Marlpool Infant School

MARLPOOL INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection number: 197261 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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MARLPOOL INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Prospect Road Marlpool Heanor Derbyshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Harry Soar

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 6/02/96 Marlpool Infants School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities Ms Vreta Bagilhole Registered inspector English mathematics information technology history The school’s results and achievements

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

geography special educational needs equal opportunities How well is the school led and managed?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr Graeme Norval Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? Partnership with parents

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mrs Marion Wallace Team inspector science art religious education How well are the pupils taught?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

design and technology music physical education Curricular and other opportunities.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Bedford Primary Inspections 2 Grange Lane Cople Bedford MK44 3TT

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Marlpool Infant School takes pupils aged from 4-7 years. They are accommodated in two classrooms. The number on roll is 39. The school is situated in Heanor in Derbyshire. The school is much smaller than other infant schools. Pupils come from an area of mixed housing and a broad range of social and economic backgrounds. Most of the children have previously attended local nursery schools. Overall, the attainment of the pupils on entry to the school is above average. All of the pupils are from a white ethnic origin. There are four children who have special educational needs, none of whom have a Statement of Special Educational Need. Ten per cent of pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is broadly in line with national figures. The average class size is 19.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school, which provides a stimulating environment for pupils to learn and make progress. Teaching and learning in the school are good. The school is well led by the headteacher and key staff and efficiently run. The ethos is very good. The school provides good value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Standards in English are well above average and those in science and mathematics are good. • The pupils are very good at managing their own work. • Strong leadership ensures that the school meets its aims and targets and that desired values are reflected in its work. • Parents and their children are equally enthusiastic about the high outcome of the school's work. • The development of stringent assessment using tests has been excellent in identifying and targeting improvement for individual pupils. • The school has made very good improvement in meeting the targets set by the last inspection.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • The school is not rigorously monitoring the quality of teaching. • The school has not fully considered national guidelines when planning the provision for children under five.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

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 February 1996. It has made very good improvement since then. All of the issues the school needed to address have been carefully actioned. Pupils now are provided with a curriculum that stimulates and extends their thinking. Since the last inspection, the school has made very good progress to ensure that the religious education curriculum complies with the local agreed syllabus. The school has been most successful in providing opportunities for pupils to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding in all aspects of the curriculum. This has resulted in pupils’ independence and ability to take responsibility for their own learning becoming a strength of the school. Planning is now very good and ensures good breadth and depth in areas addressed. The school has changed its curriculum delivery and content from a topic-based focus to a more subject based focus and

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

this is having a beneficial effect on standards. The school is in a good position to make further improvement. Marlpool Infants School - 7

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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 B A B B well above average above average A B writing A A A A* average below average C D mathematics B A B B well below average E

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STANDARDS

The results of the National Curriculum tests for 1999 place standards in writing at well above the national average. In writing, the school's performance in relation to similar schools is in the highest 5 per cent nationally. Standards in reading and mathematics are above average. Teacher assessments for science are above average. Inspection evidence agrees with this picture. The school has maintained these standards over the last few years and any small differences are due to the small size of cohorts, which make the data less reliable. This year there are fewer pupils gaining Level 3 in writing but the age of pupils in the cohort is younger than usual. The school has appropriate and achievable targets for English and mathematics and is on course to meet them. Standards in information technology are typical for the pupils' age and the school is attaining standards in religious education that meet the local

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STANDARDS

agreed syllabus. Pupils achieve a high standard of work in design and technology and a good standard in art, history and geography. Standards in all other subjects meet the requirements of the National Curriculum programmes of study. Children under five achieve the national learning goals for five year olds in all areas of learning except in outdoor physical play, where standards are not high enough.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent: the pupils are absorbed in school life.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good: Behaviour throughout the school is very good. Pupils are very courteous and well managed.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good

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Aspect Comment

Pupils’ excellent attitudes to school and their enthusiasm for learning are included in the many strengths of the school. The school has maintained the high standards reported previously, particularly pupils’ ability to organise and control their own work. Pupils are eager to come to school and demonstrate a high level of personal development. Marlpool Infants School - 8

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

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

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

The overall quality of teaching in the school is good and often very good or excellent. It is very good or better in 26 per cent of lessons and good in 42 per cent. No unsatisfactory teaching was observed during the inspection. Pupils’ ability to investigate, work independently, solve problems and take responsibility for their own learning is excellent. Teaching makes a significant contribution to the very good progress pupils make in their learning and to positive attitudes. Teaching has a positive influence on the quality of learning and the overall education pupils receive. The excellent and very good teaching occurs in Year 2, but there are instances of very good teaching in Reception and Year 1. Literacy and numeracy are taught very well and this is evident in the very good standards pupils achieve for their ability. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good.

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Teaching of pupils: aged up to 5 years aged 5-7 years aged 7-11 years

Teaching for children under five is satisfactory or good in all areas of learning except physical development which is unsatisfactory. There is insufficient opportunity for learning through activity within the classroom and out of doors.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum Good: The quality and range of opportunities for learning provided by the school is good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good in all areas

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good: The school cherishes its pupils and every teaching and non- teaching member of staff holds the pupils' health and wellbeing as a high priority. There are good procedures to support this.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Curriculum provision for children under five is good but the school has not fully considered national guidelines when planning the provision for these children. Provision for outdoor activity for the under fives to enrich physical development is unsatisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspection evidence supports parents' very high confidence and belief in the school’s provision and outcomes. The school works hard to achieve the very good partnership that has been established with parents. Marlpool Infants School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good: The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership. The headteacher and staff work as a team with all members pulling in the same direction.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good: the governors fulfil their statutory duties.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good: The school development plan is detailed and is used as a working guide to development. The governing body is strongly supportive of the school and has a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good

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Aspect Comment

The school is well managed and very efficiently run. It makes very good use of grants and other funding. The principles of best value are well applied. Day-to-day administration is good. The headteacher monitors colleagues’ plans and this has led to some improvement but there is insufficient rigorous monitoring of teaching. The management of the provision for children under five is satisfactory but planning lacks full consideration of the curriculum contained in national guidelines.

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Aspect Comment

The school benefits from very experienced and suitably qualified staff. It is a very good provider of teacher training. The school's accommodation and resources are satisfactory. However, the school lacks any outdoor toys for children under five years of age, such as tricycles and simple climbing equipment, to develop muscular strength.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Everything about the school • A very small number of parents would like to see activities provided outside of school hours.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team is in complete agreement with the parents' views. Marlpool Infants School - 10

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The school’s results and achievements

1. The results of the National Curriculum tests for 1999 place standards in writing at well above the national average. In writing, the school's performance in relation to similar schools is in the highest 5 per cent nationally. Standards in reading and mathematics are above average. Teacher assessments for science are above average. Inspection evidence agrees with this picture. The school has maintained these standards over the last few years and any small differences are due to the small size of cohorts, which make the data less reliable. This year there are fewer pupils gaining Level 3 in writing but the age of pupils in the cohort is younger than usual. The school has appropriate and achievable targets for English and mathematics and is on course to meet them.

