Tylers Green First School

TYLERS GREEN FIRST SCHOOL

Reporting inspector: Mrs Christine Huard

p.1

TYLERS GREEN FIRST 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.

p.1

TYLERS GREEN FIRST 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. Tylers Green First School - 3

p.2

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Road, Penn, High Wycombe,

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr A. J. Mahoney

p.3

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: November 1997 Tylers Green First School - 4

p.3

Team members

27290 Mrs Christine Huard Registered inspector 9053 Mrs Vivienne Phillips Lay inspector 27654 Mrs Robina Scahill Team inspector

p.4

Team members

The inspection contractor was: e-Qualitas Ltd Langshaw Pastens Road Limpsfield Chart, Oxted, Surrey. RH8 0RE

p.4

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:

p.4

Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

p.4

Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Tylers Green First School - 5

p.4

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

p.5

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Tylers Green is an average sized, community first school situated in the attractive village of Penn, just outside High Wycombe. It has recently celebrated its 125 th anniversary. There are 178 pupils on roll and twenty more boys than girls. The greatest imbalance is in Year 1 where there are 12 more boys than girls. Of the 60 children in the reception classes 20 attend part time. Most of the pupils come from the immediate areas of Tylers Green and Penn where the social circumstances of the families are more favourable than national averages. A very small number of pupils come from ethnic minority backgrounds and none are at an early stage of learning English. There are 20 pupils on the school's register of special educational need. At 11 per cent this is below the national average. A very few pupils receive specialist help for emotional, behavioural, speech or physical difficulties. There are no pupils with a statement of special

p.6

INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

educational need. No pupils are eligible for free school meals, this is below the national average. Following excellent results in national tests in the summer of 2000, the school received an Achievement Award from the Department of Education and Skills and achieved Beacon School status in September 2001. When pupils enter the reception classes at the start of the year of their fifth birthday, attainment is above average in the academic areas of literacy, numeracy and knowledge and understanding of the world, but social and listening skills are not so well developed.

p.6

HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

Tylers Green is a very good school with a great many strengths. It has successfully maintained high standards in national tests over the last four years and is likely to repeat that success this summer. Teaching is very good and care is taken to make appropriate provision for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are gifted and talented. Pupils learn effectively because they have very good attitudes towards their work, enjoy the tasks set and behave well. The school is managed very effectively by the headteacher and her very good leadership has ensured that high quality provision has been maintained for the all round development of the pupils in her care. Staff, governors and parents alike share the vision she has for the school. The school continues to provide very good value for money.

p.6

What the school does well

• The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher working with an effective governing body. • Standards achieved by pupils in reading, writing, mathematics and science are high. • The teaching is very good and enables pupils to learn very effectively. • Provision for information and communication technology (ICT) is very good. • Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal development. • The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all pupils are met.

p.6

What could be improved

• There are no areas for improvement and the school has appropriately identified the aspects of its work which it considers could be even better. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in November 1997. Since then it has successfully addressed the very few issues which were identified for improvement, and refined several other key areas. It is very well placed to continue to improve. The results achieved by the oldest pupils in reading, writing and mathematics have been consistently high, and have continued to rise broadly in line with the national trend, with a few very minor fluctuations from year to year. Children in the Foundation Stage exceed the requirements of the Early Learning Goals in all areas by the time they reach the end of the Reception year. The main key issues from the last inspection centred on the improvement of design and technology, and religious education in order to raise standards to the high level of other subject areas. This has been achieved through a review of the policies and schemes of work leading to improved teaching. Assemblies are now purposeful and

p.6

HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

reflective times in which all pupils are able to participate. There are many useful opportunities for reflection in lesson times. The role of the governors has been effectively reviewed and they are now fully involved in development planning, target setting and the monitoring of pupils' achievement. The provision for ICT has been much improved. The high standards identified in the last report in teaching, pupils’ responses and school management have been maintained because they have all been carefully monitored and action taken where necessary to make any adjustments. Tylers Green First School - 7

p.6

STANDARDS

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

p.7

Key

Reading A* A* A* A* Well above average Above average A B Writing A* A* A A Average Below average C D Mathematics A* A* A A Well below average E

p.7

Key

Children achieve well in the reception class and, by the time they join Year 1, are exceeding the Early Learning Goals for their age in all six areas. By the end of Year 2, results in reading are very high, and in the top five per cent nationally. Standards in writing and mathematics are well above average when compared to pupils both nationally and in similar schools 1 . Although the results in writing and mathematics fell marginally in 2001, this reflected the special educational needs of a few pupils. The targets set by the school in reading, writing and mathematics were still exceeded. The work pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed that standards continue to be high and it is likely that the results of this year’s national tests will meet the challenging targets set. The trend of improvement over time is in line with that seen nationally but at a considerably higher level. Teacher assessments in science also show standards to be very high

