very clear about what they have learnt and put it into practice by playing number games with enthusiasm. It is clear from the scrutiny of work that all aspects of mathematics are covered. However, there is insufficient use of information and communication technology, and investigations and problem-solving are underdeveloped. Mathematics is incorporated into the everyday lives of the pupils when they regularly use calendars and dates; they use time lines in history; they measure and draw graphs in science; and carry out work on directions and compass points in

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MATHEMATICS

geography. Homework is used to good effect and helps to consolidate the work carried out in class.

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MATHEMATICS

87. Pupils make satisfactory progress overall. However, in classes with mixed age groups, insufficient attention is paid to planning work for pupils who are at different stages of learning or who learn at different rates. As a result, many activities do not challenge pupils appropriately and they do not make sufficient progress. Pupils with special educational needs do not always have appropriate support in lessons. Those who are identified as having difficulties with mathematics are usually withdrawn from the class to have help. However, their work outside the class does not necessarily match the class work and this means that they are not having access to the same curriculum as their classmates. Because class teachers and special educational needs teachers tend to work in isolation from each other, pupils with special educational needs are not always given work based on their individual education plans when in class. This not only

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MATHEMATICS

restricts their progress but also means that they are not always fully included in the life and work of the class. Classroom assistants make a good contribution to pupils’ learning especially where they and the teacher have discussed what pupils need to achieve.

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MATHEMATICS

88. When challenged by interesting and stimulating activities, pupils show a high level of interest and enjoyment in their work. They behave well and are keen to please at all times. Pupils work well together and support one another well. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen in mathematics. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of mathematics. Lesson planning is satisfactory. However, planning does not always take Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 40 into account what pupils have learnt already, or of their maturity in mixed-age classes. Pupils in mixed-age classes do not always receive the same curriculum as pupils of the same age in other classes. Teachers do not plan their work together and as a consequence different classes receive work that challenges differently. For example, pupils in one Year 2 class worked on numbers to five whilst others worked on numbers to 30 and beyond. This inevitably has a negative impact on some pupils’ progress.

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MATHEMATICS

89. Test results are analysed to show where there are areas for improvement, such as investigative work. However, there are no formally agreed systems for short-term assessments in mathematics. Teachers assess work carefully; as pupils are working they give good praise and encouragement during lessons, but, marking in books varies from ticks to evaluative comments and explanations of how the work was carried out. As a result, pupils do not always know how well they are doing or what they need to do in order to improve. Teachers meet regularly to moderate samples of work within the school. However, they do not often share samples of work with other similar schools. As a result, they are not always aware of how the pupils are achieving in comparison with others. Resources for mathematics are satisfactory. They are well stored and easily accessible to both staff and pupils. The co-ordinator for mathematics is clear

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MATHEMATICS

about the need to raise standards in mathematics. However, not enough time has yet been spent on monitoring the curriculum and achievement of pupils in parallel classes.

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SCIENCE

90. Evidence from the lesson observations and work seen in pupils’ books show that attainment in science is satisfactory. Pupils are making satisfactory progress. There has been a decline in standards since the time of the last inspection, but this reflects the changing nature of the school’s intake. Pupils’ lack of experience outside school, together with the problems that some have in expressing themselves, limits their attainment. The high number of pupils with special educational needs in a small cohort also distorts comparisons between standards at the time of the last inspection and this. Teacher assessments for science are realistic and demonstrate slowly improving results that are exceeding the school’s targets.

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SCIENCE

91. The school gives proper attention to the subject within the curriculum and all the elements are covered appropriately. Where lessons are based on experiment and investigation the pupils make good progress. However, some lessons are based too much on teacher-directed worksheets, and progress in knowledge and understanding falls to merely satisfactory. Younger pupils began to investigate what happens when something is pushed or pulled by making pop-up clowns. They learned that light is essential for seeing things and that light comes from a variety of sources. Older pupils carried out stimulating investigations to explore what happens to a teddy’s shadow when he moves further away from the light source. One class has carried out an interesting experiment to find out the type of materials that reflect light best. Pupils have undertaken a range of investigations into the properties of materials. Pupils in one class

