Oaklands Primary School

OAKLANDS INFANT SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Elisabeth de Lancey

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OAKLANDS INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 4 th –5 th March 2002

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OAKLANDS INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection number: 198080 Short 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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OAKLANDS 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. Oakland Infants School - 3 - March 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Norheads Lane Biggin Hill Westerham Kent

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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 Steve Mercer

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: October 1997 Oakland Infants School - 4 - March 2002

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Team members

22272 Elisabeth de Lancey Registered inspector 13911 Julie Gallichan Lay inspector 17288 Megan Warner Team inspector

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Team members

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Oakland Infants School - 5 - March 2002

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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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Oaklands Infant School is situated in Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley. It is an average size infants school for pupils between the ages of four and seven. The school has a current roll of 226 pupils of whom 107 are girls and 119 are boys. The roll is larger than at the time of the last inspection. Most of the pupils come from Biggin Hill with a small but significant number coming from further afield, largely due to the school’s good reputation. Almost all the pupils are white. There are very few pupils who receive support for English as an additional language. Of the 22 pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs, who have a variety of specific and moderate learning difficulties, communication, emotional and behavioural problems, only one pupil has a statement of special educational needs. This is below average. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is also below average. The very

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

few pupils who are looked after have personal education plans. No traveller children attend the school. Children are admitted to the Reception classes twice yearly at the beginning of the autumn and spring terms. They are organised into eight classes, The attainment of children when they enter the Reception classes covers a range of abilities. Initial assessments indicate some weaknesses in their early language acquisition but their mathematical capabilities are broadly average. Overall attainment on entry is average. At the age of seven most pupils transfer to Oaklands Junior School which is located on the same site. In addition to all the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, pupils in Year 2 learn French. Due to current national teacher shortages the school has recently experienced difficulty in recruiting short-term teachers. At present there are two temporary teachers in

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

the Reception classes. At the time of the last inspection the school shared a governing body with the junior school. The infant school now has its own governing body. The school has received the Department for Education and Skills’ Award for high performance.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school which offers a very good quality of education to all its pupils. The pupils make very good progress and achieve very well, largely as a result of the very good teaching they receive. They have attained consistently high standards in the National Curriculum tests over the last four years. They are very enthusiastic learners. The school is very well led and managed; the headteacher and the subject co-ordinators have a strong sense of direction and a commitment to continuous improvement; management systems are very clear and everyone knows what is expected of them. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils attain high standards, and all pupils, including those with special educational needs, make very good progress by the end of Key Stage 1. • The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent teaching. • The school fosters pupils’ love of learning. • The school offers a rich and stimulating curriculum for pupils in Key Stage 1. • The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and there is a strong commitment to continuous improvement.

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What could be improved

• The planning and implementation of the curriculum for the Foundation Stage. • The resources for information and communication technology. 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 October 1997. Two weaknesses were identified at that time. Both have been addressed well. The newly established governing body is well informed and has a good understanding of the school’s development priorities. Leadership and management are now very good and a significant reason for the school’s continued improvement. The information for parents is comprehensive. Parents receive a good range of information about the school and their children’s activities and progress, and the vast majority support the work of the school. High quality teaching has been maintained, and pupils’ standards of attainment are even better with a greater proportion of pupils achieving the higher levels in the national tests. Oakland Infants School - 7 - March 2002

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The school’s results in the national tests over the past three years have been consistently well above the national average in reading, writing and mathematics and much better than those of similar schools. They have been consistently in the highest five per cent of all schools nationally in mathematics and often in the top five per cent in reading and writing. There is no significant difference in the attainment of boys and girls.

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Key

These results are fully reflected in the standard of work that the pupils produce in class which is consistently of a high quality. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are high and pupils of all abilities make very good progress and achieve very well. The pupils achieve well in other aspects of the curriculum and very good standards were seen in science, art and design, design and technology, geography, music and religious education. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets set for them. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language also make very good progress and attain similar standards to other pupils. Children in the Foundation Stage make steady progress along the ‘stepping stones’ and most attain or exceed the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they leave the Reception classes.

