The Cobbs Infant and Nursery School

THE COBBS INFANT SCHOOL

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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THE COBBS INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Wood Lane Appleton Warrington Cheshire

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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 Lester Scott

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 3 November 1997 The Cobbs Infant School - 4

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Team members

14591 Richard Perkin Registered inspector 1234 Tina Bradley Lay inspector 17085 George Mitchell Team inspector 12232 Di Atkinson Team inspector

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Team members

Schools Inspection Service Fairfax Hall Beckett Park Campus Headingley Leeds LS6 3QS

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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 The Cobbs Infant School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The Cobbs is a large infant school with 307 pupils on roll in addition to 101 children attending part-time in the nursery. The school is set in a council estate surrounded by privately owned housing in the relatively affluent south east of Warrington, though a few pupils are from more socially and economically deprived areas. Roughly five per cent of pupils are from ethnic backgrounds other than white British. Just under three per cent, a slightly above average proportion, have English as an additional language, though none are at an early stage of learning English. A below-average proportion of pupils qualify for free school meals. There is a well-below-average proportion of pupils on the register of special educational needs and three pupils with statements of special educational needs, just below one per cent, which is below the national average. Children’s attainment on entry to the school is above that

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

expected for their age in English, mathematics and personal and social development. The school has received an Achievement Award for its consistently high national test results. It has also recently had its Investors in People Award renewed.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an excellent school. Standards are very high and pupils of all levels of ability and need achieve well. The quality of teaching is very good throughout the school and learning is very effectively supported by a very rich curriculum and displays and resources of the highest quality. The leadership and management of the school are excellent. This is achieved with an expenditure per child which is more than average but, in light of the very high outcomes, the school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Excellent leadership and management • Very good teaching, particularly of literacy, numeracy and science, leads to very high standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening, mathematics, science and art and high standards in information and communication technology • A very rich curriculum and a very well implemented approach to the inclusion of all pupils lead to good achievement for pupils of all abilities and particularly for higher attainers • Very positive attitudes to learning and very good behaviour, personal development and independence result from very good provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development

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What could be improved

There are no significant areas for improvement. 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

Improvement since the last inspection has been very good from an already high base. Standards in English, mathematics and science have continued to improve. Aspects of management, particularly development planning and the monitoring of teaching, have improved. There are now very well-developed assessment arrangements and a full set of curriculum policies and schemes of work. Pupils benefit from closer liaison with the neighbouring junior school and a very successful open door policy enables parents to be more closely informed about their children’s learning and progress. The school’s lack of complacency and its strong commitment to maintaining and further improving its very high standards give it an excellent capacity to continue to develop. The Cobbs Infant School - 7

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STANDARDS

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

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schools

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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schools

National test results and assessments for seven-year-olds in 2001 showed standards in reading and writing to be in the top five per cent both nationally and when compared with schools with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals. Standards in mathematics and science were well above average both nationally and in relation to similar schools. A very high proportion of pupils achieved levels above or well above those expected for seven-year-olds. This reflects an improving trend for higher attainers and the consistent achievement of the challenging targets set by the school. Boys performed well in reading and writing. Most children at present in nursery and reception classes are on target to exceed the early learning goals by the time they begin Year 1; children, including higher attainers, children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language,

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schools

achieve well in all the areas of learning in the nursery and reception classes. By the end of Year 2, pupils’ standards in reading, writing, speaking and listening, mathematics, science and art and design are well above those expected for their age and they reach good standards in information and communication technology. The limited evidence available indicates at least above average standards in all other subjects, including religious education. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress; those for whom English is an additional language and those identified as being gifted or talented achieve well. There is no significant difference between the achievement of boys and girls, though boys have made marked improvements in writing during the past two years.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils have very positive attitudes to learning in all classes and often show high levels of enthusiasm for the activities they are involved in.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Behaviour is very good around the school and in classrooms, particularly when the teaching is stimulating and class management strong; on a few occasions, pupils become distracted and lose concentration because control is less rigorous.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Relationships are very constructive and pupils work and play together very well. Because teachers expect pupils to work with an appropriate measure of independence, pupils behave very responsibly and their personal development is very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Attendance is satisfactory. The Cobbs Infant School - 8

