St Francis de Sales RC Infant School

INFANT SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Elisabeth de Lancey

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INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 21 st - 22 nd May 2002

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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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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. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 3 - May 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Brereton Road Tottenham Road London N17 8DA

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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: Mrs Sam Smethers

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 4 - May 2002

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Team members

22272 Elisabeth de Lancey Registered inspector 9399 Roger Watts Lay inspector 21100 Alan Morgan 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 St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 5 - May 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 20

St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 6 - May 2002

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Situated in Tottenham, in East Haringey, St Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Infant School is an excellent school which has been awarded Beacon status and given an Achievement Award for excellence from the Department for Education and Skills. The immediate vicinity of the school presents all the challenges of inner-urban social deprivation . Almost all of the pupils come from the parish of St Francis, with a small but significant number coming from further afield, largely due to the school’s good reputation. Unemployment in this area is very high and almost all families live in housing association properties or temporary accommodation. The school caters for pupils between the ages of three and seven . It is larger than other infant schools, with a current roll of 270 pupils in Year R to Year 2, of whom 149 are girls and 121 are boys, plus 60 children who attend the Nursery on a part-time basis. It is larger

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

than at the time of the last inspection. Recently the movement of pupils into and out of the school at times other than the usual times of admission has increased and the profile of pupils has changed. Whilst the whole range of abilities is represented in the school’s intake, pupils’ attainment on entry to the school is below average. Pupils come from a rich diversity of backgrounds. About a quarter of the pupils are white, half are of black African heritage, and an eighth are of black Caribbean origin. There are four refugees from Africa. Over one-half of the pupils speak English as an additional language, which is very high, and much higher than at the time of the last inspection; 117 of these pupils are at an early stage of language acquisition. One third of the pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is well above average. There are 88 pupils (32%) on the school’s register of special educational needs. This is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

higher than found in most schools. They have a variety of learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural problems and a high proportion have speech and language difficulties. Three pupils have a statement of special educational needs. This too, is higher than at the time of the last inspection. The school maintained an established staff until the end of the summer term 2001 when four teachers left, mainly due to retirement or promotion. Five teachers were new to the school in September, including two who are new to the profession. There are strong procedures for the induction of new staff, and appropriate training opportunities have been identified to address any areas of inexperience. The school benefits from a government grant to promote the achievement of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a highly effective, inclusive school which welcomes pupils from a rich variety of backgrounds and enables all pupils to make major strides in their learning. The leadership and management of the headteacher are excellent. Relationships between pupils and staff and amongst pupils are harmonious and respectful. The teaching is good. Children make an excellent start in the Nursery and their attainment by the end of Year 2 is good. The school creates a very supportive and challenging environment that successfully promotes pupils’ confidence and self-esteem. The support for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The arrangements for meeting the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language are very good. Links with parents are an outstanding feature. The school provides very good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost consistently above average and often better. • The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and governors are outstanding. • The quality of teaching is good and there are examples of very good and excellent teaching. • The school offers a rich and varied curriculum. • The excellent links with parents and the community greatly enhance pupils’ learning. • The provision for children attending the Nursery is excellent. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 7 - May 2002

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What could be improved

• Some aspects of writing, in particular narrative and imaginative writing. * *The school has identified this as a relative weakness 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 November 1997. Only one weakness was identified at that time. Since then, the school has made very good progress improving the quality of teaching and a higher proportion of very good and excellent lessons was observed. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. Teachers now manage their pupils well, use a good range of teaching strategies and lessons proceed at a very good pace. Beacon Status and an Achievement Award for excellence have been gained. Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests have improved, in particular at the higher level. New initiatives, for example the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies and the guidance for the Foundation Stage, have been introduced successfully, are thoroughly monitored, and their very good impact evaluated. Although the school continues to target standards in writing, there have been good improvements to well above

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

national levels. Resources for information and communication technology have improved. The teachers have greater expertise and the teaching and use of information and communication technology across the curriculum is good. The school makes very good use of its analysis of test results by setting targets for individual pupils. These targets are shared with parents. The school’s premises have been extended and more pupils benefit from its very good provision.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 very high A* Reading A A B A well above average above average A B Writing A B A A* average below average C D mathematics A A C B well below average E

