Waterside Primary School

LANGDOWN INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 28 th – 31 st January 2002

p.1

LANGDOWN 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.

p.1

LANGDOWN 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. Langdown Infant School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Lytton Road Hythe Southampton Hampshire

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 th May 1997 Langdown Infant School - 4

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 27681 David Marshall Registered inspector English Music Art and design Design and technology Information and communication technology English as an additional language Foundation Stage How high are standards? How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed?

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

9646 Geraldine Osment Lay inspector How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. 18935 Chris Bolton Team inspector Mathematics Science Religious education Physical education Geography History Special educational needs Equal opportunities How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? How well does the school care for its pupils?

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Schoolhaus Ltd Suite 17 B.P.S. Business Centre Brake Lane Walesby Nottinghamshire NG22 9HQ

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

p.4

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

p.5

HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Langdown is a smaller than average infant school with 107 pupils on roll. Although the school does not have its own nursery, there is a pre-school playgroup in one of its rooms. Pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is generally well below the national average. Forty-four per cent of the pupils on roll have special educational needs – a much higher than average proportion. One pupil has a statement of educational need. Around 20 per cent of pupils are claiming free school meals, which is above average. The number of children on roll from an ethnic minority background or with English as an additional language is well below the national average. There have been three fixed-period exclusions in the last year. The school has faced considerable upheaval in staffing. The school changed head teacher each term in the last year. The present head was acting head for a term in autumn 2000, and joined the school permanently in September. Two teachers were new last September and

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

over the last two years, all but one teacher in the school has changed. The school has a high level of pupil mobility. In the last year, over a quarter of the pupils joined or left the school other than at the normal times.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Langdown Infant School is now an effective school that provides a good quality education and a happy and stimulating learning environment for its pupils. It has a very positive atmosphere, and staff and pupils work hard. Although standards are below the national average, the pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy, whatever their background or previous attainment. The quality of teaching is good; pupils are suitably challenged and make good progress. The school provides a broad curriculum, with a good range of additional activities. It also provides very well for the pupils’ personal and cultural development. The school is currently well led by the head teacher and key staff, with good support from all other staff. The school provides good value for money.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The new head teacher is providing clear educational direction for the school in partnership with the teachers and governors. • Teaching is good and the opportunities for learning are good. All pupils are now making good progress. • The provision for the pupils’ moral development is very good. For their social and spiritual development it is good. • Provision for pupils with special educational needs is good; these pupils have access to the full curriculum and make good progress. • Pupils’ standards in music are good by the time they leave school. • There are very good opportunities for personal development and so pupils acquire good attitudes to school; they behave very well and are very enthusiastic. They have very good relationships with one another and with adults in the school. • Parents have positive views of the school.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The standard of pupils’ writing by the time they leave school. • The opportunities for pupils to use literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology in other subjects. • The use of assessment information in some of the non-core subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in May 1997. Although the pace of improvement has been slow at times, it has recently been better sustained. Overall, the school has made sound progress in all areas since 1997 but is now in a very good position to improve. This is due to the improvement in both leadership and management and teaching. The progress made by the average and more able children in English and mathematics is now better than it was but pupils’ performance has fluctuated considerably over the last four years. The unsatisfactory behaviour of the pupils in one class has been resolved and all pupils now behave well. The need to assess the progress of the children more rigorously and use the information to raise standards in their work has been achieved in English, mathematics and science. The school is now well placed to build on its recent improvements and continue to raise pupils’ standards of achievement.

p.6

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

p.7

STANDARDS

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

p.7

STANDARDS

The results of the national tests for seven-year-olds in reading, writing and mathematics in 2001 were well below average in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with the national average. The results were below average when compared to similar schools. However, the results in 2001 show a significant improvement over those achieved in 2000. In the last three years , the school’s improvements in all core subjects of the curriculum have followed the upward national trend. Almost half of the full-time pupils in the school have special educational needs and many start school with very low attainment in their personal and social development and speaking and listening. This affects their ability to focus on the tasks that are expected of them. Although children make good progress, a significant number do not reach expectations for their age by the end of the Foundation Stage. The pupils in 2001 achieved well to get their results. The school is successful in meeting its

p.7

STANDARDS

agreed targets for improvement. The inspection findings show standards are still improving and at present more pupils achieve standards that are in line with national expectations, but the overall levels are still below average. This greater progress stems largely from the school’s systematic assessment procedures in English, mathematics and science that now are used effectively to match tasks more closely to pupils’ needs. This has led to the school focusing on improving pupils’ writing standards in the future. All pupils, including the more able, those with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language now learn well. Standards in information and communication technology are improving and are now average. Pupils also achieve sound standards in religious education. The overall achievement of pupils in music is good, and satisfactory in all other subjects.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy coming to school and make the most of the good opportunities they are given.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils’ behaviour both in and out of classrooms is good. They observe the school rules and are very courteous.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils form very good relationships with their teachers, with other adults and with each other. This makes a large contribution to the school’s positive atmosphere.

p.7

PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Satisfactory. The school has good procedures in place to encourage pupils to attend and be on time. Langdown Infant School - 8

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Years 3 – 6

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching is good. This is a significant improvement over the inspection in 1997. The consistent quality of teaching enables pupils to make good progress at all stages. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding of the curriculum, and of the individual needs of pupils, are good throughout the school. This means that they teach English and mathematics, and the essential basic skills of literacy and numeracy, effectively to all pupils, who learn well. Teachers have high expectations of pupils, which result in the overall good behaviour and good learning. In all lessons, class discussions are lively and challenging and lessons move along at a good pace. Questions are carefully thought out and bring all pupils into the discussions. Pupils learn to listen carefully and concentrate for longer periods as they get older. A wide variety of teaching methods is employed to make lessons interesting, and pupils enjoy their learning. Teachers relate very positively to the pupils and they

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

manage classes well. Higher attaining pupils are challenged effectively in many lessons, and both pupils learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs learn well. The teaching of literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology across the curriculum is now developing.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. There is a good range of learning opportunities and all National Curriculum subjects and religious education have an appropriate allocation of time.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils are well known to all staff and very well supported throughout the school. Their progress is tracked very regularly.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision and support in this area is good when required. Pupils make good progress and achieve appropriately high standards.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural, development The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral development. Pupils’ spiritual and social development is good. The provision for cultural development is satisfactory overall, although the opportunities for pupils to learn about faiths and cultures other than their own are limited. The personal development of the pupils is good and the school is successfully meeting one of its aims ‘to value caring and tolerant attitudes towards others’. How well the school cares for its pupils Procedures for child protection are very good. The procedures to improve attendance and for improving pupils’ behaviour are good. The assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress in English, mathematics and science, and the use of the information gained, is also good.

p.8

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school works well in partnership with parents. The quality of information provided by the school about the pupils’ progress is good. Parents receive frequent newsletters and are provided with details of the curriculum so they can help their children at home if they wish. Parents are involved in fund-raising activities and extra- curricular activities and this provides good support to the school in its work. This is a caring school. The way that all adults look after pupils and assess what they can do and need to do next to improve is very effective. Langdown Infant School - 9

p.8

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the head teacher and other key staff The new head teacher is providing a very clear educational direction for the school. He understands what the school needs to do to improve and has a clear vision of how this will be achieved. The school is now very well placed to make further improvements.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The head teacher keeps the governors well informed and so they understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are very supportive but do not yet monitor provision sufficiently or play an effective role in shaping the direction of the school.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school is making good use of its new strategic plan to prioritise improvements and evaluate the changes it has made.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources All resources are used well. Support assistants work hard and are effective in helping pupils. The grant for pupils with special educational needs and the standards fund are used effectively.

p.9

HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There is a good number of well-qualified staff. Support assistants are well deployed, and sufficient in number and their expertise is making an important contribution to raising standards. The school makes careful use of all the good accommodation to provide a good range of activities. In particular, the new outdoor spaces for recreation are good. Learning resources are generally adequate. The finance officer and head teacher are careful to make sure they acquire the best value in all purchases made.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• The teaching is good. • The head and staff are very welcoming and parents feel comfortable to come into school and consult them whenever necessary. • Their children are making good progress. • The children behave well and the school is helping them to become mature and responsible. • There are no issues that the parents feel strongly about that need to be addressed in order for the school to improve.

p.9

PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspection evidence wholly supports the overwhelmingly positive views of the parents. Langdown Infant School - 10

p.9

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. When children are first admitted to the school, early assessments show that they begin with basic skills that are well below average in all areas of the Foundation Stage curriculum, with only a minority of children having average attainment. Although children make good progress, by the time they start in Year 1 many do not attain the Early Learning Goals 1 , as expected for their age. They make good progress in the reception class as a result of good teaching and planning. Children with special educational needs and English as an additional language are identified early and provided with very effective support from the school and other agencies and also make good progress.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. Sound progress in English has been made since the last inspection when the school’s rate of improvement was in line with the national upward trend. It is better than this now. This is largely because now there is a consistency of good teaching across the school. Despite their low start, many pupils are now achieving sound standards in speaking and listening and in this aspect are in line with what could be expected of them. In reading and writing, the pupils are making good progress but because of their low position when they come into school, they are still below average by the time they leave. The effective analysis of the results of national tests and other school assessment has led to the setting of appropriate targets. This target setting had a positive effect on the results of the 2001 national tests, where there is a significant rise in the numbers of pupils achieving the expected levels of attainment when compared with results

