Eldon Primary School

ELDON INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 12 th March – 15 th March 2001

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ELDON INFANT SCHOOL

Full 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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ELDON 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. Eldon Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Eldon Road Edmonton London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr C Puncher

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 28.09.98 Eldon Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23112 Michael Mackay Registered inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education What sort of school is it? How high are standards? How well are the pupils taught? How well the school is led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 11437 Tony Anderson Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 10541 Bob McGovern Team inspector English as an additional language 22884 Sandra Sutcliffe Team inspector Mathematics History Religious Education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

23686 Pam White Team inspector English Geography Music Special Educational Needs 22396 Jenny young Team inspector Areas of Learning for the under fives Art Design and Technology.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Sandfield Educational Consultants Ltd 16 Wychwood Drive Trowell Park Nottingham NG9 3RB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway, London WC2B 6SE Eldon Infant School - 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is much larger than the average infant school. It has 400 full-time pupils on roll and fifty- seven children who attend the nursery part-time. The school is too large for its accommodation. Four classes of pupils in Year 2 are taught in classrooms in the junior school on the same site. About half of the children who enter the reception classes have not received pre-school education. The attainment of the children admitted to the nursery is well below average, and the attainment of pupils beginning full- time education is below average. Nearly half of the pupils belong to minority ethnic groups, and 212 pupils have English as an additional language. A quarter of these pupils are at an early stage of becoming bilingual. Forty-six per cent of the pupils are entitled to free school meals, which is above the national average. Thirty per cent of the pupils are included on the school’s register of special

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

educational needs. None of the pupils has a Statement of Special Educational Needs, but eleven of them are at Stage 3. In recent years, the school has admitted a growing number of pupils from refugee families, many of whom arrive after the beginning of the school year.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

The school provides a satisfactory education for its pupils. It has recently established a well-planned curriculum, improved the quality of its teaching and strengthened the role and impact of its senior management team. As a result, standards are beginning to rise. Although the impact of these improvements is too recent to be seen in the 2000 national tests, the inspection evidence indicates that higher standards will be achieved in the 2001 tests. The school provides satisfactory value for money.

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What the school does well

• The school helps the pupils to behave well and to have very good attitudes to learning so that they achieve well; • The children in the nursery make rapid progress because the teaching is consistently very good; • The pupils with special educational needs achieve well because the school identifies and meets their needs quickly; • There are strengths in the teaching, particularly in the teachers’ expectations of the pupils’ behaviour; the quality of their relationships with the pupils and the emphasis they place developing the pupils’ speaking; • The school makes very good provision for the pupils’ social and moral development; • The pupils attain above average standards in music because they are well taught by a specialist teacher; • The school’s arrangements for the pupils’ care and welfare are very good.

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What could be improved

• The standards the pupils attain in English; • The standards the pupils attain in mathematics; • The way the school makes its long term plans to meet the needs of the pupils for whom English is an additional language; • The way the school plans to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Eldon Infant School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in October 1998. Since then it has made satisfactory progress in addressing the key issues in the report and has overcome the serious weaknesses identified in it. The school has significantly improved the quality of the teaching. It has implemented more effective schemes of work to guide the teachers, and has begun to make better use of the results of pupil assessments. The leadership and management are better than at the time of the last inspection, but there is still room for improvement. The senior management team is more effective and the subject leaders have more clearly defined roles. The governors have a better understanding of their strategic role, and have the expertise to make financial decisions with confidence. Some weaknesses in leadership remain, however. These include elements of strategic planning to meet the needs of specific groups of pupils such as those for whom English is an additional language and the higher attaining

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

pupils. Recently, the headteacher has completed research into the management of learning that will enable the school to respond more effectively to the needs of the higher attaining pupils.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year olds based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

Reading E E E E well above average above average A B Writing D E E* E average below average C D Mathematics E E E D well below average E

