Ribbleton Avenue Infant School

INSPECTION REPORT

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

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INSPECTION REPORT

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. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 3 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Ribbleton Avenue Preston Postcode: PR1 5RU

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: December 1996 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 4 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

M R Shepherd Registered inspector Information technology Physical education Special educational needs English as an additional language Equal opportunities What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well is the school led and managed?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

A Dobson Lay inspector How high are standards? How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? R Evans Team inspector English Religious education History How good are curricular opportunities?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

S Gatehouse Team inspector Mathematics Art Music Under-fives Assessment

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

M Barrand Team inspector Science Design and technology Geography How well are pupils taught?

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

TWA Inspections Ltd. 5 Lakeside Werrington Peterborough PE4 6QZ

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 5 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 26

Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 6 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has three reception classes and five mixed Years 1 and 2 classes. There is a purpose built nursery with 52 children attending on a part-time basis. The school is of average size, with 206 pupils comprising of 97 girls and 109 boys. Over 50 per cent of pupils are from ethnic minority backgrounds. There are 117 pupils who speak English as an additional language. Over 29 per cent of pupils are on the school’s special educational needs register, a proportion which is above the national average. Over three per cent of pupils have full Statements of Special Educational Need, a proportion which is above average. The level of attainment on entry to the nursery is extremely low, particularly in language skills. Attainment on entry to reception classes is well below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school, and is particularly so in several important aspects. Progress is very good in the nursery and good in the rest of the school. At the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils reach expected standards for seven year olds. The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very good and pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Teaching is very good in the nursery and good in the rest of the school. The leadership of the headteacher and governing body is very good. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Progress in English, mathematics and science is good. The progress made by pupils who speak English as an additional language is very good, and pupils with special educational needs make good progress. • Pupils' behaviour and personal development is very good and pupils’ attitudes are good. Pupils have a great respect for others’ feelings, values and beliefs. • Teaching is good in Key Stage 1 and very good in the nursery. Teachers work very effectively in partnership with the very good quality support staff. • The leadership and management of the headteacher and governors are very good. • Assessment systems are very good and are used well in planning. • Provision for moral, social and cultural development is very good. Provision for spiritual development is good. • Procedures for child protection and ensuring pupils' welfare are very good. Procedures for monitoring attendance are very good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

• The school works very hard to increase its partnership with parents. Homework is used well to raise standards.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There is a lack of challenge for the more able pupils. • The good provision of the literacy and numeracy strategies is not extended sufficiently well across the curriculum. • There is an imbalance between whole class teaching and group and individual work within lessons and across the school day. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in December 1996. There has been good improvement since that inspection. All the key issues have been successfully addressed, except the development of collaborative learning. National tests show standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science have all improved. There has been significant improvement in spelling. Standards in games have improved. Pupils’ progress in subjects overall was satisfactory and it is now good. The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs is better than it was because the support they are given to help them progress has improved. In the last inspection 13 per cent of teaching was unsatisfactory and now there is no unsatisfactory teaching. No teaching in the last inspection was identified as better than good. Thirty per cent of teaching is now very good, with nine per cent of excellent

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

teaching. Teaching in the nursery was satisfactory and is now very good. Pupils' attitudes, behaviour and personal development are all better. Levels of attendance are significantly better than they were because the procedures for monitoring are greatly improved. Planning and assessment are improved as are the support and guidance given to pupils. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 7 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School are all better. The governing body has a better understanding of the school and the headteacher has further improved her leadership. The school has developed its aims which are now more relevant and met effectively in the school.

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools Similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Standards in the reading, writing and mathematics national tests have improved over the past three years and have continued to improve this year. Standards in spelling have improved significantly. The school sets higher targets each year and has exceeded them this year. The inspection judges the proportion of pupils reaching the expected National Curriculum standards in writing, mathematics and science as average. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher levels 1 is too small. The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very good. Progress of pupils with special educational needs is good. Standards in games in physical education are higher than expectations. Standards in information technology are at the expected level. Standards in religious education match the requirements of the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus. Attainment in all other subjects is at the expected level. Pupils’ achievement

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Attitudes to the school are good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour in lessons, around the school and in the playground is very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Personal development and relationships are very good.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Three-tenths of teaching is good and three-tenths is very good. There is no unsatisfactory teaching and nearly one-tenth is excellent. The excellent teaching is in the nursery, in reception in mathematics and science, and in a mixed Years 1 and 2 class in English. Teaching in the nursery is very good. The quality of teaching in English and mathematics overall is good and very good in the nursery. All teachers work

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

1 The National Curriculum identifies levels across most subjects to identify standards expected at different ages. The expected standard for seven year olds is Level 2. More able pupils reach Level 3. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 8 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School very well with the high quality support staff. This ensures individual pupils develop skills and understanding at a good rate. Pupils work hard and concentrate well. All teachers manage pupils’ behaviour very well. Teachers use clear explanations to explain new learning. They teach the basic skills of literacy and numeracy well in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies but sometimes miss opportunities to develop these skills in other subjects. Planning is good, with clear targets for what pupils are to learn.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The school meets the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language very well. The school also meets the needs of pupils with special educational needs and average pupils very well. The needs of the more able pupils are not fully met.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The quality and range of the curriculum in the nursery is very good and in the rest of the school it is good. Assessment systems are very good and used well in planning lessons.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Individual education plans are very detailed and support staff and teachers keep very careful records of pupils’ progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Provision for pupils with English as an additional language is very good. The very good quality support staff work very effectively with the teachers.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

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

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes very good care of its pupils. Procedures for monitoring attendance and behaviour are very good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Partnership with parents The school makes very good contact with parents at the beginning and end of the school day. Parents of pupils with special educational needs are very well informed of their children’s progress.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. She sets a clear educational direction for school developments. The deputy headteacher is a very effective special educational needs co-ordinator.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body has a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The chair of governors is particularly well involved in the work of the school.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school analyses its performance very well. Clear priorities are set from these analyses and effective action taken to raise standards.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources The headteacher and governing body are very effective in using resources strategically to improve educational provision and raise standards. The school applies the principles of best value very well.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Staffing, accommodation and learning resources Teachers are well matched to the demands of the curriculum, and support staff are very well qualified. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 9 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

145 parents returned the questionnaire, a proportion which is 62 per cent of the total sent out. Four parents attended the parents’ meeting.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Children enjoy going to school. • The quality of teaching is good. • The school sets high expectations for pupils. • Children make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • Lack of after-school clubs. • Information on child’s progress.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors support the parents’ positive views. Ribbleton Avenue is similar to most infant schools by not offering after-school clubs. The school provides a good level of information for parents on their child’s progress. Inspectors therefore do not endorse parents’ areas for improvement. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 10 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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The school’s results and achievements

1. Children’s attainment on entry to the nursery is very low. Assessment on entry shows a very high proportion of pupils with very limited language skills and many with no English at all. Children's physical and social and personal development is very restricted on entry. Teaching in the nursery is very good, and there are high expectations for every child to achieve their potential. Children make excellent progress in personal and social and physical development and their attainment is at the expected level by the time they are five. They work sensibly together, share resources and listen to each other and the adults. Children make good progress in language and literacy and mathematics. By the time children are five the very high proportion of children unable to speak English or carry out simple mathematical tasks has considerably reduced. By the age of five, standards in reading and number are well below expectations. Progress in physical development is

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The school’s results and achievements

very good. Progress in creative development is good and children draw confidently by the age of five.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. The national tests show improvement in the number of pupils reaching the expected Level 2 over the past three years in reading, writing and mathematics. Teacher assessment also shows improvement in science. The year 2000 national tests show this trend is continuing. The 1999 national tests show attainment well below average in reading and mathematics and below in writing. Compared with similar schools attainment is above average in writing, in line in reading and below in mathematics. The school has worked hard to raise standards in mathematics this year and has been successful in achieving improvement. There is a thorough system throughout the school for developing writing skills. Teacher assessment in science in 1999 showed fewer pupils than average reaching Level 2 or above.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. The inspection confirms the improvement in the year 2000 national tests. At the end of Key Stage 1, most pupils reach expected standards for seven year olds in reading, writing, mathematics and science. The proportion of pupils reaching Level 3 is smaller than average. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make very good progress. The headteacher organises the support staff very efficiently to target these pupils' individual needs. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress in relation to their individual education plans. The deputy headteacher has set up very thorough systems to track pupils' progress and the support staff use them very well. The school sets itself high targets which increase each year. The headteacher and staff have a determination to raise standards. This year the school exceeded their targets.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. At the end of Key Stage 1, standards in listening are at the expected level, but standards of speaking are below the expected level. Pupils lack confidence in speaking in extended sentences or in developing or explaining ideas. In reading pupils have phonic skills at the expected level. This is good progress from their low attainment on entry. Pupils have good knowledge of different features of books but often lack confidence in discussing the meaning of the text. Fewer pupils than average read confidently at higher levels. In writing pupils use sentences correctly and write stories in different styles. Standards in spelling have improved considerably since last year because the school has implemented a very effective homework system. Standards in handwriting and presentation are below average. The rate of progress identified in the previous inspection was satisfactory. This has improved and is now good across English, mathematics and science.

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The school’s results and achievements

Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 11 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School 5. Most pupils reach expected levels of attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in mathematics. Pupils handle numbers to 100 confidently, and a small proportion of more able pupils work with three-digit numbers well. Pupils use data handling at the expected level, constructing block graphs correctly. They recognise two-dimensional shapes but have less knowledge of other aspects of shape and measurements. In science, pupils understand about solids and liquids and use correct scientific vocabulary. Their knowledge of electricity and sound is at the expected level. They design and carry out investigations with confidence. The majority of pupils understand the principles behind what makes a test fair.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. Standards of literacy and numeracy are below expectations across the curriculum. The school does not consistently develop these skills within other subjects.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 in information technology is at the expected level. In religious education pupils’ work is at the required level of the locally agreed syllabus. Attainment in games is higher than the expected level. In all other subjects most pupils reach expected standards because the school covers a well-balanced programme of work over the year. Pupils in Year 1 make good progress as they strive to match the work of the older pupils. The school has organised the curriculum carefully in a two-year cycle to ensure that these younger pupils build on their skills in the following year.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils show a positive attitude to school life. Parents report their children enjoy going to school and this is apparent by the pupils' good level of punctuality, the look on their faces when entering the classroom and the speed with which they settle down. They are enthusiastic about school and know they go there to learn. The very good behaviour, very friendly relationships and positive attitudes all represent an improvement since the previous inspection. Collectively they are having a significant effect on the pupils’ learning.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils listen attentively in lessons and are usually keen to join in. Most respond well to challenging questions. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are well involved in lessons, usually as a result of very effective help from the bilingual support staff. Most pupils work hard when given an activity to do, although higher levels of perseverance are usually associated with good teaching. Pupils are keen to show their work. However, the quality of handwriting and general neatness of the work is often unsatisfactory. Homework is taken seriously.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Behaviour is very good, a judgement that confirms the views of most parents. The school rules are clear, simple and well understood by the pupils. High standards are achieved without the need for a strict regime. Behaviour in lessons is predominantly good or very good and usually reflects whether or not the teaching has engaged all the pupils. Behaviour during assembly is very good, with pupils showing a correct respect during prayers. Movement around the school is very orderly and the generally quiet and calm atmosphere of the school is conducive to learning. Dining is a civilised social occasion where behaviour is good and noise levels are generally reasonable. Table manners are good. The atmosphere in the playground is very friendly. During the inspection there were no incidents of bullying or racism. Pupils express confidence in the staff’s ability to solve any problems. There have been no exclusions in recent times.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Pupils are polite and very friendly. Given the racial mix of the school, the atmosphere is extremely harmonious. Most pupils get on very well with each other. Relationships between the pupils and adults in the school are very good and reflect friendship, trust and respect. Pupils co-operate well in the classroom when given the opportunity. They know Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 12 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School the importance of taking turns and sharing. They are happy to listen to each other’s views. Pupils show an interest in and great respect for all the different cultural traditions that make up the school community. They make good use of the opportunities for showing independence and initiative, usually by making choices for themselves. This is an improvement from the previous inspection. For example, in a science lesson pupils were confident in finding their own way to melt ice quickly. Throughout the school,