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Key

The school’s challenging targets based on current assessments of pupils’ attainment indicate that standards are likely to be maintained this year. The percentage of pupils who reached the higher than expected level (Level 3) in 2001 is impressive. The school has set itself the challenging target of improving this proportion so that it matches those of the highest achieving schools.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Excellent. Pupils are very enthusiastic and show a great love of learning.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Excellent. Pupils behave very well in lessons and around the school. They are polite and co-operative and work very well, both on their own and in groups.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very Good. Pupils and staff relate very well to one another. Pupils are keen to take responsibility for routine tasks.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory Overall. During the past year a higher than usual number of families have taken their holidays during term-time. Oakland Infants School - 8 - March 2002

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

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

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

Teaching in the school is very good overall and makes a significant contribution to the high standards the pupils attain. The school successfully meets the needs of all its pupils. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils are identified early and given extra support to ensure that they achieve as well as they can. Teachers are sensitive to the needs of the few pupils who speak English as an additional language; they are well-supported in class and, as a result, they make rapid progress and achieve very well. The teaching in the Foundation Stage is satisfactory. Teachers offer children a sound range of activities, some of which are initiated appropriately by the teacher and others which they choose for themselves. However, planning is inconsistent and the curriculum for the Foundation Stage has not been fully implemented. The school is aware of this shortcoming and has

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

identified it as a priority for improvement.

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

The teaching of English and mathematics is very good. Teachers have a very good understanding of literacy and numeracy, and basic skills are taught very well and reinforced effectively across other subjects of the curriculum. Individual target setting based on teachers’ assessments of pupils’ work gives pupils good knowledge of their own learning. Teachers make good use of information and communication technology to support pupils’ learning but resources are limited. The teaching of science, art and design, design and technology, geography, music and religious education are also strong.

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

Lessons are well planned and prepared. At the beginning of lessons pupils are told what they are expected to achieve in order to help them understand more about their learning. Teachers ensure that all pupils are involved and, in the best lessons, offer stimulating and testing activities which challenge the children to attain high standards. Discussions at the end of lessons are used well to reinforce and extend what has been learned and pupils are encouraged to reflect upon their achievements.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very Good. There is a strong emphasis on literacy and numeracy but this is not at the expense of other subjects. The curriculum offers many interesting and stimulating learning opportunities within the school day.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very Good. The support for pupils with special educational needs is very carefully planned and helps them to make very good progress.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very Good. Opportunities for pupils to acquire a new vocabulary are offered through participation in a wide range of stimulating activities. Good additional support is provided from outside agencies.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The provision for all aspects of pupils’ personal development is good. The school is very good in promoting pupils’ confidence and self- esteem.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Good. Teachers know their pupils very well, and demonstrate a high level of consideration and care. Procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress are very good and their health, safety and welfare are given a high priority. Oakland Infants School - 9 - March 2002

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very Good. All members of staff with management responsibilities work well together and there is a shared commitment to continuous improvement. There are clear management systems for all aspects of school life.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The newly formed governing body is well informed, it has begun to perform its statutory responsibilities well and plays an active part in shaping the direction of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very Good. The school has very well developed and effective systems for evaluating how well it is doing through the rigorous analysis of data, analysis of pupils’ work and lesson observations. The school has a very clear view of its strengths and areas for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very Good. Educational priorities are appropriately funded. Spending decisions are made according to the principles of best value.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • Their children are making good progress. • Children behave well. • The teaching is good. • Children are helped to become mature and responsible. • The school is well led and managed. • Too few activities are provided outside lessons.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspection evidence supports the very positive views of parents. The range of activities compares well with those offered by similar schools. However, the team agrees with those parents who reported that there were few opportunities for pupils to join in educational visits. Oakland Infants School - 10 - March 2002

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

educational needs make very good progress by the end of Key Stage 1.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