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Key

National Curriculum test results over the past three years have usually been better, and often much better than those of similar schools. In 2001, pupils’ results were well above average in reading, above average in mathematics and in the highest five per cent in writing. When compared with all schools nationally, pupils’ results were well above average in writing, above average in reading and average in mathematics. In 2001, pupils’ results in mathematics dipped from their previously very high levels because, although the pupils fully understood the mathematical concepts they had learned, a higher proportion than usual found it difficult to express themselves accurately in mathematical language. Results in writing are particularly impressive with almost a quarter of pupils attaining the higher level (level 3) which is well above the national average and in the highest five per cent when compared with

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Key

similar schools. Pupils perform very well in reading and mathematics too at the higher level when compared to similar schools with one third of pupils attaining level 3 in mathematics which is very high, and more than one quarter reaching this level in reading which is high. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 8 - May 2002 Children’s attainment on entry to the Nursery is well below average. They make an excellent start in the Nursery and their progress along the ‘stepping stones’ during the Foundation Stage is very good. By the time these children leave the Reception classes most children have attained the Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning and a few exceed them.

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Key

Over the past four years, results in reading and writing have kept pace with the national trend. Results in mathematics are below the national trend. Inspection evidence and the school’s own assessments of current Year 2 pupils indicate that results will not be as good this year and that fewer pupils will attain the higher levels. This is because there is higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties in the current Year 2. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are good. Pupils of all abilities make very good progress and achieve well. They also achieve well in other subjects of the curriculum and good standards were seen in information and communication technology, art and design, drama and music, in particular singing. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets set for them. The pupils who speak English as an additional language also make very good progress and

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Key

attain similar, and often better, standards than other pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are very proud of their school.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils are polite and show respect for each other, staff and visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils thrive in the school’s supporting ethos. They show respect for different viewpoints. Relationships are harmonious.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. The school works very hard to sustain high levels of attendance.

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Years 1 – 2

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

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Years 1 – 2

Teaching in the school is good and makes a significant contribution to pupils’ learning. Teaching in the Nursery is excellent and there were examples of very good teaching in literacy and numeracy in Years 1 and Years 2. Throughout the school, basic skills of reading, writing and mathematics are taught well. Teachers build well on pupils’ emerging knowledge and skills using teaching methods that show a firm understanding of the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are set by ability for literacy and numeracy and are taught in smaller groups. The quality of learning in these groups is usually very good because pupils are given close attention and teachers have a smaller range of abilities to cater for. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good; these pupils benefit from sensitive support which enables them to achieve success. Staff relate very well to pupils

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Years 1 – 2

and sustain very good relationships with them. They have high expectations of their work and behaviour. As a result, the pupils make good use of their time in school and work at a good pace. Teachers use questions well to help pupils to recall their previous work and to help them gain good knowledge of their own learning. Teaching is less successful when the teacher does not develop the lesson content sufficiently to engage all pupils; consequently, the pace of learning slows and some pupils are distracted. Pupils who speak English as an additional language are taught well, they make rapid progress in learning English and have full access to all aspects of school life. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 9 - May 2002

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. A wide variety of additional activities extends pupils’ learning experiences. There is a strong emphasis on the development of performing and visual arts. The provision in the Nursery is excellent.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Support for pupils with special educational needs, including those who are gifted and talented, is carefully planned and the staff meet the needs of these pupils very well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. Pupils are given excellent opportunities to acquire a new vocabulary through participating in a wide range of stimulating activities.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Strong Christian values underpin this provision. All aspects of pupils’ development is given a high priority and this is evident in all areas of the school’s work. Assemblies make a strong contribution to pupils’ personal development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Very good. Each child is valued as an individual. The school provides a safe and supportive environment in which pupils prosper. The procedures for monitoring pupils’ progress are very good.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher provides inspirational leadership. All members of staff are given a clear lead by her personal example and vision for the future. Established key staff work very well together and make a strong contribution to the management of the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. Governors have a deep commitment to the school. They are very well-organised and well-informed. They provide the school with very effective support, guidance and critical evaluation.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school has a wide range of arrangements for monitoring and evaluating all aspects of its provision.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good. The resources available to the school are very carefully deployed and educational priorities are appropriately funded. The principles of best value are applied very well when decisions are taken about spending. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 10 - May 2002