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

equipment and books are handled with care and respect. Pupils keep their classrooms tidy and there is virtually no litter around the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Attendance at the school is broadly in line with the national average for primary schools. The official rate for the current year, 94.0 per cent, is a good improvement on the previous year. Attendance has a high profile within the school, promoted by certificates and other rewards which are all taken seriously by the pupils. Unauthorised absence is similar to the national average. Pupils respond very well to the prompt and efficient registration at the beginning of sessions which gives a positive start to lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching is good overall and ranges from satisfactory to excellent. There was no unsatisfactory teaching seen during the inspection. Teaching was excellent in eight per cent and very good in 30 per cent of lessons seen. It was good in 30 per cent and satisfactory in the remaining 32 per cent of lessons. This high percentage of at least good quality teaching (68 per cent) is a strength of the school and makes a significant contribution to the effectiveness of pupils' learning. This is a clear improvement from the last inspection when the overall quality of teaching was satisfactory, with unsatisfactory elements in some lessons. The school has successfully addressed the principal concerns, chiefly with respect to planning and the provision for pupils to practise the skills required for independent learning.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching of children under five is very good overall with some excellent teaching seen in the nursery. In 17 per cent of lessons in the nursery, the teaching of children under five is excellent and it is very good in the remaining 83 per cent. The teacher works very effectively with the very good quality nursery nurses and support staff. The teaching team all have very high expectations of children’s achievements and set high standards of behaviour. They target individuals carefully and provide a rich variety of tasks to stimulate the children’s learning. Their level of interaction with each child is very high and they insist on children responding with their best efforts across all the areas of the under-fives curriculum. The nursery area and daily tasks are organised very thoroughly and not a minute is wasted in taking pupils’ learning forward.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The strengths in the quality of teaching run through all teaching in the school to some extent but are consistently at their most effective in the very good and excellent lessons. In the excellent lessons in Key Stage 1, teachers have high expectations of pupils in work and behaviour and they manage their pupils very well, thereby creating a very positive learning environment in classes. There is a very good partnership between teachers and support staff and this produces high quality teaching and very productive learning. Teachers have secure subject knowledge and know their pupils well. This combination enables them to plan very effectively to meet the needs of individual pupils, as well as for different ability groups. Pupils find lessons interesting and teachers use a good range of strategies and methods to sustain this and consistently motivate pupils. Most teachers use clear explanations and good questioning skills to ensure that pupils understand

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

exactly what is required of them and to confirm precisely what it is pupils know, understand and can do, in order to take learning forward. There was some excellent teaching in English and science and very good teaching in English, mathematics, music and art. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 13 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School 16. In the satisfactory lessons, some teachers do not organise the balance between types of activities effectively or the time allocated for them. Some sessions find pupils sitting for too long a time at one activity, which results in some loss of concentration and interest. Most teachers do not consistently develop the skills taught effectively in literacy and numeracy lessons across other areas of the curriculum. Teachers' planning of what pupils are to learn in lessons on a weekly basis is good overall and, in several cases, it is very good. However, there is no clear whole school approach to the planning of tasks

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

specifically to challenge the more able pupils on a regular basis. Effective learning for these pupils is thus erratic. Teachers do not provide or encourage sufficient opportunities for pupils to express their ideas and observations in extended, properly structured spoken responses.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Marking of pupils' work is satisfactory overall. Most teachers do this regularly and consistently. A few teachers mark particularly thoroughly, supporting pupils' learning by indicating how to improve their work. Teachers give constructive homework and implement the policy regularly and fully. There is a clear improvement in pupils' standards of spelling because of a focus on this aspect through homework.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching in English is good overall, as is the teaching of literacy. However, the management and practice of the teaching of reading is inconsistent. Teachers plan lessons carefully in line with the National Literacy Strategy but seldom transfer this planning into improving the quality of pupils' writing in subjects other than English, and this is an area for development.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. In mathematics, the quality of teaching is good. Teachers use appropriate technical language, which develops pupils' competence and confidence when responding to questions. Teachers plan and implement well the National Numeracy Strategy. They make the subject interesting through good knowledge and enthusiasm. This stimulates pupils’ interest, motivating them to learn. The next stage is to extend opportunities across the curriculum for pupils to practise mathematical skills, particularly in practical tasks.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. The quality of teaching of science is good throughout the school. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to advantage when dealing with pupils' questioning. Teachers prepare their lessons well. However, they do not always set tasks of sufficient variety to challenge pupils of all abilities, although teachers do plan investigative work, which allows pupils to show initiative. Pupils' weak literacy skills hinder progress in some aspects of recording. Pupils also have underdeveloped number skills in practical work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. The quality of teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. Teachers work very well with the very good quality support staff to provide a focused programme of work for these pupils. For example, the nursery nurse provided an excellent session of phonic development for reception pupils by using sequences of musical instruments to improve their skills of hearing the first sound in a word. Individual education plans identify specific targets and the achievement of these targets is monitored carefully to ensure good progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. The quality of teaching of pupils with English as an additional language is very good. Teachers and support staff have a high level of expertise in working with these pupils. The bilingual adults combine their mother tongue very effectively with English. They mix their use of these languages to give pupils support in understanding the new learning in lessons and in acquiring English vocabulary. For example, in whole class sessions the support staff interpret key phrases very sensitively for these pupils without disturbing the teachers’ work with the rest of the class. The work of the support staff is very carefully organised to make the best use of their time. For example, immediately after the whole Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 14 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School class sessions they move straight into their individual or group work. This ensures that optimum time is spent on learning. A small number of parents and other volunteers

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

provide good assistance for pupils, making a positive contribution to pupils' learning.

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PUPILS?

23. The school has maintained the breadth and balance of its curriculum identified in the previous inspection. It teaches all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education in accordance with the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus. Teachers ensure a stimulating and challenging context for learning. The school has successfully implemented the national strategies for literacy and numeracy. The timings for teaching and learning of each subject are mostly appropriate, and consistent with national guidelines. There is a clear priority set for English and mathematics, which is entirely appropriate. However, the school has not monitored the use of time during the morning sufficiently well, particularly the time at the end of the literacy and numeracy strategy where the activities are not balanced effectively. In spite of the increase of time allocation required by the daily literacy and numeracy hours, the school teaches a full curriculum.

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PUPILS?

The balance across the school day of whole class, group and individual work is not always effective. For example, pupils spend too long in some lessons in the afternoon in whole class lessons which reduce pupils’ concentration. The curriculum fulfils statutory requirements and provides well for pupils’ intellectual, personal, creative and physical development. The school works hard to implement their policy of equal opportunity. For example, the school is careful to use words that give equal emphasis as in postwoman and postman. Pupils have equal access to all school activities and equal opportunity to learn and make progress, apart from the more able pupils who do not reach their full potential. The school has already identified this area for future development.

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PUPILS?

24. A strength of the school’s curricular provision is that its effectiveness is regularly under review. The headteacher scrutinises the weekly planning and evaluation sheets of teaching and learning in each subject. These provide very good information about what has been successful or not. In conjunction with the assessment checklists which track each pupil’s achievement, the monitoring sheets give the staff a good knowledge of how well the curriculum is fulfilling its objectives. All staff share in regular meetings to discuss curriculum development.

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PUPILS?

25. There are good policy statements for each subject which support schemes of work well. The school revised these policy statements thoroughly in order to meet the needs of the new structure of mixed-age classes for Years 1 and 2 and to respond to the new curriculum beginning in September 2000. There is a two-year cycle of topics. Subject co-ordinators and other staff have carefully designed schemes of work for each subject. These integrate well subject knowledge and the development of skills. Most schemes incorporate nationally produced aims and material. The school ensures that the curriculum is very relevant to its pupils’ needs and interests. These include a good multi- cultural approach in most subjects. For example, the recent ‘India Week’ made contributions across the range of the curriculum, such as food, music, stories and geography. A mathematics display includes numbers from one to 10 in English, Urdu and

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PUPILS?

26. The curriculum in the nursery is very carefully organised to provide a balanced programme of work. Children are assessed carefully and their progress is monitored to continually set high standards. The various areas of the nursery are used very well to provide work across the under-fives areas of learning. For example, during outdoor play children were drawn together to provide specific teaching of moral expectations to develop personal and social understanding. This provision is extended into the reception Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 15 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School class, where children continue to experience the full under-fives curriculum in conjunction with the more formal requirements of the National Curriculum.

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PUPILS?

27. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The deputy headteacher considers the needs of individual pupils and groups very thoroughly and organises support to make the best use of support staff’s time. Pupils are supported both in the classroom and in withdrawal sessions. Both types of support are of high quality. Within classrooms pupils have high levels of concentration as their work is well matched to their needs. The organisation of the withdrawal work is timed well to ensure maximum use of time for learning. Planning for these pupils is thorough. Individual education plans are detailed and reviewed regularly with parents. The Code of Practice 2 is covered fully.

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PUPILS?

28. The school does not provide a specific timetable for pupils’ personal, social and health education but uses the whole curriculum to teach this important aspect of the curriculum. Group work fosters good interaction between pupils. For example, regular paired reading between older and reception pupils develops good relationships between individuals as well as furthering the reading skills of both groups of pupils. The governors have stated that they wish health and sex education to be taught through the science unit of work of ‘health and growing up’. Teachers answer pupils’ questions on the topics simply and appropriately for their age.

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PUPILS?

29. There are no formally organised extra-curricular activities, but the school’s well-devised programme to develop shared reading at home culminated during the inspection in an after-school session for ‘Dads and Lads’. A large number of parents and children came into school for an informal social occasion to celebrate this programme. The school makes very good use of the community to enrich the curriculum. The many visitors to the school include the ‘Creepy, Crawly Roadshow’, the Salvation Army, the Mayor, reading partners from a local bank and business representatives to produce the school’s website. The pupils have visited a range of different places in the community. These include old people’s homes, a local nursery, a garden centre, a zoo, a further education college and the town’s football ground. Pupils and staff celebrated Diwali, Christmas, Eid, and ‘India Week’. There are good links with other schools. Contacts with the local junior school are

p.15

PUPILS?

in place and there are plans to extend these next term. The band from Ribbleton Hall High School has performed for the school and the high school’s drama teacher came to work with pupils.

p.15

PUPILS?

30. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Provision for pupils’ moral, social and cultural development is very good. This represents a significant improvement on the findings of the previous report. Assemblies meet the requirements of collective worship. Planning for the whole year’s assemblies is well thought out to cover a wide variety of themes associated with different faiths. The detailed planning includes a daily aspect of the theme together with appropriate music, songs and stories. During the inspection the week’s theme was ‘journeys’. In three well-prepared assemblies staff reinforced the key theme. For example, the headteacher related the story of St. Christopher carrying the child Jesus across the river to how we should all care for each other. In another assembly, a nursery nurse spoke about the pilgrimage undertaken by Muslims to Mecca, the Hajj. She linked this well with the school’s high expectations of

p.15

PUPILS?

behaviour from its pupils. Her personal account and good use of large photographs gave the pupils a very good sense of the importance of the event and a good insight into Islamic tradition and culture. Religious education also provides good spiritual insight for pupils, for instance when they consider Jesus providing food for the crowd of five thousand. Several examples of pupils’ wonder at things around them occurred during the inspection. For example, looking through a magnifier pupils suddenly noticed that their tadpoles in a tank were growing legs.