p.7

Key

and in the top five per cent nationally. The standard of work observed in all subject areas was high. Pupils achieve well in the Foundation Stage. By the time they leave at the end of Year 2, pupils are achieving very well in relation to their attainment when they first enter the school.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Pupils have very good attitudes towards their work. They are very attentive and responsive and really enjoy being in school. They are eager to learn.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall. It is very good in lessons and around the school. Occasionally, the behaviour of a very few boys is too rumbustious in the playground at lunchtimes.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils develop high levels of initiative and personal responsibility for their age. They relate well to each other and show respect for the adults in the school.

p.7

Aspect Comment

Attendance This is very good and above the national average. It has a positive impact on learning.

p.7

Aspect Comment

The school functions very well as a friendly and orderly community. The pupils develop maturity and responsibility as they progress through the school. The attitudes of the oldest pupils show that the school successfully develops individuals who are aware of their own learning.

p.7

Aspect Comment

1 Similar schools comparisons are made between schools which have a similar percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals. Tylers Green First School - 8

p.7

TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in Nursery and Reception Years 1 - 2.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

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.

p.8

TEACHING AND LEARNING

The teaching seen was very good overall and evidence from pupils’ previous work indicates that standards of teaching are consistently high. All lessons seen were at least good. Teaching in the key skills of literacy and numeracy is very good and the National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been appropriately adapted to meet the needs of the school. Work for all pupils is very well planned and includes tasks for pupils of all ability levels. Teachers have high expectations and provide activities which enable individuals to achieve very well in their academic work and, most notably, in their personal development. This is particularly true of the Foundation Stage where pupils are taught to listen carefully to the teacher and to each other. The benefit of this teaching is seen later where pupils’ learning is positively aided by their attitudes, which include careful listening, enthusiasm for the tasks set and the good match of tasks to

p.8

Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The school continues to offer a broad range of interesting and relevant activities to pupils of all ages.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good provision both for pupils who need additional support with their learning and for the most able pupils.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good provision overall with particular strengths in the promotion of pupils’ moral and social development. Acts of collective worship successfully promote pupils’ spiritual awareness.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school effectively monitors pupils’ academic progress and their personal development.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The school’s curriculum is enhanced by many opportunities, which broaden and extend the pupils’ experiences in many areas. A cross-curricular approach to many aspects of learning ensures that pupils understand the relevance of their work and the links between subjects. This makes a valuable contribution to the quality of their learning. The very good support for pupils with special educational needs is based on detailed individual education plans and regular assessments of progress. Standards of care are high and the school is part of a recently developed healthy schools' project, being promoted by the local education authority. There is a very good relationship with parents, who are generally very supportive of the school and who receive high quality information about the curriculum and events. A large number of parents help regularly in the school, and are of great assistance to teachers.

p.8

Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good. The headteacher provides very effective, caring leadership and is supported well by an able deputy. There is a strong spirit of teamwork among staff, who are all committed to ensuring that current high standards are maintained.

p.8

Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governors are knowledgeable and work efficiently. They are very supportive and are actively involved in planning the school’s further development. Governors question sensibly what the school is doing and are aware of its strengths Tylers Green First School - 9 and areas for further development. Statutory duties are fulfilled.

p.8

Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Very good. The school analyses the results of national tests, teaching and the curriculum very thoroughly and addresses its perceived weaknesses effectively. This is illustrated by the action taken to successfully improve pupils' writing. It consults widely on its further development. The written development plan is particularly clear. It outlines the current priorities well and effectively communicates the long-term vision.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good overall. Funding is directed to priority areas such as staffing to ensure that small classes are maintained. Its use is controlled and monitored well.

p.9

Aspect Comment

The management of the school is very effective in seeking to ensure best value in its spending decisions by questioning what it does and ensuring that funds are spent wisely.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children enjoy coming to school. • The teaching is very good and their children make very good progress. • The behaviour is mostly very good and any misbehaviour is dealt with very appropriately. • The school has high expectations, promotes positive values and gives pupils a high level of responsibility. • The school is very approachable and willing to discuss any problems. • The parents generally feel well informed about what is happening at school. • The school is very well led and managed. • A small minority of parents are concerned that the needs of pupils with special educational needs are not always identified and met appropriately • Some parents are concerned about the content and quality of homework set.