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The school’s results and achievements

2. Inspection evidence shows that standards in English are well above average by the end of the key stage. Pupils have very good speaking and listening skills. They concentrate and listen very well. They are quick to add their own point of view and back it up with examples of why they think as they do. The majority of pupils read accurately. They use good levels of expression. They thoroughly enjoy reading and listening to poetry and get deeply involved in discussing the plot of a story. They are able to settle down to writing activities extremely efficiently. They concentrate on their work and think carefully about what they will put down on paper.

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The school’s results and achievements

3. Pupils are making good progress in using and applying mathematics in other subjects such as science. Year 1 pupils buy plants to observe growth. Standards in mental arithmetic are good and pupils accurately work out questions involving addition, subtraction and multiplication. They know the difference between a two and three-dimensional shape and can name a number of them. Pupils collect and collate data effectively presenting it in graphs and charts.

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The school’s results and achievements

4. In science, pupils have a good understanding of physical differences and living things and what they need to remain healthy. Scientific knowledge is applied well in other subjects such as design and technology. Standards in information technology are typical for the pupils' age. Pupils are making very good progress this year since the school acquired new computers. The school is attaining standards in religious education that meet the local agreed syllabus.

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The school’s results and achievements

5. The main strength in other subjects is in design and technology and pupils achieve a high standard of work. The process of designing, making and evaluating is very well established. Work is of a high quality for pupils’ age and maturity. Pupils also achieve a good standard in art, history and geography.

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The school’s results and achievements

6. There are no major strengths in other subjects and standards meet the requirements of the National Curriculum programmes of study. In music, standards could be higher with a greater emphasis on improving the quality of the singing, developing performance and composition aspects. Children under five achieve the national learning goals for five year olds in all areas of learning except in outdoor physical play, where standards are not high enough.

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The school’s results and achievements

7. By the end of the key stage, pupils with special educational needs make good progress. Work is matched appropriately to their individual education plans. The school makes some good provision for the more able pupils due to thorough assessments of the pupils. Marlpool Infants School - 11

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ excellent attitudes to school and their enthusiasm for learning are included in the many strengths of the school. The school has maintained the high standards reported previously, particularly pupils’ ability to organise and control their own work. Pupils are eager to come to school and demonstrate a high level of personal development. Opportunities to develop independent learning skills are encouraged by good and frequently very good teaching.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. A good example of this is the manner in which both pupils and staff start work in the morning before the bell rings. As soon as they arrive, pupils start reading, supported by teachers, support staff and the school administrator.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Pupils are eager to please and have tremendous enthusiasm for school. There is an air of excitement, initiative and total involvement throughout the school. Pupils are attentive and concentrate well on the tasks set. Working groups are lively and pupils think hard about their contributions. This is well demonstrated by the reaction to the first lesson introducing the use of data programmes on computers to create charts. Pupils were enthralled by the possibilities this opened and one rushed to a spare computer to try for himself.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Behaviour throughout the school is very good. Pupils are very courteous and well managed. They show good self-control and willingly take charge of their own work. There is no evidence of bullying or of unacceptable social attitudes. Relationships between pupils and between pupils and teachers are very good. There are no pupils excluded, nor have there been any for many years.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils treat visitors with open friendliness and are keen to demonstrate their work and discuss it with them. They show respect for property, staff and each other. They handle the school’s artefacts and equipment carefully. Inspection evidence supports the unanimous view of the high number of parents responding to the questionnaire that behaviour is very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. The good knowledge that members of staff have of all pupils supports pupils' personal development. They work hard to provide effective support for individual pupils. This helps to develop their confidence and self-esteem. The school carefully monitors personal development and records it informally. Pupils grow in maturity as they progress through the school and it prepares them well for transfer to the next stage in their education.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Attendance is good and has improved slightly since last year. The majority of the absentees come from a very small number of families who fail to support their children’s education by getting them to school regularly. There is some holiday absence in term time but no evidence of families abusing the system. Punctuality in the morning is good. The school makes every effort to promote good attendance and punctuality

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. The overall quality of teaching in the school is good and often very good or excellent. Pupils’ ability to investigate, work independently, solve problems and take responsibility for their own learning is excellent. Teaching makes a significant contribution to the very good progress pupils make in their learning and to positive attitudes. Teaching has a positive influence on the quality of learning and the overall education pupils receive. The excellent and very good teaching occurs in Year 2, but there are instances of very good teaching in Reception and Year 1. Teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good. Teaching for children under five is satisfactory or good in all areas of learning except physical development which is unsatisfactory. There is insufficient opportunity for learning through activity within the classroom and out of doors. Marlpool Infants School - 12 16. Since the last inspection, the overall quality of teaching has improved from satisfactory to good.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Planning has improved and is more detailed; most subjects are covered in depth and breadth. As a result, the higher attaining pupils are well challenged. Planning for children under five is less satisfactory. Activities and learning for this age group are integrated into planning for Key Stage 1 and do not currently identify the specific learning requirements for this age group. Since the last inspection, there has been a radical change and improvement in the style of teaching and learning throughout the school. Teachers have worked very hard to adapt teaching and learning to the requirements for teaching the National Curriculum and more recently, the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The school acknowledges that planning for some curriculum subjects, such as music, physical education and art, still has to be given the same rigorous treatment that has produced effective teaching in other curriculum areas. Opportunities to extend pupils’ thinking,

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

independence and responsibility for their own learning have been addressed successfully. This aspect is now a strength of the school. Investigative work and problem solving are very well developed.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. In the older Key Stage 1 class, very good teaching was observed in English and excellent teaching in mathematics. Teaching in other subjects was good with satisfactory teaching in drama, physical education and music. The very good and sometimes excellent teaching in the older infant class ensures pupils are challenged and working to the best of their ability. The dynamic pace is laced with exciting and challenging activities such as a whole group team challenge in mathematics. Pupils are challenged in the speed of mental addition and multiplication and this is most effective. They enjoy the excitement and fun of the session and all pupils are challenged appropriately for their ability. Expectations are high as pupils are challenged in the speed of their response and the degree of difficulty. Explanations are very effective and motivate pupils to achieve very good standards of attainment and stimulate enjoyment of the lesson. The teacher

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

channels this into higher levels of challenge and attainment, for example, recognising different multiples of twenty. The reinforcement of learning is strong as the teacher constantly checks learning. At the end of lessons, an effective plenary crystallises the main teaching points of the lesson and pupils’ work is celebrated and appreciated. Pupils’ learning is very good because teachers are enthusiastic, and planning ensures pupils work at a very good pace developing skills, knowledge independence and initiative.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teaching in the lower Key Stage 1 is generally good in English, mathematics and science and satisfactory in other subject areas. In the better lessons, the pace is good and the range of activities stimulates pupils’ curiosity and enjoyment of learning. In mathematics, pupils enjoy the pace counting in twos, fives and tens. They play a simple dice game adding and subtracting numbers from ten. Learning is very good because pupils receive excellent support from voluntary helpers who are enthusiastic and committed. Where teaching is less effective, the pace of working slackens and the learning focus of the lesson is moved from the subject being taught to the activity such as cutting, sticking and colouring. Tasks are not always planned to take account of pupils’ age and ability.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teaching and learning for children under five is good overall. The very good support in the classroom ensures pupils' learning is very good. Teaching and learning in physical development is, however, unsatisfactory. Knowledge and understanding of the specific learning goals for this age group are less well developed. Children under five are sitting inactive for too long in whole group sessions alongside Key Stage 1 pupils. Unsatisfactory provision for physical development means that daily learning through physical exploration is unsatisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers are committed and enthusiastic and this contributes to pupils’ enthusiasm for learning that is evident throughout the school. A characteristic strength of the school is the way pupils Marlpool Infants School - 13 work independently, with enjoyment and maturity beyond their years, and achieve good levels of learning overall. Discipline, management and relationships are very good and this results in a positive working ethos throughout the school.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

21. Very good use is made of teachers’ rigorous assessment information. Day-to-day assessment of pupils’ work is very good. Teachers know their pupils very well and their experienced observations contribute to good quality teaching. Marking is thorough and supports and encourages pupils in their progress.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

22. Literacy and numeracy are taught very well and this is evident in the very good standards pupils achieve for their ability. The National Literacy and Numeracy Projects have been implemented very well throughout the school.