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

in these tests in 2000. This good analysis has also highlighted the need for further structures in the planning of English to maintain and enhance this progress, particularly with regard to pupils’ writing. The results in 2001 in English showed that standards were well below the average for all schools, and below average when compared to similar schools. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language get very good support and are making good progress.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. In mathematics, pupils’ levels of achievement improved significantly from 2000 to 2001. In the 2001 national tests for pupils’ aged seven, results were still well below average compared to the national average and below average when compared to schools with pupils from a similar background. However, in 2000 just 68 per cent of pupils achieved the average levels for pupils aged seven. In 2001, this had risen to 82 per cent. The inspection findings show standards are still improving and at present more pupils achieve standards that are in line with national expectations, but the overall levels are still below average. The majority of pupils enter the reception class with levels of ability well below those expected for children of their age in mathematics. Pupils make good progress throughout the key stage. Pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language make appropriate progress in

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The teacher assessments in science at the end of Key Stage 1 show a gradual rise in attainment in the last three years. Results for seven-year-olds in 2001 were below the national average, but average for similar schools based on the number of pupils claiming free school meals. The separate results for each aspect of the science curriculum are similar, showing that all areas of the science curriculum are covered evenly. Standards seen in lessons during the inspection were below average overall but, in most lessons, progress was good.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1 Planning in the Foundation Stage is geared towards pupils achieving standards known as the Early Learning Goals in six areas of development – personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development; and creative development. Langdown Infant School - 11 5. The school’s targets for pupils in English and mathematics in 2001 at the end of Key Stage 1 were achieved with an increased number of pupils reaching the higher than average expected levels. This is a clear indication that the school is extending and challenging all pupils. In 2002 these targets have been raised to an appropriate level in both subjects.

p.10

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. Inspection findings show that pupils make good progress in speaking and listening in the reception class but are still below average when they move into Year 1. Throughout the school, pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other but initially many lack confidence in expressing their ideas and often offer one-word answers. However, pupils continue to make good progress throughout the school and most achieve standards in line with expectations for their age by the time they leave as they become confident in sharing their ideas and contributing to class discussions. Pupils’ attainment in reading is below average overall, but improves at a good rate as they progress through the school. Although this broadly reflects the findings of the previous report, improvements have been made which have enhanced pupils’ understanding and enjoyment of books. The school has worked hard to improve the quality of

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

reading material and fosters a greater interest in reading and different authors. Despite this, pupils’ knowledge of books and authors is limited, but they talk with enthusiasm about reading. The better readers are competent and can read with good expression and know the difference between fiction and non-fiction. By the time they leave the school, many pupils are able to name favourite authors and pupils understand what they have read. About three-quarters of the current Year 2 pupils are achieving standards in writing that are in line with the national average. This represents good progress from the low starting point most pupils have on joining the school, but overall is still below the average when compared to all schools and is an area that the school has identified for improvement. Pupils in the youngest classes use common words in simple sentences to retell a favourite story or describe characters but their

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

vocabularies are limited. By the age of seven their ability has developed well and many pupils are starting to use basic punctuation appropriately and have acquired a stock of common words that they spell correctly. Despite this good progress, there are examples of pupils’ writing that are too brief, contain careless mistakes in punctuation and are untidy. The school has identified in its strategic plan the need for an overall writing plan so that more pupils can read and write the appropriate words from the lists identified in the National Literacy Strategy for their age. This would represent a real improvement considering the very low position of most pupils when they begin school, and the school is already on the way to achieving it. However, even with this improvement the overall level of achievement would be below average when compared to all schools.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. In mathematics, evidence from the inspection shows that by the time they are seven standards are below average overall, but pupils are making good progress. Many pupils can count on and back in ones, twos and tens successfully. Most can add and subtract simple numbers in a variety of ways although some less able pupils struggle with this. More able pupils apply their knowledge well to solving problems and can explain how they arrived at the answers. They can work out halves and doubles of two-digit numbers. Most pupils can tell the time using half and quarter past the hour. They recognise two-dimensional shapes and can identify the properties that each one has and measure the perimeter of shapes. Pupils’ mathematical vocabulary develops well. They know, for example, that the word ‘altogether’ in a problem means that they need to use addition to solve it. More able pupils can assemble data and represent it on a bar

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

chart and extract information from this. They measure carefully and know how to ‘round up’ or ‘round down’ to the nearest centimetre. Pupils are encouraged to use their knowledge well in other subjects, such as science when measuring hand spans and information and communication technology to create bar charts.

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. A variety of inspection evidence shows that many pupils’ knowledge and understanding in science are below those that could be expected for pupils when they are seven. By the time pupils leave the school, most understand the action of simple forces such as pushes and pulls and which is needed to move toy cars in a particular direction. They know that the shape of materials can be changed through twisting, bending and squashing. Higher attaining pupils know that some stretched materials can return to their original shape. Year 2 pupils do their Langdown Infant School - 12 experiments with electricity with real care and can construct a simple electrical circuit to light a bulb. More able pupils can compare circuits and give cause and effect explanations, for example, that more batteries give a brighter light or that more bulbs make for a weaker light. Pupils have a good idea about the need to keep healthy and some of the ways that this might

p.11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

be achieved through exercise and diet. They know that all living things require certain conditions and elements to grow successfully. The youngest pupils understand ‘loud’ and ‘soft’ sounds and can explain in simple terms why an alarm clock, for example, needs to be loud. Year 1 pupils build upon this knowledge and make simple predictions as to whether, for example, a whistle blown in the classroom would be louder than if blown on the other side of the playground. Pupils’ scientific knowledge and vocabulary builds well as they move through the school, although pupils’ progress is impeded by weak literacy skills.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. Pupils with special educational needs, or with English as an additional language, in the Foundation Stage and in Key Stage 1 are making good progress. A great deal of attention is paid by the special needs co-ordinator and all teachers to assessing the pupils’ levels of achievement and then to match instructions for written tasks to the pupils’ lower reading levels. As a result, all manage to complete the work they are set. Evidence from the inspection indicates work is well matched to the needs of all pupils and achievement is good for all groups of pupils with special educational needs or with English as an additional language.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

10. Pupils make good progress throughout the school in information and communication technology. Levels of attainment are average by the age of seven, and this represents a considerable improvement on the position at the time of the last inspection. Pupils use a mouse competently to load and draw using different art packages. They also use word- processing programs to write simple stories and make labels for classroom displays and their books.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

11. Pupils meet the required levels of attainment in religious education in the locally agreed syllabus. They have a sound knowledge of Christianity and Judaism. They also develop their understanding of general aspects of human experience, response and belief.

p.12

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

12. The standards seen in all subjects at the last inspection have been maintained. Attainment in music is above that expected nationally. In art and design, design and technology, physical education, music, history and geography, pupils achieve well and the quality of their work is at a level that could be expected for their age by the time they leave the school.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Pupils come to school with good attitudes and this has been maintained since the inspection of May 1997. All of the parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire stated that their children like school. The pupils enjoy coming to school, they settle quickly to work and want to learn. For example, in a Year R art lesson when the pupils were working with clay the whole class tried very hard and was enthusiastic about making their tiles. In a very good literacy lesson, Year 2 pupils responded very well and answered every question.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Parents feel that behaviour in the school is good and the inspection team agrees that behaviour is good both in lessons and around the school. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection. Good behaviour is contributing positively to the standards of learning. This was observed in many lessons including a Year 1 science lesson when the pupils were learning that sounds are louder when they are nearer. There are a few pupils who have difficulty controlling their behaviour but due to the good attitudes and behaviour of the others this does not adversely affect learning overall. The pupils move around the school sensibly and respond readily to the requests of teachers, learning support assistants and mid-day supervisors. They are polite and courteous to each other and to teachers, other staff and visitors. They are trustworthy and show respect for property, treating the resources they use with care. Play at

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

both break and lunchtimes is good-natured and the new playground equipment is contributing positively to good playground behaviour. There were three exclusions from the school during Langdown Infant School - 13 the year prior to the inspection. No incidents of bullying or racial abuse were observed during the inspection.

p.12

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. The personal development of the pupils is good. The pupils form very good relationships with fellow pupils and adults, built on tolerance for the work, ideas, beliefs and values of others. All staff are very good role models in the way they conduct themselves. Parents, at the pre- inspection meeting, agreed that the school teaches right from wrong. The school is successfully meeting one of its aims ‘to value caring and tolerant attitudes towards others’.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

16. The pupils work well on their own. This was evident in a very good Year 1 numeracy lesson when the pupils were exchanging small coins for ones of larger value. Many pupils happily work in pairs or small groups. For example, in a very good Year 2 religious education lesson when the teacher paired pupils with less well-developed reading skills with more able readers, everyone joined in helping each other and made rapid progress. In all year groups, there are good opportunities provided for pupils to take responsibility in the daily life of the school. There are class monitors and helpers and Year 2 pupils help in the dining hall at lunchtimes.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

17. Many pupils participate enthusiastically in the extra-curricular activities provided by the school. These include football, information communication technology and dance clubs. Pupils visit Hythe Church, donate harvest gifts to the Southampton City Mission and collect for charities including the Poppy Appeal. There are good opportunities provided for the pupils to develop personal study skills through the use of computers in literacy and numeracy lessons. They enjoy experiments and investigations in mathematics and science lessons and there are opportunities provided for pupils to make choices and select materials in art.

p.13

Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

18. School attendance rates are in line with the national average and this is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. The overall quality of teaching is good and makes a positive contribution to pupils’ attainment and progress. It was at least satisfactory in all the lessons observed during the inspection. In eight out of ten of the lessons seen during the inspection the quality of teaching was good or better, and very good in four out of ten. In both the Foundation and Key Stage 1 classes the quality of teaching overall, taking into account all the evidence available, is very good in the basic skills of English and mathematics. The quality of teaching is now much better than at the time of the last inspection.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The teaching in the reception class was good in the lessons observed, and reflects the hard work of the teacher and the support assistant. Planning clearly identifies what pupils are to learn and means that all activities selected are a good preparation for the pupils’ start to the National Curriculum. The teacher carefully identifies what is needed in order to build on what children already know. Children of all abilities are given good support and so their progress is good. Classroom organisation is very good and the teacher does everything possible to help pupils achieve the Early Learning Goals for pupils of this age. The very good organisation was evident in a lesson where pupils developed their understanding of how things have changed over time by carefully observing four different pictures of a familiar nursery rhyme. The teacher had brought in a number of different artefacts such as an old-fashioned candleholder that the

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

children found fascinating and which some were then able to use for their own drawings. Some groups had work based on nursery rhymes such as at the ‘Listening table’, and on the three computers. Others were making models of nursery rhymes with different building materials and selecting and colouring in nursery rhyme pictures. The children were enabled to move from one group to another at the appropriate time to retain their interest and make sure their progress was maintained at the high level the teacher had created.