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SCIENCE

have clearly enjoyed discovering the best type of material to keep a teddy dry. Although the curriculum is planned to develop scientific knowledge and understanding as pupils progress through the school, there is some confusion about what should be taught and to whom in mixed-age classes. For example, one set of Year 1 pupils have carried out work on their senses, how we grow and what we need to stay alive, while another group have carried out extensive work on materials and their properties. This confusion means that some pupils may not receive the same curriculum as others. Good links are being made between science, design and technology and music. For example when pupils design and make shakers that can be used in both science and music. After-school work in the science club develops this link very well when pupils design, Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 41 make and test sand carts ‘to feel the force of the wind’ and they are very careful to make

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SCIENCE

92. Boys and girls enjoy practical science activities. They behave well in all lessons and work sensibly and co-operatively. Their attitude towards learning is good even when they have less practical involvement in the lesson. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported by adults and make satisfactory progress.

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SCIENCE

93. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory and some is very good. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of science that they share effectively with the pupils. The better teaching is characterised by very good questioning which stimulates pupils’ curiosity and encourages them to explore natural phenomena such as shadows. Because teachers do not plan together, pupils of the same age in different classes do not receive the exactly the same curriculum. The quality of learning is uneven because of different interpretation of the plans. For example, when studying materials one class enjoyed active participation in experiments while the other group tended to work from more closed prepared sheets. Work in science is reinforced by school visits, for example, to Portsmouth Sea Life Centre, and when visitors bring in reptiles and birds of prey. Efforts have been made to make improvements to the environment to support science

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SCIENCE

teaching. The school has an attractive pond area that is used for pond dipping and the pupils are encouraged to watch and take particular care of the animals. The science club is currently designing decking to improve the pond dipping area. The school has plans for a local landscape gardener who has already worked with them to develop a small woodland walk. The science co-ordinator has a very good knowledge of strengths and weaknesses in the subject and a very clear action plan to improve teaching and maintain the improvement in attainment.

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ART AND DESIGN

94. There were no lessons in art and design during the inspection. Judgements are based on an examination of pupils’ work, displays and discussions with pupils and teachers. On the basis of the evidence it is possible to say that standards in art and design are satisfactory by the time pupils reach the age of seven, as they were at the time of the last inspection.

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ART AND DESIGN

95. Work undertaken in art and design links to other subjects such as English, history and geography. Younger pupils use pastels, paints and chalks to explore a range of colours, shades and tones such as warm autumn and cold winter colours. They sort and select found materials for collage and experiment with different textures: they selected shiny materials for a large scale ’Jack Frost’ collage. They cut out Christmas candle shapes and robins and coloured them in. Pupils in Reception and Year 1 study different ways of joining and assembling card structures to make houses and make small scale two- dimensional and three-dimensional models. Some pupils have successfully used ICT to produce simple colour graphics of houses. Other pupils make paper collages and explore paper weaving with increasing skill. In science and music pupils design and make musical shakers out of scrap materials. They carefully record their evaluations of

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ART AND DESIGN

what they like about the instruments, what they would change and how the instruments could be improved. Pupils in the science club combined their knowledge of science, art and design and design and technology when they designed and made moving sand carts. Pupils in Year 1 and 2 draw from observation and study tone and shade with increasing accuracy. Displays in the public areas at this time of year reflect the Christmas season; there are numerous stained glass windows made from tissue paper and large-scale Christmas figures and scenes are depicted. Pupils begin to learn about different media and explore and experiment with different mark-making techniques. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 42 They show some knowledge of different artists but little knowledge of art from different cultures. Pupils happily discuss their work and are proud of their efforts.

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ART AND DESIGN

96. Pupils enjoy their work and make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs make appropriate progress. There were no opportunities during the inspection to make a secure judgement about teaching, but, on the basis of the work seen teaching is at least satisfactory. The co-ordinator, who has recently undertaken responsibility for this area, has reviewed and prepared a scheme of work to ensure that all aspects of the curriculum are covered. This is clearly expressed in the subject action plan. Long-term planning is now in place but does not take into account the mixed-age classes so teachers are not able to follow all the planning consistently. Sketchbooks are being used across the school, but inconsistently. This is a recognised area for development as is the improvement of provision for raising awareness of art from different periods and cultural traditions.