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PUPILS?

23. The quality and range of opportunities for learning provided by the school are good. The curriculum is broad and meets statutory requirements. The school has effectively introduced the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and this is having a positive impact on learning in English and mathematics and science. The school makes good provision for English, mathematics, science, design and technology and satisfactory provision for other aspects of the curriculum. Curriculum provision for children under five is good but the school has not fully considered national guidelines when planning the provision for these children. Provision for outdoor activity for the under fives to enrich physical development is unsatisfactory. The school provides equal opportunities for all pupils to learn and make progress. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is good. The school has an appropriate policy for sex education,

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PUPILS?

drugs awareness and health. These aspects are woven into curriculum subjects.

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PUPILS?

24. Since the last inspection, the school has made very good progress to ensure that the religious education curriculum complies with the locally agreed syllabus. The school has been most successful in providing opportunities for pupils to apply their skills, knowledge and understanding in all aspects of the curriculum. This has resulted in pupils’ independence and ability to take responsibility for their own learning becoming a strength of the school. Planning is now very good and ensures good breadth and depth in areas addressed. The school has changed its curriculum delivery and content from a topic-based focus to a more subject-based focus and this is having a beneficial effect on standards.

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PUPILS?

25. Links with other institutions are very good. The school works well with the local network of schools. Links with the main nursery school and junior school are very good. Pre-school children make several visits to the school from the main feeder nursery school. This makes a significant contribution to children settling into school life and becoming familiar with school buildings and teachers at the school. Liaison is strong and records from the nursery to the school ensure children’s progress and development are well considered.

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PUPILS?

26. Provision for spiritual development is very good. Assemblies taken by visiting adults and the local vicar are very good and make a significant contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Pupils reflect on the meaning of prayer and suggest ways to communicate with God. Year 2 pupils know that prayer is talking to God and Jesus. They refer to prayer as ‘Think mail’. In assemblies, pupils are challenged to consider ways to send their think mail. They develop a good understanding of the meaning of the word communication and are beginning to use simple sign language to accompany their singing. Pupils know and remember the school prayer and this is spoken with reverence and sensitivity. In lessons, pupils’ work is appreciated and valued, for Marlpool Infants School - 14 example, the roundabout with people carriages made by a four-year-old was shared and celebrated with others. Pupils’ art work is attractively displayed, showing a good appreciation of pupils’

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PUPILS?

work. Many instances were observed during the inspection when pupils were challenged in their work to produce ‘their best effort,’ and this was often achieved.

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PUPILS?

27. Moral development is very good. Pupils are given very clear guidelines and expectations of behaviour from the time they enter the school. They respond to adults, for example, on the playground they stand still immediately the command is given for the end of playtime. All pupils help to prepare the classroom for assembly and they conduct themselves with sensible maturity. There are clear policies to guide moral development and pupils know the rules very well. Moral development is very well established because all teachers and adults send firm and consistent messages to pupils from the time they enter the school.

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PUPILS?

28. Social development is very good. In lessons, pupils co-operate and collaborate very well. This was evident in the design and technology lesson for the younger infants. With a partner, pupils co-operated well to select materials for their playground model and to discuss making. They shared tasks such as creating a slide from cylinders and attaching them to a pipe cleaner frame. More able pupils in the older Key Stage 1 class often help less able pupils, for example, indicating the exact position from little finger tip to the thumb tip on their drawing so that they could measure the span of the hand drawing accurately. There are high expectations and, from the time pupils enter the school, they are required to work independently, with a partner, in small groups and alongside others. All pupils rise very well to these expectations and their very good behaviour was evident throughout the inspection.

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PUPILS?

29. Cultural development is very good. The school’s involvement in the ‘On the line’ project is making a valuable contribution to pupils’ cultural development. In assembly, pupils reflect on Leonard’s visit and listen to African drumming music. They dance showing good awareness of the characteristic style of African dance. Pupils benefit from a talk with a visitor from Ghana. They gain a good understanding of the different lifestyles, food eaten, and clothes worn. Pupils make wall decorations and dyed cloth patterns to adorn homes. They write about learning and school in Africa and they research information from the Internet about a pupil from Ghana. The work makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ cultural development as pupils compare and contrast the differences between their own lives and those of pupils in Africa. Pupils have a good awareness of the differences between religions such as Christian and Sikh. They can talk about

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PUPILS?

the different churches. Pupils in the younger Key Stage 1 class communicate with people in South America using e-mail. Visitors from the community, such as the local baker and senior citizens, enrich cultural learning. There are no extra-curricular clubs but the school has plans to develop this area of cultural development.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school cherishes its pupils and every teaching and non-teaching member of staff holds the pupils' health and wellbeing as a high priority. There are good procedures to support this. The headteacher is the designated person for child protection matters and appropriate measures are in place to ensure members of staff, students and visitors are aware of their responsibilities. There are appropriate procedures in case of accidents and the school has effective means to inform parents of any concerns. Pupils waiting for parents to collect them receive good supervision. Health, sex and drug awareness education is handled sympathetically in a manner appropriate to young pupils’ age. Parents feel that their children receive very good support and guidance and that their children's welfare is in safe hands. Inspection evidence supports this view. Marlpool Infants School - 15 31. The discipline procedures are very effective. Pupils and their parents are aware of them. The

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

procedures support the very few pupils for whom good behaviour is sometimes a slight challenge. Pupils and their parents state that the school has no problem with bullying and are confident that they can ask any member of staff for help and receive it should there be a problem. This opinion is supported by evidence from the inspection.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The very good procedures to monitor and improve attendance are effective and efficiently used by the school, in close liaison with the education welfare officer. Registers contain guidelines to indicate and identify reasons for absence. There is consistency in the methods used to mark registers, and guidance for staff on how to define unauthorised and authorised absence. The school files the letters from parents explaining absence with the registers.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. The school has an excellent range of tests and testing procedures, which follow pupils through the school. Standardised tests take place in Year 1 for literacy and numeracy and the results are used well to inform the future planning of work. Individual pupils' progress is carefully recorded and monitored against levels of knowledge expected nationally. These processes provide the school with valuable information, which is used to meet the needs of the pupils. Pupils transferring to the nearby junior school take with them a detailed record of their progress and the level of learning they have reached. The other aspects of transfer are equally effective.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. Since the last inspection, teachers have greatly improved the way they record pupils’ attainment and progress, in order to guide them in what to teach next. The school uses the information it gathers well, to identify the small number of pupils with special educational needs and to provide appropriate work and support.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

35. The inspection evidence supports parents' very high confidence and belief in the school’s provision and outcomes. The quality of annual reports is good, and is a further improvement since the last inspection. Reports to parents on their children's achievements and progress give clear indications of the work that children have done and how well they have done it. There is a final section that contains areas for improvement and, where relevant, suggestions on how parents might best help their children to improve.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

36. The school works hard to achieve the very good partnership that has been established with parents. There is a small number of parents, and some members of the local community who help in classrooms. Parent governors are active, one filling the role of school secretary as well as helping in other ways. There is a flourishing ‘Better Reading’ partnership which is encouraging a number of pupils to improve their reading skills. Two parents have completed the training course for this initiative. The school values this help and parents and other helpers recognise and appreciate that they are valued. Parents are satisfied that the open door policy of the school is effective.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

37. Inspection evidence indicates that class teachers are happy to assist parents with any concerns. Parents are satisfied that, should they have concerns, the school will listen to them and act accordingly. This supports the views of the parents at the parents’ meeting.