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PUPILS?

2 The Code of Practice contains government requirements for the provision for pupils with special educational needs. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 16 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School 31. Pupils’ good behaviour in the classroom, around the school and outside is evidence of the school’s success in promoting pupils’ knowledge of right and wrong. Rules of right behaviour are prominently displayed in classrooms and in the entrance hall. Teachers use praise well in approving pupils’ positive behaviour and good attitudes. The ‘good works’ assembly on Fridays celebrates pupils’ achievements in all aspects of their school life. All adults in the school contribute to pupils’ moral development by striving to act as good role models. Wider issues such as litter, pollution and respect for others feature regularly in assemblies. The nursery teacher is particularly effective in promoting moral understanding. For example, she stopped an outdoor session to explain clearly the

p.15

PUPILS?

function of ‘bats are for hitting balls not bottoms’. The school’s very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour are strongly communicated to parents. The school strives to work with parents to ensure that the high standards expected in school continue outside it.

p.16

PUPILS?

32. The school is a closely-knit community based on respect for the individual. There are very good relationships between teachers and pupils and between pupils themselves. Pupils are polite and friendly. They are anxious to talk about themselves and their work with visitors. The school makes good provision for pupils’ social development through its very good and wide-ranging programme of visits to places of interest and visitors to the school. The governors are very helpful in arranging out-of-school opportunities for the pupils. The school encourages all pupils to be helpful in the classroom and around the school. They are aware of the needs of others in the wider world through their fundraising for Poppy Day and UNICEF.

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PUPILS?

33. The school’s celebration of the diversity of its pupils is one of its strengths. Staff and pupils readily observe the major festivals of the faiths represented in the school. The recent ‘India Week’ involved a whole range of activities and visitors, including parents. There are very good displays around the school which reflect the work done during the week. These include good writing by pupils about Indian musical instruments, how to make a chapati and travelling to and in India by plane, train and bus. There are good exhibitions of Indian musical instruments, clothes and photographs of festivals, all with informative comments.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. The level of care taken over the pupils’ welfare is very good, and this represents an improvement since the previous inspection. The school is a very friendly caring community where pupils are valued as individuals. The headteacher knows the pupils by name. There is a great atmosphere of harmony amongst the different races involved in the school. Teachers, support staff, welfare assistants, catering staff, the administrative officer and the site supervisor all give the impression of enjoying the company of children. They provide some excellent examples of role models. The pupils are well supervised at all times. They feel safe, secure and loved.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. Health and safety is taken very seriously. There is a high level of first aid cover, accidents are correctly recorded, equipment is regularly checked and the premises are inspected on a formal basis every term. Child protection procedures are very good. The responsible person has been trained and staff, including the welfare assistants, are familiar with the school’s procedures. Current good practice in this area is regularly disseminated to staff. The school has effective and professional relationships with the outside agencies.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. There are very good procedures for monitoring and improving attendance. The subject has a high profile within the school. Attendance registers are well kept and meet statutory requirements. Good attendance certificates, special incentive weeks and Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 17 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School regular reminders to parents are proving effective because attendance is improving. Parents of all pupils who are absent without reason are contacted early in the day, and this has resulted in an improvement in the attendance figures. Parents requesting to take their children on extended holidays to the Indian sub-continent are interviewed by the headteacher and made aware of the educational implications. This policy is effective because the incidence of these long holidays is declining. The school has good relations with the educational welfare service.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. The school’s policy for encouraging good behaviour is very effective and is based on boosting pupils’ self esteem. The rules are simple and applied consistently throughout the school. Good behaviour is positively recognised. Pupils fully understand the consequences of any inappropriate behaviour. Good records are kept of both good and bad behaviour. The guidelines for welfare assistants are clear. The day-to-day procedures for dealing with bullying are good. However, the formal policy has yet to be adopted by the governors. Bullying is not a problem in the school. Racism is not tolerated. Any serious incident is recorded and parents and governors are informed. Non-white parents questioned during the inspection expressed no concerns whatsoever regarding racism.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. Teachers know their pupils well. This is shown by the good quality sections on personal development in the pupils’ annual written reports. The school has good systems for monitoring pupils’ personal development, although not all teachers keep the formal records up to date. Since the last inspection the school has worked hard to improve its assessment systems and to implement their use consistently across the school. The assessment co-ordinator and the headteacher have worked hard together to secure this improvement.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The systems in place now are very good, and the use made of the systems is good. Wide-ranging assessment procedures are now in place throughout the school, from admission to time of transfer to the adjacent but separate junior school. The data collected is very effective overall in providing staff and parents with sufficiently detailed information about pupils’ progress

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. All staff maintain individual records of pupils’ attainment and progress. These are used well in forming the basis of reporting to parents regularly. They are also used to adjust future work in the light of a pupil’s past performance. In addition, records of year groups are maintained. These track the achievement and progress of all pupils of the school as a whole. This data is analysed by the headteacher and the subject co-ordinators, so that future curriculum planning can be fine-tuned and thus more effectively designed. Appropriate targets for further improvement in performance are established. Pupils with special educational needs have individual education plans which are very good quality. The targets are appropriate, manageable, relevant and achievable. These plans are regularly reviewed by the special educational needs co-ordinator, who undertakes her responsibilities with efficiency and commitment. The headteacher monitors the use of the

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

assessment systems regularly. She and the co-ordinator are keeping them under review in order to ensure they are as useful and relevant as possible. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 18 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. There is a good partnership between the school and the parents. The headteacher and staff are very easily accessible before and at the end of the school day. Parents are welcome in the school.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. Parents are supportive and have a very positive view of the school. Based on the high response to the questionnaire, a poorly attended pre-inspection meeting and conversations during the inspection, parents particularly approve of the teaching, the high expectations the teachers have, pupils’ behaviour and the progress their children make. They also reported that they feel comfortable in approaching the school. The inspection endorsed these positive views. A significant minority of parents were critical of the range of activities offered outside lessons. This school is similar to most infant schools in not offering a range of after-school clubs.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The school works hard at keeping parents well informed. The prospectus and the governors’ annual report are easy to read and informative. Workshops are arranged to let parents know how subjects are taught, although these are not well attended. Parents are given advance notice of what will be taught. Parents have the opportunity of a formal meeting every term with their child’s teacher to discuss progress. These are in addition to any informal meetings they may have had. Pupils’ reports are satisfactory and meet statutory regulations. Progress is clearly stated and strengths and weaknesses usually mentioned. Both good and bad attendance is commented on very effectively, reminding parents of the importance the school attaches to this matter. Although some reports contain aspects for development, most reports do not tell parents clearly what their child has to do to improve. The style of writing of most reports could be simpler. Parents of

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

children with special educational needs are kept very well informed. A few parents reported that they did not feel well informed on their child’s progress. The inspectors do not agree with this view and consider that, overall, the level of information and opportunities for parents to discuss progress is good. Links with parents of pupils with special educational needs are very good. The deputy headteacher has established very effective systems to keep parents informed of their children’s progress and to explain how parents can work with their children to support the school’s work. Some very detailed home/school diaries record the daily development and needs of these pupils and are completed very thoroughly by both staff and parents.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school tries very hard to involve parents even though many do not feel comfortable in a school environment. The annual ‘Parents as Educators’ course, available to eight parents, is usually fully subscribed and the recently introduced ‘Dads and Lads’ scheme is proving very popular. However, in spite of the school’s best endeavours, very few parents are directly involved in school life. The help given by a small number of parents is valued and makes a useful contribution to children’s learning. The home/school agreement has been signed by virtually all parents, although the school has not yet any clear indication that this has had any positive impact on the level of parental involvement.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The leadership and management of the headteacher are very good. The parents appreciate the quality of her leadership. She sets a very clear educational direction to the work of the school and combines this with a very good understanding of the every day life in classrooms and around the school. She is determined to raise standards in the context of a caring environment. She analyses pupils’ progress carefully identifying annual trends and comparing the school’s performance with similar schools. She identifies weaknesses and implements a range of strategies to raise standards. For example, she identified the need to raise standards in mathematics and then organised a thorough programme of Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 19 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School development including weekly monitoring by the mathematics co-ordinator and on-going advice from the local educational authority adviser. The headteacher organises the

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

support for pupils who speak English as an additional language very well. She deploys the support staff very efficiently and has set up very good systems to increase the rate of progress of these pupils. This has resulted in higher standards by these pupils at the end of Key Stage 1.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The headteacher works very effectively in partnership with the deputy headteacher. They both have clearly allocated roles and their strengths complement each other well. The deputy headteacher is a very good special educational needs co-ordinator. She organises systems rigorously to provide very good support for these pupils. For example, support staff produce detailed records of these pupils’ progress and communicate in detail with parents about their children’s rate of progress. The senior management team meets regularly and is an effective driving force for managing change across the school. The English co-ordinator analyses national tests very effectively in order to raise standards. For example, she implemented the very effective spelling homework which has resulted in significant improvement in standards over the past two years. The early years co-ordinator is very effective. She has worked hard to prepare for the changes in

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the nursery and reception curriculum required in September.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The governing body has a very good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. The chair of governors works regularly with the headteacher to plan developments. He understands the needs of the pupils well as he is involved directly in their learning. For example, he takes assemblies and uses language sensitively to meet pupils’ needs. The literacy governor has very good knowledge of the details of English across the school and the special educational needs governor has strong links with the co-ordinator. Governors with particular responsibilities produce detailed reports for meetings, which ensures a good level of communication across the full governing body. There is a well-structured governors’ development plan produced to increase the effectiveness of their work. Governors regularly attend training to update their knowledge of educational systems and changes. They fulfil their statutory duties.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The school has a well-organised improvement plan that drives the changes in provision. It is firmly based on raising standards and identifies clear objectives to achieve this goal. Governors and staff are fully involved in the production of the plan and therefore have a very good understanding of the key priorities for change. There is a very good level of delegation across the school, with staff carrying out their responsibilities conscientiously. For example, teaching teams plan together and jointly identify future needs. These needs are carried forward to the senior management team and appropriate action is taken. This very good delegation produces a high level of commitment across all staff as they are involved in the decision making process. The school has a very good capacity to succeed because everyone shares the same goals. The school sets itself higher targets each year in raising standards. This year the school has exceeded these standards. The

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

school has improved its aims since the last inspection and they are clearly reflected in the work of the school. For example, the aim of producing a stimulating, challenging and secure environment is implemented effectively as it was identified as a strength of the school in this inspection.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. Monitoring of the curriculum is good. The headteacher, deputy headteacher and some co-ordinators monitor teaching regularly. The recent written reports of this monitoring are thorough and identify clear targets for development. Co-ordinators monitor planning and use their expertise well to support teachers in improving their classroom practice.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. The headteacher and chair of governors manage the school’s finances very effectively. The headteacher is skilful in accessing different grants to improve the school’s provision. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 20 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School The school is diligent in using these grants for their designated purpose. For example, funding for particular pupils is channelled carefully towards their specific needs. The expertise of the chair in accounting ensures that systems are carefully monitored. The governors set long term targets for their spending. For example, they identified the need for an additional classroom and accrued money carefully to allow this to be carried out in the near future. This accounts for their current large surplus which will be spent this summer on the new building. The school uses its resources very efficiently. For example, support staff are very carefully organised across the school to match the needs