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

Quality of teaching Very good 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 in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

Teaching and learning are consistently very good throughout the school. No unsatisfactory teaching was seen and some was excellent. The teaching of literacy, numeracy and science is very good. Teachers have a clear awareness of the needs and interests of young children and make very good use of very high quality learning resources in classrooms that are highly stimulating and conducive to learning. In addition, teachers make very imaginative use of an exciting, well organised outside environment, enhancing learning very well by, for example, forays into the wild garden. Exceptionally good planning ensures that the needs of pupils of all abilities are effectively met. Skilled classroom assistants, nursery nurses and parent helpers are fully briefed, deployed to very good effect and make a positive impact on pupils’ learning. Teachers’ high levels of expectation, along with very good relationships and generally very good levels of class management, ensure that pupils work to their

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

capacity with very positive attitudes in all but a very few lessons. In these lessons, the teaching lacks the usual rigour and secure control so that some pupils do not achieve as well as they should.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The excellent statutory curriculum is very rich, broad and balanced and greatly benefits from a stimulating programme of visits and visitors, extremely high quality displays and classroom layout, excellent outside resources and very imaginative use of the locality. Links with the junior school are very constructive. There is a good programme of activities during lunchtimes and after school.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils’ needs are identified early and the very good quality individual education plans enable teachers and other staff to provide for them very well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Teachers’ planning takes good account of their needs and, when necessary, these pupils receive effective support from the local education authority.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Provision for spiritual development is particularly strong in developing pupils’ joy in nature and the environment. Social development is excellent. There is very strong provision for appreciating and understanding pupils’ own culture; art, music, dance and drama play a significant part in the life of the school. Pupils are given opportunities to experience the life and culture of other societies but this aspect is less central to the school’s curriculum.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very well. There are effective arrangements for child protection and a very strong caring regime, communicated very clearly to parents. The Cobbs Infant School - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. A very clear educational philosophy is particularly effectively geared to the learning of young children. There is a very strong shared commitment to the highest possible levels of achievement for all pupils. A well judged management structure ensures extremely effective delegation of management roles and responsibilities.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Effectively. The school is well supported by very well led and committed governors who know the school well and take effective action.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. Not at all complacent, the school is always looking to improve. The principles of Investors in People support the very good arrangements for performance management.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. Very effective financial planning is based on a commitment to high standards and makes very effective use of the principles of best value.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school, behave well and make good progress • The leadership, management and teaching • The school’s high expectations • The school’s approachability • Information about their children’s progress • Range of activities outside lessons • Homework

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents have very positive views of the school which the inspection judgements confirm. The school communicates with parents very effectively; it is a very open school with good procedures for informing parents about their children’s learning and progress. Information about what pupils are learning is displayed on notice boards and is available on request to parents who cannot visit the school. Concerns about homework are not justified; arrangements for pupils to extend their learning through homework are judged to be good. There is a rich range of activities and visits outside lessons though there is little in the way of sporting activities. The Cobbs Infant School - 10

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Excellent leadership and management

1 The headteacher’s vision is evident as soon as you enter the school. Public areas celebrate the school’s achievements and make clear its values. Very high quality displays, many of them low down so as to be accessible to young children, cover the walls of corridors and shared areas. Classrooms are consistently exciting places to learn and resources for learning are invariably of very good quality. Pupils’ work features large. It is not surprising then to find that the school’s aims stress commitment to the highest possible level of achievement for all pupils. The success of these aims has been nationally recognised by the Achievement Award granted for very high performance in national tests for seven-year-olds.