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The good teaching at Key Stage 1 reflects the teachers’ great care over planning together. Teachers have implemented the literacy and numeracy initiatives very well. Planning is very Langdown Infant School - 14 good in these subjects and identifies clearly how groups of pupils of differing abilities are to be taught. For example, in a Year 2 literacy hour the teacher and the pupils made a very good list of words describing the differences between appearance and behaviour from their class book. As the list was being made the class support assistant was carefully writing the list out on paper. When the teacher went through the word work with the class and also reinforced the use of commas by returning to the book, the support assistant was photocopying the list for each pupil. They were then able to use these lists in their group work. The teacher was also able to point out how the support assistant had written out the words in the adopted

p.13

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

handwriting style and how the pupils should copy this in their own writing. The classroom organisation is good and the activities selected are appropriate to the identified aims in teachers’ plans.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers have good subject knowledge and understanding of the curriculum. For example, their very good subject knowledge in English is demonstrated by the implementation of the literacy strategy. The example in a very good Year 1 lesson was typical of many. The teacher knew when to sound out the letters and when to press on to keep pupils’ interest. She was careful to ask questions, and always praised and used their answers to reinforce responses. She also used the more able pupils to read aloud so that they were appropriately challenged. Teachers use a very good range of teaching strategies, for example whole-class teaching, group work, the use of visual resources and information and communication technology. Pupils are encouraged to be engrossed in their work and this is raising their attainment and improving progress. This level of expertise and experience is also applied to the teaching of

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

the numeracy strategy and this has been equally successfully implemented. Lessons are planned to a very high level that makes absolutely sure that explanations and instructions are clear. As a result pupils work confidently and use their own initiative where appropriate. Teachers’ skills of questioning are particularly strong and have a positive effect on the ability of pupils to speak and listen carefully as seen in lessons in religious education, science and English. This encourages pupils to think carefully and develop their own points of view. Very good, consistent use of praise raises pupil confidence. These techniques of questioning and valuing all pupils’ responses were seen to good effect in all lessons.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

23. Good management of pupils, achieved without fuss and with good humour, is a strong feature of all teaching, and pupils are able to work without distraction. Excellent relationships between pupils and with their teachers contribute very effectively to pupils’ positive attitudes. The way that all teachers were able to get pupils’ attention whenever necessary was outstanding. In a Year 2 religious education lesson the teacher was able to keep every pupil’s attention throughout by introducing the unusual vocabulary they were going to meet in the lesson. For most of the lesson she spoke very quietly and the pupils really listened carefully. She made her questions more and more complicated by focusing on individual pupils and the very good use of praise and support. She was able to fascinate and inform the pupils by asking questions such as, “How often do we hear about Mary after the nativity?”

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

24. The use of time and resources is very good. Teachers make the most of every minute of the day even when pupils are changing or going to and from breaks. Lessons start on time and move at a brisk pace. This was particularly true of the lessons taken by the part-time music teacher. In one afternoon she provided very stimulating activities for every pupil in the school at an appropriate level. Support assistants and parent helpers are very well briefed and deployed effectively. The rapport that exists between the teachers and the nursery nurses in the nursery is exemplary. They are always aware of what each pupil needs and when. The fact that there are usually over 30 children in this class and yet they are always quiet and on task is an excellent achievement.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

25. Teachers have very good relationships with their pupils. They are good role models, and the most effective teaching ensures that other pupils share their skills and show their examples to others. Teachers manage pupils very well, which results in increasingly good behaviour. In discussions at the end of lessons the teachers are careful to use the completed work of pupils as good examples. This means the best responses and work are constantly reinforced and all Langdown Infant School - 15 examples of challenging behaviour kept in check. This keeps all pupils’ attention focused and resulted in good progress.

p.14

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

26. Teachers’ use of day-to-day assessment during lessons is good across all subjects. Pupils’ work is regularly marked and corrected, and marking is consistently used to inform pupils of their strengths and weaknesses or to give indications of what they need to do to improve. Relevant homework is set to consolidate and extend pupils’ learning.

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

27. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils have very effective individual education plans and as a result they make good progress. The co-ordinator for special educational needs gives very effective support to the pupils in her own class, and gives a great deal of advice and support to the other teachers. Her plans are used well in lessons and the support pupils receive from very effective learning support assistants aids their learning. Pupils with special educational needs are mostly taught within their class groups. A small number of pupils are withdrawn for specific support. This addresses their needs very effectively and supports the work of their class teachers very well. A feature of the lessons seen during the inspection was the way in which teachers included the views of all pupils in whole class and plenary sessions. This includes those with special educational

p.15

HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

needs or with English as an additional language, and their work was often held up to demonstrate good practice or they were selected to take part in assemblies.

p.15

PUPILS?

28. The school provides a good range of curricular activities and other learning opportunities for the pupils. Statutory requirements are met fully including the teaching of religious education and personal, health and sex education as well as the dangers of the misuse of drugs and medicines. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage is good, offering a rich range of well- planned experiences to allow the children good coverage of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age. As well as giving due priority to the teaching of English and mathematics, curricular breadth is achieved by the provision of an appropriate balance of the other subjects. The school’s strategies for the teaching of literacy and numeracy are good and pupils make good progress in these areas. They have identified the need to build on this with a further focus on the teaching of writing to enhance progress further. The writing plan will also provide

p.15

PUPILS?

opportunities for pupils’ to use their literacy skills in other subjects.

p.15

PUPILS?

29. Curriculum planning is good. All subjects have appropriate plans that clearly identify what is to be learnt and how this is to be done and are linked to National Curriculum levels. There are some planned opportunities for pupils to learn from different subjects in a single lesson, for example, using information and communication technology and numeracy skills in a science lesson. The school has identified giving pupils more of these opportunities as an area of priority in their strategic plan. Time is used in well-structured and imaginative ways to ensure pupils derive the maximum benefit from the teaching; for example, a range of activities that includes discussion, planning in pairs, trying out ideas, predicting and recording may all occur within a single lesson.

p.15

PUPILS?

30. The curriculum is inclusive and all pupils, including those with special education needs, have full access to it. This is because the school assures equality of opportunity for all. It is an essential part of its ethos, an explicit aim, and one it meets well. The school seeks to offer the same opportunities to take part and succeed, irrespective of academic ability.

p.15

PUPILS?

31. The school makes good provision for pupils’ personal and social education, both through its timetabled lessons and through informal opportunities arising during the course of the school day. All members of the school staff take time to counsel pupils when the situation demands, ensuring lessons are learnt from particular incidents. Langdown Infant School - 16 32. There is a good range of additional activities for a school of this size, including a computer club, football and dance club. These are well attended equally by boys and girls. The school’s links with the community are good. Pupils enjoy their visits to the local church and library, as well as places further away, such as a garden centre. Visitors to the school include musicians, writers and puppeteers. Fire and police personnel give health and safety talks to support social education. Supervised access to the Internet is being introduced to enrich

p.15

PUPILS?

pupils’ links with the wider world. The school has good links with the playgroup based in the school. Links with the junior school are developing well. During the inspection there was an assembly taken by the junior school head teacher.

p.16

PUPILS?

33. The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development remains a strength of the school.

p.16

PUPILS?

34. The provision for spiritual development is good and permeates the life of the school. It is promoted successfully in assemblies and through the care and concern shown towards pupils by staff. For example, pupils listen quietly to suitably chosen pieces of music at the beginning of assemblies, and opportunities for quiet reflection create a sense of occasion. Pupils write their own simple prayers exploring their ideas and feelings. Teachers work hard to make learning enjoyable and to extend it beyond the material into a spiritual dimension whenever appropriate, for example, by asking the question ”I wonder why?” Classrooms and public spaces around the school have attractive displays that celebrate pupils’ work, reminding everyone of the value of each individual.

p.16

PUPILS?

35. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ moral development. The school operates a positive behaviour policy in which good behaviour is rewarded and the differences between right and wrong are clearly stated and reinforced. There are rewards given for good behaviour, which can be exchanged for a gift from the ‘Gold and Silver Shop’. This lifts pupils’ self-esteem and helps pupils to feel good about themselves. Teachers set a very good example for moral behaviour by treating all pupils with respect and consideration, showing that they value all pupils equally.

p.16

PUPILS?

36. The school makes good provision for social education. There is a strong sense of community within the school. This is articulated simply, but effectively, by the school’s mission statement: ‘Working together to do our best’. The pupils know the school’s rules which are displayed prominently in every classroom and which pupils understand. On the very few occasions when challenging behaviour disturbs the flow of lessons, teachers are patient and understanding. They help pupils to be aware of the responsibilities they have for their own actions.

p.16

PUPILS?