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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

38. The school has produced a home-school agreement. The school publishes newsletters when necessary and evidence supports the view of parents that they receive information about forthcoming events. There are three, well attended, formal meetings each year. At the third meeting, parents receive the annual report. Parents feel well informed about policies and procedures for pupils with special educational needs. Marlpool Infants School - 16 39. The prospectus is informative and clearly written. It complies with statutory requirements in all major respects, as does the very informative and helpful governors' annual report to parents. The school accepts the need for a small number of minor alterations.

p.15

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. Parents and friends raise money to benefit the school, through the small but active parent teacher association. There is good attendance at social events and the school gratefully acknowledges the work of the parents active in the school. Parents have helped to decorate the playground and have supplied software and a printer to support the four new computers recently acquired by the school. Money from the parent teacher association is also used to pay for transport when the school makes visits to facilities beyond the town, such as museums.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The headteacher provides strong and effective leadership. A very good ethos for learning has been established and the school's aims and values are reflected in all its work. The headteacher and staff work as a team with all members pulling in the same direction. The school is very popular and well respected by parents and pupils. This extends outside the school community and very effective links have been established with other schools in the area. These links are used by the headteacher to constantly build on improvement. Initiatives as a part of the group of local schools have resulted in the targeting of improvement in basic skills and a national award. The school is now extending this to cover improvement for all pupils in literacy and numeracy. The leadership and management of the school have continued to improve since the last inspection.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

42. The school development plan is detailed and is used as a working guide. The plan covers a four- year period and starts with a very good curriculum review. It identifies clear targets for improvement and includes good action plans for priority areas such as information technology. All areas of school life are addressed. The governing body is strongly supportive of the school and has a good understanding of its strengths and weaknesses. Governors make purposeful visits to the school and report back to the governing body. Areas identified for school development are thoroughly scrutinised and discussed. All statutory duties are met.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

43. The school is very efficiently run and it makes very good use of grants and other funding. Because of this, the headteacher has been able to maintain an appropriate amount of time for managerial duties. The headteacher has a teaching commitment for half of the week. Principles of best value are well applied. When the recent conversion from kitchen to staffroom took place, the school chose a company that was both cheaper and quicker than the alternative. Day-to-day administration is good.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

44. The area of special educational needs is well managed and benefits from the careful identification of pupils’ needs, regular reviews and well-maintained records. The local authority has carried out some monitoring of teaching. The headteacher monitors colleagues’ plans and this has led to some improvement but there is insufficient rigorous monitoring of teaching. The school has a good proportion of very good teaching but this has not been sufficiently identified and used for improvement. The management of the provision for children under five is satisfactory but planning lacks full consideration of the curriculum contained in national guidelines.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The school benefits from very experienced and suitably qualified staff for an infant school. They have an appropriate range of initial qualifications, bearing in mind their small number. The school encourages a range of further training courses to develop teachers’ skills. However, the professional development of staff requires a more rigorous focus on individual needs. Classroom support staff are of a very high calibre, including a retired teacher and a parent. Together with the Marlpool Infants School - 17 class teachers, they have a commitment and ability to make learning exciting and fun. They share fully in the school’s expectations and planning. The lunchtime supervisory staff also make a very good contribution to the pupils' social and personal development.

p.16

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. A newly qualified teacher, whose third practical teaching experience was at this school, returned for a day during inspection. Evidence from her visit and the close links with a university in the area confirm that the school is judged to be a very good provider of teacher training.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. Staff appraisal is on hold. There is some monitoring of teaching by the headteacher and an adviser from the local authority. Much of the monitoring of lessons and the feedback to the staff is informal and does not lead to clear development plans or training for the school or individual staff. The lack of structured monitoring results in lack of clarity and rigour in the development of the school improvement plan. The school is aware of the need to develop these areas further. The headteacher plans to introduce formal monitoring arrangements during the next academic year, to link with the introduction of a performance management programme.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The recently appointed part-time administrative assistant provides good support to the headteacher and staff. She is also a parent governor and takes a keen interest in the welfare of the school.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The school's accommodation is satisfactory. Teaching and practical areas are adequate, although corridors and cloakrooms are cramped. There are occasions when noise from the other classroom is a distraction, especially when concentrated listening is required, for instance, during literacy sessions. The school has no hall, a small, sloping playground and no playing fields. These diminish the full delivery of the physical education programme. There are plans to re-surface the playground. The accommodation is well cared for by a competent, willing maintenance officer.

p.17

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Resources in the school are satisfactory and good in the number and quality of computers. There are some good artefacts lent by a local historical society. The school lacks any outdoor toys for children under five years of age, such as tricycles and simple climbing equipment, to develop muscular strength.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) introduce a rigorous and structured system to monitor and record the quality of teaching, building upon its strengths and identifying and addressing areas for further improvement;

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) plan and identify provision in all areas of learning for children under five (up to the end of the reception year) when planning for school development.

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

52. In addition to the main issues that the school should do to improve, the following areas should be considered for inclusion in the action plan:

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ the provision of some after school activities for the pupils;

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ the monitoring of the use of worksheets to ensure that they provide appropriate challenge to pupils;

p.17

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

§ the improvement of the quality of the singing and the development of performance and composition aspects in music. Marlpool Infants School - 18

p.17

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 39

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 4

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 4

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 3

p.18

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.18

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Marlpool Infants School - 19

p.18

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 9 7 16

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (95) 100 (90) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 83 (81) 87 (84)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 82 (80) 86 (84) 87 (85)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Marlpool Infants School - 20

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.20

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2.5 Financial year 1999/2000

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 16

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y2 Total expenditure 96,882

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1 Expenditure per pupil 2,550

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 10 Balance brought forward from previous year 2,259

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Marlpool Infants School - 21

p.20

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 94 6 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 88 13 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 50 50 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 50 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 100 0 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 75 25 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 69 31 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 88 13 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 94 6 0 0 0

p.21

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 56 31 6 0 6 Marlpool Infants School - 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

53. Children are admitted to school in the term prior to their fifth birthday. They join a class of Year 1 pupils. At the time of the inspection four children were still under five. A classroom assistant supports the class teacher. Attainment on entry to the school is above average. Baseline assessment is rigorous and identifies attainment in all areas of learning.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