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Excellent leadership and management

2 The aims of the school also emphasise the importance of partnership and another quality of leadership is shown by the way in which all the staff of the school work closely as a team in achieving its aims. Team building has been enhanced by the school’s achievement and recent renewal of the Investors in People Award. Leadership at all levels has shown itself to be thoughtful and unafraid of change. National initiatives have been implemented with imagination and a keen sense of how they might work best in this school. Consequently, for example, the national strategies for literacy and numeracy have been enthusiastically embraced but adapted intelligently to match the needs of the full range of pupils.

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Excellent leadership and management

3 There is a very strong commitment to inclusion and equality of opportunity. The provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those for whom English is an additional language is very effectively managed. In addition, pupils who are identified as being gifted or talented are provided with appropriate programmes to ensure that they are suitably challenged and make progress.

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Excellent leadership and management

4 The headteacher has established a well thought out management structure which ensures that the school is able to monitor and evaluate its own performance to best effect and to tap the full range of experience available in the school to do so. This structure is effective because it produces a consistent experience for pupils to enable them to work at their best. For example, in addition to the usual roles of subject and area co-ordinators, year managers have responsibility for moderating teaching to ensure consistency across the classes within each year and for facilitating the smooth progression of pupils’ learning between years and phases. Children’s transition from the reception classes into Year 1 is made easier by the similar classroom layout and the consistency of practice that has been established. The Year 2 manager liaises closely with the junior school to which most pupils proceed and arranges experiences for these

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Excellent leadership and management

pupils that will make their move to a new school that much easier. The headteacher delegates managerial roles and responsibilities very effectively. An extremely effective deputy headteacher operates as an excellent model within the classroom as well as fulfilling her clearly allocated management responsibilities. The very effective subject and area co-ordinators are given clear and appropriate levels of responsibility and the means to fulfil their responsibilities. They have release time to monitor teaching and learning in their subjects and play an important part in producing the school development plan by preparing a costed action plan each year.

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Excellent leadership and management

5 The co-ordinators’ monitoring links closely with the very good arrangements for performance management that have been established and which are extended to The Cobbs Infant School - 11 incorporate the principles of Investors in People. So performance management and continuing professional development for all staff link closely with the outcomes of other elements of self-evaluation to inform priorities for the school development plan. The quality of the school’s self-evaluation is very effective and has resulted recently, for example, in the very successful targeting of boys’ writing. The school is always looking to improve. So, for example, it is considering changing the forms used to monitor lessons; it intends to make them more focused in order to set tighter targets for teachers. The school consults widely, being particularly concerned with the views of parents, and challenges its achievements in the light of those of other schools both

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Excellent leadership and management

6 The headteacher has appropriate targets set by the governing body who are committed and very supportive of the school. The governors rightly see a major focus as being on how a successful school can become even better. They are very effectively led and know the school well. Teachers with responsibilities provide presentations to the governing body about their areas of responsibility. Most governors visit the school regularly and frequently, one, for example, assisting the librarian. An effective committee structure enables them to operate efficiently, particularly in terms of financial decision- making. However, some of the committees meet irregularly and the school has rightly planned to provide a more formal pattern of meetings to enable governors to play an even more active part in the life of the school.

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Excellent leadership and management

7 Very effective financial planning is based on a commitment to high standards. The school is clear about where its priorities lie and spends its money carefully to ensure that they are met. It makes very effective use of the principles of best value. For example, the decision to employ an expert librarian and then, as the result of evaluation, to extend her hours has had a very strong impact on pupils’ learning not only because of the very helpful way in which the library and its resources are organised but also because of her work on developing topic folders, which are a major asset to teachers.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

8 The quality of teaching and learning is very good in all parts of the school. Teachers have a clear awareness of the needs and interests of young and very young children and are confident in teaching in all the areas of learning for children in the nursery and reception classes. Consequently, most children are on target to exceed the nationally recognised early learning goals by the time they leave the reception classes. Teaching in Years 1 and 2 is also informed by confident subject knowledge leading to secure learning for pupils of all abilities.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

