The St Faith's Church of England Infant and Nursery School, Lincoln

THE ST FAITH’S INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 th to 16 th May 2002

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THE ST FAITH’S INFANT SCHOOL

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

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THE ST FAITH’S INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: West Parade Lincoln Postcode: LN1 1QL

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Lance Richardson

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: June 1997 The St Faith’s Infant School - 4

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

21547 Pearl White Registered inspector English Equal opportunities Special educational needs English as an additional language Art and design Music Religious education What sort of school is it? How high are standards? The school’s results and achievements. How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What the school should do to improve further? 9577 Elaine Parrish Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 4099 Rod Braithwaite Team inspector Mathematics Geography History Physical education How good are curricular and other opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

27568 Midge Davidson Team inspector Under 5s (Foundation Stage) Science Design & technology Information & communication technology

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE The St Faith’s Infant School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The St Faith’s Church of England Infant School is situated in the West End of Lincoln, a socially diverse area within the city. The school is smaller than average, with 154 pupils aged 4 to 7 on roll, and with part- time nursery provision for 52 children aged 3 to 4. There are family homes, flats, bedsits and a Women’s Refuge. The school population is mainly of white origin, with only 3 per cent of pupils from other ethnic groups, including 3 pupils who are new to English. An above average proportion of pupils, 25 per cent, is included on the school’s register of special educational needs, generally with moderate learning difficulties. Two per cent of pupils have statements of special educational need; this is average. The percentage of pupils registered for free school meals is currently 12 per cent, which is average. However, the variety of other evidence makes it clear that this does not fully reflect pupils’ social circumstances, which covers the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

broad range of socio-economic backgrounds but is overall below average. The mobility of pupils is higher than the national average with approximately 20 per cent of pupils joining or leaving during the last school year, most usually because they are housed in temporary accommodation for short periods of time. There has been a variation in the ability of different intakes of children over the past few years. A significant number entering the nursery, especially this year, have difficulties with the acquisition of language. Attainment on entry to the nursery covers the full range, but is below average overall. The school has recently gained an Investors in People Award, and an ‘ECO’ Award for environmental issues.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school, which supports and cares for all its pupils well. It fulfils its aims and provides a stimulating, happy and secure environment. The school is fully committed to inclusion and all pupils are fully involved in all aspects of the school’s life; it provides good value for money. The staff work hard, with teaching being nearly always good or very good and occasionally excellent. Teachers’ enthusiasm and good class management skills ensure that pupils have a very positive attitude to school, show respect for each other, behave well and work hard. These, together with the very good relationships, are strengths of the school. Standards are generally in line with expectations and pupils’ achievement is good in light of their attainment on entry. The headteacher leads the school well, giving it a clear sense of values, while providing good leadership in supporting pupils’ personal care. The senior teacher carries out her

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

responsibilities well. The overall leadership and management of the headteacher, senior management team and governors are satisfactory. There is no deputy head and the senior teacher is employed for only half of the week. This means that time available for strategic planning and opportunities to formally monitor teaching and learning are limited.

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What the school does well

• Standards in science and history are good at the end of Year 2. • Provision in the Foundation Stage is very good. • Teaching is nearly always good or very good, ensuring that pupils have a very good attitude to school, and creating very good relationships. • Procedures for ensuring pupils’ welfare are very good. • The school creates a very good partnership with parents. • Educational priorities are supported through very good financial planning. • There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs, including those with a statement of special educational need.

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What could be improved

• Standards in some aspects of writing across the curriculum; • Day-to-day planning to ensure that consistent challenge is given to the higher-attaining pupils in all areas of the curriculum; • The role of the senior management and the co-ordinators to include rigorous monitoring of standards, teaching and learning to identify areas for improvement and to take appropriate action. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. The St Faith’s Infant School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made appropriate improvement since it was last inspected in June 1997 and remains an effective school. The school has recently gained an Investors in People Award for its commitment to its staff and an ‘ECO’ Award for environmental issues. The good attitudes of the pupils have improved and are now very good. There is a higher proportion of good or very good teaching. The concerns identified in the last inspection have all been satisfactorily addressed. There are now schemes of work for all subjects. Satisfactory progress has been made in extending pupils’ records of achievement to include science and key indicators in non-core subjects. There is more evidence of the use of an ‘investigative approach’ in teaching, in particular in mathematics. Standards in history have improved and are now above average, and provision for spiritual development is now good. Standards in English and mathematics were above the

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

national average at the time of the last inspection and are now in line. This is due to the varying ability of the different intakes of pupils and the significant number of pupils who did not start school in the nursery.

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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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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 Reading C C C A well above average above average A B Writing A C C B average below average C D Mathematics D D C A well below average E

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

As a result of well-structured teaching, pupils make good progress in the Foundation Stage and nearly all achieve the early learning goals by the time they enter Year 1. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are in line with expectations in Year 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2001, the results of the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 confirmed this. Compared to similar schools, standards were above average in writing but well above in reading and mathematics. Standards in listening are good, but speaking skills are only satisfactory as a number of pupils are entering school with speech and language difficulties. From the time pupils enter school, with attainment that is generally below that expected for pupils of this age, they make good progress, leaving Year 2 with standards that are line with the national average. Teacher assessment in 2001 showed standards in science to be above the national

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

average; inspection evidence confirms this and pupils make good progress. In history, progress is good and pupils achieve above what is expected for their age. However, in all other subjects, standards and progress are generally in line with those expected. This is because of the large number of pupils who enter school after the reception class, which is a significant factor in preventing continuity of education for those pupils. The lower-attaining and some of the average-attaining children make satisfactory and often good progress in their learning. However, inspection evidence shows that more-able pupils, with potential for much higher attainment, are not always sufficiently challenged and do not always make the progress of which they are capable. Pupils make adequate progress in developing numeracy and information and communication technology skills across the school. They make satisfactory progress in developing literacy across the

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

curriculum, but there are too few opportunities for some aspects of writing in other subjects, such as history and geography.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

At the last inspection, standards in reading, writing and mathematics were above the national average. However, since that time they have fluctuated; they have been generally in line in reading and writing and just below average in mathematics until last year when they were in line. This is due to changing population, together with steady increase in the movement of pupils in and out of the school and the number of pupils with special educational needs. Trends show that standards in reading and writing have improved over the last two years and in mathematics they have steadily improved over the last four. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language are making progress that is in line with that of their peers, and boys and girls make similar progress. The St Faith’s Infant School - 8 The St Faith’s Infant School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. This is a strength of the school and strongly underpins learning. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Behaviour in classes, in the corridors and in other public areas is good. Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is good and relationships are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Attendance is average.

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

The quality of teaching and learning is good overall, with some very good and excellent features. In approximately nine-tenths of lessons, teaching was good or better, and in over a third it was very good or better. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Good teaching in science and history ensures that pupils make good progress in their learning. However, in all other subjects they make satisfactory progress overall as there are frequent changes in the school population, with a number of pupils in Year 2 not having starting school in the nursery. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils, thus promoting the positive attitudes they have towards school. Teachers set clear targets for learning at the beginning of the lesson and review them appropriately. Good class management ensures that pupils are nearly always actively involved in lessons. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding is good and their planning is

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

thorough. Detailed planning gives clear guidance on lesson objectives but it does not always include activities that give sufficient challenge to the higher-attaining pupils. In a lesson where teaching was at its weakest, the procedures for behaviour management were not consistently followed, pupils became restless and learning was limited. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall. In the nursery it is very good and is mainly good in reception, although there are some very good lessons. Teachers and support assistants contribute to the good weekly plans and work well together. Teaching of pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language is good. There are appropriate strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. The school has a good team of teachers, classroom assistants and learning support assistants who work well together to aid the learning

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

of all pupils, irrespective of ethnicity or cultural diversity.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The quality and range of learning opportunities are good.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. It is very good in the Foundation Stage, where the children with special needs are identified early. Provision in the infants ensures that all pupils are fully included in all lessons. Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. The school provides good support for these pupils, to ensure that they make progress in line with their peers.

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Aspect Comment

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

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Very effective and rigorously applied procedures ensure that pupils’ welfare, health and safety are kept at the forefront of the school’s priorities. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are The St Faith’s Infant School - 10 good with strengths in the analysis of the formal tests. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. The school works well with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher leads the school well giving it a clear set of values. The senior teacher carries out her responsibilities well. The overall leadership and management of the headteacher, senior management team are satisfactory. The co-ordinators give good support but do not have enough opportunities to monitor teaching and learning. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors fulfil their statutory duties appropriately. They have a sound overview of the school’s priorities and a good grasp of the budget that is needed to finance these. The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school has sound systems to evaluate its performance. Targets are set and suitable action is taken to meet them. The strategic use of resources Very good. The principles of best value are applied rigorously, and all spending is carefully considered on the principle of the benefits provided to

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Aspect Comment

The school has a sufficient number of qualified teachers and support staff. Accommodation is good, with good play equipment for the children in the Foundation Stage. Resources and their use for learning are good and are easily accessible to support pupils’ learning.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Teaching is good. • The school expects children to work hard and to do their best. • The school helps children to become mature and responsible. • Children like school. • Some parents would like to see more extra-curricular activities.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team supports parents’ positive views. It considers provision of extra-curricular activities to be good. The St Faith’s Infant School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. Children enter the nursery with a very wide range of abilities. A significant number, especially this year, have difficulties with the acquisition of language, making attainment on entry to the school below average overall. Children make good progress in the Foundation Stage and nearly all will attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning except in physical development, where they achieve particularly well and exceed the national expectations by the age of five.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. From the time pupils enter school, with attainment that is generally below that expected for pupils of this age, they make overall good progress, leaving Year 2 with standards that are line with the national average. Achievement in science and history is good; in all other subjects it is satisfactory. At the last inspection, standards in reading, writing and mathematics were above the national average. Results have fluctuated over time but standards since then have been generally in line with national expectation in reading and writing and just below in mathematics until last year when they were in line. The difference is explained by the fact that there has been a steady increase in the movement of pupils in and out of the school since 1997. This mobility is above national figures, and has been shown to be a significant factor in preventing continuity in pupils’ education, so that they sometimes do not reach the expected attainment. Despite this, results show