54. Children achieve the learning goals in all areas of learning except outdoor exploratory play. There are insufficient regular opportunities for this area of learning to be developed. The provision for outdoor play is unsatisfactory. There is no area for the children under five to develop climbing and balancing skills regularly on suitable large apparatus.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

55. The children are well launched in learning for the National Curriculum and in literacy and numeracy. There are very good arrangements to introduce children from the main feeder nursery to the school. Children visit several times and teachers and adults work hard to ensure children feel secure and are familiar with the school. During the inspection one of these sessions was observed. A happy, welcoming atmosphere was established and children settled quickly to a range of well organised activities including role-play, simple mathematical games, painting, using the computer and art work. A good working atmosphere was established.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. Standards of attainment in personal and social development are very good. Inspection evidence indicates that children have very good relationships with adults. They confidently offer ideas and engage in conversation spontaneously with people familiar to them, both as individuals and in groups of varying sizes. Children show mature sensitivity to others as they clear up at the end of lessons. They work independently on drawing and writing tasks, and equally well with a partner designing their playground model in design technology. They demonstrate good levels of concentration and independence working with the resources in mathematics. Teaching in this aspect is good. The teacher creates a positive working atmosphere and is very well supported by classroom support and regular voluntary helpers who make an excellent contribution to establishing the supportive and challenging atmosphere. The children respond very well to this

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. Children’s attainment in language and literacy are above what might be expected for four-year olds. Speaking and listening skills are above average. They are confident, and higher attaining children talk with growing vocabulary describing the arrangements for their garden centre shop. The teacher’s very good story-telling techniques and clear visual clues effectively support children’s progress in listening. Children enjoy listening to stories and are good at listening to each other. This was evident during the inspection when they enjoyed the story about the cat. Pupils are well launched in reading and have a positive attitude to books. This is because the teacher and adult helpers regularly work individually with children, hearing them read and talking about their books. Children talk about the content, predicting outcomes and explaining what they like about the story. Reading is well developed. Children read alongside others the poem

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

‘Twinkle, twinkle little star.’ They read with good expression. Higher attaining children have well-established emergent writing skills and express their ideas in a confident way. They write their names with appropriate upper and lower case letters. Higher attaining children and some of average attainment recognise letter shapes and know that sentences are formulated with separate words. The quality of teaching is good; the teacher is experienced and challenges children well Marlpool Infants School - 23 58. Children achieve the learning goals in mathematical aspects and are well launched in the National Curriculum. Counting is well established. Average children count in twos up to ten and lower attaining children need assistance to count to six. Higher attaining children count in tens up to fifty and in twos up to twenty; learning is very good because teachers check and reinforce work well. The teacher identifies a weekly number and shape and this helps children learn larger

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

numbers such as fifty and 3-D shapes such as cylinder. Number work is well developed; higher attaining children know that five plus fifty is fifty-five and fifty take away twenty is thirty. The very good teaching and classroom support assists children to add and subtract from fifty single numbers. All children recognise basic shapes such as circle, square and triangle. They know and explain that a square has four sides and four corners, they recognise similar shapes and identify the smallest and the largest circle. Higher attaining children recognise other circle and triangle shapes such as a football is round and a nose is triangle shape. Children use mathematical resources well, recognising that some shapes have ten holes. Teaching in mathematical aspects is very good.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

59. Children’s attainment in knowledge and understanding of the world is above average. They know the days of the week and months of the year. Children know and state which is the month of their birthday. They are beginning to know the number of their month, for example that August is the eighth month. They are developing good awareness and knowledge of what plants and living things need to stay healthy and grow. With a partner, they select their own materials for design and technology and they design and make a playground game using simple techniques and tools sensibly and with maturity beyond their years. They have a good understanding of past and present and they recognise and can talk about old clothes. Children develop confidence and competence using the computer. They control the mouse well playing simple games, which contribute to their literacy, mathematical and artistic development. Teaching is good and well

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

60. Children achieve the learning goals and attain good standards in creative aspects. They know a variety of rhymes and songs by heart. They keep time when singing along with adults and perform simple actions to accompany singing. Children were not observed using instruments during the inspection. They enjoy frequent opportunities for imaginative play in the home area and the garden centre shop. They organise themselves effectively negotiating who will sell the plants. There are very good opportunities for using a wide range of materials, and painting, cutting, sticking, folding and moulding skills are very well developed. Children have lots of opportunity to use tools, paints, paper and clay creatively. Children enjoy moulding play dough into different shapes and make an animal to place in their square box homes. They show imagination assembling various construction toys. The quality of teaching is good. Staff

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

members provide a range of stimulating activities linked to topic themes where this is practicable. They give good support to children’s creative development in ways enabling children to confidently express their own ideas, both orally and through the media set out for them to explore.

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

61. The provision for physical development is unsatisfactory for this age group. No teaching was observed during the inspection in this aspect, however, scrutiny of planning indicates that pupils experience three sessions of physical education a week. Children have many opportunities to develop fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination through various activities organised across all areas of learning. They learn to use tools purposefully for writing, drawing and painting activities. Higher attaining children demonstrate high levels of skill, cutting, punching holes and joining materials together with glue, cellotape or butterfly pins. They learn to cut accurately around shapes using scissors very well. However, there are no regular opportunities for children to experience exploratory and imaginative outdoor play and to develop confidence, control and co- ordination on larger equipment. There is no suitable outdoor equipment to develop climbing,

p.23

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Marlpool Infants School - 24 balancing or sliding skills. Smaller equipment for these children is limited to resources more suitable for older pupils.

p.24

ENGLISH

62. In national tests for 1999 at Key Stage 1, the attainment of pupils in reading was above the national average and in writing it was well above. When compared with similar schools, the results in writing are in the top 5 per cent nationally. Inspection evidence confirms that standards are high. This year there are fewer pupils gaining Level 3 in writing but the age of pupils in the cohort is younger than usual. The development of stringent assessment using tests has been excellent in identifying and targeting improvement for individual pupils. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

p.24

ENGLISH

63. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are well above average in speaking and listening. Most pupils concentrate and listen very well. They are quick to add their own point of view and back it up with examples of why they think as they do. They are good at remembering details about a story. After reading a story on a journey into the earth they say why they like it using sentences such as 'I like it because I've never seen a mole before.' They discuss the meaning of words such as 'tombola.' They use words such as 'amazing' to describe a view. They converse maturely with adults. A satisfactory drama programme adds more opportunities to this area of the subject but should be developed so that pupils take a more active part in lessons.

p.24

ENGLISH

64. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment is above the national average in reading. The majority of pupils read accurately. They use good levels of expression, joining in well to emphasise words such as 'CRACK'. They are making very good progress in understanding how to use letter sounds and strings in words and use the Internet well to reinforce this. They understand what a syllable is. They are able to search out basic information from a good range of texts. They know what the term 'author' means and decide on their favourite author from a collection of books. They thoroughly enjoy reading and listening to poetry and get deeply involved in discussing the plot of a story.