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

of individual pupils and to ensure the maximum benefit from their expertise. The school applies the principle of best value well. For example, the chair of governors and headteacher consult the school community about what they think of proposed changes. The administrative assistant is very effective and, together with the headteacher, keeps careful track of spending. The school uses new technology well and produces documents of a good standard.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. Governors manage the finances very carefully to improve the accommodation every year. Facilities are improved which directly effects pupils’ performance. Accommodation is of generally good quality for the teaching of the curriculum and is very well used. The school is very clean and well looked after. The library is currently out of use, serving as a temporary classroom until a new one is built during the coming summer. The nursery has a self contained secure outdoor play area of satisfactory size, which is also regularly used by pupils in the reception class. The playground has markings and well kept greenery. The school has a wildlife garden that is in need of some attention. A field owned by the school is shared with the nearby junior school on a rota basis. The school has intermittent problems of vandalism. The provision of learning resources is adequate in all subjects, apart from literacy where resources are good. The audio system used for

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

assemblies is ineffective because the volume is too low for all pupils to hear sufficiently well.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Teachers are well matched to the needs of the curriculum. The qualifications of the support staff are very good with some excellent levels of expertise from many of these members of staff. For example, they understand the development of phonic skills, use detailed recording systems and understand the needs of bilingual pupils and pupils with special educational needs very well. The very high quality of these support staff has a direct effect on raising standards in literacy and numeracy. Appraisal systems are in place and staff development is a key feature of the school improvement plan. The weekly team planning is used very effectively to share expertise across the teachers. The school supports initial teacher training with at least six students every year. It is in a very good position to provide this training due to the school’s effectiveness to improve all adults’ knowledge and skills. Induction systems are good. New staff are thoroughly briefed

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

about the school’s systems and given regular support.

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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. Progress is very good in the nursery and good throughout the rest of the school. The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language is very good. Progress of pupils with special educational needs is good. Pupils’ behaviour and personal development are very good and attitudes are good. Teaching in the nursery is very good and in the rest of the school it is good. Leadership and management of the headteacher and governors are very good. The cost per pupil is very high and additional grants are spent very carefully. When account is taken of all these features, the school gives good value for money. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 21 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

54. In order to further improve the school’s educational provision and so raise standards the governors, headteacher and staff should:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) increase the proportion of pupils reaching higher levels by the end of Key Stage 1 in English, mathematics and science by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• identifying the more able pupils more effectively; • planning specific tasks to extend their learning; • targeting these pupils with more challenging questions in whole class teaching; • raising teachers' expectations of these pupils; • tracking their progress more carefully;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) extend the good provision of the Literacy Hour in order to further increase the rate of progress in English by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• improving the management of reading; • increasing the teaching of writing in subjects other than English; • increasing opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking skills; • raising standards in handwriting and presentation;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3) extend the good provision of the numeracy strategy in order to further increase the rate of progress in mathematics by:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• increasing opportunities for practical mathematics; • improving the vigour of the quick fire mental mathematics sessions; • using and applying mathematical skills in mathematics and across other subjects of the curriculum.

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

As well as these key improvement issues the following weakness should be included in the action plan :

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the imbalance between whole class teaching and group and individual work across the school day.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The first issue has already been identified by the school. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 22 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

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

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

8 30 30 32 0 0 0 The table gives the percentage of teaching observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 52 206

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals N/A 92 FTE means full-time equivalent.

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 7

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 8 60

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 133

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 23

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 27

p.22

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 23 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1 Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 1999 39 31 70

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Boys 31 30 30 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 20 26 22

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Percentage of pupils School 73 (66) 80 (78) 74 (74) at NC Level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Boys 34 32 33 Numbers of pupils at NC Level 2 and above Girls 26 20 26

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Percentage of pupils School 86 (77) 74 (74) 84 (74) at NC Level 2 or above National 82 (81) 86 (85) 87 (84)

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 24 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Black – Caribbean heritage 2 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Any other minority ethnic group 6 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0 This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Teachers and classes Financial information

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.7 Financial year 1998-1999

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.3

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 511,718

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Total number of education support staff 14 Expenditure per pupil 2,473

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Total aggregate hours worked per week 237 Balance brought forward from previous year 70,680

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Balance carried forward to next year 83,974

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Total number of education support staff 4

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Total aggregate hours worked per week 70

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Number of pupils per FTE adult 5.2 FTE means full-time equivalent. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 25 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School Results of the survey of parents and carers

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Percentage of responses in each category

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

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

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

My child is making good progress in school. 59 36 4 0 1

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Behaviour in the school is good. 55 37 2 1 5

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 44 6 4 1

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 56 32 8 3 1

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 30 6 1 3

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 65 30 1 1 3

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school works closely with parents. 49 40 9 1 1

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school is well led and managed. 49 41 5 1 4

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 50 39 6 1 4

p.25

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 35 33 13 6 13 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 26 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

p.25

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. Children attend the nursery on a part-time basis throughout the year. On admission to the nursery their attainment is very low. The majority of pupils have restricted language skills. A high proportion of children speak English as an additional language. At the beginning of the year they have virtually no English and are almost wholly dependent upon the support provided by the very skilled support staff. There is a high proportion of pupils with special educational needs who all make good progress. Some children join the school from other nurseries and a few children have not attended any pre-school facilities. The school works closely with the nurseries. Teachers provide good continuity from the nurseries. Progress in language and literacy and numeracy is very good and by the time children are five, assessment shows that their attainment in reading and mathematics is well below the national average. Progress is excellent in personal and

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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

social and physical development and attainment in personal and social development, and physical development, is at the expected level by the time they are five. Progress in creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world is very good and by five children’s attainment is below expectations.

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Personal and social development

56. Children settle happily each day to their tasks in the nursery. They co-operate well in pairs and in small groups, working or playing alongside each other. They are provided with many opportunities to speak, to offer their opinions and to question. All staff have questioning skills of a very high quality, which are used very effectively to promote children’s thinking and response. At play outside, they have discussions with adults about their behaviour and are learning the difference between right and wrong. Children make excellent progress in their social and personal development in the nursery. This rate of progress is continued in reception classes, where teachers consolidate the progress made in the nursery. Teaching and support staff work together extremely well to provide a supportive and encouraging ethos. All provide very good role models for the children. They listen carefully, show interest in children’s comments, and speak to them

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Personal and social development

with courtesy. All staff are careful to promote caring and constructive relationships with each other so that children receive positive impressions and very good role models.

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Language and literacy

57. Children rapidly develop their basic literacy skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing. Towards the end of the year, most pupils converse in English with each other as they work or play, especially when they are assisted by an adult. Most children listen well to each other and to adults. For instance, when playing a game together they concentrate well, watching and listening as their teacher carefully enunciates the names of insects and shows them the initial letter of, for example, ‘caterpillar’ and ‘ladybird’. They develop confidence and clarity in describing and explaining details of their work to the group, and reply to well-constructed questioning appropriately. There are frequent opportunities for children to observe the conventions of handling books both in the nursery and reception classes. Adults read “Big Books” and others both at story-time and other times during the day. Some children understand what is being read because the

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Language and literacy

nursery nurse simultaneously translates for them as the story unfolds. Children handle books with care. They know how to turn pages and which is the front and the back. Some confidently connect the printed word with meaning. For example, children listened to a story about a caterpillar and made their own mini-books in the shape of caterpillars Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 27 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School showing the development of a butterfly. Their captions at each stage show emerging writing skills. Most children write their own names confidently by five, and handle pencils and crayons with increasing accuracy to form numerals and letters. Children make very good progress in literacy. Teaching is very good in the nursery and good in reception classes.

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Mathematics

58. Children receive many very well-planned opportunities to develop their numeracy skills. They make significant gains in acquiring the mathematical vocabulary needed to make sense of early number skills. For example, they confidently use words like ‘bigger’ and ‘biggest’ and recognise the names of numbers up to 20. Their mathematical language is regularly enriched and expanded as adults consciously introduce specific mathematical words into their questioning and conversations. Children learn the vocabulary for the ordinal numbers, first, second, third. They accurately count the number of legs on a starfish, a crab and a lobster but (after several attempts) decide that a caterpillar has ‘lots’. When using the computer they identify numerals on the keyboard correctly. They begin to appreciate the passage of time. They know the days of the week and the sequence of events in the day, such as quiet room time, playtime and story-time.

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Mathematics

Children make very good progress in their mathematical development in the nursery and good progress in reception classes.

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

59. The staff plan many exciting activities to bring the wider world into the nursery. Children study snails and caterpillars, and observe seeds sprouting and plants such as a sapling growing. They observe bluebells in the outdoor area and carefully and accurately paint them using appropriate colours. Children begin to understand that magnets attract some materials but not others. Role play areas are designed very effectively in the nursery to provide experiences of time and place. For example, during the inspection there was a realistic aircraft, with a check-in desk and a departure gate. This supported the development of language skills well as children rehearsed their social and speaking skills when they pushed the refreshment trolley up and down the ‘aisle’ serving the passengers. Children visit local facilities such as the sea life centre and use these experiences in their work and activities. For instance, they make models of a shark, a frog and make lots of

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Knowledge and understanding of the world

frogspawn carefully sorted by size. On the computer, they use the mouse well to pick up litter and deposit it accurately into a bin. They are pleased to clear up the lawn and recognise that in the real world litter in their street is nasty. Children make good progress in gaining knowledge and understanding of the world both in the nursery and in the reception classes.

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Creative development

60. Opportunities for role play are very imaginatively devised by staff. These are well- organised and planned carefully to provide opportunities for social and personal development, including literacy skills. For example, children playing in the ‘aeroplane’ listen well to each other and interact positively. They work confidently with modelling materials and produce recognisable objects. For example, children in a reception class made realistic frogs from plasticine. Through the careful questioning by the support staff they learn to describe and distinguish features such as scales and claws and to use colour well. For example, when painting a crab they choose a bright orange and paint with strong broad strokes. Staff seize all available opportunities to encourage children’s creativity. For example, using brightly coloured chalks, children create a garden of bright flowers on their playground. Children make good progress in their creative development

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Creative development

both in the nursery and in reception classes. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 28 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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Physical development

61. Children make excellent progress in physical development. This is due to very good planning and adult interaction, and to the range and quality of the facilities available. The nursery facilities are used well by reception pupils on a regular basis. Opportunities for the development of children’s ability to control tools and pencils are provided in drawing and writing activities. Children use a range of differently sized paintbrushes well, and manage scissors carefully. In using equipment they exert control and precision, for example when using magnets to pick up fish in a mathematical game. When using the large construction apparatus they have simple skills of turning movements, and in snapping and screwing components together with care. Very good use is made of the secure outdoor play area, because children have structured times to use the large- wheeled apparatus and other equipment to practise their gross motor skills. They learn to

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Physical development

jump, crawl and climb with confidence and control. They develop skills of co-ordination when using bats and balls. Children under five in the reception classes benefit from physical education lessons in the larger space of the hall.