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Twelve parents attended the parents' meeting and 69 (38 per cent) returned the questionnaire. The great majority of parents wholeheartedly support the school. The inspection team endorses the positive views of the parents. The inspectors rigorously investigated the concerns expressed about pupils with special educational needs. They found that the overall provision is very good. Pupils are identified at an early stage. Good quality, relevant individual education plans are drawn up with appropriate long and short term targets. All care is taken to ensure that pupils’ needs are met. Pupils’ needs are extensively discussed with a specialist teacher from the local authority who provides expert knowledge and guidance on the best strategies to adopt in order for the pupils to make good progress. Teachers’ plans identify suitable tasks for the pupils to complete and additional support is often provided in the classroom. Appropriate help

p.9

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

from outside agencies is also sought at an early stage, if this is thought necessary. The homework set is quite appropriate for pupils of this age group with the emphasis being on reading and literacy skills. Tylers Green First School - 10

p.9

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

1. The headteacher has been in post for just over four years and is retiring at the end of this term. During her time at Tylers Green she has provided strong leadership and a clear vision for the continuing development of the school. She has ensured that high standards have been maintained in what was already a successful, high achieving school and moved it on, making further improvements. As a result the school received an Achievement Award from the Department of Education and Skills after the 2000 national tests and, in September 2001, achieved Beacon School status. In February 2001 the school met the standards required for the Investors in People award. In addition, the headteacher has been in the forefront of other major innovations such as the provision of a superb new suite for ICT, and a new classroom to alleviate crowding in the Foundation Stage area.

p.10

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

2. The headteacher is supported well by a very able deputy. She plays a major role in school development, particularly in relation to whole school assessment and the analysis of progress made by pupils. The staff work very well together in a spirit of teamwork and show commitment to the overall approach of the school with the welfare and progress of pupils at the centre of their work. Areas of responsibility are delegated well and all the teachers manage a subject or aspect of the school’s work, ensuring that the load is shared widely. Over the past few years, there has been considerable staff turnover, changes to areas of responsibility and the development of a number of ‘job sharing’ situations which have been managed particularly well to ensure that pupils’ progress is maintained.

p.10

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

3. The governing body is highly effective. The governors bring a wide range of professional and personal skills and a high degree of commitment to their role. Although many of them are comparatively new, they have received a good programme of training, which enables them to be actively involved in the management of the school and contribute confidently and effectively to its stability at a time of staff change. There is a well-developed committee structure, which works efficiently for all major aspects of school life. As well as their contribution to meetings, many governors visit the school regularly and make themselves available to speak to staff, pupils and parents. In addition, subject co-ordinators regularly attend governors’ meetings in order to update them about developments in their own areas. The governors are very supportive of the school but also ask sensible questions about what it does.

p.10

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

They are well aware of its main strengths and relative areas for development.

p.10

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

4. The senior staff take the lead in the monitoring, evaluation and development of teaching and learning. Information from the school’s results in national and optional tests is increasingly analysed to set future targets for development. The headteacher and deputy head are particularly well informed about the quality of teaching and the curriculum. They work closely together and with the staff team to focus efforts on improving weaker areas and maintaining high standards. Subject co-ordinators carry out monitoring of teaching and learning in their own subjects, enabling them to identify areas of excellence as well as those for development. The headteacher keeps a broader perspective by monitoring across the school, particularly for performance management purposes. A good example of the school's effective monitoring of its own work was the detailed analysis of last summer's results in the national

p.10

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

tests. This resulted in pinpointing pupils' writing as a particular area for development. This involved additional training for staff on shared and guided writing and the use of story plans. Pupils' writing has been carefully monitored on a regular basis every term to measure the progress being made. From an examination of pupils' work made during the inspection, the action taken has undoubtedly had a positive Tylers Green First School - 11 impact on standards with a high proportion of pupils reaching well above average attainment in their written work. The school improvement plan sets out priorities and targets well for the current year. It is the product of detailed discussions between staff and governors and underpins initiatives well.

p.10

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

5. Financial planning by the headteacher and governors is detailed and thorough and enables the school to make very good use of its resources. The school is anxious to maintain small classes and consequently the majority of funding is directed towards staffing costs. This leaves less funding for other areas but the school uses this well. It is well supported by a very active parents’ association who raise a large amount of money each year for specific projects such as the computer suite. The allocation of the money raised is also scrutinised very carefully to ensure it is spent wisely and to the advantage of all pupils. For example, in the computer suite, high quality seating ensures pupils can work comfortably and to maximum effect. Earmarked funding for special educational needs, staff training and other national and local initiatives is carefully targeted, managed and documented. The school increasingly seeks to

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

ensure best value in the use of its resources by comparing its performance with other schools, by questioning the effectiveness of what it does, by consulting on its further development and by carefully comparing prices and contracts.