9 The teaching of English is very good and sometimes excellent. The teaching of basic skills in literacy and numeracy in the nursery and reception classes lays a very firm foundation for pupils to develop their communication, reading and writing skills to a very high level by the time they leave the school. Children are provided with opportunities to listen to stories very well told and to share books with other children and with adults. Consequently, when they visit the school library with its wide variety of attractively presented books and stimulating displays, they are familiar with books and are increasingly able to choose stories and information books for themselves. They move on to looking at and interpreting the pictures and then appreciating the story. They enjoy rehearsing familiar stories and inventing new ones at the excellent story tables in the reception and Year 1 classrooms and develop their spoken language skills as well as

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

their reading and writing skills in the exciting role-play areas in nursery, reception and The Cobbs Infant School - 12 Year 1 classrooms. Older pupils are taught a variety of strategies to help them deal with reading unfamiliar words. By the time they are in Year 2, nearly all pupils can use the sound and spelling of a word to help them understand its meaning; they use any accompanying pictures to provide clues to meaning; and they read on so that the meaning of the sentence clarifies the meaning of the word. Standards in reading are well above average and most pupils read with very good levels of accuracy, fluency and understanding. Because of the regular library sessions and frequent use of computers to explore CD-ROMS and the Internet, pupils also have very well developed skills in retrieving information. Higher attainers discuss character and plot intelligently and most pupils predict events in stories plausibly and imaginatively.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

10 Pupils’ writing skills are similarly very effectively developed so that they reach well above average standards by the end of Year 2. The provision of more information books in recent years and the setting of writing tasks that relate to factual matters have resulted in a marked improvement in boys’ writing so that their standards are now on a par with those of the girls. Because teachers from nursery upwards have very high expectations not only of pupils’ attainment but also of their independence, pupils are very willing to be adventurous in their choice of words and use of language. This sense of adventure is enhanced by the practice of working together in pairs to generate ideas and to provide a sounding board for each other’s writing. One pair of Year 2 pupils, for example, quickly produced the following sentence: ‘I twisted round, astonished to see ravenous seagulls.’ The best teaching does not allow pupils to sit on their laurels even after an imaginative

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

contribution: when a very able pupil suggested, ‘Today I found a mysterious bottle, bobbing along in the waves’, she was challenged to add more detail – ‘ginormous, no, gentle waves,’ she suggested.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

11 Pupils are encouraged to write in a wide range of forms for a variety of audiences in most subjects so that they become adept at adjusting their choice of words to a particular audience or purpose; Year 2 pupils were enthusiastic when it was suggested that they might be able to use their retelling of a popular story for story-time in nursery or reception. The opportunities presented by information and communication technology are very well exploited both in using the computers in the classrooms and in the computer suite. A variety of stimulating ways of presenting their work provides further motivation for pupils to write because they know that their work will be beautifully displayed for others to read. Pupils’ speaking and listening skills also develop to well above average standards, benefiting from frequent opportunities in all classes to talk in a variety of situations for a range of purposes in a context of encouragement and high

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

12 Children’s mathematical skills are systematically developed so that, by the time they are in Year 2, standards are well above average. In the nursery, children experience a variety of ways of learning about concepts like tall and short, arranging, for example, animals related to the jungle theme in order of size or using the computer to draw a tall giraffe and a shorter one. The very effective use of the structure of the National Numeracy Strategy from reception onwards ensures that pupils’ skills in mental mathematics are reinforced in pacy sessions at the start of lessons. Pupils learn to work out answers for themselves and are encouraged to use a variety of methods to do so. 13 Because the resources used are invariably of very good quality and are very carefully prepared, pupils’ levels of interest are very high and they respond to the challenging tasks set for their individual and group work very positively. Information and