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Parents are helped to become fully involved in their children’s education. • They are pleased that their children like coming to school. • The school expects their children to work hard and they make good progress and attain high standards. • Their children are helped to become mature and responsible and their behaviour is good. • The school works closely with them, keeps them well informed and responds well to their suggestions and concerns. • The school is well led and managed. • Teaching and homework arrangements are good and contribute well to pupils’ learning. • They like the ready access to the teachers.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The team agrees with the parents’ very positive views of the school. Parents have no major areas of concern. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 11 - May 2002

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

consistently above average and often better.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

1. In the National Curriculum tests in 2001, pupils’ results were well above average in writing, above average in reading and average in mathematics. Compared with similar schools, pupils’ results were well above average in reading and writing, and in the highest five per cent of schools in writing. Results were above average in mathematics.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

2. Over the past three years results have been better than national averages and much better than those of similar schools, except in mathematics in 2001. In 2001, there was a slight dip in the school’s results from the very good standard of all pupils reaching Level 2 or above in the 2000 tests. This was due largely to a decline in the performance of boys, in particular those who joined the school when it changed from a two-form to three form entry. These pupils did not attend the school’s Nursery; a significant proportion of them were diagnosed as having special educational needs, with specific language difficulties. The pupils attain very well in most subjects at Level 3, the exception being spelling. Results in writing are improving for all pupils. In 2001, results in writing were particularly impressive with almost a quarter of pupils attaining the higher level which is well above the national average and in the highest five per

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

cent when compared with similar schools. Pupils perform very well in reading and mathematics too, with one third of pupils attaining Level 3 in mathematics which is very high compared with similar schools and more than one quarter reaching this level in reading which is high.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

3. The setting of pupils in ability groups in Years 1 and 2, for English and mathematics, when pupils have the advantage of working in smaller groups with pupils of a similar ability has helped to maintain high standards. However, inspection evidence and the school’s own assessments of current Year 2 pupils indicates that results will not be as good this year and that fewer pupils will attain the higher levels. This is because there is higher proportion of pupils with learning difficulties in this year group.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

4. There is a wide range of attainment amongst children when they enter the Nursery. They make very good progress along the ‘stepping stones’ and almost all the children transfer to the Reception classes at the beginning of the year in which they are five. They are joined by thirty additional pupils who have had a variety of pre-school educational experiences and some who have had none. There are some very able pupils but many children enter the school with below average standards of attainment. The staff build very effectively on children’s earlier experiences and most children who have attended the school’s Nursery are on the way to reaching the early learning goals in all areas of learning by the time they leave the Reception Year and a few exceed them.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

5. Throughout the school pupils make very good progress and achieve very well. In English, pupils’ attainment is above average in speaking and listening, reading and writing. The school places great emphasis on the development of pupils’ oral skills. Teachers have worked hard to strengthen their questioning skills to ensure understanding. They sensitively develop the pupils’ confidence in expressing their views in discussions by encouraging the pupils to respond to questions fully and by developing strategies to extend their vocabulary. The high level of support from St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 12 - May 2002 classroom assistants helps those pupils who are at an early stage of language acquisition. The classroom assistants sit with these pupils to help their understanding. By the end of Year 2, most pupils speak with confidence, have a good vocabulary and enthusiastically contribute to discussion. For example, they talked

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

animatedly about their local football teams, the ‘World Cup’ and their support for teams in their home countries. Pupils’ listening skills are very good. They are attentive in class and listen to instructions carefully. They listen to stories on tape whilst following the text in the book and this successfully develops both their listening and reading skills. The pupils’ reading skills are good. Pupils enjoy reading and take their books home regularly to share with their parents. They read aloud accurately, fluently and expressively, paying attention to the punctuation and most show a good understanding of the book they are reading. The pupils also know a good range of authors and express their preferences clearly. For example, one higher attaining Year 2 pupil expressed his preference for Roald Dahl’s books while another preferred books by Ruth Brown, because, ‘She has an interesting way with words and the

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

illustrations are very detailed.’ Others preferred the animal stories such as ‘The Hodgeheg’ written by Dick King Smith. When asked what makes a good book? One pupil in Year 2 replied, ‘When you get to the end of the page you can’t wait to turn it over and read more.’