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STANDARDS

The pattern of attainment in the national tests for reading and mathematics has changed little since 1998. Standards are well below the national average and well below the average for similar schools. In writing, standards have declined since 1998. In the most recent national tests, the pupils’ attainment was very low in comparison with all schools and well below the standards attained in similar schools. Standards in writing are, therefore, among the lowest five per cent nationally. The school has set challenging targets for improvement. While the evidence of the inspection indicates that the school is unlikely to meet these in full, it is clear from the standard of the work seen that the pupils are likely to attain better results in the 2001 national tests than they have for the last two years. This is partly because the school’s special educational needs provision has improved to a point where the school is

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STANDARDS

able to respond very quickly to the pupil’s needs. There are now fewer pupils in the Year 2 cohort at the higher stages of the register and none that has a Statement of Special Educational Needs. This contrasts strongly with last year when eight pupils had Statements. The number of pupils arriving partway through the school year is significantly lower this year. These factors, together with improvements to the teaching, are likely to result in more of the pupils attaining the expected Level 2 in this year’s national tests. The teaching has improved significantly, most pupils are achieving well. Although the higher attaining pupils are not yet achieving as well as they could, the number attaining above the expected level in mathematics and science has improved by seven per cent and three per cent respectively. A consistent strength of the pupils’ work is their attainment in music. This is because the teaching is consistently very good.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils enjoy their lessons and work hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. The pupils behave very well. They respect one another and show high levels of respect to their teachers and other adults.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships The pupils’ personal development is good. They form very positive relationships among themselves and with their teachers and other adults.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. Most pupils attend regularly and arrive on time for lessons.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils have very positive attitudes to learning; they listen carefully and strive hard to improve their work. They behave well. The pupils develop good relationships with one another and with the adults who work with them. There are no significant weaknesses in the pupils’ attitudes and values.

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

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

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

In more than half of the lessons, the teaching was good or better. It was satisfactory or better in nearly all lessons and unsatisfactory in one in twenty lessons. The teaching in the nursery and in music lessons is consistently very good. The teaching in English at Key Stage 1 is generally good because the teachers plan well and help the pupils to understand the learning objectives for each task. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory. The teachers make effective use of the three-part lesson structure recommended by the Numeracy Framework, but they do not always sufficiently challenge the pupils, nor do they consistently provide the pupils for whom English is an additional language with the support they need to master mathematical language.

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

The teachers make effective use of question and discussion sessions to promote the pupils’ learning. They are able to do this because they establish and maintain very good relationships with the pupils and have high expectations of their behaviour. Because the lessons are orderly and the conditions for learning well established, the teachers have to spend very little time on disciplinary and other matters. Another strength of the teaching is the effective way the teachers plan for the pupils who have special educational needs. The work is well matched to the pupils’ needs and the pupils are well supported by teachers and learning support assistants. The main weaknesses in the teaching lie in the inconsistency with which the teachers provide challenging work for the higher attaining pupils and the lack of Eldon Infant School - 9 flexibility in meeting the needs of pupils for whom English is an additional language. Most pupils learn

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

effectively. They invest much effort in their work. Examples of this were seen in all subjects and in all age groups. Pupils concentrate very well and show strong interest in what they are taught.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Satisfactory overall. The curriculum for the foundation stage is well planned to take account of the children’s needs. The curriculum for Key Stage 1 is broad and balanced and meets statutory requirements.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good. The school has an effective strategy for identifying the pupils who would benefit from early intervention and support.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory overall, but there are weaknesses in the way the school prepares and deploys its teachers and classroom support staff, and uses other resources, to meet the needs of some of the pupils.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school makes good provision for the pupils’ spiritual development; very good provision for the pupils’ social and moral development, and satisfactory provision for the pupils’ cultural development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school’s procedures for child protection and welfare are very good. Its procedures for monitoring the pupils’ performance are good.