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

Standards achieved in reading, writing, mathematics and science are high.

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

6. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy are very well established in the school. Since their introduction the staff have examined and reviewed the structure and adapted the frameworks to meet the needs of the pupils at Tylers Green. For example, it was decided to place extra emphasis on pupils' writing activities as a result of areas identified for improvement after last summer's national tests. Planning for literacy is of a high quality. It provides for the appropriate extension of skills, knowledge and understanding as pupils move through the school. There is very good consistency in the implementation of the school’s strategy across parallel classes to ensure that all pupils are being taught the same curriculum. The quality of teaching is uniformly good across the school, with no real weaknesses. This means that all pupils are assured of equal access to the curriculum and equal opportunities to succeed. Teachers match work well to pupils' needs so that they are all challenged.

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

The quality of support provided by classroom assistants is particularly high and enables the pupils they are working with to achieve very well. Literacy is effectively implemented into other subject areas, such as history and art, which further extends pupils' knowledge and understanding. All these factors promote the high standards attained in literacy and numeracy.

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

7. Many children enter the reception classes with the ability to hold and control a pencil correctly and many already have rudimentary writing skills. These are built on steadily through a range of play and more structured activities, leading to the gradual introduction of a daily literacy session by the summer term. By this time, many can write independently and some can spell simple words such as ‘and’ and ‘but’ correctly. Children practise their writing regularly and correct letter formation is encouraged from the start. Older pupils have many chances to write for a range of purposes and an examination of previous work showed they write stories, reports, letters, descriptions, and book reviews amongst other things. They can adapt their style to the task they have been set. For example, as part of the current topic on flight pupils in Year 2 wrote moving accounts of the exploits of Daedalus and Icarus, using a

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

wide range of appropriate and advanced vocabulary to demonstrate emotion. In design and technology, however, they wrote concise, annotations to go with their designs for cards with movable or pop up features to explain how they would be made. Across the school, the pupils use story plans, which enable them to sequence their stories logically and to ensure they have a beginning middle and end. From pupils' work examined, it is clear that a great deal of progress has been made since September as pupils have become confident with the basic framework and can now concentrate and experiment with the content and vocabulary used. The quality of written work is enhanced by the good spelling and careful neat handwriting that was evident across the school. It is clear that handwriting and Tylers Green First School - 12 presentation are part of the whole school curriculum not separate entities; pupils are encouraged to

p.11

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

take a pride in the appearance of their work.

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

8. The successful teaching of reading starts in the Foundation Stage. In the reception classes, children and teachers share books and stories with joy and enthusiasm. As pupils progress through the school, the teachers’ own love of stories and literature shows through in the way that texts are shared with pupils. A range of styles and topics are shared with the pupils. For example, in Year 1 they are encouraged to identify how they know their story is about a fantasy world. Pupils learn the structure of books and stories and talk confidently, not only about the author and illustrator, but they also discuss the purpose of the contents and glossary. They use these effectively to discover information for themselves and thus develop good independent research skills from an early age. More able pupils in Year 2 were answering complex questions about the text they were reading, requiring them to draw inferences and

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

predict what they thought was going to occur. When pupils read aloud it is with enjoyment and expression. They show a good understanding of texts read and enjoy sharing books within group reading sessions.

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

9. Standards in mathematics are high because the numeracy strategy has been adopted with great enthusiasm by all staff and well implemented to meet the needs of pupils throughout the school. In the reception classes all children can successfully sequence numbers to ten, and they show a good understanding of positional language. Children enjoy answering quick fire questions such as ‘what number comes before / after…?’ More able children can work with larger numbers to at least 20. Throughout the school, questions asked by teachers are challenging to the individual pupils and show how well they know the strengths and weaknesses of their pupils. There is a very good emphasis on the development of mental arithmetic skills, and older pupils are taught to enjoy playing with numbers and learning strategies to find answers quickly. When working on written tasks, more able pupils in Year 2 knew the meaning of the division sign and could explain clearly how they calculated the

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

answers to various problems their teacher set them, and how they could check their answers using the inverse operation.