1. Children in the Foundation Stage make steady progress along the ‘stepping stones’ which show the knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes that they need to learn during the Foundation Stage in order to achieve the early learning goals. They are well on their way to reaching or exceeding these goals in all areas of learning by the end of the Reception year.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

2. In the national tests for seven-year-olds pupils’ results have exceeded the national average in reading, writing and mathematics over the past three years and are much better than those of similar schools. They have been consistently in the highest five per cent of all schools in mathematics and often in the top five per cent in reading and writing. Pupils’ performance at the higher level (Level 3), (which is above that expected of seven-year-olds), (Level 2), was also very high, and in the top five per cent of all schools nationally. Two-thirds of pupils attained the higher level in mathematics, more than a half attained this level in reading and more than a quarter in writing. Compared with similar schools, the school’s results were well above average in reading and writing and in the highest five per cent in mathematics. The school’s commitment to continuous improvement is evident in the challenging target it

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

has set itself this year: to improve the proportion of pupils reaching Level 3 in reading and writing so that it matches those of the highest achieving schools.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

3. Standards in English are high because the school is constantly evaluating its performance and taking effective action to improve the quality of learning for all its pupils. For example, in order to improve pupils’ spelling, it has adopted a systematic approach to the teaching of phonics throughout the school. Phonic instruction is regular and teaches the pupils to identify phonemes (sounds in words) in spoken language, then to understand how these are represented by letters and letter combinations.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

4. The school has implemented the guidance from the National Literacy Framework effectively. It is using the Early Literacy Support materials to target intervention for those pupils in Year 1 who have not made the expected rate of progress in developing their literacy skills for inclusion in the programme. The school is managing this successfully and the selected pupils are benefiting from this programme. For example, pupils who were unable to write independently at the beginning of the year are now starting to write simple stories, in sentences with simple regular words spelt correctly.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

5. The consistently very high standards in mathematics reflect the teachers’ successful use of the National Numeracy Strategy to plan tasks that challenge pupils of all abilities and this has resulted in the very rapid progress and well above average attainment of a high percentage of pupils.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

6. The work that the pupils produce in class is of a high quality and indicates that standards are likely to be maintained this year. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are high and pupils of all abilities make very good progress and achieve very well. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported with good individual education plans and their parents are kept well informed about how well Oakland Infants School - 11 - March 2002 their children are doing and what they need to do next. As a result of this good support and carefully focused teaching they make very good progress towards the targets set for them and attain the expected level by the end of Year 2. The few pupils who speak English as an additional language also make very good progress and attain similar standards to other pupils. The pupils achieve well in other aspects of the curriculum and very good standards were seen in science, art and design, design and

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

technology, music and religious education.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

7. In English, pupils’ attainment by the end of Year 2 is well above average in speaking and listening, reading and writing. This is because the school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ reading and spelling skills and the use of pupils’ writing skills in other subjects. Pupils speak confidently when explaining their work to adults or to their peers during whole class sessions at the end of lessons. Higher- attaining pupils embellish their accounts with interesting words and details which engage their audience. This is because teachers are good at asking questions which help them develop their ideas. Pupils’ progress in reading is very good. Pupils have a good grasp of the sound and letter relationship and know a good range of different ways to work out the words they do not know. They read aloud accurately, with good expression and talk enthusiastically about the stories they know. Opportunities for the

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

class reading of ‘Big Books’ together with additional reading support in small groups have raised standards among average and lower-attaining readers. The school has identified pupils’ spelling skills as a relative weakness in pupils’ writing as too many pupils display inconsistency in their spelling of common words and they do not apply their knowledge of the sound and letter relationship appropriately. The school’s emphasis on improving pupils’ phonic knowledge suggests that it is effectively addressing a key weakness in pupils’ writing. By the end of Year 2, pupils have made good progress in writing sequences of sentences that are often punctuated with a capital letter and full stop. They are increasingly encouraged to use word books and displays of words in classrooms to improve the accuracy of their spelling. Pupils write for a wide range of purposes and audiences. Higher-attaining pupils show a good

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

understanding of the different forms of language required to engage a reader; for example, pupils in Year 2 showed a good awareness of descriptive writing when they used settings to bring a story alive.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

‘One freezing winter’s night, deep in the middle of the country, the snow began to fall gently---‘

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

There are good examples of pupils writing recounts, instructions, descriptions and explanations in science, design and technology, history, geography, and information and communication technology.