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Aspect Comment

The school maintains satisfactory links with parents through newsletters, parents’ evenings and open days. At both key stages, the curriculum meets statutory requirements. The curriculum for the children at the Foundation Stage is good and that for Key Stage 1 is satisfactory. It is broad and balanced, but could be better designed to celebrate the rich diversity of cultures represented among the pupils at the school. The school cares for its pupils very well. The procedures for child protection and welfare are very good and those for the monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development are good. The school also provides good support and guidance to pupils. This is an improvement on the last inspection

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff Satisfactory. The headteacher and other senior teachers ensure that the daily life of the school is orderly and that teachers and pupils are supported. There are still weaknesses, however, in the appropriateness and effectiveness of some aspects of their strategic plans to meet the changing needs of some groups of pupils.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governors discharge their duties conscientiously and make sure that the school meets its statutory requirements. Eldon Infant School - 10 The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. The school analyses its performance and adjusts its provision, particularly the quality of the teaching, to raise standards.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school makes effective use of specialist teachers, but could improve the way it prepares and deploys other staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school has sufficient teachers who are supported by a generous number of learning support assistants. The school has sufficient resources to teach the curriculum but the accommodation is barely adequate. There are too few classrooms and some rooms are too small, particularly some of those used by children in the reception year.

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Aspect Comment

The leadership and management of the school have improved significantly since the last inspection. The main strengths include the success the headteacher and her senior colleagues have had in raising the quality of the teaching and establishing an orderly learning environment, which supports the pupils learning. Some weaknesses remain, however. These include elements of the school’s strategic plans to raise standards among the higher attaining pupils and those for whom English is an additional language. The weaknesses in the latter are seen in the way support for teachers is deployed and the lack of a coherent policy to equip all teaching and support staff with the skills they need to be flexible in meeting the pupils’ needs. While the school is aware of the need to raise standards, especially among the higher attaining pupils, it has not ensured that its policy of year group planning identifies how their

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Aspect Comment

needs will be met. Because the administrative officer provides good financial information, the governors and senior teachers are increasingly able to apply the principles of best value when making spending decisions. This aspect of the leadership and management of the school is satisfactory.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• The school is well led and managed • The school expects their children to work hard and achieve their best • The teaching is good • Behaviour in the school is good • They would feel comfortable about approaching the school with problems • The school’s provision of an interesting range of activities outside lessons • The way the school keeps parents informed about how their child is getting on • The closeness with which the school works with parents

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors endorse the parents’ positive views with one exception. Whilst inspectors agree that the school is well led and managed on a daily basis, there are still some weaknesses in strategic management. The inspectors do not agree with the parents’ negative views on the range of activities provided or the closeness with which the school works with parents. Eldon Infant School - 11

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The attainment of most of the children admitted to the nursery is well below that expected nationally. The children have poorly developed language and social skills. A very high proportion of the children has little experience of English. Because the teaching is consistently good or better, nearly all of the children make good progress throughout the foundation stage in all areas of learning. Even so, they are unlikely to attain the Early Learning Goals in language and literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world, by the time they transfer to Key Stage 1.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. In the national tests in English for the year 2000, the pupils attained well below average standards in reading when compared with all schools and with similar schools. In writing, the pupils’ results were very low (in the lowest five per cent) when compared with the national average and well below those in similar schools. The number of pupils attaining higher than Level 2, the average level for seven-year-olds, was well below the national average in reading and below the national average in writing. In spite of improved teaching at the school, standards in writing have declined slightly since the last inspection and more sharply in the most recent tests. This is due mainly to an influx of pupils partway through the year who are at a very early stage of English language acquisition, and a much higher than average number of pupils in the Year 2 cohort who had special educational needs; among

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

them, were eight pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs. The inspection findings indicate that current standards are significantly better than they were, and that a greater percentage of the pupils is likely to attain Level 2, the expected standard, in the 2001 national tests, even though the standards will still be lower than the national average. There is evidence that the majority of pupils who speak English as an additional language, including those who arrive after the start of the school year, make good progress. Recent improvements to the provision for pupils with special educational needs mean that their needs are identified quickly and addressed far more effectively than they were at the time of the last inspection. 3. In the national mathematics tests for 2000, the pupils’ attainment was well below the national average and below the average for pupils from similar schools. The results over the last three years