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

10. In order to promote pupils’ learning in mathematics the school recently held a mathematics week where each year group worked on a specific project linked to the theme for the term. Thus, Foundation Stage children completed a project on two and three-dimensional shapes. They made caterpillar pictures using circles, symmetrical pictures, and constructed mobiles and models using recycled materials. They could identify all common two and three dimensional shapes and children showed a good knowledge of the correct terminology and properties of simple shapes. They had very good recall of what they had done. Pupils in Year 1 concentrated on measurement. They weighed and measured their teddies using non-standard units, and used the information gathered to answer questions such as, ‘Which is heavier, a or b?’, ‘Which is the tallest/shortest?’. Through this practical, investigative approach pupils learned highly effectively as well as building up an enthusiasm for the subject, which

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

clearly showed when they spoke to inspectors. Year 2 pupils concentrated on data handling. They used computers to aid their work as well as more conventional pencil and paper methods. They collected a range of information, about a number of topics – the favourite colour of Smarties was one – and successfully experimented with a number of ways of representing their information including, Venn diagrams, pie charts, Carroll diagrams, line and block graphs. The quality of work produced was high and pupils’ annotations and explanations showed a very clear understanding of the various processes they had explored.

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

11. Pupils make very good progress in science and attain standards that are well above average. The school is fortunate in having a separate science room, which is very well equipped with a range of scientific resources and artefacts, all of which are very well used. Standards in science are high partly because the curriculum is entirely based around pupils investigating and experimenting for themselves. This approach is promoted from the time the children enter the Foundation Stage. To extend the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world they have the opportunities to play with water and Tylers Green First School - 13 learn which of the objects in the tank float and which will sink. They learn about the life cycle of a butterfly whilst enjoying the story of the hungry caterpillar. During the inspection pupils in Year 1 were investigating forces. Pupils understood the conditions for fair testing and could explain these clearly.

p.12

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

For example, the group involved in investigating which surface will best slow the progress of a car, explained that only one element could change, so the car and the height of the ramp must remain the same, although the surface of the ramp could change. They worked well in their groups, listened to each other and tackled their tasks with energy and enthusiasm. They noted their results sensibly and suggested possible explanations for some of them. Pupils in Year 2 investigated which parachute canopy was most effective in slowing the fall towards the ground. Pupils showed very good investigative skills. They used vocabulary such as gravity, drag, and air resistance correctly. The high quality of questioning by the teacher encouraged the pupils to think and reason for themselves which was going to be the best design of parachute. Pupils were attentive and interested, they quickly organised themselves into small groups and decided who was going to be responsible for each element

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

of the task. This very good self discipline and use of time were two of the reasons for pupils making such good progress during the course of the lesson enabling them to achieve high standards. The quality of pupils' recording is very good. Although some worksheets are used, these are largely teacher generated, appropriate to the task set and accompanied by carefully labelled diagrams completed by the pupils.

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

The teaching is very good and enables pupils to learn effectively.

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

12. The quality of teaching in the school is very good. All the lessons seen were at least good and in 10 of the 16 observed teaching was very good. The school has maintained and further improved the strengths in teaching which were identified at the time of the previous inspection.

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

13. The key skills of literacy and numeracy are taught very well. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have been integrated into the school’s own curriculum by adapting them appropriately to match the needs of the pupils and the philosophy and ethos of the school. This has been very successful, and the attainment of nearly all pupils in these subjects is at an above average level. Teachers successfully blend a range of methods and combine whole class, group and individual teaching across a range of subjects linked to a topic theme. This approach is successful in making relevant links for pupils between subjects and enhances their understanding of their learning.

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

14. Teachers’ planning and organisation are thorough and detailed. Teachers plan together to ensure consistency in what is taught and this helps maintain the high standards achieved throughout the school. Lessons are carefully sequenced to ensure full coverage of a topic or programme of study. Plans outline clear learning objectives for each lesson, and teachers tell the pupils exactly what they are going to learn and help them find the best way to tackle their work. The objectives are reviewed at the end of the lesson. Grouping is carefully considered and teachers ensure that activities are planned which match the attainment level of all pupils. A brief review at the start of each lesson prompts pupils’ memories and allows some useful assessment to take place. The pace set is lively throughout, and lessons are well structured and relevant to sustain pupils’ interest. For example, in history, pupils in

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

Year 2 were animatedly discussing their own experiences of flying when learning about the development of flight and its advantages and disadvantages. Written tasks are fully explained to pupils before they carry them out and pupils record work in a variety of appropriate ways.