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ART AND DESIGN

97. The co-ordinator has not as yet undertaken an audit of teacher skills but is aware that some teachers require further support. Resources are satisfactory. Each class has a basic stock of equipment. Rightly, the co-ordinator is keen to build on central resources, especially those for art from different periods and cultures.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. There were no lessons in design and technology during the inspection. Judgements are based on an examination of pupils’ work, photographs and discussion with pupils and teachers. On the basis of the evidence, standards in design and technology are satisfactory by the time pupils reach the age of seven. This maintains the position at the last inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. Much of the work undertaken in design and technology has strong links to other subjects such as science and music. Younger pupils make ‘junk’ models of robots and decorate them colourfully. They have designed and made a house that is strong. They examine structures to find out how to join corners and make their constructions with spar and triangular corner joints. Pupils have begun to make chassis, which will move with wheels and axles from balsa. The elements of design, make and evaluate are all evident in their work and much of it is thoughtful and of good quality. The good foundations in design make and evaluate are developed as pupils progress thorough the school. Older pupils designed and made shakers to accompany work in science and music. They designed their shakers with clearly labelled neat diagrams. They then made good flowcharts of how they constructed the shaker and finally wrote thoughtful

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

evaluations of what they liked about their instruments, what they would change and how they could be improved. Pupils in the science club drew on their experience of science and art and design when they designed and made sand carts with varying sails on a framework of balsa wood with axles and wheels. They discussed the merits of their designs and commented on how one cart ‘has steering’ because it did not move straight. Pupils are beginning to learn about tools, their names and how to use them. They successfully learn about different types of joins and discussed situations where different joins might be used. Pupils in Year 2 cook bread, and photographic evidence shows pupils making fairy cakes for food technology. Satisfactory use is made of construction kits.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. Pupils clearly enjoy their work in design and technology and make satisfactory progress. Pupils with special educational needs join in with the rest of the pupils and make appropriate progress. There were no opportunities during the inspection to make a secure judgement about teaching. However, on the evidence of the work seen it is Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 43 satisfactory. The co-ordinator has prepared a scheme of work to ensure that all aspects of the curriculum are covered, but this does not take into account the mixed- age classes so teachers are not able to follow all of it consistently. For example, Years 1 and 2 made musical shakers but this activity is in the scheme of work for younger children. Resources for design and technology are satisfactory and there is a good range of tools but there is no special area for food technology.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Through her subject evaluation, the co-ordinator is aware of the problems with the subject curriculum and has plans to address them in the future.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

102. No geography lessons were observed during the inspection due to curriculum plans and timetabling arrangements. Both subjects are organised so that they are covered at different times of the school year.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

103. Pupils’ attainment in history and geography is below national expectations. During the last inspection attainment in both subjects was in line with national expectations but these expectations are now higher. The school has been trying to raise standards in English, mathematics and science, and consequently the development of history and geography has been a low priority. This is to be remedied next year when these subjects are the priority in the school development plan.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

104. In a history lesson in Year 2, pupils used the correct vocabulary and gave thoughtful answers about how Florence Nightingale’s family would feel about their daughter wanting to be a nurse. A pupil said, that ‘They wanted her to be married and have a family’. They also understood that she had to clean the hospital before she could start her work. Teaching in this lesson was very good as the teacher checked the pupils’ knowledge and challenged them at a fast pace to think about the topic. Questions encouraged the pupils to imagine themselves in the past and consider how others would feel. The question ‘why’ was repeated: ‘Why do we remember?’ and ‘Why is she such a famous lady?’ The pupils responded well and were keen to work on their own books that had been very well prepared by the teacher. Each book was matched to the needs of the pupil. Some had blank pages for higher-attaining pupils to complete and