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

6. Pupils have a good understanding of the differences between fiction and non-fiction and use non-fiction books well to find out the facts they need to complete their studies. Most pupils write in simple sentences which are correctly punctuated, and they use their knowledge of sounds to spell simple words. Particularly good progress has been in the writing of non-fiction. Pupils write effective instructions; for example, for making a clay pot or a necklace from seeds. They write accounts of shared visits to places of interest such as the park, and imaginative reports on meeting ‘Red Riding Hood’. They compose and illustrate attractive pamphlets on, for example, frogs and butterflies using non-fiction ‘big books’ as models. Improving pupils’ writing has been a priority for the school. Staff have analysed pupils’ writing in order to identify strengths and weaknesses and examined the curriculum to identify areas that will

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

support and extend the opportunities for pupils to write in a variety of styles. These links are very well used by teachers to improve writing and pupils enjoy the work because it is relevant. For example, pupils write detailed directions of their journeys from their homes to school in geography, and record their stages of growth in science. Although there are good examples of pupils composing stories that are based on well-known tales, such as Jack and the Beanstalk and Cinderella, their story writing skills, descriptions and imaginative writing are relatively weak.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

7. Standards in mathematics at the end of Year 2 are average. Most seven-year-olds rapidly add and subtract simple numbers in their heads, use a number line accurately and are becoming increasingly skilled at doubling numbers to twenty and beyond. They recognise multiples of 2, 5 and 10 and most pupils can explain how they have arrived at their answers. Higher attaining pupils show a good understanding of numbers to one thousand and solve problems using three digit numbers. Pupils collect information and illustrate it by drawing different charts and graphs and know how to interpret information correctly. For example, one class showed the popularity of the various football teams they support on a colourful bar chart. Work on classifying and describing two- and three-dimensional shapes builds progressively through the school and by the end of Year 2, most pupils name these shapes correctly and recognise reflective symmetry in two-dimensional shapes. Pupils become

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

increasingly familiar with the relationship between multiplication and division and make good progress in using standard measures. Staff are aware that St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 13 - May 2002 although some pupils fully understand the mathematical concepts they find it difficult to express themselves accurately in mathematical language. Teachers understand the needs of these pupils and they are helped to access the curriculum through additional support and imaginative resources.

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Standards attained in the national tests over the past four years have been almost

8. Pupils also achieve well in other subjects of the curriculum and good standards were seen in information and communication technology, art and design, drama and music, in particular singing. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress towards the targets set for them. The pupils who speak English as an additional language also make very good progress and attain similar and often better standards than other pupils.

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

9. At the heart of this highly effective school is a headteacher with excellent leadership and exceptional management skills. She draws effectively upon these abilities to express her wholehearted commitment to the school, to the raising of pupils’ standards of achievement, to the development of staff and governors and to the enriching of relationships with parents and the community. The headteacher leads by example, from welcoming pupils on entry to school, through the setting of homework to the celebration of pupils’ achievements in the displays which flow around and out of her office. The school’s sustained effectiveness over the years is a measure of the headteacher’s success in securing the devoted support of all who work in and for the school. This has enabled the school to achieve Beacon Status through which it has given support and guidance to other schools, and promoted good practice with its

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

hosting of an ‘Early Years Conference’. The acting deputy head had a significant role in this achievement and plays a key role in its effective management. As the school moves through a period of significant staff change at a time of national and local recruitment difficulties, the headteacher is alert to the implications for the school. Drawing on her proven record, the induction of new staff ensures they all share the school’s aims and are committed to their realisation.