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

that standards in reading and writing have improved over the last two years and in mathematics they have steadily improved over the last four years.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In 2001, the results of the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2 indicated that, when compared with all schools, pupils’ performance in reading and writing was in line with the national average, and inspection evidence confirms this. When compared to similar schools, standards were above average in writing and well above average in reading. However, in writing a below average number of pupils achieved the ‘secure’ Level 2 and above. The school focused on improving writing standards and inspection evidence shows that more pupils are now achieving this level. Standards in listening are good, but speaking skills are satisfactory overall as a number of pupils enter the school with speech and language difficulties. In mathematics, results were in line when compared with all schools nationally, but well above those of similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates that standards are in line with expectations in Year 2 in mathematics.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. Standards in science at the end of Year 2 are above the national average confirming the teacher assessments in 2001. Teachers have predicted the outcomes of national testing and, although not as high in percentage terms as last year, the results are likely to be above the national average. This is supported by inspection evidence, and pupils make good progress overall. Standards in history are above average and in all other subjects standards are satisfactory. Pupils make good progress in history and satisfactory progress in all other subjects. Inspection evidence shows that the school’s focus on improving the standards achieved by the below-average and average- attaining pupils has been successful and they nearly all achieve according to their ability. However, the more-able pupils with potential for much higher attainment are not always sufficiently challenged and do not always make the progress of which they are capable.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. Pupils make satisfactory progress in developing numeracy and information and communication technology skills. They make satisfactory progress in developing literacy across the curriculum, but there are too few opportunities for some aspects of writing in other subjects, such as history and geography. Throughout the school, pupils with special educational needs and those from different ethnic groups or with English as an additional language are making progress that is in line with that of their peers. Although, in the Year 2 tests, boys achieved slightly better than girls in reading and mathematics and in writing girls achieved slightly better than boys, during the inspection there was no evidence of differences in attainment. The school is using the funds The St Faith’s Infant School - 12 available to provide ‘booster’ classes with more focused teaching and this has been successful in raising standards in writing, where more pupils are working at the ‘secure’ Level 2 than in

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. Pupils’ attitudes to school have continued to improve from the time of the last inspection and now are very good. They are eager to come to school and respond well to good teaching and enjoy interesting lessons. They show eagerness to set to work and do their best in group and individual activities. The youngest children move happily from carpet sessions in numeracy to their group work, matching shapes, doing sums, counting stripes and spots on animals and discovering shapes in the sand. Older pupils support each other well and thoroughly enjoy a class session with the floor turtle, helping to predict positions and give instructions. Pupils present their work well and are proud of their achievements, which are celebrated effectively in assemblies. Certificates are given out and the youngest pupils say their ‘alphabet rap’ to spontaneous applause. The school maintains a good balance of activities and, as a result, pupils are eager to learn, work and play.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. Behaviour in the classrooms is generally good. Pupils respond well to instructions and are eager to please their teachers. They are polite to adults. Well-established routines and expectations mean that pupils learn to care for their surroundings by clearing up efficiently. Best behaviour and good manners are celebrated well by collecting flower petals for their class. There is a behaviour policy, although the use of strategies to deal with the very few examples of challenging behaviour is not consistent. Pupils play very well together in the playground, involving each other in games and caring for one another. There have been no recent exclusions from school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Relationships are very good. Teachers know their pupils very well and the quality of the best teaching is characterised by the quality of these relationships. This reflects well the ethos of the school and is well supported by the personal, social and health education curriculum, when pupils discuss issues, emotions and feelings within the classroom. Pupils’ personal development is good overall. Pupils are beginning to take more responsibility for their own learning, for example by devising experiments in science and in some classes reflecting upon what they have learned in the lesson. There are, however, too few opportunities for pupils to be involved responsibly in the day to day running of the school by taking on jobs. The school has identified this as an area for development.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils with special educational needs have a very positive attitude to work and have formed very good relationships with classroom assistants and teachers. They behave well in lessons and can remain focused on tasks when supported. As a result, pupils, including those who are new to English, are proud of their achievements.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Attendance is satisfactory and is in line with national averages. Registration is carried out quickly and effectively. Straightforward procedures record and report absences. Almost all pupils arrive at school punctually in the mornings and lessons start on time.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

11. The school has a hard-working team of teachers, classroom assistants and learning support assistants who work well together. The quality of teaching seen during the week of the inspection was good overall, with some very good and excellent features. In approximately nine-tenths of lessons, teaching was good or better, and in over a third it was very good or better. This is an improvement since the last inspection in 1997. The focus on raising standards in writing, the use of the investigative approach across the curriculum and the related staff development are the main reasons for these improvements. The good and very good quality teaching ensures that pupils make good progress from the time they enter the nursery to leaving the school. They also make good progress in science and history throughout the school. However, in all other subjects they The St Faith’s Infant School - 13 make only satisfactory progress overall despite the good teaching. This is because of the frequent

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

changes in the school population with a number of pupils in Year 2 not having started school in the nursery. The St Faith’s Infant School - 14 12. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good overall. In the nursery it is very good and mainly good in reception, although very good lessons were also observed here. Teaching is characterised by good classroom management. Teachers are adept at preparing sessions in such a way that children move easily from introductory carpet sessions, where they talk about their work, to participation in structured play. For example, after looking at an X-ray of hands and listening to a story about a boy who had broken his arm, children had the chance to look at a model skeleton and use dough to make bones, as well as measuring with cardboard hands. Teachers demonstrate their good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum by making creative links to activities and planning

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

very well at all levels, including the outside learning area. For example, children are thinking about growing and are able to be engaged in role-play in the baby clinic; they can bath the baby and, outside, wash baby clothes and hang them to dry, while older pupils search for creatures with magnifiers and ‘pot up’ plants, wearing their gardening gloves. Systems and routines are well established and time is used very well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The team of teachers and support staff work very well together, planning through topics and the six areas of learning by ensuring that work progresses suitably from the nursery to the reception classes. Those pupils who require extra support for their learning are identified early and teachers are adept at planning for their needs. The classroom assistant and nursery nurse contribute to planning and take an appropriate part in the management of pupils and supporting learning. They play a significant role in the classroom and contribute greatly to the quality of education provided for these young children. Teachers keep very extensive and enjoyable photographic records, illustrating the six areas of learning. Activities are suitably planned at this stage of the year for the reception children to experience all elements of the literacy lesson and numeracy session. Teachers plan with great care for those who are ready to move to work within the National

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. In English and mathematics, teaching and learning was good. When teaching is very good in English, the teacher has high expectations for pupils’ involvement and so ensures that pupils’ listening skills are developed well. All teachers make good use of the new English programme with the aim of improving reading, spelling and handwriting and teach the ‘alphabet rap’ well. In a good mathematics lesson, the teacher used good subject knowledge to challenge the pupils while they learnt to take away, using coins up to 50p. Basic skills are taught well while at the same time giving the pupils the opportunity to investigate ordering a set of numbers and positioning them on a number line. Appropriate strategies are in place for teaching literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. Teaching is good in science, ensuring that pupils achieve well. The interesting range of activities planned by teachers ensures pupils enjoy learning. Teachers effectively produce

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

exciting booklets or sheets and use art, pictures, tables and information and communication technology to enhance the results.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teachers have very good relationships with pupils, thus promoting the positive attitudes they have towards school. Where teaching is of a high standard, pupils are fully involved from start to finish. Good examples of this were seen in a Year 1 physical education lesson when good use was made of careful questioning by the class teacher to extend pupils’ thinking about the movements they were making. Expectations were very high and the class teacher ensured full participation from all.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. When teaching is good, basic skills are taught well, as seen in literacy lessons when teachers constantly reminded pupils that sentences began with a capital letter and ended with a full stop. Teachers nearly always set clear targets for learning at the beginning of the lesson and review them appropriately at the end, as was seen when a Year 2 teacher taught and reviewed well the difference between fiction and non-fiction books. In a numeracy lesson based on money, the teacher reviewed the learning objective well saying ‘If we just know it, it means we have learnt it’. Good class management ensures that pupils are nearly always actively involved, for example in a music lesson, where high expectations of behaviour led pupils to have respect for each other, listening carefully to each other when playing their compositions. Teachers’ knowledge and The St Faith’s Infant School - 15 understanding is good and their planning is thorough, with good coverage of the National

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Numeracy and Literacy Strategies. Detailed planning gives clear guidance on their lesson objectives, but it does not always include activities that give sufficient challenge to higher-attaining pupils. There is often a good pace to lessons, ensuring that pupils work quickly towards their learning targets for the end of the lesson. On occasion, however, the introduction to lessons is a little too long and pupils lose concentration. In a lesson where teaching was at its weakest, the procedures for behaviour management were not consistently followed, the pupils became restless and learning was limited.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good and they have good quality help from the learning support assistants. Pupils have individual education plans written by their class teachers that identify their requirements, which are detailed and show short, clear steps for pupils to attain. The support for pupils who have English as an additional language is also good. The externally funded teacher gives appropriate advice to staff for pupils who are new to English. The input of the classroom assistants and learning support assistants is of good quality, and they give discreet help to special needs pupils and those new to English; this enables them to keep up with the teaching part of lessons and perform their tasks to the best of their abilities. In all lessons support staff are well briefed about the planned tasks, and good support is provided within the context of mainstream activities, enabling pupils to have full access to the curriculum. The pupils

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

respond well and with real enthusiasm so that their learning is as good as the rest of the class.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The marking of written work is good with constructive suggestions and targets for pupils to improve their work, and these are shared well with pupils. Homework, which mainly consists of reading and spelling, contributes effectively to the pupils’ attainment and progress. Resources are used effectively, with good, appropriate resources being provided for pupils with a statement of special educational need.