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

others had writing to be organised in the sequence of Florence Nightingale’s life. In contrast, the other Year 2 pupils spent a long session talking about different types of light, at a level suitable for Year 1 pupils, and then had too short a time to consider the meaning of ‘famous’ and the life of Florence Nightingale.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

105. Pupils’ geography work, in the Year 2 class, links well with English in that they write a book about possible holiday destinations, which include Corfu, Cyprus and Greece. These books are well presented and displayed and link well to the ‘Seaside’ topic to illustrate different environments. Pupils throughout the school are beginning to use appropriate vocabulary when drawing their route to the swimming pool. They have labelled the church and other buildings. They are learning to understand maps and to draw aerial views of different items such as shoes.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

106. Despite the fact that the pupils’ progress is more rapid in the Year 2 class, overall, pupils make unsatisfactory progress as neither their history nor their geography work is consistent throughout the school. Pupils do not build steadily on what they have learned before. Some teachers have too low expectations of pupils’ need to record their thoughts and to present their work well. Currently there is too little written work in either history or geography from some Year 2 pupils. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 44 107. Overall co-ordination of these subjects is satisfactory. The co-ordinator for history is new, but despite this she is aware of the strengths and weaknesses within the school’s provision. The school is aware that progress is not steady throughout the school and that the curriculum plan needs to be re-written to include links with research on the computer (ICT). Opportunities for the co-ordinators to observe lessons are to be

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

arranged next year to ensure that all teachers follow the school’s plan and challenge their pupils to do well.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

108. Most seven-year-olds do not meet the standards expected and consequently overall standards are below national expectations. The pupils are very dependent upon adults when using computers and have too few opportunities to use information and communication technology for communicating ideas and researching information. This subject is not taught systematically; consequently too few pupils experience all elements of the subject during their time at school. However, class teachers are aware that Year 2 pupils need to re-visit and further develop their skills in control technology and that the subject is not used sufficiently to develop other areas of the curriculum such as mathematics, science and research for history and geography. Standards at the time of the last inspection were in line with national expectations. Since then the demands of the curriculum have increased. Generally, standards across the country

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

have risen but the school has not managed to keep up. Therefore, despite staff training and the recent organisation of a computer suite, the standards achieved by the pupils have fallen since the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

109. Pupils’ general skills in word processing are extended by the end of Year 2. Most are confident enough to work in groups to type stories and poems and refine them. They change the font and colour. Most pupils have had experience of a drawing program to create pictures. A few pupils in Years 1 and 2 entered data gained from a mathematics activity, checking the colour of sweets, to make a bar graph. A very few pupils, who attend the after-school club, add pictures to their text by using ‘clip art.’ Pupils are very enthusiastic about this subject and are very keen to learn, more but are given too few opportunities to do so.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

110. Teachers have a growing confidence in ICT and they increasingly use it for writing reports, planning and record keeping. The quality of teaching observed in the one lesson seen, was overall satisfactory. Not all pupils could read the screen in the computer suite and the lesson progressed at a slow pace. Too few pupils were involved in demonstrating to the class and too little challenge was given. Too much support was given to enable pupils to use and develop their own skills. Teachers have been trained but their classroom assistants have not. These assistants are a very valuable resource. They interact well with pupils and give clear explanations. However, they are not deployed to best effect to ensure that the computer suite is used often. This suite is not used very well to develop specific ICT skills or to enhance work in other curriculum areas. The subject co-ordinator has provided a scheme of work that gives

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

teachers guidance but it does not link sufficiently with other curriculum areas. She is given enough time to monitor standards and is aware of the weaknesses in the school’s provision for modelling and control. However, the teacher’s enthusiasm for the subject has not been harnessed. Many pupils, are not using their time in the suite because there are not enough programs to match their pupils’ needs. Generally, the teachers are being given insufficient resources and help to ensure that this subject is taught well and consistently across the school. For instance Year 2 pupils are re-using a Foundation Stage program because this is the only one in school that will work in the new suite. Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 45 111. The use and development of ICT across the school are a weakness. However, pupils with special educational needs, such as those with visual impairment, have their

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

computers adapted. They therefore use this facility well. Teachers are making every effort to meet the demands of the curriculum but with inadequate support.