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Physical development

62. The teamwork between the nursery teacher and her staff is excellent and the reception teachers work very well with their support staff. There is close liaison with parents before children are admitted to the nursery, and regular meetings are arranged during the year. All staff work hard to ensure a smooth transition between the nursery and the reception classes. Planning in the nursery is very good, with sufficient detail to ensure manageability. Teaching in the nursery is always at least very good, and on occasions the quality is excellent. Activities are very well organised, and children are well managed so that they receive a wide range of purposeful experiences each day. The overall progress made by the children in the nursery is striking. There is a happy, safe and stimulating environment which is clearly very much enjoyed by the children. The nursery is a strength of the school.

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ENGLISH

63. At the end of Key Stage 1 most pupils attain the expected Level 2 in English. The proportion of pupils attaining the higher Level 3 is below average. Pupils’ attainment in writing is better than in reading. Attainment in listening is in line with expectation overall but below expectation in speaking. The attainment of boys is below that of girls in all aspects of English. The progress of pupils who speak English as an additional language was better in the recent reading and writing national tests than other pupils. In the national tests and assessments in 1999 pupils' results were below the national average for pupils reaching Level 2 or above in writing and well below in reading. However, in comparison with schools of a similar background, pupils’ performance in reading was close to the national average, and in writing was above average. The results of this year’s national tests show a marked improvement in reading and some improvement in

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ENGLISH

writing. There has been a significant improvement of almost 20 per cent in the results of this year’s spelling test over last year. This is due to the introduction of well organised spelling homework.

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ENGLISH

64. The number of pupils of average and below average attainment who reach the expected levels in the national tests and assessments has increased over the past few years. This represents good progress overall. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress, and very good progress in phonic skills. There are very good systems to support their development in English. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make very good progress. They are given carefully targeted support which is very thoroughly organised to track their individual needs and set clear targets for future development. The number of pupils of higher attainment who reach the higher levels in Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 29 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School the national tests and assessments has remained static. Their progress does not match their potential. The school, while celebrating its rising standards overall, has recognised

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ENGLISH

the need to target higher attaining pupils with more challenging work to raise their standards in line with other pupils nationally.

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ENGLISH

65. Pupils have satisfactory listening skills. They listen appropriately to teaching in a variety of situations such as assemblies, class lessons and group discussion. When teachers expect and encourage pupils to answer questions in whole sentences they respond well. Teachers’ questioning of pupils during the “Big Book” and final sessions of the Literacy Hour is good. Many pupils are drawn into answering and expressing opinions. Teachers target pupils well with questions which are appropriate for their level of attainment. However, there are not enough opportunities for pupils to reply in extended sentences or to develop their thinking through a sequence of questions. Across the key stage opportunities are missed to develop speaking skills in other subjects.

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ENGLISH

66. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils’ attainment in reading is below expected levels. Fewer pupils than expected reach Level 2, and there is a smaller proportion of pupils reaching higher levels than usual. Pupils are satisfactorily learning recognition of words and how to tackle unfamiliar words by sounding them out and using picture clues. However, their limited vocabulary sometimes restricts their understanding of what they are reading. Some pupils read fluently and with good expression. They give meaning to their reading by observing punctuation marks and read dialogue expressively. They show good understanding of the details of what they have read. However, many pupils are hesitant and lack confidence in discussing the story or expressing their own opinions. In some instances the books were too difficult for their ability. Most pupils have a good knowledge of book features and name the author and illustrator. They understand the purpose of the

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ENGLISH

contents page and index. Some correctly say what a glossary is for. A few borrow books from the local library and have some understanding of how to find a book. Pupils’ understanding and use of library skills are inhibited by the current necessity to use the school’s library area as an extra classroom.

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ENGLISH

67. Pupils at the end of the key stage write continuous sentences which convey clear ideas and an emerging sense of style. A good feature of their writing is their developing understanding of the different ways of writing in stories, descriptions and letters. Most pupils have learned that sentences are divided by full stops and begin with a capital letter, although they do not always apply this knowledge. Some pupils correctly use speech and question marks. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make good progress in writing. Their use of English to express themselves shows good improvement in vocabulary, idiomatic phrases and spelling. Over the past year the school’s concentration on improving spelling through systematic teaching, learning and homework has raised the standard of pupils’ writing. An important factor in developing pupils’ writing is the work in early years when pupils begin to write original words and phrases rather

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ENGLISH

than copying. This ensures that pupils begin to think for themselves about spelling and meaning from the earliest stage of writing. Opportunities for pupils to use their own words straight onto the computer are also used well throughout the school.

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ENGLISH

68. Pupils’ handwriting and the presentation of their work are weaknesses. At the end of the key stage pupils are not moving towards joined up writing. There is insufficient development of handwriting style in formation of letters and words. Many of the pupils’ difficulties stem from incorrect pencil grip and control, and poor posture when writing. Some pupils write with their books at the wrong angle to the direction of their writing.

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ENGLISH

69. Pupils are accustomed to the format and activities of the Literacy Hour. They respond well to its daily familiarity. They enjoy the stories and information from the “Big Book” texts and readily join in the questioning and discussion sessions. A good feature of the Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 30 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School Literacy Hour is that it develops pupils’ independent learning. As the teachers concentrate their work on one or two groups the others work well to complete independently the tasks which have been set. At the end of the lesson pupils are eager to discuss the individual work they have done and they listen well as others read out or explain their work. Pupils’ attitudes and behaviour are very good. They are very high when the teaching is excellent. Pupils’ good response to the structure and teaching of the Literacy Hour is an important factor in the good progress they are making.

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ENGLISH

70. The teaching of English is good overall with some very good and excellent lessons. In the very good or excellent lessons there is very well directed teaching of reading skills, clear instructions given to the pupils and very high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and commitment to their tasks. Teaching is brisk and dynamic urging on pupils’ learning. The balance of activities of direct teaching, group activity and summary is well planned and taught. Teachers and pupils waste no time in their lessons. Teachers’ planning overall is meticulous. Using a common weekly format it is very well structured with clear objectives for learning and precise details of pupils’ group activities. There is also space in the planning for evaluation of the effectiveness of the teaching and learning, which is used well to inform future planning.

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ENGLISH

71. There are very good procedures for recording pupils’ attainment in national and internal reading and writing tests. These form the basis for teachers’ discussion of their planning. Planning is firmly rooted in the structure of the National Literacy Strategy and this ensures consistency across the classes and year groups. Teaching of reading and writing through the medium of the National Literacy Strategy is good, with clear development of pupils’ achievement within the Literacy Hour. However, there is insufficient extension of this learning across the curriculum. Pupils do not use their reading and writing skills sufficiently in other subjects to widen their vocabulary or broaden their writing. Teachers’ marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent. While there are many valuable comments on pupils’ work which help pupils to learn from their mistakes, these are not consistently made in all classes. Too many errors in pupils’ writing are unmarked and teachers

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ENGLISH

frequently fail to comment on pupils’ poor handwriting and presentation.

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ENGLISH

72. Pupils take books home daily to read. Their reading diaries give a good account of the books they have read. Most have positive comments from teachers and some have good responses from parents, and occasionally other family members. However, there are insufficient targets given to support future development. Parental involvement in pupils’ reading at home is a significant factor in their progress. The very good improvement in pupils’ spelling stems largely from the school’s strategy of setting pupils spelling to learn at home.

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ENGLISH

73. The teaching and learning of English is well led by an able co-ordinator. In conjunction with other staff she has produced good policies to support writing, reading comprehension, home reading, spelling homework, and speaking and listening. These documents show clear understanding and vision for the short and longer term development of the subject. However, the school has not identified a common strategy for supporting the subject’s development outside of the Literacy Hour. The management and practice of the teaching of reading lacks focus.

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ENGLISH

74. The co-ordinator has monitored teaching effectively and provided feedback for teachers. There are regular staff meetings to discuss pupils’ progress, particularly with reference to those with special educational needs and those who are bilingual learners. The co- ordinator samples pupils’ work and analyses assessment data in detail. For example, she analyses the progress made across different ethnic groups in the national tests. The school sets high targets for each area of the English curriculum and these have been Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 31 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School exceeded this year. There are clear aims for raising standards and a determination to implement strategies to enable them to be met.

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MATHEMATICS

75. At the end of the key stage the proportion of pupils who reach the expected levels in mathematics has increased. Most pupils now reach the expected Level 2. However, the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 has not increased and is below average. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make very good progress and pupils with special educational needs make good progress. This is as a result of the high quality assistance they receive from support staff, and the organisation of their work by teachers. Overall, this is a considerable improvement since the last inspection. The school has worked hard to secure this improvement and is now poised to target its more able pupils to help them reach their potential.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Attainment in the national tests in 1999 was well below average and compared with similar schools was below average. The school identified mathematics as a priority for development when they analysed the results of the tests. Several effective strategies were put in place to raise standards and there has been a considerable improvement in this year’s national tests. The strategies included a focus in the school’s development plan for the past year, and the numeracy governor has visited school to monitor developments. The subject co-ordinator has had regular time to monitor the work of the school to provide expertise. The quality of teaching has improved, and most of the features of the National Numeracy Strategy are now well in place. Lesson planning and assessment systems have been improved.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Reception pupils are beginning to understand the language of number and to recognise mathematical patterns, such as the passage of time. Pupils recognise ‘o’clocks’, ‘quarter pasts’ and ‘half pasts’ as teachers use clock faces well to show how time moves on as the hands move around the clock face. Pupils are supported by visits from the numeracy governor. They enjoy identifying common three-dimensional shapes, such as cuboids and spheres, when feeling the shapes inside a bag. Effective links are made between activities and homework tasks.

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MATHEMATICS

78. Pupils in Year 2 understand place value and arrange numbers correctly up to 100 in order of size. A minority of pupils’ understanding of the ordering of numbers is not yet secure. The younger pupils use conventional symbols confidently. The older pupils use addition and equal signs correctly when recording their work. They are not yet secure in their understanding of tens and units to order numbers such as 68, 84, 72, and 46 correctly. Some more able pupils understand the place value of three-digit numbers, although their knowledge and understanding of these is less consistently secure.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 handle data at the expected level. They record in different forms their findings from collecting information, such as block graphs or pie charts using a computer. They have a simple understanding that mathematics is relevant to their everyday lives. Teachers plan exciting activities related to class visits. For example, pupils identified which were the most popular items to have in their packed lunches. This was a challenging task for the Year 1 pupils but they were well supported, and had clear directions for their investigation. Work for Year 2 is organised at a higher level. For example, they constructed their own block graph, deciding which axes represents the range of items and which represents the number of participants.

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MATHEMATICS

80. During the year, pupils have experienced measuring activities and have compared the lengths of books in their classrooms using centimetres. However, they are not confident in the use of arbitrary measures such as paces, foot lengths or hand-spans. They use Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 32 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School coins effectively to make various sums in different ways. Pupils identify two-dimensional shapes confidently, such as squares, rectangles, triangles and circles. They complete sequences of patterns at the expected level. For example, they draw triangles and squares in the correct order.

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MATHEMATICS

81. Attitudes in mathematics lessons are good. Pupils behave very well. Some pupils lose interest in the introductory ‘quick-fire’ sessions. However, once set to work on their tasks in groups, pupils work very hard. They have positive attitudes and persevere. They pursue their work with determination, for example when collecting data from other groups so that they can construct their block graph. They work at this task in pairs and co- operate well.

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MATHEMATICS

82. The quality of teaching is good overall, with more than half of lessons seen being very good or excellent. All teachers implement the National Numeracy Strategy. They have good subject knowledge and use mathematical vocabulary well. They know their pupils very well and generally plan work that is relevant to their pupils’ needs. Teachers manage their pupils’ behaviour very well. In the best lessons, teachers have high expectations and prepare interesting lessons which include challenge. There are very explicit lesson objectives in place. This provides teachers with a clear sense of purpose. There is a good pace to lessons and this, together with interesting content, motivates pupils. Excellent lessons are very well organised with a good balance between whole class discussion and practical work. Teachers have very good questioning skills which they use to keep the momentum of the lesson. A positive sense of fun is generated as

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MATHEMATICS

teachers keep their pupils ‘on their toes’. They capture pupils’ interest and engage their full attention as required through the use of effective lesson content and management strategies.