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PUPILS?

19. The quality and range of learning activities for pupils in the school are good and the appropriate school curriculum is fully in place. The curriculum is broadly based, enriches the learning of pupils, and includes all subjects of the National Curriculum together with personal, social and health education, citizenship, anti-drug awareness and sex education. The school allocates adequate time for all subjects but, although no time is wasted in the day, there is sometimes a lack of balance in the length of lessons. A few are over lengthy, resulting in a more leisurely approach. Also, some lessons are shorter than intended, for instance when assemblies overrun. The afternoon ten- minute break can also disrupt continuity on occasions.

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PUPILS?

20. The curricular provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good and successfully promotes the early learning goals. It is broad and balanced and enriched by creative and thoughtful planning to ensure that these children make good progress. Very good use is made of the good accommodation, both in and outside.

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PUPILS?

21. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been satisfactorily introduced and both are steadily helping to improve standards. There are satisfactory opportunities to develop literacy and numeracy through other subjects, although they are not always planned or taken in lessons, especially in writing, where few narrative opportunities are given to pupils across the curriculum. The school co-ordinators have developed good quality schemes of work and policies since the last inspection, which is an improvement. The overall planning of the curriculum is very detailed and almost wholly effective. The only area for development is that of providing more effective and continuing challenge for higher-attaining pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. These pupils are identified very early in the nursery, including, through local authority guidelines, pupils who are defined as gifted and more able, and great care is taken to provide

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PUPILS?

The St Faith’s Infant School - 16 suitable provision. All pupils, regardless of gender or ethnic background have equal access to all aspects of the curriculum. Observations during the inspection show that day-to-day planning is aimed mainly at the average and below average children. This means that challenging work is not always set for the pupils who are more able. Effective arrangements are in place to support pupils who speak English as an additional language. They are supported within the class by classroom assistants and by the visiting specialist teacher once a week. The St Faith’s Infant School - 17 22. There is good quality provision for children with special educational needs, who make progress in line with their peers. The policy is good and has clear aims and objectives. All the requirements of the Code of Practice are met and the school is in line to adopt the new code in September. Pupils

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PUPILS?

are fully included into the life of the school and have access to the full curriculum. Pupils with a statement are particularly well supported by learning support assistants, who often provide resources particular to their needs. Positive programmes of support for literacy taken by the teacher in a small group session have been particularly successful. They not only assist in improving pupils’ basic skills but participation in the programme has developed pupils’ confidence. This then ensures that they are more willing and able to participate in other areas of the curriculum. Currently, the class teachers, in consultation with the special educational need co- ordinator, write the individual education plans. These are relevant and shared with pupils and parents.

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PUPILS?

23. Provision for personal, social and health education is good. Pupils learn and talk about ‘caring’, being ‘happy and sad’ and many aspects of health education – healthy eating, ‘washing your hands’ and ‘what goes into my body’. There is an emphasis on developing good relationships, reflected through the school, by studying such topics as ‘the safe and happy classroom’, ‘friends’ and ‘I’m special’. The strength of provision is demonstrated through the way pupils react to each other and to adults throughout the school.

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PUPILS?

24. Provision for extra-curricular activities is good. There are well-attended clubs for pupils in soccer and French. The school makes conspicuous efforts to introduce pupils to a wide variety of visitors to enhance their knowledge of the world. The school has good links with the local community, which makes a positive contribution to pupils’ learning and the life of the school. There is good liaison with the local church whose vicar and Sunday school leaders come to school to lead assemblies. There are close links with the local emergency services and with the City Council, and the Mayor pays an annual visit. During the inspection, the ‘Urban Ranger’ made a dramatic appearance on his high powered motorcycle and this immediately engaged pupils’ attention. Local artists have joined with the school to produce a ‘public art’ project on the school gates. Pupils have been visited by a children’s book illustrator, which inspired many of them to create their own

p.17

PUPILS?

cartoons. Pupils make regular visits to places of local interest such as the baker’s shop, the windmill, local churches and the ‘common’. The school makes good use of local community resources for outside trips. The range of experiences significantly benefits their spiritual, moral, social and cultural education.

p.17

PUPILS?

25. There are good links with partner institutions in the surrounding area. The school has a close- working relationship with the nearby junior school that not only ensures a smooth transition from one school to the other, but also ensures continuity of curriculum. There are regular meetings between subject and assessment co-ordinators in the two schools and there is a display of samples of the juniors’ work outside the Year 2 classrooms to encourage pupils. The pupils also benefit from shared harvest and church festivals with neighbouring schools. This works well to the benefit of both the children and their parents.

p.17

PUPILS?

26. Spiritual development is good; this is an improvement since the previous inspection when it was only satisfactory. The school gives pupils many opportunities to explore values and beliefs during planned personal, social and health education sessions and in religious education. Through planned discussions they are beginning to understand how they feel and express these feelings to others. The school ethos, where very good relationships are modelled by adults and pupils feel valued, enables them to grow and flourish. The respect given to the integrity of individuals and their needs makes for an inclusive atmosphere in the school. Older pupils in Year 2 have good opportunities, particularly in science, to ask questions of ‘how’ and ‘why’. During the inspection, moments of appreciation and wonder were experienced, such as when a boy was able to explain who was important to him, and during the time given for reflection while ‘signing’ the Lord’s Prayer.

p.17

PUPILS?

27. The provision for moral development is good. The ethos and expectations of the school ensure that The St Faith’s Infant School - 18 pupils understand clearly what is right and wrong. The learning environment is safe and supporting, but allows pupils the freedom to explore and ask questions. In particular, pupils are encouraged to take responsibility for their own actions in their ‘eco-school’ initiative, while considering what makes a healthy lifestyle. Pupils have the opportunity to learn about important personalities from the past and present who demonstrate moral virtue, like Florence Nightingale, and listen to stories from Christianity and other world faiths.

p.17

PUPILS?

28. The provision for social development is good. The school mission statement is displayed and pupils grow and flourish in a school society in which all are valued. It is very good at providing corporate school experiences, through assemblies, group activities and visits. There are some limited opportunities for leadership and responsibility, but this area is less well developed. Pupils play particularly well together in the play ground and are helpful. They know what to do if someone is hurt and they look after their friends well.

p.18

PUPILS?

29. The provision for cultural development is good. Pupils have good opportunities to celebrate their own culture, for example through a Jubilee Assembly. Pupils learnt about the Queen’s long reign and reflected on its significance by singing a special song, by looking at pictures and by listening to regal music and the National Anthem. There are multicultural influences in the taught curriculum through studies in art and learning about major world faiths in religious education. The school has direct links to a group of schools in China and, as a result of the headteacher’s visit, pupils are able to appreciate the differences between school life there and here. Cultural values are extended through well-chosen posters and displays. Pupils often use a variety of languages to answer registers. The school also places particular emphasis on the study of different cultures and environments in geography.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school is a very supportive community with a warm and caring ethos which places children firmly at the heart of everything it does. Pupils’ confidence in the security and support that the school provides ensures that they are able to concentrate and get the most from their lessons. The quality of care for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and enables them to make a very secure start in school. The good provision for pupils’ welfare, support and guidance noted in the last inspection report has been maintained and extended further.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. All adults who work in the school show genuine affection for the pupils and respond readily to their needs. The pupils trust them completely and know that staff will always help them. There are very good child-protection procedures and staff handle issues in a sensitive manner. The health and safety policy is very well monitored and there are no outstanding issues. There are good arrangements for first aid, and fire drills are held regularly. There are very good arrangements at lunchtime where supervisors show a very kindly concern for pupils and have positive relationships with them.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The school makes good provision for pupils with special needs and there is good liaison with outside support agencies. Procedures to identify pupils who need extra help early are very good and the school follows the recommendations of the national Code of Practice well. Learning support assistants are patient and encouraging, making a good contribution to pupils’ learning. Appropriate support is provided to those pupils who need additional help to reach their targets through ‘booster classes’ and the ‘Early Literacy Strategy’ programme. The school has appropriate support from the local authority to identify early pupils who may be gifted and talented. The few pupils who are new to English are also well supported.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. There are satisfactory procedures to promote good behaviour, which work effectively for almost all of the pupils. However, a small minority of pupils are sometimes badly behaved and some staff do not always apply the school’s procedures consistently. There was no evidence of bullying The St Faith’s Infant School - 19 during the inspection and pupils are very clear that they must report anything that bothers them to an adult. The school has taken positive steps to promote the importance of good attendance and there are very effective measures to ensure that pupils come to school regularly and promptly. It is made clear to parents that they must inform the school if their child is absent and almost all co- operate well. The St Faith’s Infant School - 20 34. Teachers keep records to assess and monitor pupils’ personal and social development. Each pupil has a personal target, which highlights aspects of their effort and behaviour as well as their

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

attainment in literacy and numeracy. The school takes care to acknowledge pupils’ achievements, particularly when they have made an effort and tried hard. There is a good system of class points and ‘Headteacher Awards’ which are greatly prized and which encourage pupils to work well and do their best.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. At the time of the last inspection, a key issue for the school was to extend pupils’ records of achievement to include science and key indicators in non-core subjects. Satisfactory progress has been made in improving this weakness. All statutory assessments are carried out effectively. Baseline assessments are carried out both in the nursery and at the end of the reception year. In the Foundation Stage, all teachers keep very detailed records of children’s achievement in all areas of the curriculum. They use this information to ensure that each child has appropriate support and makes suitable progress to the next steps in learning. A comprehensive record of achievement passes from nursery to reception, ensuring that successive teachers have suitable information about each child. Teachers use the outside learning area effectively to make observations on children’s personal development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. Assessment procedures in English and mathematics are good. The school has in place a variety of appropriate formal procedures and tests to monitor progress, assess attainment and predict and set pupil targets for future years. The school makes very close analysis of the performance of its pupils in their annual statutory assessment tasks, and tests to identify any areas of weakness in the teaching of the curriculum, as for example in space and shape in mathematics. The considerable amount of data gathered enables teachers to establish a clear profile of progress for all pupils in the core subjects. However, although this information is well used in planning lessons for pupils with average or below average levels of attainment, and for those with special needs, it is not used so effectively for pupils with above average attainment. This is because in most classes the work is aimed at larger groups of pupils, and insufficient use is made of assessment information to plan