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

indicate the school has made only a little progress in raising standards in this period. However, recent improvements to the teaching are beginning to bear fruit. In the most recent national tests, for example, the number of pupils who attained above average standards increased by seven per cent. The improvement in standards looks set to continue; the pupils’ work seen at the time of the inspection indicates that more pupils are likely to attain the nationally expected level in the 2001 national tests than did so in last year’s tests. 4. In science, the national teacher assessments for the year 2000 show that the pupils attained standards below the national average, but there was a modest three per cent improvement in the number of pupils attaining above average standards. The inspection evidence indicates that standards are beginning to rise. In most aspects of the subject standards in the work seen were about average,

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

except in the pupils’ ability to record and communicate what they know in writing. This is mainly because the present cohort of pupils is very different from the previous one. The school’s analysis of the 2000 results indicates that if the unusual circumstances were taken into account, the attainment of that cohort was broadly in line with those of pupils in schools with a similar context. But it also indicates that the number of pupils attaining above the Level 2, the expected standard for seven-year- olds, is still well below the national average. Eldon Infant School - 12 5. In art and design, design and technology, geography, history, information and communication technology, physical education and religious education, the pupils attain the standards at the end of the key stage that are expected of pupils aged seven. This is similar to the findings of the last inspection. In order to achieve these standards, the pupils work hard and make good progress – particularly the

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

pupils who are learning to be bilingual. In all of these subjects, the pupils achieve well and attain satisfactory knowledge and understanding. Most, however, are unlikely to attain the expected standards in those aspects of each subject that involve recording and communicating in writing. In music, the school has maintained the high standards attained at the time of the last inspection because it makes very good use of a part-time music specialist to provide interesting and challenging learning activities.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

6. The pupils’ behaviour and their personal development are good. Their attitudes are very good. The pupils’ attendance is satisfactory. These judgements are similar to the judgements of the last inspection. The pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development are among the school’s strengths.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

7. The pupils’ attitudes to school, to learning, to their teachers and to each other are very good and occasionally excellent. Very occasionally, a tiny minority of pupils presents challenging attitudes and behaviour both in the classroom and in the playground. The school has not excluded any pupils for a number of years. In lessons in which the teaching is good or very good, the pupils are quick to respond to the challenges set and, in the vast majority of lessons they demonstrate very positive attitudes to their work and to each other. During the inspection, there were many examples of pupils displaying positive responses to teachers’ instructions. In a physical education lesson, for example, in which the pupils were learning new balancing skills, the teacher expected and got high levels of concentration and co-operation from the pupils. The pupils’ very good attitudes to learning helped them to make good

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

progress towards the learning gaols set by the teacher.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. All of the pupils behave particularly well in assemblies. The pupils who presented one of the assemblies behaved very well and showed great delight in speaking their parts in front of friends and parents. The other pupils listened attentively and showed their enjoyment by behaving very well. Pupils also display consistently good behaviour when walking around the school and when in the dining hall and playground.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. The day-to-day relationships between pupils and teachers and among the pupils themselves are good and often very good. The pupils work collaboratively and without fuss. They do not need constant reminders from their teachers. In one physical education lesson for reception children, the pupils worked very well in pairs on the challenging tasks that demanded they collaborate and use their bodies to form geometrical shapes such as circles and triangles. The school provides opportunities for pupils to develop their social skills through speaking, listening and by providing opportunities for them to take responsibility for tasks such as taking registers to the office and tidying up the classroom. On all occasions, the pupils performed their responsibilities diligently.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The overall attendance at the school is satisfactory. The incidence of unauthorised absence is significantly above the national average, but this is partly explained by extended unauthorised absences of a few pupils. A few pupils arrive late, but the majority of pupils come to school in time for registration and attend lessons on time. The pupils listen carefully and respond sensibly when the teachers call the registers for the beginning of the morning and afternoon sessions.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