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

8. In mathematics, likewise, pupils attain well above average standards by the end of Year 2. For example, they rapidly add and subtract simple numbers in their heads. They are becoming increasingly adept at doubling numbers to 100. This is because the teachers motivate them and encourage them in mental arithmetic sessions. They know when a number is a multiple of 2, 5 or 10 and explain why their answer is correct. Higher-attaining pupils show good understanding of numbers up to 1000, and solve problems using three-digit numbers. For instance, when asked ‘What facts can you tell me about the number 120?’, they offer suggestions like ‘it is a quarter of 480 and half of 240’. They draw different kinds of charts and graphs and interpret information accurately. For example, they know how pupils in their class travel to school and which pupils have the longest journeys. Work on classifying and describing shapes builds effectively through the school and pupils in Year 2 name

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Pupils attain very high standards, and all pupils, including those with special

two- and three-dimensional shapes correctly and recognise reflective symmetry in Oakland Infants School - 12 - March 2002 familiar two-dimensional shapes and patterns. Pupils become increasingly confident working with time and many add and subtract measures of up to 60 minutes and compare the length of their holiday journeys using standard measures of time.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

9. The very high quality of teaching in a significant proportion of lessons is a strength of the school. In these very effective lessons, teachers have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and achievement. They motivate them through their own enthusiasm and inspire them to do well. They secure a strong commitment to learning. This is evident in mathematics lessons; for example, where teachers encourage pupils to find relationships in number patterns or in finding different solutions to a problem. In science and art teachers create a sense of discovery. In English, too, teachers frequently express pleasure in the written and spoken word; for example, when reading ‘The Snow Lambs’ to the pupils a teacher draws their attention to the author’s use of descriptive language.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

10. In every subject the teachers work hard to plan interesting and stimulating lessons which ensure that pupils of all abilities have the opportunity to succeed. For example, in one Year 1 class, the teacher had previously photographed the pupils’ favourite toys; she presented each of them with their own photograph and individualised word banks to support their writing. Lower-attaining pupils were further helped to achieve well by using a well-designed work sheet to help structure their writing. Teachers identify what they want the children to learn and share this with them at the beginning of lessons. Their expectations are communicated clearly to the class. As a result, pupils respond well because they know what to do and how to do it successfully. Discussions at the end of lessons are used well to reinforce and extend what has been learned and pupils are encouraged to reflect upon their achievements.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

Teachers have good subject knowledge which they use particularly well to develop the pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. For example, in numeracy the pupils learn effectively through the opportunities they are given to practise and improve their rapid recall. All staff are working hard to improve the pupils’ spelling through implementing a structured phonics programme and recent assessments of the pupils’ work indicate that they are succeeding.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

11. Teachers have a secure knowledge of pupils with special educational needs and provide tasks at the right level of difficulty. They take account of pupils’ individual education plans to ensure that they achieve success. Classroom assistants provide effective help and encouragement and enable pupils to make very good progress.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

12. Arrangements for teaching English as an additional language are sound. There are regular visits from a specialist teacher to provide additional support.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

The school fosters pupils’ love of learning.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

13. The pupils love learning and they respond very well to the very good teaching they receive in a high proportion of lessons. They are very enthusiastic about their work and eager to succeed. They sustain high levels of concentration and motivation because teachers plan work that interests and challenges them. Where the level of challenge is high, they strive to do their best and show evident pride in their achievements. At lunchtime, for example, after an mathematics lesson, where teaching was outstanding, pupils who had been practising doubling and halving numbers were keen to demonstrate their learning to the adults sitting at their table. In Oakland Infants School - 13 - March 2002 a Year 1 science lesson, there were ripples of excitement as pupils reported the results of their investigations to confirm their predictions. Behaviour is consistently of a very high standard and confirms the views of the parents.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