37. Provision for cultural development is satisfactory overall. Pupils have good opportunities to learn about their own culture through literacy, history, art and music. Storytellers, musicians, and puppeteers have all been part of recent experiences. However, there are gaps in the pupils’ understanding of Britain as an ethnically and culturally diverse society. There are examples of pupils studying the customs of ethnic groups, such as the significance of the Chinese New Year, and the lifestyle of people in Mexico. However, the curriculum does not provide sufficient planned opportunities for widening pupils’ understanding of the daily lives and cultural contributions of ethnic groups represented in the United Kingdom.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The procedures for monitoring pupils’ academic progress are good. There have been significant improvements since the last inspection and a clear and effective policy is in place. Teachers know their pupils well and because of this they challenge pupils of all abilities well. Teachers make regular evaluations of pupils’ progress towards the learning intentions of the lessons through questions and observations of their work, They make full use of the information to plan work at a suitable level for pupils. They also set individual targets for pupils in English, mathematics, and personal and social education. Langdown Infant School - 17 39. Good use is made of school and national tests in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science to identify pupils for extra support and to inform teachers’ planning. The school is now able to track pupils’ progress and address areas of weakness as they become apparent.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

Records of pupils’ progress in the core subjects are well detailed and there are straightforward systems for recording progress in some other subjects, but not all. Assessment in information and communication technology has not yet caught up with recent changes in the planned curriculum. Annual reports to parents are good and contain clear and helpful targets in English, mathematics and science.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. As reported at the last inspection, the school takes very effective steps to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety. There is an appropriate health and safety policy and suitable arrangements are in place for first aid and medical support. The school has good arrangements for child protection issues; the head teacher is the named responsible person. The pupils are well supervised at break and lunchtimes. Parents, at the pre-inspection meeting, were very impressed with the care taken of the pupils by the staff. The school has established good provision for pupils’ personal, health and social education (PHSE). There are opportunities for pupils to discuss relevant issues, and aspects of the work are integrated into topics, assemblies, circle time and health education week. There are agencies that support the school’s work on PHSE including the Hampshire police ‘Getting it right’ campaign and the

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. There are very good relationships throughout the school and all staff work hard to maintain positive relationships; they know the pupils well and are able to monitor personal development informally and formally through the assessment of PHSE. The comments that teachers make on the annual reports to parents show that they have good knowledge of the pupils.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. There are very good procedures in place to monitor and promote good behaviour and eliminate oppressive behaviour. The school is using the recognition of success as a focus for behaviour management and this is having a positive impact on standards of behaviour amongst all of the pupils. Golden time is very popular with the pupils as well as the opportunity to gain rewards from the ‘Gold and Silver Shop’. Staff use praise very well as a reward and pupils appreciate that their efforts are noticed. Celebrations of achievement during assemblies are having a positive impact in raising pupils’ self- esteem. Parents, at the pre-inspection meeting, feel that the school is working hard to promote positive behaviour and behaviour in the school has improved since the introduction of new reward systems. All parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire feel that the school is helping their child

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

become mature and responsible. The school is successfully meeting one of its aims ‘to set high expectations and clear achievable targets in learning and behaviour’.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. There are satisfactory procedures in place for monitoring and improving attendance. Staff check the attendance registers and instances of unexplained absence are followed up. The school receives regular support and advice from the Education Welfare Service. Registers are called promptly at the beginning of morning and afternoon sessions and lessons start on time.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school has a good partnership with parents and this is an improvement since the inspection of May 1997. Responses to the pre-inspection questionnaire show that parents now have a more positive view of the school. For example, 97 per cent of parents feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or problems. The parents, who attended the pre- inspection meeting, spoke highly of the head teacher and of his efforts to make parents feel welcome in school.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

45. A small number of parents do not feel that they are kept well informed about how their children are getting on. The inspection team disagrees with this view and found that the quality of information provided for parents about the progress their children are making is good. Annual reports to parents provide good information about what pupils know and can do and they set Langdown Infant School - 18 clear targets on how children could improve their performance in English and mathematics with support from their parents. The school has successfully addressed one of the key issues from the last inspection to improve the arrangements for the routine contact between parents and the school and about the progress and attainment of their children. Three formal opportunities are provided through the year for parents to discuss their child’s progress with teachers. Parents are also welcome in classrooms in the mornings to share books and

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

games with their children and to talk to teachers.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

46. The prospectus contains clear guidelines on how parents can support their children with homework, and the good help that many parents give to their children with IMPACT mathematics (a homework scheme), spelling and reading is a valuable asset to the school. Again, the school has successfully addressed a key issue from the inspection of May 1997 in encouraging parents to become more fully involved in raising standards of attainment through work done at home.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

47. The school prospectus is very informative and contains the home-school agreement, which the school feels is an important element of an effective partnership. Newsletters keep parents up to date with the day-to-day life of the school. Parents are invited to assemblies, book and mathematics chats and shared reading sessions. Others help in classrooms and on visits. A group of hard-working parents organises successful fund-raising and social events. These factors show that the school is making good efforts to establish a partnership with parents, and meeting one of its aims ‘to foster links between home and school’.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The leadership and management of the school is good. The head teacher has a clear vision of the direction that he expects the school to take to improve and so raise standards for all pupils regardless of their background. He is a caring leader with a high level of experience and professional knowledge that is clearly reflected in all aspects of his work. He has used these attributes to make a number of very significant, and necessary, changes in the short time he has been in post. For instance, the introduction of a strategic plan is already enabling better use of resources and the new behaviour management schemes have brought about a significant improvement in the behaviour of pupils throughout the school. An additional good feature of the head teacher’s leadership is reflected in the way in which the school has been developed to include all pupils. Parents now feel that they will be received with care and

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

consideration to discuss matters of importance and help is available when it is needed.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The head teacher is fully supported and complemented by a very capable deputy and other staff. The teachers match the head teacher in his wish to improve the levels of education and care for both pupils and their parents. All co-ordinators are clear about their roles in improving the school’s provision and they do this generally well, with varying degrees of effectiveness depending upon the length of time that they have held their specific responsibilities.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, and the progress they make is good. The management of provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved since the last inspection. The special educational needs co-ordinator is enthusiastic and diligent. She has created very effective systems for tracking the progress of pupils on the school’s special needs register. The individual education plans are detailed and sensible. The targets set for individual pupils are appropriate and take them forward in realistic steps that they all understand. The reviews of statements are handled well and the relationships with parents are good.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The quality of monitoring and evaluation of the school’s performance and the taking of effective action by the school staff is good. Co-ordinators monitor the effectiveness of teachers’ planning regularly and ensure that these plans are put into practice. The senior management team monitors and evaluates each teacher in action at least once a term. There are good procedures in place for the induction of staff who are new to the school, including those who Langdown Infant School - 19 are newly qualified, and the school provides good support and opportunities for student teachers.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The governing body fully supports the actions that the head teacher is taking to move the school forward. The effectiveness of the governing body in fulfilling its statutory responsibilities is satisfactory. They have a committee structure in place, which deals effectively with issues relating to finance, buildings, staffing and admissions. Governors bring a wide variety of expertise to their role. Some governors have been able to visit lessons, hold discussions with teachers and co-ordinators, and gain some overview of standards in subjects. Strategies are in place for sharing this information with the full governing body, but their ability to ask relevant questions to check how well the school’s plans for improvement are progressing is still developing. For example, although they have discussed the advisability of it, they have not yet linked individual governors to classes to gain a close overview of standards in the core

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

subjects. The governing body plays a passive role in the school’s procedures for setting targets for national assessments. They also rely heavily on information provided by the head teacher when taking part in the process of school development planning, and reviewing the progress made towards targets.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school’s new planning for improvement is good. It covers just one year in detail but is being expanded for a period of three years to give a general overview of where the school is heading. The school makes sure that appropriate financial planning underpins developments and supports its priorities. All teachers are now being involved with the development of this plan and co-ordinators take specific responsibilities for developing their parts of it. The head teacher ensures that specific success criteria are included in the plan so that regular evaluation of its progress occurs to ensure that the school’s targets are met.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Since the last inspection, the school has made sound progress with improvements in all areas of concern. The necessity to raise the level of achievement of all pupils in English, mathematics and science, has fluctuated in the last four years, but is now being achieved satisfactorily. The school realises that there is still the need to achieve higher standards for all pupils, but the indications from the inspection are that this process is moving forward well. Assessment of pupils’ learning has been improved in all subjects, especially in English, mathematics and science. Procedures and action now relate clearly to pupils’ learning targets. Learning intentions are clearly defined for every subject and for pupils of all abilities in the core subjects and planning for this is good at all levels. Assessment procedures for the foundation subjects are satisfactory. The behaviour of all pupils has been a high priority for the new head

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

teacher since he joined the school just over a term ago. The new procedures he has introduced have been successful and the pupils’ behaviour is now generally good. The head teacher and all staff have clear understanding and insight on what needs to be done to improve the school further.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The school manages its finances effectively. The apparent under-spend shown in the school’s budget has occurred as a result of the changeover of head teachers and the lack of careful monitoring in the past. The current head teacher has planned all expenditure well now and the carry-forward figure has been reduced appropriately. The finance officer carries out the day-to- day functions of the office very professionally and all matters relating to income and expenditure are dealt with efficiently. Specific grants are used effectively for their designated purpose and the school’s use of best value principles in deciding upon purchases of resources is good.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. The school is well provided with suitably qualified teachers and support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum. Although there has been a significant turnover in the teaching staff, this has been largely because of promotion, and the posts have been filled with well- qualified replacements. Teachers and learning support assistants work well together as partners in the classroom, and special needs support assistants give very good support to the pupils. Langdown Infant School - 20 57. The present accommodation in the school is adequate for the demands of the curriculum. Teachers have made good use of wall space for displays, including those of pupils’ work, the external appearance of the school is good and the building provides an attractive environment for learning. In particular, the recent improvements to the outside areas have provided new and exciting opportunities for the children. They have also made access to the school easier