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

15. Teachers use questions effectively to extend knowledge and to provide explanations. For example, in a science lesson the teacher asked the pupils not only to make their own predictions as to which parachute canopy would be most effective, but also to give reasons for their selection. By using open questions in this way, pupils were forced to think through their strategies for problem solving and articulate them in a way that others could understand. Questions used in sessions at the end of a lesson provide effective re-inforcement and assessment opportunities. Teachers have high expectations of Tylers Green First School - 14 their pupils and questions asked are challenging but always carefully worded and graded to match the ability of the pupils being asked. Thus, more able pupils in Year 2 were asked in English, “Explain why Hugo was called Yugo by the cleaning lady?” requiring the pupil to have taken note of the fact that the

p.13

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

cleaner came from another country. Quick fire questions are used to good effect within numeracy sessions to assist pupils’ development of mental arithmetic skills. Resources are used effectively to support skilful questioning by allowing the questions to be answered in a number of ways, for example through the use of digit cards or whiteboards.

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

16. Throughout the school, the effective use of on-going assessment is instrumental in ensuring that standards remain high. Teachers rigorously assess pupils’ work through day-to-day assessment in class, careful marking on a regular basis and through more formal testing at the end of each topic or unit of work. This enables teachers to pinpoint areas where pupils may not be secure in their learning and to plan to visit the area again in the near future in order to re-inforce previous work. This was illustrated recently in mathematics where pupils in Year 2 had been studying division. At the end of the unit, informal assessment showed that quite a high proportion of pupils was not confident in certain aspects of division with the result that extra reinforcement is now being provided.

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

17. At the time of the last inspection pupils were attaining standards in excess of those expected nationally. The school has made further progress since that time and standards are now well in excess of those required. They achieve high standards because of the good and sometimes very good teaching that they receive, which enables the pupils to use effectively the very good equipment the school has installed.

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

18. The school’s scheme of work is based on nationally recognised guidelines, which ensures that the teaching of ICT skills is tackled progressively. Parallel classes work on similar projects throughout the year.

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

19. Pupils have whole class ICT lessons in the computer suite. Class teachers have received appropriate training, are confident and have considerable expertise. Some class teachers are supported by classroom assistants who have also received appropriate training in the use of much of the software. Skills are taught in a systematic manner. Many of the pupils have good mouse control before even reaching the school, through using computers at home, albeit for playing games. However, keyboard skills are not so well developed and teachers ensure that pupils are taught these and have adequate opportunities to practise them. The atmosphere in lessons is calm and purposeful. Teachers give instructions clearly and ensure all pupils understand what is required. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are already developing a good range of basic skills. For instance, they can all log on and off independently.

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

20. Tasks are relevant and interesting. They include an appropriate degree of challenge and are very well matched to the needs of all pupils. The work for each lesson is systematically planned to include some consolidation of existing skills, further development of existing skills, and the learning of a new skill. For example, in Year 2 the task included some practice of word processing, consolidation – by opening relevant files and saving completed work - as well as learning the new skills of inserting and deleting text. Much of the work relates to other subjects. For example, the task for pupils in one Year 2 class was to re-arrange the text in order to format a poem. The poem was about the flight of the owl and linked well with work being carried out in science, literacy and art. The learning objectives of the lesson were shared with the pupils so that they all knew what was expected of them. The teacher was very

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

enthusiastic and had an excellent rapport with the pupils; this enabled them to feel comfortable about asking for help and significantly added to their self-esteem. The pupils’ concentration was excellent. They experimented with different layouts, fonts and colours. The higher attaining pupils were able to move text about the screen, could cut, paste and insert pictures and change the colours of the background. By the end of the lesson all pupils had successfully re-formatted the text and had also Tylers Green First School - 15 selected the font, size of font and colour they required. Throughout, the teacher circulated and questioned skilfully so that she was able to accurately assess how well the pupils understood what they were learning.

p.14

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

21. Lessons throughout the school are challenging. Pupils in the reception classes are timetabled for lessons and learn to use the equipment through a well-developed and sequential programme. This ensures they receive a good grounding in all the basic skills in preparation for tackling National Curriculum requirements. They are taught in smaller groups for less time so that all are able to work at a computer for the whole of the time. This is a sensible strategy, good practice and a good use of teaching time. In a lesson seen, the teacher used questions particularly well to take the children through the process of logging on. Some could already manage this independently. Careful assessment had enabled her to identify that children were having some difficulty with the skill of double clicking the mouse. The initial task gave the children some practice at this, although the co-ordination skills of a very few were still not

p.15

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

sufficiently developed to ensure consistent success. Throughout the initial explanation of the task – which was to draw the outline of a monster and fill in the features – the teacher used questions particularly well. This kept the children’s interest and allowed her to assess their understanding. The use of questions such as, ‘Which icon should I use…?’, ‘What does it look like….?’, all challenged the pupils and enabled them to demonstrate their understanding. The pupils were confident and encouraged to experiment. By the end of the lesson, all the children had successfully drawn outlines of their monster. Many could erase what they did not like and some started again. They could fill in the shapes and experiment to get the effects they wanted. Many pupils significantly improved their mouse skills during the lesson, particularly when using it for drawing. Throughout, the teacher was able to encourage more

p.15

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

able pupils and provide extension tasks, whilst providing help and support for those who found the task more difficult. The strategies used made the lesson flow successfully and ensured that children’s concentration was maintained for the whole time.