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

communication technology is effectively used to promote learning in mathematics both in classrooms and in the computer suite, where, for example, the interactive whiteboard is used to good effect. Plenary sessions at the end of lessons are very effectively used The Cobbs Infant School - 13 to assess and clarify learning and to set up expectations for the next lesson. The very high quality of presentation of pupils’ work does much to enhance their learning. Pupils take a real pride in their work and benefit from the many opportunities they have of working independently on mathematical issues related to their own experience, often based on play in the role-play areas in the classroom – Cobbs Café, for example, presents many rich opportunities for weighing, measuring and using money. A money- raising project in aid of flooded people in Mozambique involved pupils in a variety of mathematical activities.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

14 Very good and sometimes excellent teaching in science leads to well above average standards. The whole environment of the school, both inside and outside, promotes learning about and interest in science. Pupils are constantly presented with the wonders of nature, whether it be in striking paintings and collages about the seasons or the ‘marvellous deep’, high quality photographs or actual flowers and fishes. The wild garden and the Millennium Garden are used to very good effect both in lessons and by the nature club to provide experiences leading to a wide range of learning about plant and animal life, the seasons and care of the environment.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

15 Pupils’ learning in science is very strongly enhanced by activities in, for example, art, where pupils’ skills in observational drawing are very effectively developed in drawing and painting flowers and creating textures to reflect landscapes. The excellent displays of this work enable other pupils to learn from it and to share the experience that it reflects. Teachers provide a wide range of photographs and good quality books for pupils to research and retrieve information about the plants and creatures they are examining. Pupils extend their search for knowledge by using CD-ROMs and the Internet with a good level of skill. Consequently, higher attainers are able to use terms like ‘camouflage’ and ‘amphibious’ with secure levels of knowledge. Pupils extend their observations by using computer-linked microscopes, which many are confident in using independently.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

16 From nursery onwards, children are encouraged to investigate their surroundings, going on walks, for example, to explore the flowers, trees and shrubs in the very rich outdoor play area. Much of the work in science is based on first-hand experience and pupils consequently respond very positively. Teachers stress the need for accuracy in observation and have very high expectations. Consequently, standards are high across all the programmes of study.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

17 Pupils’ standards in all subjects are enhanced by the very constructive relationships that exist between teachers, support staff and pupils. The teachers’ class management skills very rarely slip below the very good levels that usually pertain and in the most successful lessons, result in excellent behaviour and very high levels of productive work. In the very few lessons where class management was less rigorous, some pupils did not learn at the levels of which they were capable. Teachers have very well developed skills in questioning, explaining, reading aloud and telling a story. In the most effective lessons, teachers use open questions that challenge the pupils; for example, Year 1 pupils were pushed to provide more detail in their recall of the walk to the park and Year 2 pupils asked to take their evaluation of the qualities of the character of the lighthouse keeper that bit further.

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and design and high standards in information and communication technology

18 The consistent and imaginative use of literacy, numeracy and information and design technology in many lessons is a major factor in the high standards reached in these subjects and indeed in the other subjects concerned. The Cobbs Infant School - 14

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attainers

19 The excellent statutory curriculum is very stimulating and strikes a good balance between the demands of the core subjects such as English, mathematics and science and the other subjects of the National Curriculum. The use of topics, planned within each year group, supplements the time given specifically to subjects so that, for example, pupils’ learning in Year 2 about electrical circuits is applied to a problem arising from a visit to see a performance of The Snow Queen , when pupils have to design a circuit that will provide a light to stop Kay being frightened of the dark. In the nursery, a topic about the jungle provides experiences in all of the areas of learning so that children not only learn about aspects of geography and science but also practise mathematics, communication and computer skills as a result of playing in the jungle role-play corner. Much of the topic work in the reception and Year 1 classes is supported by the excellent

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attainers

themed role-play areas in these classrooms and the low story tables which feature toys and models that stimulate story-telling and other activities relating to the central story.