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

10. This model of dedication is reflected in the work of all members of staff and the effective teamwork through which they carry out their duties. The senior management team meet frequently to direct the school’s growth and ensure that developing issues are addressed or properly planned for. Teachers meet regularly in year groups to plan work and support each other. This open, co-operative approach informs the work of the curriculum co-ordinators, most of whom are relatively new to their posts and exercise different levels of responsibility. Each is clear about the priorities for their subjects and the support that staff need. For example, one co-ordinator organised a training day to develop staff expertise in using a range of materials to help them improve pupils’ skills in creative activities. A second co-ordinator is working on assessment materials to help colleagues more accurately gauge pupils’ needs.

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

Another is preparing to monitor classroom practice by undertaking a series of teaching observations under the guidance of a local authority inspector. This carefully planned and thorough approach to management and the time each co-ordinator is given to carry out their responsibilities are the hallmarks of the school’s structured management style.

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

11. It is within that context that the school’s effective monitoring and evaluation procedures are operated. They offer a comprehensive, well-designed and supportive programme for the development of teaching and learning. They have enabled the St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 14 - May 2002 school to maintain high standards and the staff to commit to raising them further. This is particularly evident in the work of the established co-ordinator for mathematics. She has observed teaching throughout the school and has fed back to all staff, monitored teachers’ planning and samples of pupils’ work, and guided staff on the use of information and communication technology in mathematics. In addition, through workshops, she has helped parents identify activities they can pursue at home to support their children’s learning. In relation to this, she invites parents to assist their children in attaining designated targets by setting out specific guidance for them. For

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

example, she sets out a series of questions for parents to explore with their child which will ‘Help them understand the concept of time, help with ordering and sequencing’ and she ends ‘Have fun’ .

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

12. Led by the dynamic and perceptive chair of governors, the governing body has built very effectively on its very good relationships with the staff. Governors have forged a strong team of confident practitioners which has helped them in successfully undertaking their performance management duties. They have formed a committed governing body which has a clear understanding of the school. They liaise closely with staff and draw readily on the advice and guidance of the headteacher to develop the work of their active committees and to fulfil their statutory obligations. Governors bring a breadth of expertise and experience to the school, and individuals have accepted the role of nominated governor for various aspects of the curriculum; for example, science and special educational needs. In this role governors work closely with subject co-ordinators to review subject content, teaching and learning and report

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The leadership and management of the headteacher, established key staff and

back regularly to the governing body. This has provided governors with a significant channel to improve their knowledge of the curriculum and the school’s working practices. They are now well positioned to assume responsibility for this regular reporting to the governing body. Through their successful fulfilment of their roles as ‘critical friends’ and in their oversight of standards, they are fully aware of the school’s achievements in securing their mutual commitment to educational inclusion and equal opportunities. They have a clear vision for the school and set appropriate priorities for improvement, underscored by a strong finance committee which adheres very well to the principles of best value.

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

13. The good quality teaching reported at the last inspection has at least been maintained with some features showing significant improvement. The proportion of high quality teaching has increased and no unsatisfactory teaching was seen. During this inspection, teaching throughout the school was assessed as excellent in two lessons, very good in seven lessons, good in two lessons and satisfactory in six lessons. Examples of high quality teaching were observed in the Nursery and in English and mathematics in Years 1 and 2.

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

14. The teachers and support staff relate very well to the pupils and sustain very good relationships with them. The calm and sensitive manner through which the staff manage the pupils helps each of them to recognise how much they are valued. This instils confidence in the pupils, and helps those with learning needs and those with challenging behaviour sustain their concentration, and supports them when they find it difficult to cope. For example, in a Year 2 class, the teacher sat with a distressed pupil and sensitively drew from him his idea of a messy bedroom so that when they parted the child was settled and recording his observations. Teachers have high expectations of their pupils’ standards of work, behaviour and work rate. This is one St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 15 - May 2002 means by which staff demonstrate their commitment to raising standards for all pupils. A Year 2 teacher, for example, made her expectations clear when she required

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

one group to identify features which distinguish fiction books from non-fiction. Teachers carefully foster pupils’ use of letter sounds to help them with reading and spelling. This helps pupils’ understanding and provides them with skills to develop their independence. For example, a reception teacher encouraged a group of pupils to use the sound of the first letter of words to help them match the words with the appropriate pictures.