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MATHEMATICS

83. In many classes the mental mathematics session is too slow and lacks pace. Sometimes, instructions are too long and there are too many for pupils to remember. Opportunities are missed to use resources to provide focus or support during these sessions. In contrast, the main sessions of mathematics lessons are generally managed very well. Pupils are set different tasks and activities, and teachers visit groups one by one to conduct informal assessments and provide help as needed. At these times, support staff are very well deployed and are well briefed in their roles. Their contribution enables teachers to spend more time with other groups. The final whole class sessions are also usually well-organised, as teachers summarise what has been learnt and recapitulate knowledge or skills previously learnt. In the best plenary sessions, teachers plan to involve the whole class rather than focussing on one or two pupils. They also

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MATHEMATICS

draw on a wide range of subjects to provide interest and fun. For example, one lesson finished with a series of number songs chosen by the pupils, who sang with confidence whilst using their fingers to count on or count back in twos. They enjoyed this session so much they were reluctant to go for lunch. This final part of the lesson left the pupils with a strong sense of achievement.

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MATHEMATICS

84. As the school has been working on implementing the National Numeracy Strategy there has been a heavy emphasis on number. However, the co-ordinator is aware of this as she has scrutinised teachers’ planning and has regularly visited other classrooms in mathematics lessons. She is also aware of the length of mathematics sessions and of the imbalance within those sessions which results in some parts of numeracy lessons being over-long. Opportunities are missed to develop mathematical skills across the curriculum by applying them in different contexts. Nevertheless, the school has achieved considerable success and standards are rising in mathematics. More resources to support teachers and to enliven the ‘quick-fire’ sessions are required, as are resources to develop pupils’ practical skills in measuring, balancing and other practical activities. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 33 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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MATHEMATICS

These will enhance the very good practice that is already contributing to the rise in standards.

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SCIENCE

85. The teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1 in 1999 show that the percentage of pupils achieving the expected Level 2, and above, was below the national average. The percentage of pupils reaching the higher Level 3 was well below expectations. The year 2000 teacher assessment shows an improvement from the previous year. The inspection findings confirm this improvement. Over time, the number of pupils gaining the nationally expected level has improved. The percentage of pupils of average and below average ability achieving Level 2 by the time they leave the school is in line with the national average. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the higher Level 3 is below what is expected nationally and has remained static, affecting the overall picture. Thus, attainment overall at the end of the key stage is below national expectations. However, there is a clear improvement in standards.

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SCIENCE

86. Most pupils make at least satisfactory progress from their starting point in the school. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils of below average ability, which is the majority of pupils, make good progress and several reach the expected Level 2. Pupils of average ability make satisfactory progress and reach the expected level. Progress for pupils of above average ability is slow. The high number of pupils with special educational needs make good progress, and pupils with English as an additional language make very good progress. This good progress is a result of focused high quality teaching from the very good partnership between teachers and support staff.

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SCIENCE

87. Teachers build on this carefully and the increasing levels of attainment reflect this progress. Most pupils begin to gain a satisfactory understanding of scientific skills and concepts. They show reasonable gains in their ability to plan, organise and carry out scientific investigations. Pupils occasionally apply their knowledge to other areas of the curriculum, for example when discussing scientific and environmental aspects in geography. This supports progress in these subjects. They also make satisfactory progress in their understanding and use of appropriate scientific vocabulary, which contributes to the development of literacy skills. Pupils increasingly find their developing numeracy skills useful in their work in science. However, there is still some way to go in this and teachers do not pay sufficient attention to developing literacy and numeracy skills in science. Pupils' standards in literacy and numeracy skills are below national

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SCIENCE

expectations. This affects their ability to read and understand tasks, to write coherently about their work and carry out the basic number skills related to their science activities. There are signs of some improvement in these areas, more so in numeracy.

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SCIENCE

88. The quality of the practical investigative work is satisfactory overall but there is room for improvement in variety and scope. Although the teachers firmly direct much of the planned scientific investigations for pupils, they do find some opportunities for pupils to become more independent in their learning. This is in response to a key area of development from the last inspection. Pupils have several opportunities to plan, prepare and carry out their own experiments, taking more responsibility for their own learning. However, not many pupils show real curiosity or excitement about scientific matters and this is a result of underdeveloped independent learning techniques. This particularly applies to the more able pupils, some of whom do not consistently achieve as highly as they might because teachers do not consistently set sufficiently challenging or diverse tasks for them. This area for improvement requires not only a consistent maintaining of

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SCIENCE

teachers' very effective management of pupils but also a rigorous application of the benefits of the literacy and numeracy strategies. The school is well placed to do this. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 34 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School 89. The pupils in reception classes identify successfully the different stages in the development of a butterfly and the more able pupils see the cyclical concept in this process. They use accurately suitable vocabulary such as hatch and chrysalis. Pupils sort pictures into a correct sequence and clearly identify different animals. These younger pupils also name accurately different fruits and vegetables and know that a seed grows into a plant under the right conditions. They also understand that the sun is the main source of light and that people need artificial light when there is no sun. Much of the work is oral and presented through drawings, most of which have a satisfactory level of

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SCIENCE

accuracy in showing understanding. The pupils in the mixed age range classes in the remainder of the school follow a two-year cycle of topics. By the time they leave school at the age of seven, pupils explore carefully through practical investigations how materials such as water change their state. They know what happens when solids change into liquids and vice versa through the application of heat or cold. They use suitable scientific words, such as steam and temperature, when talking about their work. They design and carry out an experiment to discover what conditions make an ice cube melt the fastest and the more able pupils apply tests outside the range suggested by their teachers, such as taking it near sunlight or holding the wrapped ice cube in their hands. Pupils also identify accurately a variety of the sources of sound and explore successfully how sound travels from a source. Most pupils successfully complete a simple electrical circuit and

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SCIENCE

understand why a gap in a circuit means that a bulb will not light. They understand some of the domestic uses of electricity. The majority of pupils understand the principles behind what makes a test fair.

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SCIENCE

90. The quality of teaching is good, with some excellent teaching seen. Learning is effective because of this good quality teaching and a desire from pupils to try their best. Pupils have positive attitudes to their work. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which enables them to give effective responses to pupils' observations and to ask questions, which take pupils' learning forward. However, teachers do not always use this knowledge well to prepare suitably diverse tasks to challenge pupils of higher ability, based on prior attainment. Teachers manage their classrooms successfully and have very effective, caring relationships with their pupils. Pupils respect their teachers. This produces good behaviour even in the less formal practical sessions. Teachers plan effectively, making good use of satisfactory resources. They prepare their lessons well in this respect, although there is room to develop further their planning for pupils to show initiative in

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SCIENCE

91. Overall, there is a purposeful atmosphere in lessons and a good learning environment. Pupils show interest and enthusiasm because teachers use a range of strategies and methods to focus their work. Pupils work well together, respond well to questions, discuss ideas and the more able occasionally show a mature level of reasoning to work out ideas. Unless structured by the teachers, boys and girls tend to work separately in some practical activities. The investigative work pupils undertake usually motivates them. Teachers give clear explanation of what is required in tasks, as well as when sharing knowledge and understanding with pupils. Pupils listen carefully and teachers ensure that pupils understand what is required of them. Most pupils show good levels of concentration. The majority of pupils take pride in what they do, although the presentation of their work is not very neat in many instances. Pupils follow instructions

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SCIENCE

well, behave in a responsible and sensible manner, sharing tasks and resources fairly. Teachers ensure that pupils pay suitable attention to safety issues. The principle strength in the teaching is the effective partnership between the teachers and the support staff, in and out of lessons. The principle area for development is to balance whole class, group and individual tasks more effectively. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 35 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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ART

92. Only one lesson was observed during the inspection. Evidence was obtained from a scrutiny of displays, discussions and a scrutiny of individual pupils’ work. Attainment in art is judged to be in line with national expectations. This maintains the attainment identified in the previous inspection. Pupils experience a range of media including paint, card and tissue paper, wax and pencil crayon, pencil and fabric. They practise a range of techniques of drawing, painting, sewing, modelling and printing. Pupils who speak English as an additional language and pupils with special educational needs make good progress as instructions are explained carefully to them.

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ART

93. Pupils in reception observe new and old lamps and produce careful and accurate pencil drawings. They look at plants and construct their own flowers using card and tissue paper. In their ‘Pizza Hut’ home corner, they print their own wallpaper panels and look closely at a range of fruit and vegetables as they draw, using pencil and wax crayons to show the correct colours and shapes. They enjoy practising their printing skills in a range of techniques using paint and straws, spatulas, brushes and string.

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ART

94. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 study patchwork and design. They sew their own miniature patchwork quilts using squares of fabric sewn together with needles and thread. They use ‘running stitches’ to join their squares together. They use felt-tipped pens to design striking posters to illustrate events. For example, they based a poster on a theatre event, such as ‘Cinderella’. Multi-cultural development is fostered well through displays derived from the recent ‘India Week’, when pupils dressed in sari fabrics. This experience enabled them to handle the elaborate nature of sari fabric with its embroidery and sequins.

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ART

95. Attitudes are very good. Pupils all behave very well, and derive a great deal of enjoyment and satisfaction from their tasks. They work eagerly and with determination, co-operating and sharing each other’s successes and failures with equal enthusiasm and courtesy. A real sense of drama and purposefulness pervades the lesson as pupils’ tasks are completed and compared. Many pupils display a true sense of awe and wonder as they see for the first time the effects of their bubble-prints on their sheets of paper, or as they watch the marble roll across the paper producing lines of varying thickness and colour.

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ART

96. Other than through teachers' planning and discussion, which showed good quality, it is not possible to make firm judgements on the quality of teaching overall. Teaching in the lesson inspected was very good. There is an enthusiasm which communicates well to the pupils. This provides a very positive model. Organisation is very good, with clear instructions. The very good pace maintains pupils’ interest and creates a strong sense of purposefulness. Teaching includes high expectations of pupils who respond readily to the challenge of producing three pieces of work using different techniques. Artistic techniques are taught thoroughly and include string printing, bubble-printing, printing using sponges and rollers, as well as a technique of rolling a paint-covered marble around a tray over a sheet of paper.