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attainers

20 The very attractive and well-organised library and the well-equipped computer suite are used very effectively to promote learning across the curriculum as well as to develop relevant skills in literacy and information and design technology. Displays in the library stimulate interest in topics before the actual teaching is started; for example, a lively display of models, pictures and books about children around the world is placed in the library some weeks before teachers begin to teach the lessons that focus on life in places different from Warrington. Displays are used very effectively also to support experiences such as the Barnaby Bear in Dublin topic that a Year 1 class is piloting for the local education authority. Teachers have access to an excellent range of topic folders, compiled by the librarian, to inform their planning and provide visual and other material for the topic.

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attainers

21 Displays throughout the school provide excellent learning opportunities for pupils because they are designed for pupils to refer to them and because many of them are very accessible to young children. For instance, the excellent series of embroidered pictures that form a time-line of British history along the school’s corridors are constantly the object of pupils’ attention – they particularly like reading the labels under Henry VIII’s wives: divorced – beheaded – died – divorced – beheaded – survived.

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attainers

22 The curriculum also greatly benefits from a stimulating programme of visits and visitors and the very imaginative use of the locality of the school. Links with the junior school and the local high school, which has arts status, are very constructive. Visits to Chester and to Tatton Park provide a motivating base for learning. Visiting artists stimulate wooden sculptures or inspire dance in a style unfamiliar to the pupils. Pupils’ sporting skills are developed through visiting coaches for football and tennis and through visits from the Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club. 23 There is a good programme of activities during lunchtimes and after school though there is little in the way of sporting activities outside of school. At present, attendance at clubs such as computers, recorders, drama, nature and French is restricted to Year 2 pupils but, when numbers are fewer in Year 2, the clubs will be opened to Year 1 pupils as well.

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attainers

These activities provide a valuable addition to the curriculum for the pupils who attend them. The choir, which has a membership of over 70 pupils, is also a valuable and enjoyable learning experience which leads to regular performances and concerts – last year’s visit to the Bridgewater Hall was particularly enjoyed by the pupils. The Cobbs Infant School - 15 24 The school is strongly committed to the inclusion of all its pupils, whatever the nature of their needs or their learning abilities. There is a strong policy for equal opportunities that includes a statement of the school’s commitment to anti-racist education. In lessons, exceptionally good planning ensures that the needs of pupils of all abilities are effectively met. Teachers are very well aware of the needs of their pupils because of the well- developed assessment procedures that the school has produced. Consequently, activities are very well matched to need and pupils are made aware of the appropriate

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attainers

targets set for them; in writing, for example, each group works to its own targets and, where necessary, individuals have their own set of targets to challenge them further. Special educational needs are identified very early and teachers provide very good quality individual learning plans that are taken good account of in planning lessons. The needs of pupils with special educational needs, including those with statements of special educational needs, are very well managed. Classroom placements are adjusted to meet the physical needs of, for example, pupils who find stairs difficult and the school goes to great lengths to ensure equality of opportunity for its pupils. Teachers adapt their questions to match the needs of, for example, pupils for whom English is an additional language and, when necessary, these pupils benefit from expert support provided by the local educational authority.

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attainers

25 The needs of higher attainers and pupils identified as gifted or talented are also taken good account of. This year, pupils in Year 2 have been put in ability groups for one lesson a week in literacy and numeracy and, as a result of evaluation, the practice is being extended to pupils in Year 1. When appropriate, pupils are entered for higher levels in national tests for seven-year-olds in English and mathematics and several have achieved a Level 4 (the level appropriate for Year 6 pupils) in reading and mathematics during the past few years. Pupils with talents in sports or music are accommodated by the various clubs and by encouragement to attend facilities outside of school.

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attainers

26 An important part is played in the provision for pupils with special educational needs, and indeed for all pupils, by skilled classroom assistants and nursery nurses, who have a strong positive impact on pupils’ learning. Teachers are careful to plan with and for their support staff and deploy them very effectively. Parent helpers, too, are fully briefed and deployed well in, for example, supporting pupils in the computer suite.