14. Throughout the school relationships are very good. The very good relationships that teachers have with their pupils help to establish a good climate for learning within which all pupils grow and flourish and are keen and confident to offer their views. One pupil, explaining what he liked about the school said

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

‘ --- and this is a good school because we are one big happy family ’ and the group of pupils burst into the school song.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

The school offers a rich and stimulating curriculum for pupils in Key Stage 1.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

15. A rich and stimulating curriculum is provided for pupils in Years 1 and 2. It is carefully planned to involve pupils and to engage their interest. Teachers are particularly successful at developing natural links between subjects which help pupils to make connections between all areas of learning. The very good standards seen in other subjects suggest that the teaching of reading and writing and mathematics are helping to raise standards across the curriculum. Teachers are also good at developing and consolidating pupils reading, writing and mathematics skills in other subjects. A notable example of this was in a Year 1 geography lesson during which pupils labelled the human and physical features of a seaside area, then compared what they had learned about a seaside locality with localities in a fictional story, thus reinforcing the distinction between fact and fiction.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

16. In the hall, corridors and most of the classrooms, there are vibrant and stimulating displays which reflect a wide range of work of a high standard; in particular, in art and design, design and technology and mathematics. These displays demonstrate the staff’s commitment to providing a learning environment where pupils’ achievements are celebrated and shows the high regard in which the school holds the contribution of each pupil.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

17. There are clubs for pupils to attend at lunchtime, such as gardening and football. Music clubs, for example, choir and recorder are offered during the school day. French is taught to small groups of Year 2 pupils, which fosters their confidence to speak simple phrases and broadens their experience of French culture. Theatre groups attend the school each term and visitors with a variety of expertise are invited to enhance the work of the school.

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The quality of teaching is very good overall and there are examples of excellent

18. Inspection findings do not support the views expressed by some parents that the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. The range of activities compares well with those offered by similar schools. However, the team agrees with those parents who reported that there were few opportunities for pupils to join in educational visits.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

there is a strong commitment to continuous improvement.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

19. The headteacher provides very clear leadership and a distinctive sense of direction for the school. She is ably supported by the senior management team and core curriculum co-ordinators. There is a strong commitment to high standards and continuous improvement. The school’s quality assurance procedures, which include its programme for monitoring and evaluating its own performance, are well Oakland Infants School - 14 - March 2002 established and very effective. Improvement is carefully planned and initiatives are thoroughly prepared. Implications for professional development and, with the exception of information and communication technology, the acquisition of learning resources are thoroughly researched and appropriately financed.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

20. The school analyses the results of tests carefully. Strengths and weaknesses are identified and action taken to sustain strengths and remedy weaknesses. Initiatives are appropriately evaluated.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

21. Assessment data is used well to set challenging targets for the pupils the school expects to reach Levels 2 and 3 in the national tests. Pupils have individual targets in English and mathematics to help them improve their work. These have recently been introduced. Parents positively endorse this initiative as it gives them a better understanding of their children’s learning.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

22. The headteacher views classroom observation as a key aspect of her role in monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. There is also a planned programme of lesson observations by the curriculum co-ordinators so that they can consider the strengths and weaknesses in their subjects and identify priorities for development. As a result, the teachers have examined their use of the plenary session at the end of lessons to ensure that pupils recognise the gains they have made in their learning. In addition to the oral and written feedbacks given to staff, professional development needs are identified and key issues from the monitoring of subjects are shared with all staff to ensure a consistent approach across the school. There are good professional development opportunities which include working alongside colleagues and observing successful teaching in their own and other schools.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