p.24

ENGLISH

65. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment is well above the national average in writing. They are able to settle down to writing activities extremely efficiently. They concentrate on their work and think carefully about what they will put down on paper. In Year 1, they write stories about dragons and poems about stars. Many use capital letters and full stops accurately. They use speech bubbles to describe what Red Riding Hood says to the wolf. They write a crime report from the three bears' house. In Year 2, they write biographies and postcards to friends. They complete words in a lullaby. They draft and plan stories using a beginning, middle and end. The majority of pupils are able to convey a clear meaning through their writing. They write recipes for bread and butter pudding and instruction sheets on how to clean teeth. Levels of spelling are good and the use of punctuation is mainly accurate. Pupils' handwriting shows good formation of

p.24

ENGLISH

letters. However, very few pupils write using a joined style. Writing is well used to support literacy in other subjects such as history and geography. In geography, they prepare questions to email to a girl travelling in South America such as 'Do you miss your mummy?' and 'What is the jungle like?'

p.24

ENGLISH

66. The quality of teaching is good. In Year 2, it is often very good. Teachers show a good knowledge and understanding of English and use the National Literacy Strategy effectively. They have high expectations of pupils’ performance, presentation of work and of behaviour. Where teaching is most effective, all pupils are challenged, there is a brisk pace to the lesson and pupils work to specific tasks closely matched to the known learning objectives. Teachers use good resources and a wide range of techniques to maintain pupils’ interest and to keep them learning. Marlpool Infants School - 25 They use language well to support learning in all subjects. They ask good questions which make the pupils think, for instance, 'Was the story too short? Can we make it longer?' In some lessons they play games with pupils, pretending that they have forgotten what words mean or that they have made a mistake. Pupils enjoy these games which help to keep their interest and develop

p.24

ENGLISH

learning. The plenary session is being well used to get the pupils to show what they have done but not always to ensure that the pupils themselves know what they have learned and what they still need to know. Non-teaching assistants and volunteer helpers provide very good support for pupils, including those with special educational needs. They motivate the pupils well by showing and sharing absolute involvement in what is happening in the lesson, and enjoyment and wonder in what can be learnt.

p.25

ENGLISH

67. The subject is well co-ordinated. A good literacy action plan accompanied the implementation of the literacy hour. The school has improved considerably since the last inspection and now good emphasis is given to pupils expressing their own ideas and thoughts in an imaginative and creative way. There is also less use of unchallenging worksheets, but this is still an area that the school should monitor closely, particularly in Year 1.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

68. The results of the 1999 National Curriculum tests indicate that, at the end of Key Stage 1, pupils’ attainment is above the national average. Compared with similar schools, standards are above average. There has been good improvement since the previous inspection. Pupils achieve more in aspects involving problem solving and mathematical reasoning. The numeracy hour is being effectively implemented and the school has set realistic targets for improvement. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

69. Pupils are making good progress in using and applying mathematics in other subjects such as science. Year 1 pupils buy plants to observe growth. They use various values of coins and work out the change needed. Year 2 pupils predict and investigate whether the tallest person in the class has the widest hand span. They accurately measure heights in order to prove this.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

70. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils are attaining standards that are above average in number. Standards in mental arithmetic are good and pupils accurately work out questions involving addition, subtraction and multiplication tables. In Year 1, pupils recognise numbers to 100, they double numbers and add ten to numbers. In Year 2, many can recognise numbers to 1000. They understand simple fractions and a few know the function of a decimal point.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

71. By the end of Key Stage 1, attainment is above average in shape and space and measure. Pupils know the difference between a two and three-dimensional shape and can name a number of them. Pupils find right angles in shapes. Year 1 sort sets of triangles and squares and investigate simple capacity and measure. Year 2 pupils cover work in measuring using centimetres and weigh using grams. Higher attaining pupils use millilitres. They tell the time in hours and half past. Many have a sound understanding of symmetry.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

72. Pupils collect and collate data effectively presenting it in graphs and charts. They do block graphs of their best pets, how they spend their leisure time and their favourite holiday destinations. Some of these are constructed on the computer.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

73. Teaching is good and in Year 2 it is very good or excellent. In the very good and excellent lessons, the teacher conveys high expectations to the pupils and there is a very challenging pace. Both classes are very well managed and challenging questions are asked such as 'How did you do that?' This extends the pupils' learning and in response they make a good attempt to explain what Marlpool Infants School - 26 they have done. Pupils enjoy the lessons and show good motivation and a joy in learning. They settle down to work quickly and manage their work very well. Teachers plan work for the full range of abilities in numeracy lessons and expectations are made clear to the class. Mental activities are well used to help pupils reinforce their developing knowledge of number. Homework is being well used.

p.25

MATHEMATICS

74. Co-ordination of the subject is good and shows a thorough understanding of the standards and priorities for the future. Teachers and governors have a good knowledge and understanding of the National Numeracy Strategy. Assessment is very good and specific testing in Year 1 is aimed at lifting attainment by the end of Year 2. Record keeping is thorough. Pupils with special educational needs have targets set in numeracy within their individual education plans. Information technology is used appropriately to support the subject.

p.26

SCIENCE

75. In the 1999 National Curriculum teacher assessments at the end of Key Stage 1, attainment in science was very high in all aspects of science except physical processes, which was average. The percentage of pupils achieving the higher (Level 3) was well above the national average in all aspects of science except physical processes, which were above average. When results are compared to similar schools, attainment in science is very high and well above average for the higher (Level 3). Inspection evidence confirms that standards pupils achieve are above the national average. Progress in learning throughout the school is very good. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress. There is no significant difference between the attainment of boys and girls.

p.26

SCIENCE

76. Since the last inspection, standards have improved from satisfactory to above average and levels of concentration and ability to work independently are high. Older Key Stage 1 pupils have a good understanding of scientific procedures and prediction, investigation and evaluation is well established. Very good progress has been made linking science to other curriculum areas such as mathematics, and design technology. Pupils apply their scientific knowledge well. Good improvement has been made in the way pupils record their own results in written work, graphs and using the computer. The science curriculum has a clear learning focus and has moved away from the broader topic focus. This has improved standards.

p.26

SCIENCE

77. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have a good understanding of physical differences. They identify and explain how human characteristics can be different. With skilful guidance from the teacher, pupils identify the tallest pupil in the class by comparison and measurement. They predict who will have the largest hands and the widest hand span. Pupils draw around their own hand and measure the hand span, recording their findings. Pupils with special educational needs are helped by other pupils to take the correct measurement. Higher attaining and average pupils measure accurately. The teacher uses information technology well to show pupils how to use the computer to show the data. Year 2 pupils visit presentations at the local university and all aspects of science are explored, including the correct placement of a pair of lungs into a body. Good teaching in Year 2 ensures good scientific procedures are established. Pupils observe a bean

p.26

SCIENCE

growing and predict how it will grow. Pupils have a good understanding of living things and what they need to remain healthy. Scientific knowledge is applied well in other subjects such as design technology. Teachers provide good opportunities for problem solving and group work. In small groups, pupils design a light house using a simple electricity circuit combining their knowledge of science with work in design and technology.

p.26

SCIENCE

78. Younger Key Stage 1 pupils know that plants have different parts and they identify them. Satisfactory teaching ensures that pupils are given opportunities to label parts of the plant. Marlpool Infants School - 27 Cutting skills are used to cut out and position the correct label. Pupils work with interest and good levels of concentration because the teacher is well organised, establishes clear expectations and gives clear instructions. Pupils enjoy planting their own flower plant in the school garden. There are good links with mathematics as pupils are challenged to buy their plant with plastic coins. They are expected to identify how much change they will receive. Younger pupils in Key Stage 1 have a good understanding of what living things need to grow. Scientific procedures are less well established in the younger class and pupils spend a lot of time colouring, cutting and sticking. Work is not always designed to suit differing abilities. A particular strength is the work

p.26

SCIENCE

on forces when pupils write about and draw different actions involving pushing and pulling.