Eldon Infant School - 13 11. At the Foundation Stage, the teaching is good overall. It is very good in the nursery and generally good in the reception classes. A major strength of the teaching throughout the key stage is the quality of the relationships between teachers and the children. All of the adults work extremely well together and this has a positive impact upon the children’s learning. The strong emphasis the teaching places upon daily routines and personal and social development has a positive impact upon the children’s attainment in other areas of learning. The teaching gives the children many opportunities to copy good examples of speech and language, and constantly challenges the children to extend their vocabulary. The teaching that supports mathematical development is very good in the nursery. The teaching in the reception classes is generally good but not consistently so. Some teachers give the

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

children too much freedom of choice and miss opportunities to set more challenging work. In all other areas of learning, the teaching in the nursery and reception classes is well planned and well supported.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

12. At Key Stage 1, the teaching is satisfactory overall. About half of it is good or better. Of the rest, five per cent is unsatisfactory. Overall, the quality of teaching has improved significantly since the last inspection. It is very good in music, good in English and history, and satisfactory in every other subject. In most of the subjects, there were examples of good or better teaching.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

13. The quality of teaching in English is good overall but there are inconsistencies in the teachers’ skills and knowledge. The teaching, therefore, ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. The teachers have a secure knowledge of the National Literacy Framework and make effective use of an agreed format for planning the Literacy Hour that helps them set clear and appropriate learning objectives. However, not all teachers are equally good at sharing the learning objectives with the pupils or use them effectively during lessons to ensure that the pupils are clear about what is expected of them. In the best literacy lessons, the teachers use the text level work very skilfully to engage all of the pupils, including those who are learning English is an additional language. The teacher’s questions and responses to the pupils’ questions are carefully thought through and those pupils who are learning English as an additional language are given time to respond. An example of the diversity in the stages

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

of language use with which the teachers cope was evident in one Year 2 class where, for the majority of pupils, the teacher’s objective was to change verb tenses. This was well within reach of those who were competent in English, and, for those who were becoming bilingual, the teacher targeted her questions carefully to allow the pupils to learn new words and to encourage them to ask their own questions. One pupil responded by identifying the letter ‘o’ in a word and asked if it was the same as that found in number work. It was clear that the pupil felt confident that the teacher would value his contribution, and she did.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The teaching of some aspects of mathematics has improved significantly since the last inspection. The teachers have a secure knowledge of the National Numeracy Strategy and have implement it well. Although the quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory overall, it varies from unsatisfactory to good. The most effective teaching provides the pupils with challenging, open-ended tasks and encourages them to explain their methods of calculation. The unsatisfactory teaching does not always conduct the opening mental maths session with sufficient pace or challenge to move the pupils on to the next stage of learning. Occasionally, too, the pupils who are learning English is an additional language are not given sufficient help with mathematical language.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Across the different subjects, the main strengths in the teaching are the teachers’ management of the pupils, their relationships with the pupils and their use of ongoing assessment. In physical education and history lessons, for example, the teachers are good at organising the pupils in ways that help different groups of pupils to learn skills and knowledge quickly. They have high expectations of the pupils’ behaviour and an ability to capture their interest; both of which contribute significantly to the quality of the pupils’ learning. In design and technology lessons, the teaching often organises the pupils well so that they get maximum benefit from the good opportunities they have to work at practical Eldon Infant School - 14 tasks. This helps the pupils to develop very positive attitudes to learning and to work independently to solve design problems. In many lessons, the teachers make good use of discussions and question