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MUSIC

112. By the time they are seven, pupils achieve standards that are in line with those expected of pupils nationally. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those of higher attainment, make satisfactory progress across the school. Standards in practical music making are satisfactory and standards are similar to those at the time of the last inspection. A few pupils have instrumental lessons.

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MUSIC

113. Reception and Year 1 pupils experience and explore a range of percussion instruments. They explore loud and soft musical sounds carefully and play instruments to make specific sounds. They recognise fast and slow, long and short, and high and low notes. Pupils are beginning to remember the names of percussion instruments. In class, pupils carefully followed call and response rhythms led by the teacher keeping a steady beat. Pupils follow instructions when singing simple one and two-part songs such as ‘Time to be still’, ‘If you’re happy and you know it’, and ‘Rabbit’. They particularly enjoy adding mime. They generally sing in unison and are building a repertoire of new and familiar songs and hymns. Older pupils are beginning to use subject-specific language correctly and they recognise changes in tempo and rhythmic phrases. Using a published scheme pupils listen to different instruments in the orchestra. They are

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MUSIC

beginning to identify the different sounds they make. Pupils are starting to make their own simple compositions and to become more familiar with graphical scores. They are able to successfully link this to work to a computer using a software program.

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MUSIC

114. Teaching and learning are satisfactory overall and occasionally good. Teachers are clear about learning intentions, and ensure that suitable instruments and resources are accessible. Although none of them are music specialists they try hard to make music interesting and enjoyable. Singing forms a major and regular part of the music curriculum. The headteacher teaches singing to the whole school. Expectations are high in terms of diction and the quality of singing. Planning is developing and supports other teachers appropriately. Lessons are well organised, and instruments and resources are well matched to activities.

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MUSIC

115. Music contributes well to pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development. Oral assessment and praise are used well. The co-ordinator is experienced and is developing music appropriately in the school. She has correctly identified areas for future development such as improving teachers confidence, skills and expertise through training. Resources have improved: there is an increasing range of ethnic instruments and all instruments in the school have been reviewed and reorganised. A recorder club is planned for next term. There are good opportunities for pupils to perform, for example such as the annual summer concert for parents. Pupils have performed in the local and wider community such as at the Godalming School’s music festival.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

116. Standards in physical education have been maintained since the last inspection. All pupils are fully included in lessons and progress is good. The scheme of work for physical education shows that all the elements of the curriculum are covered during the year. During the inspection the focus was on the development of ball skills. Younger Farncombe C of E Controlled Infant School - 46 pupils learn to throw and catch balls of different sizes with increasing accuracy. They respond well to instructions such as stopping quickly or changing directions when required. In Years 1 and 2 pupils consolidate these skills, for example in warm-up sessions when they move in different ways, changing movement and directions rapidly. They use space very well and demonstrate good awareness of other pupils. Older pupils develop good skills when using bats and balls. They hold bats correctly and learn how to move their arms and wrists when hitting a ball. They manipulate and control the

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

balls very well and are beginning to learn how to hit them straight ahead. Pupils are starting to play competitive games and to play as a team co-operatively. They all thoroughly enjoy their lessons. All pupils are taken to the local leisure centre to learn to swim and many earn badges demonstrating their success.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

117. The quality of teaching is good. The scheme of work is brief but ensures that skills are developed as pupils progress through the school. Lesson planning is sound and ensures that skills are well developed within lessons. Class control and management are effective. Teachers set a good example by changing clothing and footwear for physical education lessons. The quality of learning among all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good. The school employs a coach to provide extra- curricular support in teaching football to both boys and girls. Other extra-curricular activities have included a visit from the circus to demonstrate and share balancing and juggling skills, and a planned visit to a pantomime on ice.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. All pupils enjoy their lessons and join in enthusiastically. They listen attentively. All show a good team spirit. The curriculum co-ordinator is a gymnastics coach and very enthusiastic. She has a clear sense of direction for the subject and provides very good leadership to other teachers.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119. Religious education was not inspected. It will form part of a Section 23 inspection by inspectors from the Church of England.

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