23. The co-ordinator of the provision for pupils with special educational needs is very effective. The co-ordinator liaises well with teachers, learning support assistants, parents and external agencies to review the action taken and to plan future support.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

24. The school has a clear management structure. Staff know what is expected of them and what support they can expect. The process of performance management, which checks the effectiveness of teachers’ professional performance is well established and is helping to improve pupils’ achievements.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

25. The newly-formed governing body is kept well informed by the headteacher and has a clear understanding of the school’s priorities and the challenges it faces. Governors have a growing awareness of their roles and responsibilities. They take an active part in specific aspects, such as special educational needs, link governor with the junior school, literacy and numeracy. They are clear about their responsibilities as ‘critical friends’ and ensure that the priorities for spending match the school’s aims for improvement identified in the school development plan.

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The headteacher and key staff provide very good leadership and management and

26. In order to develop a clearer vision of how information and communication technology might develop in the school, the headteacher and governing body have sought external advice. They have planned to use the school’s present nine per cent surplus on enhancing the provision for information and communication technology.

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The planning and implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum

Oakland Infants School - 15 - March 2002 27. There have been significant changes in the teaching staff in the Foundation Stage and difficulties in recruitment and retention over the past year which have inevitably lead to inconsistencies in the quality of teaching, in particular, in the planning and provision for these children. The school has not yet fully responded to the introduction of the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum. It has rightly identified the need to enhance provision for its youngest pupils so that it is in line with the national guidance. A programme of training has been planned to ensure that staff are fully conversant with the Foundation Stage Curriculum.

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The planning and implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum

28. At present there is no policy for the Foundation Stage and schemes of work for the Reception year have not been modified in line with the national guidance. A significant weakness lies in the consistency of teachers’ planning. In the best plans, the lesson objectives for each area of learning are clearly stated, learning activities appropriate for the maturity and capabilities of the children are detailed and key assessments indicated. In other plans, there are too many learning objectives, making it difficult to identify which skills are to be learned and therefore to assess children’s progress in each of the areas of learning. These plans do not indicate how activities are matched to the learning needs of pupils of different abilities. Teachers are working towards implementing the full literacy and numeracy hour but, occasionally, the youngest children remain seated for too long in these lessons and the match of work is

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The planning and implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum

The resources for information and communication technology.

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The planning and implementation of the Foundation Stage Curriculum

29. Standards of work in information and communication technology are good but they fall short of what could be achieved by pupils because the limited level of resources restricts the range and frequency to use and apply what they are taught. Each class has two computers but some of these are out-dated and only compatible with a restricted range of programs. Good, whole class teaching to develop pupils’ keyboard skills was observed, with homework used effectively to extend learning. In most lessons the available resources are used well to support learning in other areas of the curriculum.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

30. In order to build upon its considerable strengths and improve standards further, the school should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

1. Ensure that the learning objectives, for children who are five years and under, are planned in accordance with the national guidance for the Foundation Stage.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER

2. Improve the resources for information and communication technology. Both these areas of improvement have been identified by the school Oakland Infants School - 16 - March 2002

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 7

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) N/A 226

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals N/A 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs N/A 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register N/A 22

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 11

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 10

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Attendance

School data 6.4 School data 0.1 Oakland Infants School - 17 - March 2002 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

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

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 40 45 85

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 36 37 39 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 44 44 45

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

Percentage of pupils School 94 (97) 95 (96) 99 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91(90)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 37 39 40 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 44 45 45

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (96) 99 (99) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Oakland Infants School - 18 - March 2002

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 2 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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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.

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10 Financial year 2000-2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 454,245

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4 Expenditure per pupil 1,908

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 60.5 Balance brought forward from previous year 33,532

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 41,529

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Oakland Infants School - 19 - March 2002

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 50 45 1 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 48 46 1 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 39 43 9 1 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 39 43 7 4 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 67 29 0 1 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 63 32 1 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 46 41 6 2 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 59 34 0 1 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 54 38 0 0 9

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 26 32 20 0 23

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