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

for many parents, who say how much they appreciate this change.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. The school has satisfactory resources for learning in most areas of the curriculum. The stock of books for reading has improved since the previous inspection and is now satisfactory. The resources for children in the Foundation Stage are good. The number of computers has increased since the previous inspection, and there are now sufficient to allow teachers to teach information and communication technology skills effectively. Langdown Infant School - 21

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

59. In order to continue the developments made and further raise the overall standards of pupils’ attainment in all subjects, the governors, head teacher and all staff should jointly:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(a) Build on the improvements already made in English, mathematics and science to raise pupils’ standards of achievement in all subjects further by the time they leave school. This should be accomplished by –

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) devising an overall structured writing plan for each year group (as outlined in the school’s strategic plan); Paragraphs 2, 6, 28, 68, 73

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) continuing to build on the opportunities for pupils’ to use literacy, numeracy and information and communication technology skills in other subjects of the curriculum. Paragraphs 28, 29, 72, 79, 80, 95, 106

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) building on the tracking of pupils’ progress in the non-core subjects through the use of the current computer-based system, as seen in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science; Paragraphs 39, 91, 95, 108, 121

p.21

OTHER MINOR ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

(b) Ensure that pupils gain a clear understanding of the multi-cultural nature of society through incorporating and emphasising these aspects in the written guidance for all subjects. Paragraph 37

p.21

OTHER MINOR ISSUES WHICH SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL

(c) Build on the governors’ current knowledge of the school to ensure they monitor the school’s overall performance more effectively and help to shape the direction for future improvement. Paragraph 52 Langdown Infant School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 107

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 23

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 14

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Langdown Infant School - 23 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Langdown Infant School - 24

p.22

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 18 16 34

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

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

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

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 68 (62) 71 (59) 82 (68) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 12 15 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 12 13 14

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 71 (65) 82 (68) 85 (49) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Langdown Infant School - 25

p.24

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.7 Financial year 2000/2001

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y2 Total income 276050

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 274623

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 161 Expenditure per pupil 2520

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent Balance brought forward from previous year 23485

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 24912

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6.0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5.1

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Langdown Infant School - 26

p.25

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 60 35 5 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 53 44 0 2 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 51 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 58 30 12 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 81 16 2 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 79 21 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 79 14 7 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 84 16 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 70 30 0 0 0

p.26

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 40 9 0 7 Langdown Infant School - 27

p.26

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Most children’s attainment on entry to the school is well below average in all areas of learning. It is particularly restricted in communication, language and literacy. All children receive well- planned support to enable them to achieve well and make good gains in all areas of learning. But, due to their low start, their overall standards of attainment by the end of the Foundation Stage are still well below the national expectations. Based on the inspection evidence, most children do not reach the expectations for their age in the areas of communication, language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world by the end of the Foundation Stage. Children achieve best in their personal, social and emotional development. They attain many of the expectations for their age in the areas of creative and physical development by the time they enter Year 1. These findings maintain the position at the time of

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

the previous inspection report. Although children attain standards well below national expectations by the time they leave the Foundation Stage, their achievement in all areas of learning is consistently good. This is due to the good quality teaching in the reception class, and for those pupils of reception age in the class with Year 1 pupils. Children with special educational needs receive very good support to enhance their progress in both nursery and reception classes. Children learning English as an additional language do equally well and show good progress throughout the Foundation Stage.

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. The overall quality of teaching is consistently good in all areas of learning. Teachers provide stimulating experiences that are relevant, imaginative and enjoyable, such as creative work including collage, painting and tile making. Planning reflects all areas of learning and effectively builds upon children’s existing skills, knowledge and understanding. Teachers’ expectations of work and behaviour are appropriate and the tasks match children’s level of attainment well. The learning is extended to embrace and link to the work children will do in Key Stage 1, particularly in the literacy and numeracy strategies. Both teachers of reception age children plan effectively with clear reference to what children will learn. Teachers’ short-term planning links learning objectives to all the areas of learning. In addition to the assessments taking place on entry to the reception classes, there are consistent procedures for assessing

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

children on a daily basis, to support planning of work to meet children’s specific learning needs. Homework in the form of borrowing books and IMPACT mathematics materials is used well on a regular basis to enhance children’s progress.

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

62. Most children enter the school with low personal, social and emotional skills. They quickly settle down and feel both happy and secure. By the time they start Year 1, most children reach the national expectations in this area. This shows good achievement and reflects the skilful teaching of the staff. Some simple classroom rules are shared with all. Children make good progress as they learn to co-operate, share and take turns. They are constantly encouraged to feel confident about what they can achieve in a variety of learning situations such as sharing refreshments daily and taking turns in a familiar set up, for example working in pairs on the computer or in their ‘Building Site’. Children are encouraged to concentrate and listen quietly. A good example was observed in a literacy lesson where children compared their favourite foods. They carefully listened to others and patiently waited for their own turn to make

p.27

Personal, social and emotional development

contributions. Children are taught the difference between right and wrong, and guided to behave sensibly at all times. They show consideration and respect for property and each other. All staff act as good role models for children and explain clearly what is expected of them. Children are helped to form good relationships with others. Most children are attentive and eager to learn, and enjoy sharing their work with any available adult. They participate enthusiastically in teacher-led and self-initiated activities. Teaching is good. Children are Langdown Infant School - 28 purposefully occupied and skilfully managed. The staff sensitively support and extend children’s play and responses.

p.27

Communication, language and literacy

63. Children’s skills in communication, language and literacy are well below average when they enter the school. Many are reluctant to speak and much of their communication is non-verbal or in single words. The teaching of language skills is good. Staff plan well to develop children’s talk and introduce new vocabulary. They constantly encourage children to talk about what they are doing, for example, in role-play in the ‘Building Site’ or when working with playdough. There are appropriate opportunities for children to listen and respond to stories, songs and rhymes in the nursery. Children in the reception class start to link sounds with letters through language games. They systematically learn and consolidate new sounds through daily practice. Staff show that they value children’s efforts at communicating. Children begin to talk interestingly about their experiences and develop new vocabulary, but their communication skills are still

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

very low. While some children willingly talk about the aspects of their work, many find speaking clearly and in full sentences quite difficult. Some children are gaining satisfactory control in developing early writing skills. Most children draw and paint with increasing control and a few write their names unaided. Very good progress is made when adults work in small groups or give children individual attention. The introduction of elements of the literacy strategy is making a significant impact. For example, children develop new vocabulary as they discuss pictures in the storybooks, in the shared reading of ‘The Hungry Giant’. Adults effectively model direction of print and use good artefacts and story props to enhance children’s love for books. Children listen attentively and join in the repetitive phrases with great interest.

p.28

Mathematical development

64. Children’s mathematical development is well below average when they join the school. They start to learn to say and use numbers in number rhymes and songs, and start to count to ten. For example, when playing with skittles, they are supported in their one-to-one correspondence in counting and comparing who has knocked down more or fewer skittles when in pairs. In the reception class, they learn to sequence the numbers 1 to 10. They use numbers as labels for counting and most count reliably from one to ten. However, due to the low start, many children are not likely to achieve the nationally expected levels in mathematics by the end of Foundation Stage. They do, however, make good gains in lessons and over time with opportunities to repeat and consolidate learning. They are effectively supported to match, sort and count everyday objects. Teaching of this area is good. In the oral/mental sessions,

p.28

Mathematical development

children are effectively supported to count forwards and backwards from ten and understand one less or one more. Opportunities for practical activities are well planned. Children begin to recognise basic shapes and gain some knowledge of capacity and weight from practical experiences with sand and water. They describe objects by position, shape, size, colour and quantity. Children enjoy working with large and small construction equipment. Most children demonstrate limited knowledge and understanding of how to solve simple problems involving addition and subtraction by the end of the reception year. Adult involvement in children’s activities is very good. All teachers successfully plan suitable activities and make useful timely assessments to ascertain individual children’s progress.

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

65. Good teaching of the reception children gives them many suitable opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding of the world, for example, learning about families in the home corner. Children investigate the properties of objects, observing how they look and feel. They work with sand and water and freely explore properties of malleable materials. They compare properties such as hardness and softness and make good use of senses. Children are encouraged to look closely at objects and compare similarities and differences. Most children enter the reception classes with limited general knowledge. Adults support children’s Langdown Infant School - 29 understanding and encourage learning about different parts of the body and how the children have grown since they were babies. Children use paint well and mix different colours, and most can name basic colours correctly. Regular opportunities to cook promote children’s

p.28

Knowledge and understanding of the world

learning about how ingredients change when mixed. Children have opportunities to build with construction materials and gradually develop skills in asking questions to find out how things work. Most children demonstrate developing computer skills expected for their age. They show increasing control in using the mouse to move items on the screen. There is effective adult intervention in activities to ask suitable questions to develop and extend children’s knowledge and understanding of things in the environment.

p.29

Physical development

66. Many children are on course to meet their expectations of Early Learning Goals in their physical development. However, the outdoor provision for reception classes is only just satisfactory and the opportunities for children’s activities are limited. The space immediately outside the classrooms is adequate for the use of wheeled or any other large equipment necessary to enhance development of large body movements and control, but there is little else available. In the main school hall children learn to be aware of space and develop co- ordination and control in movement. The teachers have a sensitive awareness of children’s safety. Both classes regularly attend movement lessons. Children can follow simple instructions and gradually learn to follow more complex and longer instructions. In their use of construction toys a significant number of pupils demonstrate reasonable hand and eye co- ordination. They are developing confidence in the use of different tools such as scissors and

p.29

Physical development

brushes and joining materials such as glue and string. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers provide calm and sensitive support and show good understanding of how young children learn.