p.15

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

22. The school has installed a high quality suite of computers. Further improvements such as the acquisition of a screen and projector are planned. The suite has been carefully organised and largely funded through the efforts of the parents’ association. Furniture, such as pupils’ chairs, has been carefully chosen to ensure that pupils are appropriately comfortable and relaxed when using the equipment. This excellent provision is supplemented by a number of computers in classrooms. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and enthusiastic. The staff has received a good deal of training in order to be able to teach the curriculum confidently, more is planned for this term under a government-funded scheme. A high quality action plan has been drawn up, which covers the development of ICT across the school. The scheme of work is comprehensive and the school is very successful in ensuring the integration of

p.15

The school is led and managed very well by the headteacher and by an effective governing

ICT across the curriculum. The school has a very good range of appropriate software although it plans to acquire more. A very good assessment system has been implemented which tracks pupils' progress in each topic and evaluates the progress made. This has a very positive impact on standards as teachers can see at a glance which areas need re-inforcement. Governors have been fully involved in the project from start to finish and their skills have been appropriately and usefully utilised. For example, one governor has been instrumental in securing the development of the school’s own website.

p.15

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal

23. Pupils are very enthusiastic about school. They are keen to learn and most bring very positive attitudes about the value of learning from home, which are built on and extended by their experiences in school. The headteacher and staff have created an environment in which pupils can learn in a positive and enjoyable atmosphere. This combined approach of pupils, parents and teachers in partnership results in effective learning and pupils who show high levels of personal development. Tylers Green First School - 16 24. Pupils appear comfortable and relaxed in school. They grow in confidence and maturity as they move through the school and respond well to the many opportunities to take initiative in their learning. The school’s ethos and approach are built on the joint principles of teamwork and independence in learning and are successfully communicated to the pupils through its motto: ‘Everyone will act with care,

p.15

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal

courtesy and consideration at all times’. This is reflected particularly well in all that the school does and in the approach of pupils to school life. Pupils throughout the school, but particularly those in Year 2, can sustain concentration and show the capacity to work both independently and as part of a small or large group. Pupils from the earliest time in school are enabled by staff to take responsibility for, and organise their own activities where this is appropriate. For example, children in the youngest reception class discussed sensibly how they were going to develop their own space rocket role play area. Pupils develop their own class rules, many of which relate to the comfort of others, such as, ‘make sure your clothes and shoe bag are hung up carefully’. In addition, pupils raise funds for a range of charities. Some of these are local, such as supporting efforts to provide a hydrotherapy pool at a local school for pupils’

p.16

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal

with special educational needs; others have an international focus such as the Toy Box appeal for Guatemalan street children.

p.16

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal

25. Relationships between pupils and teachers are very good. Adults and children show respect for each other and are polite in their conversations. Examples were seen of high quality discussions between teachers and pupils about planned activities. This often extended into discussions between pupils and other adults assisting them in lessons. In a science lesson, pupils were deciding, in a mature and sensible manner, the best way of setting up their controlled experiment with a parent helper. Pupils relate well to each other. They appreciate and cultivate their friendships and care well for others on a daily basis. At playtime a ‘buddy’ system operates and older pupils assume responsibility for ensuring that the younger pupils feel safe, happy and included in the playground activities. On several occasions, older pupils were observed playing with younger ones in a constructive manner. For example, older girls were teaching

p.16

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal

younger children in the Foundation Stage how to play cats cradle. They used longer, coarser string than usual so that it was easier for the younger children to manage. Their consideration for each other is notable and is often worthy of pupils of far greater age and maturity.

p.16

Pupils have very positive attitudes to school and reach high standards of personal