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

appropriate challenge for smaller groups or individual higher-attaining pupils. Assessment, and the use of it in lessons, is satisfactory in all other subjects of the curriculum. The staff, under the able guidance of the co-ordinator, have recently improved procedures and have now trialled and are beginning to use a system whereby, at any time, they can clearly identify what pupils can and cannot do through an uncomplicated ‘best fit’ method. This will enable them to set more relevant and specific targets for individual pupils in all areas of the curriculum. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils have good-quality individual education plans, which are reviewed regularly. School support staff are well trained and briefed by teachers, and many examples were observed of good quality support, especially to pupils with physical difficulties in physical education lessons. Appropriate assessments and records are kept for pupils who have

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. Teachers know their pupils well and monitor their academic progress through the school satisfactorily. The school is a warm and welcoming community where all pupils are valued as individuals and their achievements are celebrated, particularly through assemblies.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The school shows very good commitment to maintaining close and effective links with parents, and these have a positive impact on pupils’ learning and the quality of life within the school. In the inspection questionnaires and at the pre-inspection meeting, parents registered their very strong support for the school. The good links found at the last inspection have been further improved. Inspection evidence entirely supports parents’ high levels of satisfaction with the way in which the school works in partnership with them. The St Faith’s Infant School - 21 39. Teachers, particularly in the nursery, have very good links with parents. There is always time at the beginning of sessions to talk with parents and carers. There is a cheerful and eye-catching notice board in each room, with posters of interest. A good induction programme and staggered entry times to both nursery and reception means that children settle happily and feel secure in a

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

stimulating environment. Parents are happy with these arrangements. A particularly effective home-events scrapbook is compiled by children’s families and shared in lessons.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The school continues to improve the way in which it communicates with parents, and the quality of information provided is good. Letters and newsletters are written in a clear and accessible style and give parents a good picture of the current curriculum and school activities. The prospectus and a very helpful induction programme for the nursery give clear information about school routines and encourage parents to share any concerns they may have with the class or headteacher. There are regular consultation evenings where parents can discuss their children’s performance. Annual reports are very comprehensive and give parents a good picture of their children’s progress as well as an indication of their strengths and weaknesses. All staff are very approachable and will always find time to discuss parental concerns at the end of the school day. Parents of children with special education needs are kept well informed of their progress and are

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

encouraged to attend reviews of their individual education plans. Parents of children who are new to English are also suitably involved in their children’s education.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The school actively encourages parents to become involved in the life of the school and a few make a regular commitment to help in classrooms and to accompany pupils on outside trips. The school greatly values any help that parents can give. Most parents have signed the home/school partnership agreement and many co-operate readily, for example by ensuring that homework has been completed and by reporting the reasons for absences promptly. Many parents actively show their interest in the school by attending open evenings, supporting school activities, and responding to questionnaires.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. There is an active Parents’ Association that contributes generously to school funds. They also hold social events, which encourage good relationships between parents and staff. Pupils benefit from the funds raised on their behalf and by the quality of relationships created between home and the school. Parents appreciate the support given by the staff to their Association’s events and see this as genuine evidence of the school’s commitment to building a strong home/school partnership.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The headteacher directs the school well in giving it a clear set of values which reflect the school’s aims. He gives good leadership in supporting pupils’ personal care. The senior teacher carries out her responsibilities well. Hard working, conscientious teams of teachers and support staff have created a positive climate and a shared commitment to promoting good behaviour, positive values and achievement. The good school ethos noted in the last inspection has been maintained. The overall leadership and management by the headteacher, senior management team and the governors are satisfactory overall. Although the headteacher receives good support from all staff, there is no deputy head and the senior teacher is employed, on a part time basis, for half the week. In that time she has a full-time class commitment but has worked hard and has improved the procedures for curricular planning and assessment. However, the time available to senior

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

management for strategic planning and thinking, and opportunities to formally monitor teaching and learning to identify strengths and weaknesses and areas for improvement, are limited.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The current school development plan is founded on identified school needs for three years and is detailed, appropriately, for one year. Senior management identified standards in writing as an area for development. They have gone some way to improving the level of attainment in this area, with more pupils achieving the ‘secure’ Level 2 this year. There is now good provision for information and communication technology. However, the progress made by higher-attaining pupils is an The St Faith’s Infant School - 22 ongoing development rightly identified by the school. To secure this improvement in standards and to ensure that these pupils are challenged appropriately, there will need to be formal monitoring of teaching and sharing of good teaching practice throughout the school. There is a shared commitment to improvement and a good capacity to achieve. The St Faith’s Infant School - 23 45. The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities appropriately and supports the school. There

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

is an effective committee structure and governors make regular planned monitoring visits to the school. They have a satisfactory overview of the school’s strengths and weaknesses and main priorities for development. They have a good grasp of the budget that is needed to finance these. They are beginning to monitor the school’s goals and evaluate the impact of their decisions. The school sets appropriate targets and regularly reviews progress towards them. The data from baseline assessments and statutory tests and tasks are successfully analysed to identify areas of weakness in pupils’ learning, and these are then successfully shared with staff. Assessment data is also used well to track pupils’ attainment and progress in English and mathematics so that staff can set targets for their future attainment. These targets are then shared appropriately with pupils and parents.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The Foundation Stage is well managed by an experienced and conscientious teacher. The headteacher is the co-ordinator for special education needs and is well informed and conscientious. He has established good administrative systems, and documentation is well kept and organised. Class teachers are appropriately involved in the drawing up of individual education plans. Reviews take place regularly and parents are invited to attend. There is a governor for special educational needs who liaises with the co-ordinator. The school is aware of the new Code of Practice and is beginning to make plans to address the new requirements within it. The management of the arrangements of pupils who are new to English is good.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. Co-ordinators have appropriate responsibility for the standards and quality of learning in their subjects. They have good subject knowledge and support their colleagues well. They monitor the planning but do not consistently monitor classroom practice or evaluate pupils’ work so as to have an impact on the quality of learning in their subject. There is a need to continue to improve curricular management to ensure that there is an opportunity for co-ordinators to monitor teaching and learning in order to identify areas for improvement and raise standards across the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school has very effective systems for day-to-day financial management and control. The school secretary/administrator is efficient and uses new technology well. During the inspection she was receiving training for the newly installed Lincolnshire financial software, which links the school electronically directly to the local authority. The last school audit was nearly two years ago, and the school rapidly dealt efficiently with the few minor points raised. Most teachers are also using technology regularly to plan their lessons. The well-focused school development plan clearly identifies short, medium and long-term financial priorities, which has particularly helped the development of good resources across the curriculum. The headteacher has high skills in financial management and ensures that the school budget is allocated well for the benefit of pupils in the school. He is particularly adept at identifying special grant funding for which he has successfully

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

bid on a number of occasions. The principles of best value are applied rigorously, and all spending is carefully considered on the principle of the benefits provided to the school. The finance committee works closely with the headteacher, and is by no means a mere ‘rubber stamp’ authority. Medium-term strategic financial planning is also very good, but the governing body is becoming increasingly aware of the need for the school to provide more financial resources to support the heavily overloaded senior management of the school.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The staffing of the school is stable and provides a good range of expertise and experience. The learning support assistants, who provide particular support for children with special educational needs, contribute effectively to the learning environment. Classroom assistants and nursery nurses in the Foundation Stage make a significant contribution to the very good provision in this area.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The school trains a significant number of students involved in obtaining national vocational qualifications. These students are supported well by their teachers, but the effectiveness of their deployment in school has yet to be evaluated. All teaching staff are supported by a well-designed staff handbook, and one member of staff has a mentoring qualification to support initial teacher training students. The St Faith’s Infant School - 24 The St Faith’s Infant School - 25 51. The school is successfully involved in performance management and all teachers are involved in the cycle of personal target setting. Continuous professional development derives from this process and is linked to the school development plan. During the year, effective in-service training has taken place in information and communication technology, and teachers have been on visits linked to their performance management targets. However, at present, there is no formal

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

timetabled structure given to whole-school professional development.

p.25

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The school is well equipped and pupils have access to well chosen, quality apparatus during their lessons. The school supports pupils with statements of special educational need well by purchasing appropriate resources to ensure that they are fully included in all activities. The stimulating display in school and the tidiness and accessibility of equipment contribute effectively to the whole ethos of the school. The quality of information and communication technology equipment is appropriate and adequate, and good use is made of floor turtles in all areas of the curriculum. However, computers are not always used to their maximum efficiency.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The accommodation is good and allows all the subjects of the National Curriculum to be taught effectively. The school building is very clean and well maintained by a very able caretaker. There are plenty of good displays to stimulate pupils’ interest. All classrooms are a good size and there is space outside classes to take small groups and to listen to readers. There is some disruption to lessons when pupils pass through classrooms to reach the hall. There is a good library, which is comfortably furnished and used regularly by each class. The hall is used well for a variety of purposes and there is plenty of outdoor play space, including a separate area for the Foundation Stage.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

54. To raise standards further the governing body and school should:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Continue to raise standards in writing by:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing more opportunities for narrative writing across all areas of the curriculum. (Paragraphs 21, 66, 90, 94)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Ensure that teachers offer consistent challenge to the higher-attaining pupils by: • planning to meet their needs in all areas of the curriculum. (Paragraphs 4, 16, 21, 36, 44, 67, 75)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Develop the role of the senior management and the co-ordinators:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• to include rigorous, formal monitoring of standards and the quality of teaching and learning to identify strengths and weaknesses, and take effective action to meet the needs identified. (Paragraphs 43, 44, 47, 69, 76, 80, 88, 91, 95, 99, 104, 113)

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition to the key issues listed above, the following less important issues should be considered for inclusion in the governors’ action plan:

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• Balance in length of some lessons. (Paragraph 19) • Opportunities for pupils to take more responsibility. (Paragraphs 8, 74) • Challenging behaviour not always dealt with effectively. (Paragraphs 7, 16) The St Faith’s Infant School - 26

p.25

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 36 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 31

p.26

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 1 13 18 3 1 0 0 Percentage 3% 36% 50% 8% 3% 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than three percentage points.