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

15. Staff provide many opportunities for pupils to consolidate their knowledge and understanding through well-structured repetition and reinforcement activities. By this means the basic skills of number relations, letter formation and grammar are reinforced. For example, a Year 1 teacher used a jumbled sentence activity to emphasise the use of capital letters and stops. In doing so she drew on key words used earlier in the lesson to compose the sentences. This helped to motivate the pupils by sustaining their interest in the task through activities with which they were already familiar. Teachers use question and answer techniques effectively to help pupils recall previous work, build lively introductions to lessons, explore pupils’ thinking and help them understand how well they are doing. This challenges and encourages pupils, helps them clarify their thinking and promotes their use of more precise statements. At the end of a Year 2 mathematics lesson, the teacher

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

sensitively questioned the pupils to help assess their knowledge of strategies to find unknown numbers so that she could identify appropriate activities to develop their understanding. Setting for numeracy and literacy, and the provision of individual pupil targets help to ensure that work set is appropriate for the full range of pupils’ abilities. The teachers’ very good planning of the curriculum and their individual lessons underpins these effective teaching and learning strategies.

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

16. Where teaching is less successful, the teacher does not develop the lesson content sufficiently to engage all pupils and as a result, the pace slows and some pupils are distracted. Additionally, insufficient opportunities are taken to sustain the participation of all the pupils, for example, by using whiteboards frequently. In a small number of lessons, the lack of challenge for some groups of pupils undermines their progress and the inappropriateness or insufficiency of resources results in some disengagement for some pupils.

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

17. The school provides well for its gifted and talented pupils. In most lessons work is appropriately challenging and they are given very good opportunities to excel in music and drama. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. The school’s aims for special needs are well known, supported by parents and set out in the school’s policy statement. Individual education plans, which describe the school’s strategies for supporting pupils’ progress towards clearly stated targets, are drawn up for all pupils requiring them, and appropriate targets are set. The pupils are fully included in all aspects of the curriculum and setting ensures they receive individual support in small groups. This helps to bolster their sense of achievement and gives them the confidence to participate fully in the activities provided for them. Pupils for whom English is an additional language are also well supported and have access to

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

all aspects of school life. Consequently, they achieve well and make very good progress towards the individual targets set for them.

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

18. Teaching assistants are effectively deployed and they make a valuable contribution to the quality of educational provision. They work closely with class teachers to ensure a consistent approach in their teaching. This has a beneficial effect on each St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 16 - May 2002 pupil’s progress. All staff succeed in helping all the pupils to feel secure. This is reflected in the very good attitudes the pupils have to their work and the enthusiasm with which they pursue their tasks.

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

The school offers a rich and varied curriculum.

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

19. The quality of the curriculum offered to pupils is a strength of the school. The school has given careful consideration to planning a curriculum that is stimulating and relevant, involves all children and engages their interest. It fully reflects the diverse community from which the pupils come and gives them a valuable insight into the wider world. It provides regular opportunities for pupils to enjoy exciting experiences and to deepen and extend their learning.

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

20. All of the National Curriculum subjects are taught in a systematic way that builds effectively on pupils’ previous learning. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented very effectively to promote high standards in English. As a high proportion of pupils speak English as an additional language the school places a strong emphasis on the rapid acquisition of English. Teachers are particularly successful at developing pupils’ speaking, listening and writing skills, and enabling them to use and improve them in other subjects. The National Numeracy Strategy has also been well implemented and a current priority is to develop pupils’ ability to express themselves clearly in mathematical language.