26. Behaviour is good overall and very good in lessons. Pupils are polite, listen carefully and discipline is not a problem. Pupils move around the classrooms and school sensibly. In the dining hall, behaviour is impeccable and pupils eat their meals in a quiet, well-mannered environment. In classes there is often a hum of chatter. This is invariably about the task the pupils are involved in and discussion is usually helpful, sensible and does not interfere with either the quality or quantity of work being produced. Behaviour in the playground is generally good and pupils play happily together. Only occasionally does the behaviour of some of the boys become a little rumbustious requiring some intervention.

p.16

The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all

27. The school provides a wide, rich and interesting range of learning opportunities. The requirements of the National Curriculum and the local Agreed Syllabus for religious education are met. While the school has responded positively to the recent national emphasis on literacy and numeracy, it has also sought to ensure that its pupils continue to be provided with a broad range of activities in all subjects. It has maintained its commitment to providing a variety of stimulating activities to enhance and enrich the curriculum. A wide range of subjects was seen being taught during the inspection and the numerous lively and interesting displays of work in all subjects throughout the school, and evidence from pupils’ work, indicate that the school is successful in retaining the breadth of its curriculum. There are good policies to underpin provision and a clear overall statement of the school’s curricular aims. Consistency

p.16

The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all

and depth in teachers’ long-term planning is ensured by agreed procedures and a shared approach to the work throughout the school. Tylers Green First School - 17 28. The school has few pupils with special educational needs, but the provision for these pupils is highly effective. Pupils are identified early and activities in lessons cater for the full range of abilities including those with special needs and the most able. There are clear individual education plans for pupils who need extra support in their learning. Appropriate targets are set and guidance is given as to how the targets may be achieved both in the long and short term. Throughout the school, support for special educational needs is very good. Classroom assistants have received training and they work very closely with the class teachers to ensure that the support given not only reflects what is going on in the rest of the class, but also meets the requirements of the pupils’ individual needs and their targets. This enables

p.16

The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all

the pupils to make very good progress. Parents are interviewed regularly, at least every term, by the class teacher in order to review individual education plans, and plans for parental support are built into them. The school buys in the services of specialist support from the local authority. This is invaluable in terms of access to outside expertise and advice and the opportunity for outside assessments to be made. The co-ordinator has a very good relationship with outside agencies including the psychologist and speech therapist.

p.17

The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all

29. The school is also well aware of its most able pupils and provides work, which both challenges them and seeks to improve on any areas of relative weakness. In class, pupils are often working in four or more groups in order that teachers can plan more carefully for them. As a result, pupils learn at a rate which is appropriate to them and maintain their interest in their work. Teachers’ planning effectively builds on what has gone before so that they efficiently review, reinforce and extend pupils’ learning in ways which ensure that their retention and recall are very good. The school's policies and resources for able pupils and ways in which it seeks to meet their needs define the approach of the school as well as providing a myriad of practical suggestions and extension materials.

p.17

The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all

30. The staff place great importance on pupils’ personal development and this is evident in their planning and provision. The curriculum for pupils’ personal and social education is considered as a thread which runs through all subjects. This is reflected in the overall approach to teaching and learning which values the importance of pupils being actively involved in their own learning and co-operative effort. The school places a positive emphasis on all aspects of learning, which includes pupils learning to be responsible for their own actions and being aware of others. Adults act as good role models for pupils and give consistent, fair guidance based on sensible rules. The school actively participates in a number of outside activities which enhance and enrich the pupils' education. These include maypole dancing on the common for the benefit and enjoyment of the whole village community. In addition it has participated in

p.17

The school provides a wide range of learning opportunities and ensures that the needs of all

many initiatives such as that to promote 'Healthy Eating Schools'. Tylers Green First School - 18

p.17

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 10

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.18

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

The table gives the 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 six percentage points.

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 178

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 20

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 3

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 4

p.18

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.18

Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

p.18

Attendance

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

p.18

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 44 28 72

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 43 43 41 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 28 28 28

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 99 (100) 99 (100) 96 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 41 41 42 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 28 28 28

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 96 (100) 96 (100) 97 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

p.19

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.19

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.19

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. Tylers Green First School - 20

p.19

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.1 Financial year 2000/2001

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.9

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 354,929-00

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 1997

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 136 Balance brought forward from previous year -5602

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year -4975

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 0

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 0

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 0

p.20

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Tylers Green First School - 21

p.20

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 58 38 3 1 0

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 58 39 0 0 3

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 46 19 0 0

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 52 38 10 0 0

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 74 23 3 0 0

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 78 22 0 0 3

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 61 30 9 1 0

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 68 25 6 1 0

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 64 33 0 0 3

p.21

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 36 20 6 7

p.21

Other issues raised by parents

A very small minority of parents felt that the school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs was not satisfactory.

p.21