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR - Y2 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 26 154 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 19 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery Y1 - Y2 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 4 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 8 32

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

p.26

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 27 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20

p.26

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5.3 School data 0.5 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. The St Faith’s Infant School - 27

p.26

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 18 27 45

p.27

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 16 15 18 level 2 and above Girls 22 24 27 Total 38 39 45

p.27

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 84(84) 87(88) 100(90) at NC level 2 or above National 84(83) 86(84) 91(90)

p.27

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 16 18 18 level 2 and above Girls 24 27 27 Total 40 45 45

p.27

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 89(86) 100(92) 100(90) at NC level 2 or above National 85(84) 89(88) 89(88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.27

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 1 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 1 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 3 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 0 Chinese 0 0 White 149 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

p.27

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. The St Faith’s Infant School - 28

p.27

Qualified teachers and classes: YR– Y2

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 7 Financial year 2000-2001 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.1 Average class size 26 £ Total income 369,890 Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 361,952 Total number of education support staff 10 Expenditure per pupil 1967 Total aggregate hours worked per week 283 Balance brought forward from previous year 13,740

p.28

Qualified teachers and classes: YR– Y2

Balance carried forward to next year 21,678

p.28

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.1

p.28

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Total number of education support staff 1 Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5

p.28

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

Number of pupils per FTE adult 13.1 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.28

Recruitment of teachers FONT

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

p.28

Recruitment of teachers FONT

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. The St Faith’s Infant School - 29

p.28

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 80 19 1 0 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 59 39 0 0 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 61 34 4 0 1

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 70 27 2 1 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 16 0 1 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 28 0 0 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 68 30 1 1 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 68 28 2 0 2

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 72 28 0 0 0

p.29

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 38 12 1 10 The St Faith’s Infant School - 30

p.29

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. It comprises a nursery with 52 part- time places and two reception classes. Most children move from the nursery to reception, although a significant number of new children join from other settings. Children enter the nursery with a very wide range of abilities. A significant number, especially this year, have difficulties with the acquisition of language, making attainment on entry to the school below average overall. All children make good progress in the Foundation Stage and nearly all will attain the early learning goals in all areas of learning except in physical development, where they achieve particularly well and exceed the national expectations by the age of five. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language make good progress against their prior attainment.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. Good teaching in personal, social and emotional development ensures that pupils achieve well and most will attain the early learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage. The quality of relationships established between adults and children is the basis for the development in this area. From the earliest days in the nursery, children begin to understand how to behave and follow well- established routines and systems. They are able to spend sustained periods of time with activities, especially when involved with an adult. Great concentration was observed when children were bathing their ‘babies’, making sure they got no soap in their eyes and drying them carefully. In the reception class, they work well in a group, helping each other when trying to guess a three- dimensional shape that their teacher had hidden in a bag. Through regular routines they learn how to dress and undress themselves, and choose coats for outside play. By the end of the reception

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

class, they need no help with dressing and undressing for physical education and fold their clothes neatly. Even the youngest children are learning how to take turns in answering by raising their hands and are respectful when answering the register in different languages: ‘Hola, that’s Spanish!’ All children love to listen to stories, which teachers read or tell very well. They sit quietly and listen attentively.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. All children in the Foundation Stage join in with the whole-school assemblies and use the hall for physical development sessions. The reception children join their friends in Years 1 and 2 at play times so that their transition into main-school life is smooth. There is a particularly good balance between teacher-focused and child-selected activities in the nursery and this is maintained suitably in the reception classes. Teachers, however, do not have a system to record which child visits each activity during structured play sessions, and this is a weakness.

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

58. Children achieve well in communication, language and literacy and almost all will attain the early learning goals at the end of the reception class. Teaching is good in this area overall. Appropriate emphasis is placed on speaking and listening in the nursery and all opportunities are used to extend vocabulary and understanding, through conversation in the role-play area and through good questioning during teacher-focused activities. For example, adults take an active role in the baby clinic and also direct questions about skeletons when drawing. Reception children, as is suitable at this time in the year, are experiencing most aspects of the literacy hour. Particularly good use of listening partners allows every child a chance to speak and many have developed a good sight vocabulary. They use picture clues and phonic knowledge to help them with new words. Many are now beginning to write independently. They form their letters well and write

p.30

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

simple words confidently, forming sentences. Good modelling from teachers enables children in reception to write a letter, for example describing places to visit in Lincoln. This was linked effectively to a walk undertaken on the previous day. Throughout the Foundation Stage there is an emphasis on good handwriting skills. All children have individual support in the nursery and there are short, well-designed handwriting and phonics sessions in the reception classes. The St Faith’s Infant School - 31 59. Throughout their time in the Foundation Stage children have many well-planned opportunities to investigate all areas of mathematical development. Consequently they achieve well and almost all will attain the early learning goals by the age of five. They are taught well in this area of learning. In the nursery, they have many chances to count, and the stimulating environment is crowded with displays of numbers and well-designed structured-play activities. No opportunities

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

are missed to extend understanding , for example, small toy cars have numbers on them to match their garage, so that recognition is reinforced during independent play. They compare heights and use card ‘hands’ and ‘feet’ to measure how tall they are. In the reception classes, children have appropriate experiences of the National Numeracy Strategy. These lessons are particularly well planned and extend children’s learning effectively, through lively mental/oral games, where they are able to order numbers to 20. The planning is particularly effective in group work, where independent activities are an extension of structured play, with themes closely linked to the taught lesson. For example, children were able to dig in the sand to find hidden shapes and they were able to use dough to make numbers of stripes on a tiger and spots on a snake. They could cut and paste pictures of solid shapes onto a grid and make up eight legs on an octopus, while others

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

completed addition sums with totals to 10.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children have many varied opportunities for structured play and more direct teaching in knowledge and understanding of the world, and they achieve well. Good and sometimes very good teaching ensures that most will attain the early learning goals at the end of reception. In the nursery there is an emphasis on children using their senses to find out about the world around them. They have tactile experiences in the classroom and in the sensory path in the outside play area. They find out about the world around them effectively through role-play in the baby clinic washing clothes, and in more structured ways by watching the development of tadpoles and talking about bones, x-ray pictures and skeletons. The reception class teachers use the extended local environment very well, by using a well-organised walk accompanied by a number of adults, who effectively questioned the children about the houses, trees, crossings and the local windmill

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

they saw. This experience was used effectively to make lists, write letters and design a poster about Lincoln. All children have a chance to use the computer with a variety of programs linked to counting, shape and word recognition. They learn to use the mouse satisfactorily to drag, drop and select. They also learn to join materials, fabric, paper and card, using glue and sewing. The construction of houses linked to a local project forms part of a design and technology skills programme, which effectively links the requirements of the Foundation Stage curriculum to the developing needs of the National Curriculum.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. Children achieve well in creative development and almost all will attain the early learning goals, due to good teaching. In the nursery there are particularly well-chosen media available, and adult input to improve skills. Children are able to draw their own skeleton using chalk on black paper, with the classroom assistant modelling skills and talking well with the children while they look at a model skeleton. They were pleased with the results of their work because they did look like bones. Children use paint successfully in all classes to make pictures. For example, children in the reception have made brightly coloured posters for their travel shop and there is evidence in the nursery of experiments with printing with a variety of objects. There are fewer opportunities for regular large-scale free painting or chances to learn how to mix colour. In both classes there are particularly well-designed activities to extend learning through role-play, for example in the

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

‘office,’ the ‘hairdressers,’ and particularly in the outside learning area, where ‘explorers’ were regularly seen on expeditions with a large cart and armed with magnifiers and telescopes to find creatures in the garden. Wearing smart aprons and gardening gloves, children were able to use the potting table to pot up their plants as well as taking babies off for a picnic. Children learn songs and have many informal opportunities to play instruments. They take delight in finding out about sounds.

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

62. By the end of reception, most children will have exceeded the early learning goals in physical development due to particularly good teaching and well-planned opportunities for taught lessons during the week. As well as chances to run, jump and play with balls and wheeled toys regularly The St Faith’s Infant School - 32 in the outside area, they have timetabled sessions in the hall. Nursery children use suitable large apparatus to balance and climb, learning effectively about words of position, such as ‘under’ and ‘over.’ Older children in the reception classes are practising their football skills to good effect. They control beanbags and balls very well and join in simple games, which they enjoy. They learn effectively about the use of space and the need to warm up their bodies before exercise. In the Foundation Stage children make good gains in learning to manipulate tools when cooking and learning to hold pencils and brushes correctly. All staff provide good teaching of cutting and

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

sticking skills in meaningful situations.