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ART

97. The subject co-ordinator has been in post for only two terms. She has tackled her task well and shown considerable potential as a co-ordinator, having produced documentation of a very high standard. Resources are well stored and accessible, but there are few to support pupils’ explorations of the work of other artists or to develop their aesthetic sense as they move around the school. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 36 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

98. At the last inspection, pupils achieved standards broadly in line with those expected nationally. There were very few specific design and technology lessons seen during this inspection. The school makes close links with art and sometimes other subjects. Judgements are made on the evidence of discussions with the staff, a review of some previous work, informal talks with pupils and a review of teachers' planning. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, with additional support, reach standards appropriate to their ages and abilities. All pupils make at least steady progress. Some pupils exceed these levels and make good progress.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

99. There is a balanced approach in teaching and pupils gain the expected level of understanding across the subject. Pupils use a range of materials. They enjoy their projects, and the more able pupils explore new ideas through them. Pupils show a satisfactory knowledge of materials, components, controls and structures. They develop through their practical tasks, appropriate skills, techniques and knowledge, particularly related to tools and materials. They have good attitudes towards health and safety and many have suitable knowledge of construction kits, textiles and food.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

100. Pupils design and make successfully a variety of puppets from a range of materials. They select, cut, stick, glue and sew, working from a simple design. They use a basic evaluation sheet and the more able identify the composition of the object, what were the easiest or hardest jobs, and what they liked or disliked about the task. Pupils learned the connection between designing a puppet and writing a play for performance in the puppet theatre. Pupils use a variety of construction kits well to make models. The more able identify that vehicles have different parts and are put together differently. They know what the word 'axle' means. Pupils make biscuits. They design a topping and know that biscuits have different ingredients in them. They develop simple sensory vocabulary. Pupils describe and name fruits accurately, classifying according to properties. They also make quite accurate observational drawings linking art, design and technology skills. They understand

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

that fruit and vegetables are important parts of diet. Pupils design a healthy meal. They devise in order, and follow, simple hygiene instructions for washing hands. Pupils followed up a role play exercise with a successful visit to a garden centre. They learned that flowers are very different and, for example, looked at the variety of shape, colour and size. On their return, pupils designed and made flowers, using a range of materials, processes and tools. Pupils had a useful visit to Preston College. Teachers relate the design and technology work effectively to other subjects of the curriculum. However, opportunities to develop mathematical and writing skills are sometimes missed.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. Pupils have satisfactory design skills, according to prior attainment, and most pupils have good making skills. They have underdeveloped evaluation skills and there is some way to go before they carry out the complete process successfully. Teachers provide some opportunities for pupils to evaluate work in progress, to decide what they have done well and suggest ways of improving either design or manufacture. However, the planning of these opportunities is inconsistent.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. Pupils clearly have a good response to the subject and enjoy the practical elements. They show interest and involvement. They collaborate and co-operate when working in small groups and also work well on their own. Pupils handle equipment and resources well and take a pride in their finished products. They behave well and respect their teachers. Pupils respond well to the occasional opportunities given them to experiment, learn from their mistakes and find solutions. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 37 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School 103. Other than through teachers' planning and discussion, which showed good quality, it is not possible to make firm judgements on teaching overall. However, in the few lessons seen the quality of teaching was good. Good planning, good explanation and questioning skills to ensure pupils know what to do and to find out what they have learned were features of the lessons seen. Effective organisation and very good teamwork with

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

support staff also made a significant contribution to the success of these good lessons. Teachers clearly use a good range of strategies and methods to make their lessons interesting and have good subject knowledge to support this. Assessment is ongoing and teachers keep a checklist of pupils' achievements.

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GEOGRAPHY

104. At the time of the last inspection, pupils achieved satisfactory standards. During this inspection, it was only possible to observe one geography lesson. However, evidence from teachers’ planning, interviews with teachers and pupils, a thorough scrutiny of pupils’ work and displays around school, show that most pupils achieve standards expected of pupils of this age. Informal discussions with pupils show they have an interest in the subject and respond well to the opportunities offered. Most pupils take a pride in the activities they do, although their written work is limited and not very neat. Much of the extended work is oral. Progress for all pupils is at least satisfactory. Pupils with special education needs and those who speak English as an additional language make satisfactory progress. A few make good progress, when given individually focused support from staff.

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GEOGRAPHY

105. Pupils use the school area as an important resource to develop their early geographical skills. They make simple but quite accurate maps of their classroom areas and the hall. Pupils subsequently build on this with an imaginative plan/map of a village with pond, church and hills indicated. They match and copy satisfactorily the names of the countries within the United Kingdom, labelling accurately their work. They use a play road map to practise their direction and location skills. The older, more able pupils know north, south, east, west and use simple positional vocabulary. Pupils talk about, draw and write simply but accurately about the four seasons. They describe the likely weather and what clothes to wear in which weather. They look carefully at a map of Preston and identify features and buildings on it, such as railways and water. Pupils give good details in their discussions with teachers to show that they understand the differences between the town

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GEOGRAPHY

and the country and what features distinguish each locality. Teachers reinforce geographical skills in literacy session with “Big Books” and occasionally reinforce literacy skills in geography lessons, as when they read with the pupils the story of “Madeleine the City Pig”. However, opportunities to develop numeracy skills are sometimes missed. Pupils made a visit to Preston College and described successfully on their return the physical features of the journey, putting some of their work into a satisfactory display.

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GEOGRAPHY

106. The school held a very successful ‘India Week’ when pupils learned effectively about some of the customs, traditions, foodstuffs, musical instruments, dress and buildings of India and compared these with their country. Pupils' work in geography makes a useful contribution to their cultural development. They write thank you letters after visits out, which helps to develop their literacy and social skills. However, this extension of literacy skills is underdeveloped. Pupils look at the particulars of houses for sale from an estate agent's brochure and attempt with some success to design and write about a similar one for themselves. They talk about the seaside and holidays, showing an appreciation of features which make up the places they have visited. On a world map, several pupils demonstrate clearly where they were born and where their parents were born. Pupils make some use of information technology, such as the programmable toys, for direction

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GEOGRAPHY

finding, and occasionally the word processor for extended writing, but such work is Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 38 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School inconsistent and underdeveloped. There is little interrogation of CD–Rom and the resources are restricted in this aspect.

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GEOGRAPHY

107. It is not possible to make an accurate judgement on the quality of teaching but it is clear from pupils' work and teachers' planning that it is at least satisfactory.

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HISTORY

108. During the inspection no history was being taught. The judgement that pupils’ attainment is in line with expectations for their age is based on a scrutiny of pupils’ work, discussions with teachers and pupils, and teachers’ planning. This judgement corresponds with the findings of the previous report.

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HISTORY

109. Talking to pupils at the end of the key stage indicates that they have retained a satisfactory knowledge of the details of topics they have studied. These include transport, schools in Victorian times, houses and homes and toys. Pupils gave a good account of their experience of a Victorian schoolroom. They know that pupils were taught in large numbers, that they sat in rows on benches, wrote on slates and endured very strict discipline. Pupils contrasted favourably their own experience of school with that of a century ago. They discussed changes that have taken place over time in all the topics they have studied. They know that formerly trains needed coal as fuel whereas now they run on oil or electricity. They describe how the first aeroplanes had wooden frames and propellers. Pupils who have had experience of flying describe interestingly what modern aeroplanes are like.

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HISTORY

110. Pupils show a good sense of the passage of time in their discussion. They recognise this through their own family experience. They describe the different generations in their family and recognise that there have been changes in lifestyles, particularly by those whose parents and grandparents were born in different countries.

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HISTORY

111. Pupils speak animatedly and with interest about their work in history. Their retention of knowledge, for example mentioning the Wright brothers and Neil Armstrong as pioneers of flight and space, indicates sound teaching and motivation. One pupil with special educational needs made a good contribution to the discussion.

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HISTORY

112. There is good leadership of the subject. Teaching is well supported by a sound policy statement, comprehensive scheme of work and a very good and well documented list of resources. These include a good range of videos. The good long-term planning details half-termly objectives, activities and resources. The objectives and activities demonstrate good integration of development of skills as well as acquisition of knowledge. For example, pupils are taught to sequence transport photographs in chronological order. They use photographs to derive information and reach conclusions about changes over time. A good display of recent seaside holiday photographs and some from a century ago reinforces this well.

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HISTORY

113. There are good links with other subjects. For example, journeys and transport included a historical consideration of time and a geographical perspective of place. They were also the focus of the week’s assemblies and included a religious dimension. References to “Big Book” texts in English include placing story events in the correct order. There is a good system of assessment. Each pupil’s achievement, knowledge and understanding and interpretation of evidence are carefully tracked and recorded on a very good assessment checklist. The range of pupils’ writing in history is limited and makes insufficient contribution to the development of pupils’ literacy skills. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 39 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

114. Standards in information technology are at the expected level. This maintains the attainment identified in the previous inspection. Pupils have regular opportunities to develop skills with computers and regular teaching ensures steady progress across the school. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make very good progress as they are paired with pupils who explain the work when they are unsure of the task. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as the work is well matched to their needs.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

115. At the end of Key Stage 1, pupils use word processing skills confidently. They know how to produce upper and lower case letters on the keyboard and produce correct sentences in their writing. They are confident when drafting their work straight onto the screen because the teachers expect them to do this from the reception classes. Direct teaching of the use of different parts of the keyboard ensures a steady development of understanding. For example, pupils are given clear instructions of how to use the delete keys and build their confidence in using this key through specific tasks. The oldest pupils handle information confidently and understand how computers produce better presented data than handwritten work. For example, they appreciate the different dimensions that can be used when producing bar charts of their investigations.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

116. Pupils in Year 2 use graphics programs confidently to produce different visual effects. They use the different facilities of the school’s software to produce pictures. This includes the use of the ‘paint brush’ and ‘spray can’ effects, regular geometrical shapes and the symmetrical facility. Pupils use colour well to produce interesting effects, both with background colours and with different colours for the lines and shapes. Pupils combine text and graphics confidently, using different software facilities to change the shape, size and colour of the letters. This level of work is above that expected for seven year olds. More able pupils produce complex patterns from this software. For example, a pupil produced a pattern including triangles inside different coloured squares.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

117. At the end of Key Stage 1 pupils use the different menus of computers appropriately. They print out their own work and understand how to access different tools from the screen. For example, pupils explained correctly how to change font sizes using their word processing software. Pupils understand that different models of computers have different facilities because they have experience of using a range of computers. They understand that different computers can be linked to share facilities such as printers because the hardware is set up in classrooms to give them experience of this facility. Pupils have a basic understanding of how to use control as they enter simple instructions into programmable robots to produce simple sequences. Teachers take advantage of industrial contacts to widen pupils’ understanding of the use of information technology to control systems. For example, pupils visited a storage depot to observe computerised

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

systems in use. Pupils have a simple understanding of the use of the Internet because teachers demonstrate this facility in lessons.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

118. Teaching is satisfactory across the school. All teachers work very well in partnership with the support staff. Individuals are given very good support during whole class sessions, particularly those pupils who speak English as an additional language. This is because the bilingual assistants combine mother tongue very effectively with English to ensure pupils’ understanding of the new learning. Support staff have a very good understanding of the content of the lessons and give high quality feedback to the teachers of pupils’ progress.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

119. Teachers are confident in combining the development of information technology skills with using computers to improve knowledge in other curriculum areas. For example, Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 40 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School pupils use computers as a source of reference material for science. Pupils enjoy working on computers together and are keen to complete their tasks because teachers encourage pupils when they are developing skills and celebrate the outcomes with the whole class. Teachers organise pupils carefully as ‘the worker’ and ‘the watcher’ when they work in pairs. This ensures that pupils have a clear understanding of their role and promotes co- operative skills well. Pupils are confident to support each other when solving problems. Behaviour is very good because all teachers manage their pupils well.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

120. In the mixed Years 1 and 2 classes teachers allocate specific time for direct teaching of skills each week. This ensures the steady development of knowledge. These teachers demonstrate the use of different aspects of computers well using additional keyboards to show pupils the use of different keys. However, these whole class sessions often last too long, which reduces pupils’ concentration at the end of a day. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which is evident in their confident use of technical language. Some teachers insist that pupils also use this technical language to develop speaking skills but some teachers miss opportunities to extend pupils’ language in whole class sessions.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

121. Planning is clear and builds carefully on pupils’ previous experiences. It includes clear objectives within lessons. Pupils have equal opportunities in this subject as teachers plan together and provide the same experiences each week. Work is linked well across the curriculum to make the work more relevant. For example, when learning to use specific parts of the keyboard, pupils produced labels for their geography work. Teachers use assessment systems effectively to monitor pupils’ progress. However, they miss opportunities for pupils to track the number of times they have worked on the computer by recording this for themselves on charts beside the computers. Most teachers ensure that computers are used regularly across the day, but in some classes computers are left idle when they could be in use.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

122. Opportunities are missed in reception for regular direct teaching of information technology as it is not timetabled each week. This reduces the rate of pupils’ acquisition of knowledge. Teachers in these classes ensure that pupils have regular access to develop keyboard skills. All teachers develop basic skills well through the use of computers. For example, pupils develop confidence in writing through regular opportunities to produce their work on computers. Pupils are very proud of their work when they have printed it out and this fosters positive attitudes to writing. The simple bar charts produced support the development of numeracy effectively.