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

21. The school places a strong emphasis on the development of the performing and visual arts and provides a wealth of high quality experiences in these areas. Pupils benefit from regular drama lessons and there is an after-school drama club for the oldest pupils. Their participation in drama activities and opportunities to act and speak out during assemblies contribute positively to pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Pupils are given excellent opportunities to become involved in music, drama and dance projects, such as the ‘Outreach Tap Dancing Project’ and to perform in the school’s Christmas and end-of-year productions. They sing very tunefully in assemblies, perform further afield in public festivals such as the ‘Khuthazo Festival’, and have participated in making a video recording of ‘JC 2000’. These worthwhile opportunities help foster pupils’ confidence and self-esteem and develop a very good

p.16

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

sense of audience and occasion. In addition, the pupils took part in an arts workshop organised by a well-known art materials company and there are arrangements in place for the school to have an artist-in-residence later this term. The school welcomes many visitors each year to help enrich and enliven the curriculum. Carefully planned educational visits also make a significant contribution to pupils' learning.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

22. The partnership with parents is an outstanding strength of the school. Parents are welcomed into the school and encouraged to be fully involved in all aspects of their children’s education. They express a high degree of satisfaction with the school. The experience it as friendly, caring community where their children are encouraged to work hard and behave well and where they are helped to grow in responsibility. Parents appreciate the good quality of the teaching and the high standard of leadership provided by the headteacher. They like the ready access to the school and the teachers and the rich range of activities in which their children are involved. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 17 - May 2002 Parents report that they are well informed about the school’s arrangements for homework. Parents are very satisfied with the information they receive about their children’s progress, in particular the targets which identify the next steps in their

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

23. Parents value the wide range of information they receive from the school. The annual reports give parents a clear indication of what their children can and can not do. The school prospectus and home-school partnership book are detailed and well presented and explained to parents at familiarisation sessions before their children enter the school. Newsletters are regular and informative and keep parents in touch with the day-to-day life of the school. The governors’ annual report to parents fulfils statutory requirements.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

24. The school places a high priority on securing the involvement of parents in their children’s learning and staff work hard to give them support to achieve this. In addition to well-presented leaflets giving them information about the topics their children are going to study, parents are given careful guidance on helping their children to read, and examples of suitable prayers for them to share with their children at home. They are invited into school to workshops in reading and writing, science, music and first aid. Most recently, a very successful mathematics week was very well attended by parents. These, together with very attractive displays and exhibitions of children’s work ensure that parents have a good understanding of the curriculum and how it is taught, and gives them good opportunities to celebrate their children’s successes. There are daily opportunities for informal exchanges of information

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

between parents and staff, particularly in the Nursery. Parents greatly appreciate the support they are given to help them become more active participants in their children’s learning.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

25. A considerable number of parents are involved in school life in a variety of ways. Some make story tapes for the children to listen to, others help in the classroom, with outdoor activities, visits, fundraising and links with the community. Parents are invited to weekly assemblies, and celebratory services are held at the church of St Francis; these are very well attended. Parents’ involvement enriches school life and enhances children’s learning.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

The provision for children attending the Nursery is excellent.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

26. The provision is very good in all areas of learning. The Nursery is a vibrant and exciting learning environment. A wide range of imaginative and stimulating opportunities is offered to children, supported by a variety of attractive resources. The curriculum is very well planned, it provides a very good balance between adult and child-initiated activities, direct teaching and opportunities for children to pursue their own interests. Assessment procedures are thorough. The quality of teaching is excellent. The staff have a very good understanding of how young children learn. They work very well together as a team and successfully manage the inclusion of all children. As a result, children of all abilities, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, achieve well. As a result of this very good start most children are on course to reach the early learning

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

goals in all six areas of learning by the time they leave the Reception classes and a few will exceed them. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 18 - May 2002 27. There is a very strong emphasis on the children’s personal, social and emotional development. Children and their parents are welcomed into the Nursery at the beginning of each session. They are familiar with the routines. For example, the children select their name label from a table, hand it to a member of staff and settle happily on the carpet after they have said goodbye to their parents. Children are encouraged to make decisions for themselves in order to promote their growing independence. They confidently select their own activities and persevere well with those initiated by adults. The children play harmoniously and have excellent relationships with the adults with whom they work. They show a growing awareness of the needs of others, for example in learning how to take turns, to share equipment

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

fairly and to take pride in tidying away after themselves. Staff exploit all opportunities to encourage the building of children’s self-esteem, to provide opportunities for them to thrive and to celebrate their success.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