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ENGLISH

63. Results in the 2001 National Curriculum tests show that standards attained by the end of Year 2 in reading and writing were in line with the national average, and inspection evidence confirms this. Standards in reading are well above those of similar schools and above in writing. Results over time have fluctuated and there has been a dip in results since the previous inspection. This is due to the variations in the different cohorts of pupils and a change in the school population. Lessons are fully inclusive and special needs pupils and the small number of pupils with English as an additional language are making progress that is in line with that of their peers. Although, in the Year 2 tests, boys achieved slightly better than girls in reading and in writing girls achieved slightly better than boys, during the inspection there was no evidence of differences in attainment.

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ENGLISH

64. Pupils are very attentive throughout the school, they listen well to the teacher and each other. Their listening skills are very good and this is confirmed by the teacher assessments. However, skills in speaking are only satisfactory, as there have been a number of pupils who have entered school with speech and language difficulties. Pupils generally read aloud with enthusiasm and respond well to their teachers’ invitations to answer questions and to contribute ideas or opinions. Pupils in Year 2 enjoy thinking about words with particular sounds and are enthusiastic when giving words like ‘shimmer’ and ‘shallow’ linked to the sound ‘sh’. The good relationships between teachers and pupils in Years 1 and 2, coupled with good skills in questioning and in choosing appropriate materials for reading, ensure that pupils enjoy talking about what they have read in ‘group-reading’ sessions. The variety of planned opportunities for pupils to sustain talk is

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ENGLISH

good, as seen when a Year 1 class retold the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ using puppets, taking the parts of different characters and expressing themselves well. A boy who was new to English enjoyed playing his part appropriately in this presentation. Good use is also made of pupils’ speaking skills in the context of other lessons. In a science lesson in Year 1, pupils were able to explain the investigation they were involved in when planting seeds. In Year 2, pupils have good understanding of mathematical language using ‘less than’ and ‘more than’ appropriately.

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ENGLISH

65. Pupils have suitable opportunities to be involved in group reading sessions outside the literacy hour, make satisfactory progress overall, and standards in reading are satisfactory at the end of Year 2. Good progress is being made in learning to read words containing different spelling through the use of an ‘alphabet rap’ linked to the new scheme that has been adopted. Above average attaining pupils enjoy reading and are able to talk about the plot and compare their current reading with material read previously, to express their preferences confidently and justify choices. Average- attaining pupils talk about the content of what they have read, make good use of phonic clues but occasionally rely on pictures. Lower-attaining pupils, however, read hesitantly and are much less forthcoming when invited to comment on the plot, characters or their preferences. Pupils are encouraged to take books home to read to parents. When hearing pupils read it was apparent that

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ENGLISH

the majority of pupils receive good support from home, and some children are encouraged to borrow books from the local library. Reading records both for the group reading sessions and individual readers are appropriate. A suitable supply of reading material is available to pupils in each year group and the library provides an attractive and accessible resource for the whole school. Pupils with special educational needs are helped effectively by skilled learning-support assistants who liaise well with class teachers. The St Faith’s Infant School - 33 66. Standards in writing at end of Year 2, seen during the inspection week, were in line with national expectations. In the statutory assessment tests and tasks last year, an average number of pupils achieved the level expected for pupils of this age. However, a well below average number achieved the ‘secure’ Level 2 and above. The school analysed the results and has taken

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ENGLISH

appropriate action. Inspection evidence shows that a higher number of pupils are now working at this level. There is a good emphasis on writing sentences with correct punctuation, for example, as seen in a lesson in Year 2 when pupils wrote interesting, well-punctuated sentences related to objects they were given to observe. In another class, pupils writing a ‘where poem’ demonstrated that they knew the difference between a statement and a question, and were able to choose vocabulary imaginatively and use question marks correctly. Scrutiny of work shows that higher- attaining pupils have a secure grasp of speech marks and, when studying the events surrounding Easter, wrote a story with a beginning, middle and an end. Average-attaining pupils are developing their ideas in sentences and use capital letters appropriately, spelling most common words correctly. Lower-attaining pupils manage to communicate meaning by writing very simple

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ENGLISH

sentences and phrases. In Year 1, pupils are given regular opportunities for writing instructions, for example when describing how to make a ‘Christingle’ or the ‘Gingerbread Man’. When writing stories such as ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’, pupils make an appropriate early start in building up a range of basic words to construct their own sentences. The scrutiny of written work revealed some good practice in the form of diaries, which formed a good basis for the development of writing skills as well as the supplementary skills of spelling and handwriting. In Year 2, opportunities to record factual information are appropriate, but there are too few opportunities for creating poems and for narrative writing in other subjects, such as history and geography. The staff have identified this as an area for improvement. An appropriate use has been made using information and communication technology to record work.

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ENGLISH

67. The quality of teaching and learning is generally good and is occasionally very good. This is the same as at the time of the previous inspection. Where teaching is very good, the teacher has high expectations for pupils’ involvement and so ensures that pupils’ listening skills are developed well. In all good lessons, learning objectives are thoroughly rehearsed with the pupils to focus their attention, and are revisited at the end to check understanding. As a result, pupils have a good understanding of what is expected and apply themselves well to tasks. Great care is taken to remind pupils frequently about appropriate punctuation when writing a sentence. Good use is being made of a published programme, with the aim of improving reading, spelling and handwriting. Pupils are frequently being encouraged to identify words with different sounds, particularly in the session at the beginning of the morning. Good opportunities are also provided for

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ENGLISH

discussion, for example when teachers use ‘talking partners’ to create a question related to a non- fiction book. All teachers have good relationships with their pupils and, in the majority of lessons, pupils’ behaviour is good. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding are good and their planning is thorough, with good coverage of the National Literacy Strategy. Day-to-day planning, however, does not always include activities that give sufficient challenge to higher-attaining pupils. On occasions, the introduction to lessons is too long and as a result pupils are losing concentration. Literacy skills are satisfactorily taught across the curriculum, although opportunities for story writing are limited.

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ENGLISH

68. The marking of written work is good, with constructive suggestions and targets for pupils to improve their work. Homework, which mainly consists of reading and spelling, contributes effectively to the pupils’ attainment and progress. In most lessons, assistants are well deployed and pupils’ with special educational needs and those who are new to English are appropriately supported.

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ENGLISH

69. The English co-ordinators are knowledgeable about this subject and manage it well. The school carries out a range of assessment tasks and collates the information clearly, enabling teachers to track pupils’ progress and use the data to set appropriate group and individual targets. One co- ordinator has been given time to monitor the effect of teaching on the pupils’ learning but, as yet, The St Faith’s Infant School - 34 there are no formal procedures to identify and support areas for improvement. The school is making good use of initiatives such as the provision of ‘Early Literacy Support’ for selected pupils, and ‘booster’ classes for pupils who require additional help before they take statutory tests.

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MATHEMATICS

70. Inspection evidence indicates that standards this year are likely to be similar to the national average by the end of Year 2. At the last inspection, standards were above the national average. However, since that time, standards have been just below average until last year when they were generally in line. The difference is explained by the fact that there has been a steady increase in the movement of pupils in and out of the school since 1997. This mobility is above national figures for schools, and has been shown to be a significant factor in preventing continuity in pupils’ education, so that they sometimes do not achieve as well as they should. Nevertheless, in 2001, standards reached at the end of Year 2 were well above those found in schools with similar socio- economic backgrounds. The school does particularly well with below-average and average- attaining pupils, who nearly all achieve at least according to their ability. Some higher-attaining

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MATHEMATICS

pupils reach above-average standards, but not all. This is because, although they are recognised by teachers as being more able, and they are given some harder work than others, this practice is inconsistent and the work not always challenging enough. They also sit through lengthy verbal sessions, when the challenge is mainly aimed at middle and lower-attaining pupils. Other than that, nearly all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress. Over several years, boys have done slightly better than girls. The school knows this, but cannot see any specific reason for it, and does not regard it as significant. There was no evidence of a difference in the attainment of boys and girls during the inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

71. The school has successfully introduced the National Numeracy Strategy and numeracy is taught appropriately across the curriculum. Teachers spend much time with pupils on number work, especially mental, which has led to improvement. Although, the use of numeracy across the curriculum is satisfactory overall, not enough opportunities are created to link numeracy to other areas of the curriculum; mathematics, therefore, is being taught mainly as a stand-alone subject. This is shown in a subject such as information and communication technology, where opportunities are missed to use and develop mathematical skills. Generally, all areas of the mathematical curriculum are covered, and the school has used its extensive analysis of statutory test results well to highlight and to try to remedy areas of weakness, such as shape and space. Examination of their past work indicates that pupils have too few opportunities to learn about data handling.

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MATHEMATICS

Appropriate opportunities are taken to use information and communication technology in lessons.

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MATHEMATICS

72. In Year 1 nearly all pupils recognise coins up to 50p and can calculate mentally ‘4 x 2p’ added to ‘3 x 1p’. More-able pupils, when challenged, can calculate a number of coins accurately up to a value of 80p. They use mathematical language correctly such as ‘more’, ‘most’ and ‘least’. They show understanding of the word ‘difference’, recognise time to within half an hour, and can accurately weigh and predict weights of small objects. Pupils name correctly simple two- dimensional shapes, such as ‘cone’, ‘rectangle’ and ‘triangle’, and there is ample evidence that they now have a clearer understanding of shape, space and symmetry.