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MUSIC

123. Standards in music are in line with national expectations. This maintains the standards in the previous inspection. Pupils who speak English as an additional language make very good progress as the school provides musical instruments from their county of origin. This increases their level of confidence. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress as they are well supported in lessons.

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MUSIC

124. Pupils in reception enjoy singing a series of number songs that they choose. They use their fingers and other actions to illustrate their singing, such as when they count the number of animals that go into the Ark two-by-two. Their singing is tuneful and they perform with enthusiasm and pleasure. They keep good time and sing rhythmically.

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MUSIC

125. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 choose and organise sounds effectively to illustrate the events in a story. For example, they listen to the familiar story about the ‘Three Billy Goats Gruff’ before discussing and choosing the appropriate sounds to match various happenings and characters. They are beginning to distinguish high and low sounds. However, some find it more difficult when confronted with a single sound as they have no comparator against Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 41 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School which to make their judgement. They choose their instrument from a given range and play correctly with bouncing beaters at the correct point in the story. Pupils make good progress in the lessons as they listen hard and concentrate so that they play at the right point. They learn to play the correct rhythm pattern to illustrate footsteps. Some distinguish fast and slow footsteps and play a regular quick or slow pulse accordingly.

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MUSIC

126. Pupils are provided with opportunities to listen to music of good quality every day. For example, music played in assemblies is changed every week and pupils are told what the music is and where it is from. However, the quality of the stereo equipment is poor and pupils are unable to hear the music at an appropriate volume. Opportunities for pupils to develop literacy skills in assemblies are missed as there are no words available to support the singing. At playtimes, recorded music is played in every class as the pupils have their drinks. The quality of music is high and information is displayed giving the title and composer, for example Mendelssohn’s violin concerto. This very good practice now needs to be further developed to provide pupils with as much musical information as possible to enrich their knowledge and understanding. Some aspects of music are good, for instance the introduction of a wide range of proper Indian instruments which featured

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MUSIC

in the school’s recent ‘India Week’ and the encouragement given by the music co- ordinator to pupils who have particular skills in music and dance.

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MUSIC

127. Pupils behave very well in music lessons and enjoy playing and listening. Pupils respond very well when three of their classmates demonstrate their particular skills in performing an Indian song using the drum, singing and dance. This is very well received and all pupils show respect, watching carefully with attention and showing their appreciation by applauding.

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MUSIC

128. Teaching is never less than good, and on occasions it is very good. Planning is sufficiently detailed and is consistent across classes. Where teaching is very good, the teacher has very good subject knowledge and is fully confident. She uses graphic illustration as a preliminary step to graphic scores and is insistent upon the correct pulse and rhythm as appropriate. She encourages many pupils to take part and tell musical stories with a good pace. Teachers manage their pupils very well and are thoroughly prepared. Support staff are very well deployed to work with pupils who have special educational needs or who speak English as an additional language.

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MUSIC

129. The subject co-ordinator has energy, determination and considerable subject expertise. Her documentation is very good and she has organised the resources very well. They are accessible. However, many of these are old and worn and need replenishing. The school has few ethnic instruments of its own. The display of a selection of Indian instruments and photographs of musical visitors show that the co-ordinator is determined to promote music and interest in music as far as possible.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

130. Standards at the end of Key Stage 1 in games are above expectations for seven year olds. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. Teachers provide an effective programme of work that builds steadily on previous skills. They ensure that all pupils make good progress by challenging them individually to do their best. All pupils have good skills in controlling a ball. They work confidently when dribbling, passing and receiving a ball in football. The more able pupils perform skilfully with the ball using either foot with confidence and showing dexterity in manoeuvring the ball. These more able pupils work in small groups passing the ball accurately while they are on the move. Pupils in reception build on the good foundations laid in the nursery. They learn basic throwing, catching and football skills well because they are taught regularly and remember the learning from the previous lesson. Progress of pupils with special

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 42 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School educational needs and who speak English as an additional language is very good. The support staff work very well with the teachers and interpret instructions very effectively. They model the movements in order to show these pupils the standards expected. For example, in a Years 1 and 2 class the classroom assistant stayed close to her pupil. She showed her how to bend and stretch which ensured that she produced these movements at the same level as the rest of the class and was very proud of her achievement.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

131. Teaching is good. Lessons are balanced well with a warm up and cool down activity that consolidates gymnastics movements. For example, in a Years 1 and 2 class, pupils bent and stretched, paying attention to every part of their bodies because the teacher focused their attention on these different parts. Teachers give very clear instructions that ensure pupils understand the tasks and move quickly into carrying them out. When a new skill is being introduced teachers point clearly to different parts of the body to ensure that pupils understand how to move. Pupils are used well to demonstrate different movements or skills, which celebrates good work effectively and sets high expectations for the rest of the class. Teachers also demonstrate themselves to show pupils how to carry out skills. For example, in a Years 1 and 2 class the teacher was so enthusiastic about carrying out a star jump that the pupils started work immediately to try to match his standard.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Teachers use good quality questions in lessons but do not expect fully extended answers from pupils which reduces pupils' development of speaking skills.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

132. Teachers all manage pupils' behaviour very well. They reinforce the school rules regularly and use fair and firm control throughout the lesson. This ensures very good behaviour throughout the lesson. Teachers explain the importance of moving through the school quietly and all pupils are sensitive to the need of pupils in other classes not to be disturbed. They move sensibly across different parts of the school. Teachers move into lessons quickly when they get into the hall or yard. For example, reception pupils moved straight into a snake follow-my-leader sequence as the teacher had given these instructions in the classroom. Lessons proceed at a brisk pace once pupils have moved to the hall or playground. However, too long is spent in getting pupils changed, with no sense of urgency of moving on to the lesson quickly. Teachers sequence tasks carefully, which produces a good rate of progress in acquiring skills. For example, pupils in a

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Years 1 and 2 class began by dribbling the ball by themselves, developed skills of stopping the ball quickly, moved on to dribbling the ball in pairs and then took part in a dribbling team game.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

133. Teachers have high expectations of co-operation in team games. This produces good collaborative skills in achieving a common goal in completing the task. These skills are developed well as teachers transfer learning across different games. For example, Years 1 and 2 pupils moved from a team game of passing the ball over their heads to passing it between their legs. Teachers use interesting tasks in lessons which motivate pupils well. They ask pupils to move like tigers and snakes, which produces very positive attitudes to the work. Organisation across lessons is good, with pupils fetching and retrieving equipment sensibly. However, some pupils waste time during lessons when there are too many allocated to carry out a task, and pupils have to wait their turn for too long. Pupils in most classes are organised effectively into regular groups, which saves time during lessons. However, this is not consistent across the school and time is wasted in

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

allocating pupils to different tasks. Teachers in reception make very good use of the nursery facilities to provide outdoor play on large apparatus to build on previous skills. Planning is thorough, with key objectives ensuring a clear focus across lessons. This is an improvement on the previous inspection. There are very good health and safety procedures in place with pupils and teachers wearing appropriate garments. Some teachers develop health education well in lessons by highlighting the effect of exercise on the body. Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 43 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

134. Pupils’ attainment in religious education is in line with the expectations of the Lancashire Agreed Syllabus. Pupils have a satisfactory knowledge of the teachings of Christianity. They know that the Bible is divided into two main sections and they have a good understanding of the main Christian festivals and stories about Jesus. In accordance with the locally agreed syllabus, pupils also study other world faiths. They are Hinduism, Sikhism, Islam and Buddhism. Some of these also reflect the faiths of pupils in the school. All pupils are encouraged to be proud of their faiths. Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh pupils make good contributions to religious education lessons, drawing on their personal experiences.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

135. The previous inspection found that pupils’ attainment at the end of the key stage was broadly satisfactory despite some confusion about the different faiths they studied. Since then the school has worked hard to provide a good scheme of work, range of resources and well-planned curriculum. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, make good progress across the key stage.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

136. In one lesson, pupils listened to the story of Jesus feeding the crowd of five thousand people with the loaves and fish given up by a boy. They give good answers to questions such as “why did the boy give up his food?” Pupils learn the term miracle and know that Jesus’ healing miracles were part of his ministry. In a good discussion at the end of the lesson, pupils talk knowledgeably about different faiths’ special books. Christian, Muslim and Sikh pupils describe their holy books as the Bible, the Qur’an, and the Guru Granth Sahib. Pupils learn well from each other as they outline what each book contains. For example, some pupils describe the Bible as “telling us about God” and containing “stories about Jesus”. In a good lesson, younger pupils think about feelings, such as being rejected. This is as a result of hearing the Bible story of Zacchaeus and how people hated him because of his greed for money. Pupils remembered well how in the story his

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

encounter with Jesus changed his life and he shared everything he had. Pupils talk sensibly about exclusion and give examples of how they try to help lonely pupils by playing with them and sharing.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

137. Pupils work well in religious education lessons. They are genuinely interested in learning about each other’s faith. They particularly enjoy practical activities, for example when in one lesson they acted out the story of ‘the feeding of the five thousand’. They listen attentively to their teachers and to each other. Their behaviour and attitude to learning are good. This represents a significant improvement on the findings of the previous report. Most pupils join in discussion and are eager to express their ideas and feelings.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

138. Teaching is satisfactory overall, with good features. The previous inspection found teaching to be unsatisfactory. The good improvement in the quality of teaching is due to the good leadership of the subject and a range of strategies which have been put in place to raise standards of pupils’ attainment. These include a complete revision of the scheme of work to incorporate a two-year cycle for the mixed age classes. Good long-term planning details termly objectives, activities and resources, and assessment checklists which record how well pupils have responded and achieved. Teachers plan interesting lessons which motivate pupils’ learning. In some lessons there is good development of pupils’ speaking skills in role-play activities. Questioning and leadership of discussion is satisfactory, though sometimes it does not allow pupils to answer at any length. Teachers’ lesson planning based on the scheme of work and long-term plans is generally

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

satisfactory. Relationships with the pupils are mostly good and use of praise encourages them to learn and make progress. Sometimes teachers miss an opportunity to draw out the meaning and relevance of religious stories and relate them to life today. Although Ribbleton Avenue Infants School - 44 Ribbleton Avenue Infants School there is some writing in religious education, including prayers, the range and quality of pupils’ writing does not make the contribution to their literacy development that it should.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

139. Pupils experience a very good range of religious festivals, both through their religious education and assemblies. These include Diwali, Holi, Eid, Christmas, Easter, Guru Nanak’s birthday and the Chinese New Year. Members of staff of different faiths share their knowledge and experiences with the pupils. Pupils have visited local churches and the Gurdwara. Visitors to school who have enriched pupils’ learning have included leaders from different faiths.

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