p.29

Creative development

67. Most children are on course to meet the national expectations by the end of the Foundation Stage in creative development. They experiment with paint and use their observations and imagination to create pleasing results. They are given opportunities to explore colour and texture, and work with a range of materials. Some examples of collage work related to music lessons were particularly good. In music lessons, children sing and clap nursery rhymes and express enjoyment. They learn to name and use different percussion instruments and copy rhythms and beat loud and soft sounds on the tambourine. Support staff work closely with teachers and make positive contributions to children’s learning. They talk to the children and ask relevant questions to extend their vocabulary. For example, when making a collage using a range of media, pupils are encouraged to talk, clarify ideas and enhance the use of tools and

p.29

Creative development

learning of different techniques, for example, mixing paints in pallets to make new shades to paint recognisable shapes such as triangles and circles.

p.29

ENGLISH

68. In the English national tests for pupils aged seven in 2001, the standards achieved by the school showed a significant improvement from the levels achieved in 2000. The findings of the inspection are that these improvements are continuing as all pupils are making good progress. However, standards overall are still below average as many pupils do not yet reach those standards expected for their age by the time they leave. This confirms the position at the time of the last inspection, except in relation to those pupils of higher ability who are now making better progress. The school has identified in its strategic plan the need for around two-thirds of each year group of pupils to read and write the appropriate words from the lists identified in the National Literacy Strategy for their age. This would represent a real improvement considering the very low position of most pupils when they begin school and the school is already on the

p.29

ENGLISH

way to achieving it. However, even with this improvement the overall level of achievement would be below average when compared to all schools. Langdown Infant School - 30 69. When pupils enter school, most have levels of ability well below those expected for their age. Most lack confidence in speaking and listening. Their reading skills are poorly developed and only a few pupils have sufficient pencil control to enable them to write.

p.29

ENGLISH

70. The school sees the development of speaking and listening as a high priority and in this aspect most pupils are achieving standards in line with expectations for their age by the time they are seven. Throughout the school, pupils listen well to their teachers and to each other but initially many lack confidence in expressing their ideas and often offer one-word answers. In order to build pupils’ confidence in speaking and listening, many opportunities to develop these skills are given in lessons. They include answering questions posed by the teacher, discussing investigations and other tasks with other pupils, and circle time, when they can talk about things that they feel are important to them. Pupils respond confidently to role-play and when speaking aloud. For example, in a Year 1 class, at the start of the lesson, pupils introduced themselves to each other and explained what they were looking forward to. The

p.30

ENGLISH

lesson continued with a discussion about personal safety and, with encouragement and support from their teacher, most pupils gained enough confidence to join in the discussion. Speaking and listening is also well promoted throughout the school curriculum. In assemblies pupils are eager to answer questions and listen very carefully. By the end of the key stage pupils are confident speakers and many have begun to achieve levels in line with expectations for their age.

p.30

ENGLISH

71. Reading skills are well taught and in response to the school’s analysis of their own assessments, targets are set for the end of the year. There are some able readers by the end of the key stage but they are in the minority and the general standard of reading is below the national average. Most pupils, except those who are newly arrived or who have special educational needs, gain a good grasp of letter sounds by the end of Key Stage 1. Average and higher attainers read fluently and can summarise the main ideas in a story. When most pupils come to a difficult word they tend to be reliant on phonic clues and ‘sound’ out the word, and lack other strategies. The school has invested heavily, both in time and resources, to ensure that pupils have a wide range of books to read individually and in groups. There is a main published reading scheme and a range of other readers to support the development of

p.30

ENGLISH

reading. Parents are encouraged to hear their child read at home and a number of them support reading in the school. To ensure that all pupils are heard reading regularly, extra time has been given, usually at the start of the day, for all pupils to be heard every week. All pupils have a reading record that is filled in by the teacher and parents every time they read. They are also encouraged to select books from their colour band to take home. Pupils read different types of texts together with their teachers and through group reading sessions. By the end of the key stage, many pupils have acquired the confidence to read at their own level, and are doing as well as they can. Pupils have library time and generally have basic library skills and understand the contents and index pages to locate information from books.

p.30

ENGLISH

72. The teaching of writing is good and pupils are making good progress. Despite this, the standards in writing by the time pupils are seven is below the average level for their age, and the school has highlighted this as an area for further development. In the writing of many of the younger pupils, the sentences are short, spelling is haphazard and letter formation is uneven. Grammatical errors are common. However, examination of pupils’ books shows an improvement in standards over time. Pupils mainly write stories or recount events, but are required to do descriptive writing in other subjects. The analysis of pupils’ work in Year 2 shows a good range of writing and good progress being maintained, but some of the earlier problems with punctuation and spelling persist. Despite this good progress, there are examples of pupils’ writing that are too brief, and that contain careless mistakes in punctuation

p.30

ENGLISH

and are untidy. Pupils’ work includes story writing, re-telling a familiar story, poetry writing, writing and illustrating their own books, labelling illustrations and adding captions to pictures, adding speech bubbles to pictures, and writing instructions. Examples of descriptive writing were seen where pupils put instructions together on how to make a hot drink. Assessment in writing is undertaken regularly and the results of assessment help teachers to plan future work to address the weaknesses in grammar and punctuation. The use of information and Langdown Infant School - 31 communication technology in English is satisfactory with some good examples. For example, in one class a teacher had set up a word bank on the screen for pupils to create sentences using words they had been introduced to in the opening session of the lesson.

p.30

ENGLISH

73. Standards in handwriting are satisfactory. Handwriting is based on a published handwriting scheme and also links in well to the handwriting style used in teaching other subjects. By the time pupils reach the end of the key stage, their handwriting is better and is improving. The presentation of some pupils’ work shows well-formed letters of a consistent size. This shows good progress over time due to effective teaching of handwriting and consistent attention to developing skills to encourage pupils to do their best that the school now aims to make available to all pupils in their developing writing plan.

p.31

ENGLISH

74. Pupils with special educational needs have detailed individual education plans, which are often based on their language needs and are followed carefully by all teachers. This results in good teaching that is well focused. The teaching assistants give these pupils opportunities to succeed as when a group of older reception age children worked on making words with “en”, and distinguishing between “p” and “b” to take back to their teacher. They were delighted when they made words with more than one syllable, especially because of the support assistant’s very good use of praise. This opportunity meant they learnt well and made good progress. Despite these very good opportunities the many pupils with special educational needs are still below the expected levels in literacy by the time they leave the school.

p.31

ENGLISH

75. The quality of teaching is very good overall. Teachers are confident in the teaching of literacy and the teaching of basic skills. Planning is very good and, the good teaching is based on high expectations, brisk pace and good assessment. For example, an early assessment is undertaken in the first term of entering the reception class. Homework is given weekly to all pupils. Teachers’ methods of marking are consistent throughout the school. In the best examples of marking, teachers sign and date the marked work, make comments to move pupils on in their learning, ensure that any corrections necessary are completed and only praise where pupils’ work deserves praise. The subject co-ordinator is very efficient and has ensured an action plan and log of action have been in place each year since taking over the post. Very effective and useful monitoring is undertaken of national tests, teachers’ planning

p.31

ENGLISH

and the progress on target setting. As a result, higher attaining pupils are challenged effectively in many lessons, and pupils learning English as an additional language or having special educational needs learn well.

p.31

ENGLISH

76. English resources are good and there is a generous budget given to the subject to ensure essential purchases. There is a non-fiction library that is well planned and contains a good range of books to meet the needs of pupils. The use of an additional support assistant on one morning a week in the library is doing a great deal to enhance pupils’ use of the library and pupils’ research skills. Other fiction and some non-fiction books are situated outside classrooms for pupils to choose to read at home. All classrooms have a sufficient range of fiction and non-fiction books for the development of pupils’ reading.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

77. Inspection findings from classroom observations, analyses of pupils’ work and talking with them are that pupils attain below the expected level by the time they leave the school. Although standards appear to have declined since the time of the last inspection, there was a considerable improvement in the standards pupils achieved in the end of year national tests between 2000 and 2001, and standards overall have risen. Inspection evidence shows that this improvement is being built on well.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

78. Pupils enter the school with well below average numeracy skills overall, and make good progress during their time at school. This is as a direct result of the good teaching and leadership that have developed recently. Underlying all provision is the good analysis the Langdown Infant School - 32 school makes of the achievements of all pupils and groups of pupils. They know, therefore, exactly where they need to direct their efforts in each class to provide extra support for pupils needing help with basic number skills. This enables more able pupils to be challenged well in many lessons, and pupils learning English as an additional language or having special educational needs to be given appropriate tasks and make good progress.

p.31

MATHEMATICS

79. Seven year olds count on and back in ones, twos and tens successfully. Most can add and subtract simple numbers in a variety of ways although some less able pupils struggle with this. More able pupils apply their knowledge well to solving problems and can explain how they arrived at the answers. Most pupils have good mathematical vocabulary and know, for example, that the word ‘altogether’ in a problem means that they need to use addition to solve it. Pupils can assemble data and represent it on a bar chart and extract information from this. They know the properties of common shapes and recognise the lines of symmetry in many more. They measure carefully and know how to ‘round up’ or ‘round down’ to the nearest centimetre. There are some opportunities for pupils to use their knowledge in other subjects, such as science when measuring hand spans and information and communication technology to create bar charts, but these are limited.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