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MATHEMATICS

73. In practical work with a floor robot, the ‘roamer’, pupils in Year 2 were observed to rapidly learn about quarter, right and left-hand turns and simple co-ordinates (A3, B6), while some higher attainers calculated the degrees in a half and full turn. Using this knowledge they were able to programme the robot on a complicated journey to find some hidden treasure. Other pupils in Year 2 can mentally double and halve numbers up to 46, and identify odd and even number such as 32 and 55. Nearly all can add coins in a money bag correctly up to £1; higher attainers can add mentally to £4.31 and £3.74, and then add them together after some thought. In the small amount of data handling they have experienced, pupils have gathered facts from their classmates about The St Faith’s Infant School - 35 food (crisp flavours and fruit) and transport to school, and have made suitable pictograms or block graphs of the results. Pupils’ work over time indicates that they are developing good numeracy

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MATHEMATICS

skills and have suitable opportunities for problem solving. Small groups of lower-attaining pupils are successfully helped to improve in intensive ‘booster’ sessions, and the school is contemplating giving similar opportunities to higher-attaining pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

74. The quality of teaching and learning is generally good. All teachers are confident in their subject knowledge. Their detailed planning gives clear guidance as to their lesson objectives. At present, as they themselves realise, they can be rather inflexible in some lessons and miss opportunities for extension because they follow their plans so closely. Some introductory ‘carpet’ sessions can go on too long and, although class support assistants are very competent, they are not always active in helping pupils’ learning in these parts of the lessons. Consequently, introductions vary between short, snappy, pacy question times, suitable for a whole range of abilities, and slower, repetitive sessions aimed at ‘the middle’, which causes some pupils to lose concentration. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils, and give them constant encouragement both verbally, for example ‘fabulous’, ‘brilliant’, and in their books and worksheets, which are almost all neat and

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MATHEMATICS

well presented. As a result, pupils have good and often very good attitudes to mathematics. They enjoy their lessons and talk enthusiastically about what they are learning. Most of them are keen to answer questions in oral parts of lessons and like to show what they have done at the end of lessons. They work co-operatively in their groups, but sometimes have a tendency to be leisurely in approach and go off task, especially when not with an adult. Their lessons generally help them to develop their social skills well. Teachers enhance their environments by including good quality displays of pupils’ work in colourful and cheerful classrooms. Teachers, however, give their pupils too few opportunities to help organise and collect equipment in their lessons, and this hinders their personal development.

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MATHEMATICS

75. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment are good. There is a battery of detail about the progress of all pupils throughout their time in the school which, in most cases, is used well to set appropriate targets in planning lessons. Predictions of future attainment are generally accurate. However, some of this information is not used sufficiently to set more challenging tasks for some of the more-able pupils.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has created a good scheme of work, and has collected a large amount of data on pupils’ levels of attainment. She is constantly analysing assessment information in order to identify areas for improvement, and has built up a good range of good-quality resources for the school. However, she has few opportunities to monitor teaching and learning throughout the school, which prevents her from having a clear picture of what needs to be done to improve teaching and learning further. Her ability to have an open mind, though, and to constantly question how the subject can be taught more effectively, will undoubtedly help the school in its strong desire to improve standards in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

77. Standards at the end of Year 2 are above the national averages and pupils make good progress as they move through the school. This is the same as the previous inspection. Teachers have predicted the outcomes of national testing and, although not as high in percentage terms as last year, the results are likely to be above the national average. This is supported by inspection evidence. The careful planning of the curriculum and the emphasis upon questioning and experimentation, especially in Year 2, is the reason for this level of attainment.

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SCIENCE

78. Pupils use tabulated results of their work effectively. For example, having visited 3 local environments they were able to identify creatures found there and their characteristics. The walk was described and recorded by means of photographs. Pupils have good knowledge of circuitry The St Faith’s Infant School - 36 and have successfully used an Internet program to identify working circuits. Inventive links to other areas of the curriculum, especially design and technology, means that they use their knowledge effectively in other circumstances, for example by lighting up a model house or lighthouse. They know many facts about plant growth from their work in Year 1. Scientific knowledge is enhanced by work in art and good quality observational drawing and when using information and communication technology for pictures. In Year 2, pupils are beginning to use their knowledge to devise experiments on growth which test their understanding. All suggestions

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SCIENCE

are accepted and pupils’ attention is drawn effectively to the need for a fair test. They are able to sort animals, defining their own categories, and suggest suitable ways of making toys and playground equipment move faster or slower. They know that some materials can change their state, for example by studying ice melting. Younger pupils consider how sounds are made on musical instruments and can sort materials into magnetic and non-magnetic sets.

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SCIENCE

79. Teaching is good, ensuring that all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, achieve well. There is no difference in the achievement of boys and girls. An interesting range of activities planned by teachers ensures pupils enjoy lessons. Recording is never a chore as teachers effectively produce exciting booklets or sheets and use art, pictures, tables and information and communication technology to enhance the results. Classroom management is good and pupils know how to behave and move sensibly from one activity to another. Work is well designed for the lower-attaining pupils, who are well supported by classroom assistants. Occasionally, the highest-attaining pupils work with the majority of the class and are not always sufficiently challenged. The use of questioning and the value given to pupils’ ideas by teachers are good. They have a good understanding of the requirements of the science

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SCIENCE

curriculum and consequently plan and deliver effective lessons. Teachers ensure that pupils make good use of information and communication technology in this subject, and the links made to other areas of the curriculum contribute significantly to the quality of science in the school. Work is well marked, annotated and stored appropriately, becoming a reliable record for pupils. Pupils really enjoy what they do because the lessons are varied and active. They are expected to work hard and they do, producing neat work of which they are proud.

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SCIENCE

80. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The subject co-ordinator is adapting the current scheme of work, using recommendations from teachers to improve the more practical and experimental aspects of the curriculum. At present, monitoring of this area of the curriculum is done by reviewing teachers’ planning and scrutinising pupils’ work. There is little monitoring of teaching to ensure that best practice is shared, and this is a weakness.

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ART AND DESIGN

81. The attainment of pupils at the end of Year 2, including those from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds and those with special educational needs, is in line with national expectations, and they make satisfactory gains in their learning. This is the same as at the time of the previous inspection. During the inspection no art lessons were observed. Judgements, therefore, are based on evidence from work displayed around the school, teachers’ planning, and interviews with pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN

82. Planning is good and pupils throughout the school have good opportunities to explore a range of art activities. In Year 1, pupils are developing good skills in observational drawing when sketching plants, linked to their work in science, and history artefacts such as a ‘dolly and washboard’. These pupils are also exploring a range of ideas as starting points when designing cards for a new baby or a Baptism. A variety of printing techniques are taught well, for example, in Year 1, pupils experiment with different materials and paint to create pictures of flowers. In Year 2, these skills are further developed when pupils study animal prints, and choose and develop their own ‘fabric design’, which they then use to make a ‘felt collage’. Skills in cutting and modelling are developing satisfactorily, as shown in the ‘plant sculptures’ displayed in Year 1. However, there is little The St Faith’s Infant School - 37

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ART AND DESIGN

evidence of other three-dimensional work, particular clay modelling.

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ART AND DESIGN

83. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily, as seen by the computer- generated pictures which incorporate ‘speech bubbles’, and a portfolio of pupils’ work in Year 2 which contained ‘snowmen’ used to make Christmas cards. Pupils also talked excitedly about sewing and decorating finger puppets. Art in the school makes a satisfactory contribution to cultural development. An interesting montage painted by pupils was stimulated by the links with China. Also, in Year 2, the Chinese technique of fringing and curling was used to make Mothers’ Day cards.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. A good contribution to art and design in the school is the links made with local artists and pupils talked excitedly about the work they had undertaken with them, linked to the work of Lowry. This is having a positive impact on pupils’ learning, particularly as work was displayed at a local gallery.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. The co-ordinator has successfully introduced the national guidelines and adapted them to the needs of the school and this is an improvement since the last inspection. Leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory, with the co-ordinator supporting teachers well in their planning and organising appropriate in-service training. Assessment procedures are to be adopted, using a suitable but an uncomplicated ‘best fit’ method that identifies what the pupils can and cannot do.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86. By the end of Year 2, pupils attain standards that are in line with national expectations. This is the same as the previous inspection. All pupils irrespective of gender, ethnicity or social circumstances achieve satisfactorily, but in the area of recording the whole design process they achieve particularly well. No teaching was seen and judgements are made from examples of work and discussions with pupils and the subject co-ordinator.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87. The school celebrates pupils’ work very effectively and displays of projects detailing the process from design to evaluation serve to reinforce pupils’ learning well. They are able to design and choose their ingredients for a fruit salad, put it together and eat it! They are able to use paper and fasteners to make a rotating disc to tell a story. Older pupils make puppets, having practised their sewing and having looked carefully at a variety of mass-produced puppets. They are able to say what they could improve and how well their design worked. Creative links to other areas of the curriculum ensure relevance and importance for pupils. For example, careful pastel drawings of fruit accompany the fruit salad project. Vehicles are made to link to reading-book characters. Teachers demonstrate originality and professional expertise in the quality of recording sheets and the high quality of planning. Pupils really enjoy this work and remember clearly what they have

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

done. Information and communication technology are used well to enhance the learning in this subject.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator is very positive about the subject in which she has great interest and expertise. She has satisfactorily monitored the subject through scrutinising teachers’ planning and offering informal advice, as well as conducting a survey to establish how confident teachers feel about the subject. She has worked successfully with teachers in the Foundation Stage to ensure that skills are developed in a sequential pattern and that projects build successively throughout the school. She is maintaining a comprehensive portfolio containing photographic records and examples of design and make recording sheets. She has had only limited opportunities to monitor and support, and this is an area for development.