p.27

ART

79. Standards of attainment are good and pupils make good progress in their learning. Standards have improved since the last inspection and are good for the ability of the pupils. The main improvement is the way that professional artists' work is used as a stimulus to develop awareness of different styles and techniques. The quality of teaching has been maintained. During the inspection, no lessons were observed in art. Scrutiny of planning and pupils’ work, together with discussion with pupils and teachers, enabled judgements to be made.

p.27

ART

80. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils have used a wide range of materials and resources. Line drawings are well developed and higher attaining pupils are beginning to use shading in their work. This was evident in line drawings completed by pupils in Year 2 showing hands held together in prayer. Teachers use Albrecht Duerer's study of ‘Praying hands’ as a stimulus for this work. Pupils are confident in their drawing and effective line drawings illustrate many aspects of the curriculum. Pupils use paint well, coping from an early age with a good range of different colours. Year 2 pupils produce a class book of sunflowers, painted in the style of Van Gogh. Pupils use the paint effectively and fill the page with an array of colours.

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ART

81. Younger pupils paint with mud to create a wall hanging inspired by samples of African art. Model birds and animals are carefully painted using attractive colours and communicating the individual characteristics of the animal. Three-dimensional work is evident in the small animals created by the younger pupils from dough. These show imagination and expression and are well formed and decorated skilfully. Older pupils use papier mache to create an African wall decoration.

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ART

82. By the time they leave the school, pupils have gained a good awareness of different styles of art. The school uses the work of professional artists well. Year 2 pupils are guided to observe the work of artists such as Claude Monet. They research information about the life of Claude Monet, and higher attaining pupils write about his distinctive style. They use the computer to present their work and use phrases such as ‘He uses blobs of paint’ to describe his style of painting. Pupils produce attractive pictures of a garden using computer programmes.

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ART

83. The school has not yet identified progression in skills, knowledge and understanding. They are aware of this situation and have plans to remedy this.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

84. Overall standards of attainment are high and pupils make very good progress in their learning. Learning in this area of the curriculum is making a significant contribution to pupils' learning in other subjects such as English, art, science, mathematics and religious education. During the inspection, two lessons were observed in design and technology. Scrutiny of planning and pupils’ work, together with discussion with pupils and teachers, enabled judgements to be made. Marlpool Infants School - 28 85. Since the last inspection, standards have improved from above average to well above average. This improvement is because the curriculum is now well planned to ensure there is a progression in skills, knowledge and understanding. National guidelines are used as a resource and supplement curriculum work. A significant feature of the work is how it enriches other subject areas and yet still maintains progression in the designing, making and evaluating process. The

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

quality of teaching has been maintained.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

86. By the end of Key Stage 1, the process of designing, making and evaluating is very well established. Work is well linked with other subjects such as religious education. Pupils in Year 2 design and make a coat of many colours for Joseph. Pupils experience a very good opportunity to explore joining materials and they evaluate the most effective method. They demonstrate their ability to use sewing, sticking, cellotape and staples to join materials and they conclude that sewing is the most effective method. They give reasons for their conclusions such as stitching will not come undone and is firmer. Pupils draw and cut out their own paper pattern for Joseph’s coat and this is then used to cut out material. Simple running stitches are used effectively to join two pieces of material together. The coat is turned inside out to hide the seams. Work is of a high quality for pupils’ age and maturity.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

87. A strength in the teaching of design and technology is the effective way pupils evaluate their own work. They comment on the effectiveness of their design for the intended purpose. For example, does their design and truck fulfil the criteria? Pupils make sensible evaluative comments to improve their truck. All teachers are good role models. They are enthusiastic and this is reflected in pupils' attitude to the subject. They encourage pupils to be independent and to explore using a good range of materials. Older pupils create their own decorative wall hanging for a home in Africa.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

88. Standards of work are high in the younger Key Stage 1 class. Good teaching and planning ensures the design process is very well established. Pupils visit the local playground and observe the equipment. They design and draw their own playground equipment such as swings, adventure climbing tree and slides. Very good work is seen as young pupils join junk materials using sellotape and butterfly pins. Fine motor skills and ability to cut and shape card are well above average for younger pupils. They work very well because they are given positive feedback and guidance. The excellent help in the classroom from adult helpers contributes to the positive atmosphere and the high standards achieved. Pupils are given the freedom within a framework to work independently with a partner to select, design and create. Higher attaining pupils in Year 1 cut and fix cylinders to make a slide. Adults provide encouragement and support if needed. This

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

encourages Year 1 and Reception pupils to create their own roundabouts and slides using junk materials. Pupils demonstrate mature behaviour. Very young pupils explain and demonstrate how to make holes using the pencil point and a ball of plasticine.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

89. During the inspection, no lessons in history or geography were observed. However, teachers’ planning and assessment files were scrutinised. Pupils’ work and class display was examined and discussions took place with pupils. In both subjects, standards are above the expectations for children of this age.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

90. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils use vocabulary of the past and can distinguish the past from the present. They write a newspaper report on the fire of London and construct a time line to show the four days of the fire. They study old photographs and compare life in the early part of the Marlpool Infants School - 29 century to today. They write about differences in heating, washing and holidays and draw pictures of their town now and in the past.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

91. In geography, younger pupils observe streets and buildings in their local area. They draw a plan of their route to school. They write their address and mark its position on a map of the local area. They study an architect's plan of the school and find the school on an aerial map. They find places they have been to on holiday on a map such as Skegness, London and Portugal. They draw maps of an island showing the beach, church and shops. They find South America on a map of the world and write questions to email a girl who is travelling there. Pupils in Year 2 compare life in England and Ghana. They study a year in the life of a Ghanaian girl. They study African crafts, food and clothes and listen to visiting speakers. They research information and answer questions about Ghana on the Internet.

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GEOGRAPHY AND HISTORY

92. Good use is made of information technology and the library. There are some good resources used such as a Victorian suitcase filled with clothes. The school follows the national scheme of work. The subject has been greatly enhanced by the participation of the school in a global awareness project. Both subjects make a very good contribution to the pupils’ literacy skills and to their cultural development.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

93. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils' attainment is average. A good action plan has guided the school to develop the subject and raise standards. The school installed new computers at the beginning of the year and pupils are making very good progress.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

94. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils can use the keyboard and the mouse to give commands and type text. Pupils in Year 1 can follow instructions on the screen and use software to develop number and reading skills. Many pupils in Year 2 can change font and colour. They enter text about the fire of London and an African folk tale. They can save and print their work and retrieve it afterwards. They use a drawing programme to reproduce Monet's style of painting and produce attractive pictures of a garden. They are beginning to use the computer well to produce graphs such as those on eye colour. The pupils responded very well, showing awe and wonder, when they were shown how to use a new data-handling package. They realised they could make their own class graph, without spending all the time they would have had to, in doing it by hand. They are developing a good technical vocabulary. Each pupil keeps samples of work covered on the

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

95. A strength in the subject is the progress pupils are making in using the Internet. They can log on and have bookmarked their favourite web pages. They visit them every day to research information or to do exercises based on word building. They work very well in pairs and manage their work very well. One pupil was so keen to do some research that he noticed the machine in the other class was not being used and asked to use it. He was then able to work completely independently finding information from the Internet about a Ghanaian girl.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

96. Overall, teaching is good. The main strength is that, despite the fact that teachers openly admit they are not fully confident in using the computers, this does not stop them creating very good opportunities for the pupils to have experience. The Internet is available widely for the pupils to use. On occasions, the teachers learn with the children and share the wonder of new technology with them. Assessment is developing and good records are kept of the time pupils spend.