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and cultural development

27 Because the school sees pupils’ personal development as being very important and provides for it very well, pupils’ attitudes to school and to learning are very positive, they behave very well, relationships are very constructive and pupils are very independent for their age. There is a concern that pupils should be presented with high quality resources and experiences and there is a strong focus on beauty and its celebration apparent everywhere in the school. Natural objects and well-crafted artefacts feature alongside strikingly mounted examples of pupils’ art and writing in presenting an excellent example of careful presentation and appreciation of beauty and the natural world. School and class assemblies encourage reflection on the special things that God has made – ‘including you!’ - and celebrate difference and variety. In lessons, too, pupils from the time they begin nursery are encouraged to enjoy and appreciate the things they see

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and cultural development

around them. They are taught to enjoy books, poems and stories and to delight in the work that other pupils produce.

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and cultural development

28 Pupils are very clear about right and wrong and respond very well to the moral messages given in school in assemblies and in classroom discussions about rules. The Cobbs Infant School - 16 They have opportunities to devise and display their own rules, which can be seen on the walls around the school. Consequently, their behaviour in classrooms and around the school is very good and sometimes excellent. They behave responsibly in the wild life area and respect the mini-beasts that they study. They also show great respect for the displays and artefacts they meet during their time in school.

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and cultural development

29 Provision for pupils’ social development is excellent. Pupils are consistently encouraged to work together and to listen to and appreciate the views and values of others. They learn through their experience of stories that people are different and have different points of view and discuss these issues sensitively, not judging the grumpy lighthouse keeper too harshly and recognising his wisdom in listening to his wife’s advice. Much of this kind of discussion takes place independently in ‘whisper pairs’ or ‘talking partners’ during the whole-class sessions of literacy hours, where lively and animated discussion is the order of the day. In science lessons, groups work co-operatively to explore the plants and creatures in the containers they have been given. Pupils’ sense of social responsibility is developed also by raising money for various charities as they become aware of the needs of others and they deliver harvest parcels and sing to neighbouring

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and cultural development

30 There is very strong provision for appreciating and understanding pupils’ own culture. Art, music, dance and drama play a significant part in the life of the school. Pupils encounter the works of many famous artists and learn to appreciate and work in their styles. Pupils learn about their locality and its history and participate in performances to celebrate events like the Millennium. They visit theatres to see, for example, a dramatisation of the story of Charlotte’s Web and the choir sings extensively in the locality. Pupils are given opportunities to experience the life and culture of other societies. A regular visitor talks about life in an African country and takes sessions on African music and dance. Other visitors share their experiences of life in other countries and pupils returning from stays abroad share their experiences too. While provision for pupils to experience the multi-cultural nature of our society is satisfactory, this aspect is

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and cultural development

less central to the school’s curriculum.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

There are no significant areas for improvement.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

There are no key issues for action. The Cobbs Infant School - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 23

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y 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 almost five percentage points

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR - Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 50 307

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 15

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR - Y6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 18

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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 11

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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 20

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 16

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Attendance

School data 5.7 School data 0 The Cobbs Infant School - 18 National comparative data 5.2 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. The Cobbs Infant School - 19

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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 68 70 138

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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 67 67 66 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 69 69 69

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

Percentage of pupils School 99 (99) 98 (99) 98 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (85) 86 (85) 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 67 66 67 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 69 69 69

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

Percentage of pupils School 99 (99) 98 (96) 99 (99) 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. The Cobbs Infant School - 20

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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 1 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 10 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) 14 Financial year 2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.8

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR - Y6 Total income 760107

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 8 Total expenditure 745748

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 189 Expenditure per pupil 1963

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 13038

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Balance carried forward to next year 27407

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 71

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 The Cobbs Infant School - 21 FTE means full-time equivalent. The Cobbs Infant School - 22

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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. 75 23 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 74 24 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 51 38 7 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 49 40 9 1 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 80 20 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 26 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 54 41 4 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 79 21 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 71 28 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 46 33 7 0 13

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