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GEOGRAPHY

89. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection. Discussions with pupils and the co-ordinator, along with the colourful displays and an analysis of pupils previous work, indicate that pupils make The St Faith’s Infant School - 38 satisfactory progress through the school, and that standards are in line with those expected nationally for pupils at the end of Year 2, including those with special needs and those who have English as an additional language. All pupils are fully included in lessons and other geographical activities, and attainment is similar to that found at the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

90. Teaching is good, and in discussions pupils show a genuine interest and enthusiasm for geography. Pupils in Year 1 learn to look at houses old and new, during walks in the locality, and compare their features. They describe what they see on the way to school, examine photographs of the area and examine symbols showing differences in the weather in other countries of the world. They love to hear about the journeys of Barnaby Bear, especially his recent trip to China with the headteacher. In the lesson observed, Year 1 pupils learned to identify ‘nice’ and ‘nasty’ aspects of their local environment. They showed a particular dislike of dog dirt, as well as identifying cars congesting the streets, noise, and broken glass. They all produced posters after learning how to make words stand out and be clearly visible, giving the simple message to readers: ‘CROSS ROADS – CAREFULLY’ A number explained their views very articulately. Pupils in Year 2

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GEOGRAPHY

have learned to compare life in a village in Mexico, Tocuaro, with their own locality, using the Internet to gain further information. They can identify the seven continents of the world, a good number of major countries on a world map, and talk about features of the USA, like ‘The Statue of Liberty’. They have completed fact sheets about life for Katie Morag on the Isle of Struay, but have few opportunities to write their own original narratives about their geographical studies. The St Faith’s Infant School - 39 91. The effective co-ordinator has produced a good scheme of work which is an improvement since the last inspection, and has a sound grasp on the standards in the school. She has not, though, had any opportunities to observe teaching and learning in the school. After trialling two assessment schemes, she has decided, with the staff, to put in place a simple but effective structure which clearly identifies what the pupils can and cannot do. This will certainly help the continuing

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GEOGRAPHY

development of pupil learning in geography.

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HISTORY

92. History was not being taught during the period of the inspection. However, examination of pupils’ work both in their books and in many displays, discussion with the co-ordinator, and especially a vibrant and entertaining discussion with pupils in Year 2 indicated that standards in the subject are above the national expectation. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language make good progress, and all are fully included in history learning. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection.

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HISTORY

93. Pupils in Year 1 have had opportunities to look at artefacts and learn about Victorian washdays. Even when recalling this a year later, pupils have very good recall of facts in addition to the skill of comparing life in the past with the present - they were especially fascinated by a mangle when compared to present day washing machines. In Year 2, pupils avidly recall the lives of Florence Nightingale, Louis Braille and Helen Keller with great accuracy. They have a good understanding of why they learn about the lives of famous people. The Great Fire of London was identified as ‘happening in 1666, starting in a baker’s in Pudding Lane’ and now commemorated by ‘The Monument’. ‘Samuel Pepys saw and reported all this in his diary - that’s how we know so much about it’, pupils said.

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HISTORY

94. Pupils also talk about using their computers to find further information about their studies. Their presented work is neat and accurate, but a considerable amount is based upon ‘question and answer’ school-produced worksheets. There is little evidence of any original narrative writing, although pupils’ speaking is imaginative and enthusiastic. Although no class teaching was seen, evidence of pupils’ knowledge and development of historical skills and their obvious, excited interest in history, suggests good quality teaching.

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HISTORY

95. The co-ordinator has produced a thorough and relevant scheme of work, which shows clear progression right through the school from the nursery. She encourages outside visitors to the school, for example grandparents, local people and a lady with a collection of Ethiopian artefacts. Visits are made to the local area, the church and windmill and the Lincolnshire Life Museum. All these opportunities help to develop and strengthen the interest of the pupils. The co-ordinator, who leads the subject well, has a clear vision of the standards in the school, but as yet does not have opportunities to monitor teaching and learning in classes. Like several co-ordinators in the non-core subjects she is waiting for a school decision on which of two assessment procedures will finally be adopted.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

96. By the end of Year 2 most pupils attain the standards expected nationally, and this is the same as at the time of the last inspection. The strength of the curriculum in this school is the link made through information and communication technology to other subjects. Pupils use word processors to support their learning in literacy. They use the Internet to research information in history and support their learning about electricity in science. They are able to use a drawing program effectively to make pictures of growing plants, to link to work in science. The choice made to have computers in classrooms has led to these effective connections. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language, make The St Faith’s Infant School - 40 satisfactory progress. There is no difference in the progress of boys and girls. The St Faith’s Infant School - 41

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

97. When specific information and communication technology lessons are timetabled, the teaching is good. Pupils learn how to programme a floor turtle and link their instructions to previous work in physical education and make estimations of distance, linked to mathematical work. They particularly enjoy this and demonstrate good co-operation, concentration and support of each other. They can draw pictures using a painting program.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

98. However, computers are not always in use and there are few timetabled information and communication technology sessions. Teachers use national guidelines for teaching information and communication technology units, but no portfolios or records of individuals’ work are kept; consequently the teachers are not able to ensure that all pupils have access to a planned programme which will progressively develop their skills.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

99. Leadership and management are satisfactory. Teachers have participated in a programme of information and communication technology training during the year and their skills are apparent in the use of desktop publishing in planning and captions for display. The curriculum is monitored through scrutiny of planning and informal advice and support, but not at present through the systematic monitoring of the quality of teaching.

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MUSIC

100. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language, make satisfactory progress and attain the standards expected for their age at the end of Year 2, enjoy music-making activities. This is the same as at the time of the last inspection.

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MUSIC

101. Teaching and learning is at least good throughout Year 1 and 2, with some very good teaching seen. Staff promote effective listening and appraising skills, and use music to evoke a suitable atmosphere, particularly in assembly. Pupils in Year 2 listened carefully to music by Vivaldi, and were able to describe well what they had had heard and how it made them feel.

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MUSIC

102. Due to the good teaching, pupils sing enthusiastically in assembly, showing satisfactory control of pitch and rhythm. Standards in singing are in line with what would be expected for pupils of this age. A group of Year 2 children sang confidently in assembly, clapping the rhythm appropriately and using a ‘whisper’ to interpret the music. Pupils also responded well to listening to the National Anthem when linked to the theme of the forthcoming Jubilee celebrations, singing well when they were challenged to do their best and improve.

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MUSIC

103. Lessons are well planned with appropriate opportunities for composing being linked to a topic or the theme of a story. In Year 2, pupils’ learning developed well when in groups they recorded the patterns they had created, linked to words related to the weather. The school is also using information and communication technology to aid the development of pupils’ skills in composing. Pupils enjoy performing; in Year 1 a very good lesson enthralled pupils who learnt how to use their voices and instruments to build a ‘crescendo’ when accompanying the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. The very simple beginnings of notation were used to identify the rhythm patterns of the giant’s footsteps. The visiting folk group and percussionist make an appropriate contribution to musical development in the school.

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MUSIC

104. The subject is led well by the co-ordinator, with good advice being given to colleagues in the area of planning. There is now a scheme of work with the national guidelines for music being adopted and this is an improvement since the previous inspection. However, there are no formal opportunities to monitor the subject to determine the standards. A simple but effective assessment structure is being put in place that clearly identifies what the pupils can and cannot do.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105. Pupils’ standards and their progress in learning have been maintained since the last inspection, The St Faith’s Infant School - 42 when they were described as being in line with national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language also make at least satisfactory progress and are well supported. All pupils are fully included in every aspect of physical education. They are doing particularly well in swimming where, as a result of regular, good-quality tuition in Year 2, pupils are reaching standards higher than national expectations.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. In a lesson with the co-ordinator, pupils made very good progress in their development of imaginative movements to a varying beat on a small drum. They used space well, and varied the speed and strength of their movements according to the variations in sound. A number chose to develop their movements on the floor rather than moving around the hall, devising original sequences involving different parts of the body and varying directions. Their learning was greatly helped by immaculate behaviour, absolute concentration on their instructions and teaching of a very high quality. In swimming in Year 2, pupils show great water confidence, whatever their stage of learning, and make good progression in their stroke skills. About a half can swim 25 metres, and only a few pupils are not able to swim at all; although nearly all are expected to swim by the end of the summer. Other pupils in Year 2 can bounce large balls on the floor and catch

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

them, and many can bounce the balls one handed around the hall and around obstacles like hoops and ‘statues’, with good control and co-ordination.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

107. Teaching ranges from good to excellent and is good overall. Teachers have good subject knowledge, good class-management skills and plan a broad curriculum well. As a result, pupils love the subject, show great enthusiasm and behave well. They also have plenty of opportunities to join in organised playground games like skipping, because dinner supervisors have been trained and provided with sports equipment to help them.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. Many pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 take the opportunity to learn football skills through a link with Lincoln City FC and have been taught skipping skills by a visiting expert. There is an annual sports day, when all pupils are ultimately able to win at least a first or second prize.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator, who has had suitable opportunities to monitor teaching across the school. She has high ambition for further improvement of standards, and has developed an effective scheme of work and policy. Resources, the grounds and the hall are of good quality. Assessment, which has been at the teachers’ discretion, is planned to be formalised through a structure upon which staff have finally decided.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

110. Provision for religious education was satisfactory at the time of the previous inspection. The school has maintained this position and evidence shows that pupils’ attainment and progress is in line with the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. Pupils with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language are well supported and make progress that is in line with their age and ability.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111. No lessons were seen during the inspection, but discussions with pupils and a scrutiny of teachers’ planning and pupils’ work shows that teaching and learning are satisfactory overall. Pupils’ attitudes to the subject are good. They show good recall of stories and special events from both the Christian and Jewish religions. They can retell the story of the ‘Passover’ and ‘Purim’ well. They remembered the events at Easter, recounting the ‘Great Parade’, the ‘Last Supper’, the ‘Dreadful Day’ and the ‘Happy Day’ well.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

112. Teachers’ planning is good with a scrutiny of pupils’ books showing that in Year 1 they have an appropriate focus on ‘Celebrations’ including ‘Celebration of Light’ which they relate to the Christian story of Christmas and the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Teachers in Year 2 plan a programme of study well to include ‘important people,’ both in everyday life and the Bible. The St Faith’s Infant School - 43 113. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory. The locally agreed syllabus has been adopted as the scheme of work, and the curriculum includes visits to places of religious interest and visitors to the school. These give pupils first-hand experience both of people and places of worship, and have a good impact on learning. Formal monitoring of teaching and learning, however, to ascertain strengths and weaknesses in the subject has not yet started.

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