28. The staff are very good at developing children’s communication, language and literacy skills in the language rich environment of the Nursery. Great value is attached to talk and they are skilled at encouraging children to speak and developing their vocabulary when involved in activities. During art and design activities for example, they were encouraged to talk about the colours and shapes they had cut and pasted onto the crowns they had made. Outside in the sand, and in the construction area, they extended their language as they built castles, and made up stories about ‘Kings and Queens’ as they dressed up and role played in the castle. They used magnifying glasses to observe the beans they had planted and used language confidently to compare size. The children respond well to the sensitive interventions by staff who constantly encourage them to talk about their activities and help them to extend their

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

language so that they can share their ideas, thoughts and feelings. The children love listening to stories and rhymes, joining in with the parts they know and predicting what will come next. They enjoy looking at books in the imaginatively decorated book area; for example, a group of children each with a copy of ‘The Green Queen’, were successfully encouraged to talk about the pictures and to tell the story. They handle books carefully and understand that books are made up of words and pictures. They are enthusiastic about reading and eagerly select their favourite books. Parents reading with their children at home help to develop their enjoyment. The children are beginning to write their names accurately. They hold a pencil correctly, writing letters with care. The staff instruct the children well, showing them how letters should be correctly formed, sounding out the letters with which they are familiar and scribing for

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

them when appropriate. The oldest children are encouraged to use different forms of writing, for example, writing labels on their pictures of beans.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

29. The children are each valued and cherished by the adults who work with them. They look forward to the many visitors who help to enrich and extend their knowledge and understanding. For example, the children had great fun counting and selecting buttons for the adults to sew on to their ‘Pearly King and Queen’ costumes which they wore when a member of the ‘East End Society for Pearly Queens’ came to tea. All the children were eager to show photographs of themselves wearing their new clothes.

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The school works very effectively with parents and their views of the school are very

30. The children are clearly very happy in the Nursery environment. When asked to talk about their pictures about what made them happy, one child answered, ‘Coming to school makes me happy’. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 19 - May 2002

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Improving the quality of pupils’ narrative and descriptive writing.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

31. The school has been very successful in improving pupils’ writing, especially their non- fiction writing, but this has not been matched by improvements in narrative and descriptive writing. There are good examples of pupils being given good guidance to help them structure stories by putting events in order. These stories usually have a clear beginning, middle and end. Older pupils plan their stories well using story boards or a story maps which show how a story moves from place to place and timelines to support writing about a series of events to help recount an experience. However, characters and settings lack description, sentences are not linked with interesting words to show how events are sequenced and the use of tenses is inconsistent.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

32. Improve the quality of narrative and descriptive writing by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• establishing a positive climate for story writing through the regular reading of a wide range of stories and helping pupils to build up a selection of narrative forms that they can use to help them compose their own stories;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• encouraging pupils to model their stories on well known tales, making changes to characters, settings or events;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• continuing to develop the range of pupils’ vocabulary;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• encouraging pupils to use the past tense consistently in their stories. (paragraphs 6, 32)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

All these points for improvement have been identified by the school. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 20 - May 2002

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 11

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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 more than 5 percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 60 270

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 78

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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 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 18 88

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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 166

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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 8

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 6

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Attendance

National comparative data 93.9 National comparative data 0.5 St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 21 - May 2002 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 22 - May 2002

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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 43 45 88

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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 40 39 38 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 44 43 43

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

Percentage of pupils School 95 (97) 93 (97) 92 (100) 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 39 37 40 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 43 41 45

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (95) 89 (93) 97 (90) 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. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 23 - May 2002

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 33 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 134 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 23 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) 13.8 Financial year 2000-2001

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 832,018

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 835,331

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 252 Expenditure per pupil 2,785

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 46,436

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 43,123

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 61

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 5

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.23

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 2

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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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. St Francis de Sales RC Infant School - 24 - May 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. 78 22 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 75 24 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 64 28 5 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 77 22 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 83 16 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 89 10 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 82 18 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 88 11 0 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 81 17 1 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 39 37 5 1 18

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