80. Observations of lessons, looking at pupils’ work and talking with them show that teaching is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection. The quality seen during the week of the inspection was very good. Most lessons begin with an energetic mental and oral session. The brisk pace, for example in Year 1, had pupils concentrating hard on their knowledge of money as coins were dropped into a box. Teachers’ planning is very good. They set out clear learning intentions and share these with pupils and make good checks throughout the lessons to gauge whether or not pupils are making enough progress towards achieving them. This is often through perceptive questioning, leading to skilful handling of responses. This was the case in a Year 2 lesson on solving problems: the teacher soon realised that pupils were counting in ones to arrive at the answer. She reminded them of their knowledge of number

p.32

MATHEMATICS

bonds up to ten and pupils quickly saw that these provided a quicker and more economic way of adding up. At the same time extra help was given to those pupils who found this difficult. Mathematical vocabulary, such as ‘total’, is used well by teachers to help pupils explain what they have done with increasing clarity. Good use is made of simple practical apparatus to help pupils understand ideas; for example, in a very good lesson with the youngest pupils they played a variety of games including dice and skittles to help them understand subtraction in a practical context. The opportunities to extend their learning through the use of ICT are limited at the moment, although pupils can consolidate their learning through the use of simple computer programs as part of their planned group activities.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

81. Teachers are well organised and manage their pupils very well. This means that pupils settle quickly to their group tasks and concentrate well throughout the lesson. These groups are often made up of pupils of the same level of ability, enabling teachers and assistants to work with pupils at a common level of understanding. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress because of the close attention paid to the targets of individual educational programmes in planning and the very good support given by classroom assistants.

p.32

MATHEMATICS

82. The subject is well managed and the co-ordinator has a clear idea of what needs to be done. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are good. The analysis the school is now making of pupils’ work enables teachers to target pupils individually to support their learning. There are good resources to back up the teaching of the National Numeracy Strategy. Pupils are involved in a homework scheme called ‘IMPACT Maths’. This is a positive incentive to assist pupils’ learning of numeracy skills.

p.32

SCIENCE

83. Evidence from the inspection shows that, overall, pupils attain below the expected level in science at the age of seven. The current Year 2 class has a large number of pupils with special educational needs thus lowering the overall levels of attainment achieved. Initially, Langdown Infant School - 33 standards in science declined after the last inspection. This trend has been reversed and evidence from the inspection, based on standards in lessons and the examination of past work, shows a significant number of pupils achieving the expected levels and some more-able pupils achieving above this. This is, in part, because of good teaching and careful checking of pupils’ progress, particularly their investigative skills.

p.32

SCIENCE

84. By the time pupils leave the school, most pupils understand the action of simple forces such as pushes and pulls and which is needed to move toy cars in a particular direction. They know that the shape of materials can be changed through twisting, bending and squashing. Higher attaining pupils know that some stretched materials can return to their original shape. They have made early investigations into electricity and can construct a simple electrical circuit to light a bulb. More able pupils can compare circuits and give cause and effect explanations, for example, that more batteries give a brighter light or that more bulbs make for a weaker light. Pupils have a good idea about the need to keep healthy and some of the ways that this might be achieved through exercise and diet. They know that all living things require certain conditions and elements to grow successfully.

p.33

SCIENCE

85. All pupils, including those with special educational needs achieve well in science. The youngest pupils understand ‘loud’ and ‘soft’ sounds and can explain in simple terms why an alarm clock, for example, needs to be loud. Year 1 pupils build upon this knowledge and make simple predictions as to whether, for example, a whistle blown in the classroom would be louder than if blown on the other side of the playground. Year 2 pupils are well challenged by an investigation into the statement ‘People who are oldest have the biggest hands’. Pupils’ scientific knowledge and vocabulary builds well as they move through the school, although some pupils’ progress is impeded by weak literacy skills. There is good use of ICT to record pupils’ findings in their own investigations.

p.33

SCIENCE

86. The quality of teaching is good. No comparison can be made with the previous report, because no judgment was made then about teaching. Consistently good features now are teachers’ subject knowledge, confidence in guiding pupils’ investigations and their careful planning. Learning objectives, written and explained in simple terms, are shared with the pupils so that they know what is expected of them. Practical sessions are well organised with teachers focusing on the planning of the experiment and predicting what might happen. Every opportunity is taken to help pupils understand that they must make their practical tests fair. For example, in a Year 1 lesson, pupils were investigating whether sounds were fainter when further away. They soon realised that it would not be fair to test this if they turned the radio up as they moved further away from the group. Teachers question pupils skilfully to establish

p.33

SCIENCE

what they know, revise previous learning effectively and consolidate learning at the end of sessions. Group work is well organised and carefully explained; as a result, pupils settle down quickly with the minimum of fuss. Pupils respond positively, are keen to participate, and show interest in their work.

p.33

SCIENCE

87. The recently appointed co-ordinator is well informed about teaching of science across the school and has good plans for the further development of the subject. Teachers’ planning and pupils’ work is monitored on a regular basis. Resources are satisfactory and there are plans to improve storage so that they are more accessible.

p.33

ART AND DESIGN

88. One lesson was seen in the Foundation Stage and one at Key Stage 1 during the inspection and there was additional evidence of pupils’ work to judge standards, progress and teaching. The work seen and scrutiny of teachers planning confirm that the subject is well established for all classes. The collection of pupils’ work shows the school’s present emphasis on the development of skills and the good impact this is having on raising standards. Pupils are now achieving the level expected for their age. This maintains the position achieved at the time of the last inspection. Langdown Infant School - 34 89. Teachers plan the work thoroughly, making use of the new guidance to ensure that skills are developed systematically. Pupils use small pieces of tissue paper to explore and create shades of green, blue and purple when creating a tile for the class collage. They place the pieces carefully to intensify the colour by overlapping the petals. In their sketching and

p.33

ART AND DESIGN

drawing, older pupils use pencils and pastels. They explore printing techniques using their hand and fingers to create patterns. Their drawings show improving qualities of shape and increasing attention to detail. Pupils particularly enjoy using information and communication technology to plan and draw for themselves and in pairs. The drawing programs become increasingly complicated as pupils go through the school and offer a good, increasing challenge that all pupils enjoy.

p.34

ART AND DESIGN

90. The quality of teaching in the lessons seen was good. The lessons were well planned and built on the work of the previous session. Pupils in Year R worked on two-dimensional designs that they planned to make into clay tiles. The teacher’s good questioning skills helped pupils to review their work and the practicalities of the design for transferring to a tile, for example, “Can you make those shapes with that tool?“ and “Will that shape stay like that when it is fired?” This helped pupils to develop their understanding of the development of their designs. Pupils made good progress in their ability to identify ways of improving their work as a result of the teacher’s good emphasis on evaluation. Throughout the school pupils really enjoy themselves, and their interest leads them to new insights about their work.

p.34

ART AND DESIGN

91. The school is committed to improving the quality of the art curriculum and the quality of teaching. Since the last inspection, teachers have established art in the curriculum and now provide pupils with an appropriate range of experiences. The school is following a structured programme of work, which the co-ordinator plans to review and adapt to the specific needs of the school over the course of the current term. The implementation of the school’s overall assessment procedures to include art and design is planned for the future to ensure pupils make regular progress.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. Inspection evidence shows that pupils of all abilities make satisfactory progress with their learning in design and technology. The school now has a scheme of work that builds systematically on prior knowledge, skills and understanding of the subject and this is an improvement since the last inspection. By the time they leave school, the quality of their work is at a level expected for their age and standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

93. Pupils carry out a balance of designing and making activities, achieved through an appropriate number of projects throughout the year. These provide an appropriately balanced technology education with opportunities to develop craft skills. Pupils use a variety of materials and joining techniques to design and make a variety of woven artefacts. Pupils draw on their existing knowledge and understanding and link these to other curriculum areas. An example was seen in music and geography when pupils designed, made and evaluated Chinese games and patterns. Pupils measure and cut materials with care and precision, handling tools in a mature and sensible manner. Later they are able to evaluate their work and suggest ways for it to be improved.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. Teaching is good. Lessons are well planned and resources are prepared and well organised so that all pupils can make a prompt start. All teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and use good management strategies to ensure all pupils stay focused on their tasks. Pupils enjoy the subject. They are interested and work hard, both independently and in small groups, sharing ideas and resources well.

p.34

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. Since the last inspection a scheme of work has been put into place and it encompasses all aspects of Curriculum 2000, the needs of the school and the skills to be assessed. The use of Langdown Infant School - 35 the school’s computer based tracking system to record these assessments of pupils’ skills and ensure maximum is planned. Although all areas of the curriculum, including food technology are given adequate coverage, the school recognises that control technology to extend the use of ICT and numeracy skills, and the provision of additional resources are areas for development.

p.34

GEOGRAPHY

96. The standards achieved by pupils in geography are in line with those expected by the age of seven. Standards are similar to those at the time of the last inspection.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

97. By the age of seven pupils successfully compare life and features in Hythe with those found in an island off the coast of Scotland. They are able to describe differences in environments and use simple maps to locate places. They competently describe what they like and dislike in the area around the school and make suggestions as to how to improve it. They closely examine photographs and can talk about the features of the physical and human environment that they see, such as in their study of Tocuaro, a village in Mexico. They are able to find Mexico on a globe and in an atlas.