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INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

97. The new computers have enabled the subject to become part of everyday school life. Training has been identified for teachers and, as they grow in confidence and knowledge, the standards are Marlpool Infants School - 30 likely to rise. Missing areas from the programme of study such as control and modelling are due to be developed soon.

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MUSIC

98. Overall attainment is close to that expected for pupils of this age and they make satisfactory progress in their learning. There are no significant strengths in music. During the inspection, one lesson was observed in music and also singing in assembly. Scrutiny of planning and pupils’ work, together with discussion with pupils and teachers, enabled judgements to be made. Standards could be higher with a greater emphasis on improving the quality of the singing, developing performance and composition aspects. Pupils need to experience more hands on with instruments. Listening and appreciation of music is good, but there are no written responses to music. Pupils with special educational needs make satisfactory progress in their learning.

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MUSIC

99. Since the last inspection, standards have been maintained in pupils’ work and the quality of teaching. However, there has been no significant improvement in this area of the curriculum. The school is aware of this and there are plans to develop this area.

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MUSIC

100. By the end of Key Stage 1, pupils sing with clarity but expression is under-developed. Most pupils know and sing the songs from memory. Singing is not as good as it could be because the emphasis is on the words of the song and not on the quality of the singing or how to improve it. The piano accompaniment to the singing is good. Pupils perform actions to the songs and they know the actions well. They enjoy their singing because the teacher is enthusiastic and appreciative. Pupils know and sing ‘Tiger Tiger, orange and black’. They sing simple action songs such as ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes.' They learn songs quickly such as the communication song in assembly. Teaching is satisfactory but could be better if greater emphasis was placed on pupils’ developing their skills, knowledge and understanding. Insufficient attention is given to composition, performance and appreciation of music. Visits from the local vicar, who

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MUSIC

takes assemblies, give pupils the opportunity to sing to the accompaniment of a guitar.

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MUSIC

101. Music education is enhanced by visiting African artists. Pupils listen to and play African drums and this contributes to pupils’ enthusiasm and enjoyment of music. Pupils perform at annual concerts and church services.

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MUSIC

102. Planning for music is an area for development and the school is aware of this. The resources are basic and in need of replenishing and enriching. The school has a rain stick but musical instruments from other cultures are lacking.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

103. Overall standards of attainment are typical for pupils of this age and they make satisfactory progress in their learning. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

104. Accommodation is unsatisfactory for physical education. There is no hall and desks have to be moved for lessons to take place indoors. The playground space is small and a slope makes ball control activities difficult for young pupils. Despite the limited accommodation, the pupils experience all aspects of physical education. There is no gymnastic equipment and opportunities for pupils to transfer floor skills to apparatus; hanging, swinging and climbing skills are unsatisfactory. Pupils develop good technique lifting and carrying tables and chairs. They work well with a partner to lift and carry. Furniture is moved briskly to prepare the classroom for lunchtime, physical education lessons and assemblies. The classroom is large and accommodates pupils for physical lessons, however, the space available for pupils to run and jump and explore Marlpool Infants School - 31 space is limited. Teachers work very hard to ensure pupils experience the physical education

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

curriculum. Standards are satisfactory and they are as good as they could be considering the limitations of the accommodation and the lack of gymnastic apparatus.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

105. By the end of Key Stage 1, hand-eye co-ordination is well-developed and pupils throw and catch a small ball successfully. Spatial awareness is good as pupils use the limited space very well weaving in and out of each other. Pupils bounce the ball down and catch; higher attaining Year 2 pupils can catch with one hand. The teacher reinforces teaching points to watch the ball all the time and to concentrate. Pupils show very good levels of concentration. They progress to batting the ball down and most pupils can do this successfully. Clear instructions guide pupils who respond with maturity. Pupils are less successful hitting the ball to each other without the bounce because no opportunities have been given to practise hitting to a partner. They find it difficult to cope with the fast ball. High expectations of behaviour ensure all resources are cleared away sensibly.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

106. Although no dance lesson was observed, pupils did perform an African dance taught by a visitor from Ghana, learned as part of their project about the wider world. Pupils performed this dance very well and higher attaining pupils moved rhythmically to the African drumbeat. They demonstrate good levels of performance and captured the characteristic style of the African dance, shaking hips, circling hands and changing level. Planning indicates that teachers use broadcast material for dance lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

107. Overall standards of attainment in religious education are average and pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning. During the inspection, one lesson was observed in religious education. Scrutiny of planning and pupils’ work, together with discussion with pupils and teachers enabled judgements to be made. The school uses the locally agreed syllabus as a guide to its planning. Standards are average but could be better with a greater emphasis on the learning and less on colouring, writing and drawing.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

108. Since the last inspection, good improvement has been achieved in the content of the curriculum for religious education. It is planned rigorously and has been well linked to the locally agreed syllabus. The main improvement has been the study and comparison of two faiths and awareness of other religions. Teaching is well linked to other areas of the curriculum such as personal and health education. Visits to the local church and regular visits by the local vicar to take assemblies have enriched learning for pupils. Improvements have been made in acquiring artefacts and these are well used to enhance provision. Teachers have considered the style of their teaching and stronger links have been made with the local church and Sikh gurudwara temple.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

109. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards are average and pupils make satisfactory progress in their learning. Pupils have a good understanding of the function of a church and they know it is a place where people go to pray to God. Teachers give clear explanations and there is a strong emphasis on language, which contributes to pupils’ knowledge and awareness. The vicar visiting the school and explaining about his clothes fuels pupils’ interest. Pupils observe, draw and write about these and this helps consolidate learning. Higher attaining pupils explain why the local vicar wears special clothes and their significance. For instance, they know that the preaching scarf is used for special occasions. They draw and label the clothes such as cassock, stole, chasuble cassock and hood. Average and lower attaining pupils have awareness of the special clothes but cannot name them. Marlpool Infants School - 32

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

110. Higher attaining pupils in Year 2 can talk about the difference between the Sikh and Christian religion. They explain that Sikhs wear turbans and that their place of worship is called a Gurudwara. Average and lower attaining pupils have awareness, but are not able to describe differences in any detail. Teaching is generally good and teachers use reinforcement well to check pupils’ understanding. Teachers, however, tend to let the emphasis of the lesson focus on the task of drawing and labelling correctly rather than the learning about religious education. Plenary sessions are not always included and opportunities to reinforce learning are lost. In their written work, pupils contrast the Christian church with the Gurudwara. Pupils’ knowledge and awareness are developed by the colourful display work and well labelled artefacts. Pupils write about Christian stories such as the nativity and the story of Joseph and his coat of many colours. The

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

work is well linked to other subjects such as design and technology when pupils design and make a coat for Joseph.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

111. Attitudes and behaviour are very good because teachers have high expectations and establish clear guidelines.

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