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

98. The quality of teaching is good. The lessons are well prepared, and a range of stimulating resources is gathered to capture the pupils’ interests. For example, good quality photographs of a family living in a Mexican village prompted careful observation and keen comment from the pupils. Teachers have secure knowledge of the subject and this enables them to ask probing questions about life in Mexico or how it differs from other places. The interest and enthusiasm of the pupils is a feature of lessons and they make good gains in their knowledge and understanding of geography as they move through the school. Pupils co-operate well as they share ideas and information. Pupils have combined text and graphics well to produce pictures for their history and geography topics. They have also used bar charts to sort and present information after simple geography topics. They use a CD-ROM to locate places they

p.35

GEOGRAPHY

99. The newly appointed co-ordinator is enthusiastic and has already up-dated the policy on how the subject should be taught. Resources are satisfactory and good use is made of the local environment; for example, Year 1 pupils draw simple plans for visitors to the school. There are good interactive displays of pupils’ work, such as the ‘nice’ and ‘not so nice’ areas of the school, which encourage pupils to suggest improvements. There is good monitoring of the planning of the subject and a straightforward system to check that pupils’ skills in geography build up as they move up through the school.

p.35

HISTORY

100. During the inspection, only one history lesson was seen. Additional evidence was obtained from discussions with teachers and pupils and the analysis of pupils’ work. Currently, the attainment of seven year olds is in line with expectations for their age. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

p.35

HISTORY

101. By the time they are seven, pupils have gained a sound knowledge of the famous people they have studied, such as Grace Darling, and effectively engage in role-play based on how she and her father rowed the boat in the storm. They capably use secondary sources, such as photographs, to find out about conditions in Victorian schools. They are able to make comparisons between schools in Victorian times and the present day. They understand aspects of the passing of time and can sequence events, for example, in the Gunpowder Plot.

p.35

HISTORY

102. It was not possible to see enough lessons in history to make a judgement about teaching. In the one lesson seen, with a group of pupils with challenging behaviour, teaching was satisfactory. The teacher was knowledgeable about history, which gave depth to pupils’ Langdown Infant School - 36 learning. The work was well planned with a varied range of activities. Pertinent questions were asked, based upon the collection of pictures from the past. The teacher dealt with pupils’ difficulties with understanding and patience.

p.35

HISTORY

103. The subject is well led by the co-ordinator, who gets things done, for example, by putting together plans and resources for teachers for the topics studied. There are satisfactory arrangements to check how well pupils are learning and whether they are making enough progress. Pupils’ experiences of history are enhanced by visits, for example, to the local church. They are beginning to use information and communication technology to record their work, both individually and in groups.

p.36

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

104. The standards achieved by pupils in information and communication technology are now in line with those expected for their age. The school’s resources for the subject have improved since the previous inspection. The present number of computers allows sufficient opportunity for lessons to address all the necessary skills for pupils to develop and their level of attainment has risen as a result.

p.36

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

105. Each class has a 20-minute session each week in which the whole class is taught directly by the teacher, and pupils then have an opportunity to use the computer individually or in pairs at some time during the week. Because pupils now have the opportunity to practise these skills immediately, the impact of the teaching is not lost as it was at the time of the last inspection. Teachers have now had the training planned to develop their own skills in information and communication technology and so their confidence to use computers whenever appropriate has increased significantly and, therefore, pupils gain greater access to their machines.

p.36

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

106. There are some good examples of the use of information and communication technology to support literacy and numeracy, and the school has plans to enhance these opportunities further. In Year 1 pupils were using computers to put together simple sentences that had been introduced in the first part of the literacy lesson. In Year 2 pupils change the style and size of the print of one of the poems they are studying. Pupils have combined text and graphics well to produce pictures for their history and geography topics. They have also used bar charts to sort and present information. They use a CD-ROM to locate places they have visited on a map of the world. Although the school has access to the Internet and has written a suitable policy for it, there was no evidence during the inspection, or in the work analysed, of pupils using the Internet or electronic mail.

p.36

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

107. In the brief sessions seen, the teaching and learning were satisfactory. Teachers have a sound knowledge that enables them to demonstrate the basic skills, and they can see how individual pupils are mastering these skills and have the information on which to plan the next stage of pupils’ work. Pupils listen well in the sessions when the teacher is demonstrating and they behave well when they are working individually on the computer, but they sometimes find it difficult to maintain their concentration on the task set when working on their own.

p.36

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

108. The co-ordinator has a good understanding of the subject and has had the opportunity to monitor teachers’ planning, which enables her to support other teachers, and she has begun work on a system to assess pupils’ attainment in the subject after the necessary changes she made to the long-term planning. This will ensure that pupils build systematically on the skills and understanding they have gained, which the co-ordinator acknowledges she cannot guarantee at present. At the time of the previous inspection, raising standards in information and communication technology was a key issue. Progress has been made since then, and although expectations have also increased, the school is now achieving standards in line with those expected. Langdown Infant School - 37

p.36

MUSIC

109. Standards in music are above the level expected for seven-year-old pupils. This is because the sound teaching of class teachers is enhanced by some excellent input from a visiting specialist music teacher. Pupils sing enthusiastically, making a bold sound. Most sing well in pitch and the tone is good. Standards have risen since the time of the last inspection. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils know that sounds can be created in many ways. They use a variety of voice and body sounds for pitch and rhythm. For example, pupils can distinguish between high and low sounds and long and short notes through the use of their voice. They understand that tempo and rhythm are important to the style of music through keeping a steady, fast or slow beat, and also clapping different rhythms in response to the teachers’ lead. Pupils know that music has dynamics and make gradations of soft to loud and vice versa. Links with other

p.37

MUSIC

areas of the curriculum are made in teachers’ planning.

p.37

MUSIC

110. In the Year 2 lesson, pupils demonstrated a good sense of pulse and rhythm. They thought through parts of the song silently and restarted in time. They had good ideas about the piece of music to which they listened and understood its nature well. They realised that they would need noisy instruments to make music in the same style. Pupils can read simple rhythms from their own symbols and from traditional notation.

p.37

MUSIC

111. Teaching is good. Some very good teaching was seen during the inspection where high level music skills, combined with pupils’ good behaviour and attitudes, produced first-rate sessions. Lively pace and appropriate, interesting activities also helped to keep pupils motivated and enjoying their music making. In the singing sessions almost every pupil became involved and worked hard. Singing skills advanced perceptibly within the sessions.

p.37

MUSIC

112. The school’s music provision is well managed. The part-time specialist teacher ensures that the allocation of projects to year groups is good and the experiences they provide run through the school. There is also a good in-service element because class teachers attend all the sessions and carry on the class-based music in between the visits of the specialist teacher. The school has taken a very positive step in committing sums of money to enhance its music provision and is getting a good return on its investment.

p.37

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. During the inspection it was possible to observe only one dance and one gymnastics lesson. As a result there is insufficient evidence to form a judgment about standards in the subject. No games lessons were seen. However, from discussion with staff and examination of documents, it is clear that the physical education curriculum is broad and balanced. The school has successfully maintained the profile of the subject since the last inspection.

p.37

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

114. Year 2 pupils work with concentration in gymnastics, for example, through actions involving balance. They co-operate well with each other. They show increasing control when moving from one balanced position to another. Good progress is made in observing the work of other pupils and using their ideas for improvement. Year 1 pupils demonstrate sound physical skills in their dance activities. They respond to music imaginatively, capturing the movements of various animals and insects well in their actions. They show a good awareness of the space around them. They enjoy working together in pairs, putting together movements to create simple dance.

p.37

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

115. The quality of teaching in the two lessons seen was satisfactory. Activities are well structured and designed to improve pupils’ skills. Teachers make useful teaching points, for example, to bend the knees in order to jump higher. They manage classes well and show good awareness of safety when working in the hall. Where teaching has weaknesses, it is when explanations of the task are too lengthy or when there are limited opportunities for pupils to discuss what they Langdown Infant School - 38 and others have done in order to improve their skills. This was the case at the time of the last inspection and still is. 116. The subject is well managed by the head teacher, who, together with staff, has revised the scheme of work based on national guidelines, which ensures pupils’ physical education skills build up as they move through the school. There is a useful assessment system in place to check pupils’ progress. There are good out-of-school activities, including football and dance,

p.37

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

which contribute to pupils’ skills in physical education.

p.38

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. When pupils leave the school at seven, standards of work in religious education are at the level expected for pupils of this age. Whilst standards are lower than those found at the time of the previous inspection, the school has successfully maintained the profile of the subject within the time available and provides a satisfactory range of topics relevant to the age and interest of the pupils. It meets what is expected in the locally agreed syllabus, known as ‘Vision and Insight’.

p.38

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

118. Pupils across the school have learnt about Remembrance Sunday and understand what poppies symbolise. Seven-year-old pupils understand that people of different faiths have their own special places of worship and they know that Christians worship in a church. They visit the local church and recall some of the significant features, such as the cross, candles and the altar. Examples of pupils’ work show that they learn about stories in both the New and the Old Testaments. They explore human values, for example friendship, and appreciate in simple terms that these are special qualities in their lives.

p.38

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

119. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory overall. Pupils study topics in increasing depth. Younger pupils remember the story of ‘the nativity’ well and produce good writing using appropriate vocabulary, such as ‘halo’ and ‘good news’. Older pupils have produced well-researched descriptions of Jesus as a special, caring and thoughtful man, from their study of extracts from the New Testament.

p.38

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

120. It is not possible to make a judgement about the overall quality of teaching as only one lesson was seen. Teaching in the lesson observed was good. The teacher has good subject knowledge, which is conveyed sensitively and appropriately. She kept pupils fully involved throughout the lesson by asking thought-provoking questions. The teacher managed pupils well, treating them with respect and valuing their contributions. As a result, pupils pay good attention to the teacher and listen carefully to one another. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and take part fully in the activities.

p.38

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

121. The co-ordinator of the subject has a real interest and enthusiasm for religious education, and, although only recently appointed to the position, has initiated a review of the subject with teachers. There is a clear development plan for the subject, which includes assessment of pupils’ knowledge and understanding of each project and the implementation of the school’s record keeping system.

p.38