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

sessions to assess what the pupils know and can do. In science lessons, for example, this allows the teachers to adapt their lessons to meet individual needs, helping the pupils to stay on task and arrive at accurate conclusions. In music lessons, too, the teacher makes skilful use of questions and short individual tasks to assess how well the pupils are mastering new skills and musical ideas. She uses the outcomes well to meet the very wide range of needs among the pupils in ways that raise their performance and foster self-confidence.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. The teaching has strengths that are particular to some subjects and not others. In history lessons, for example, the teachers use resources well, and make good links with other subjects, such as art, design and technology and English, to enrich the pupils’ learning. In religious education, the main strengths of the teaching include the effective use of questioning to extend the pupils’ understanding, and good opportunities for the pupils who have English as an additional language to acquire an appropriate vocabulary to talk about what they learn. The pupils learn well because the teaching strikes an effective balance between direct teaching and opportunities for the pupils to express their thoughts and opinions. The teaching of pupils who have special educational needs is generally good. The pupils make good progress because the teachers plan the work well and make effective use of the classroom assistants to support them. Two of the learning assistants use computers in English and

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

mathematics work particularly well to support the learning of pupils with special educational needs.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. There are fewer weaknesses in the teaching now than was the case at the time of the last inspection. Some of the current teaching, however, does not sufficiently challenge the pupils. In a Year 1 physical education lesson, for example, some of the work on ball skills was well matched to the pupils’ needs but the warm up activity was not physically demanding and the pupils did not benefit from it. In some science lessons the teaching provides too little challenge for the higher attaining pupils particularly in the use of writing to record and communicate what they know; and in some mathematics lessons the teaching does not always have sufficient pace or challenge to move the pupils on to the next stage of learning. In the teaching of information and communication technology there are considerable variations in the success the teachers have in managing the pupils’ access to classroom-based computers. Whilst some teachers make sure that the computer is almost always

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

available, others do not. In English, however, few teachers use it well. As a result, they miss opportunities to provide targeted support for pupils for whom English is an additional language and for the higher attaining pupils.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

18. The curriculum for the children at the Foundation Stage is very well planned to take account of the ‘Stepping Stones’ and Early Learning Goals. The learning tasks are well matched to the ability levels and needs of the children, such as those for whom English is an additional language. This accelerates the rate at which the children learn and enables them to make good progress from the time they enter nursery. The school makes effective use of information gained during home visits, from the parents’ participation in the Sure Start scheme and from regular assessments of each child. The nursery curriculum is one of the strengths of the school. 19. For the pupils at Key Stage 1, the school provides a broadly based curriculum which includes all of the subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education. The school gives a high priority to the teaching of literacy and numeracy, but this has reduced the range of work done in other subjects,

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

particularly religious education. The school provides very well for music. Much of it is planned and taught by a specialist teacher. As a result, the pupils benefit from exciting and challenging work. Music provision is another of the school’s strengths. Eldon Infant School - 15 20. The school meets statutory requirements for all subjects. This is a significant improvement on the outcome of the last inspection during which important weaknesses were noted. The school has successfully adopted many of the model schemes of work published by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. This is helping the school to provide the pupils with the learning experiences they need at each stage of their education so that they acquire an appropriate range of skills, knowledge and understanding. However, there are some aspects of curriculum organisation that are unsatisfactory. For example, the work of teachers who have responsibility for Nursery, Reception and

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Key Stage 1 is not sufficiently well co-ordinated to enable them to provide effective guidance to teachers on how to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils across the full range of curriculum subjects. Part of the problem is that the senior management team has not devised and implemented a clear policy on the how the school is to ensure continuity of learning across the different year groups. 21. The teachers’ planning for each term is satisfactory. It is drawn up according to an agreed format and monitored by the subject co-ordinators. Although the teachers evaluate their own lessons and use the information to inform future planning, they do not, as a general rule, make sufficient use of the Programmes of Study for pupils in the year above their own in order to meet the needs of their higher attaining pupils. The subject co-ordinators collect work samples and evaluate provision effectively, but they do not take the extra step of setting targets for different groups of pupils that

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

would extend their learning and help raise standards. Nor do they, given the wide range of language needs within each class and the diversity of learning abilities, use a sufficiently wide range of methods of organising pupils for learning in order to secure higher standards of attainment. That said, the school provides well for pupils with special educational needs. Its arrangements ensure that these pupils are taught the full curriculum and are helped to benefit from it through careful planning and effective use of learning support assistants. The daily classroom support for pupils who are learning to be bilingual is satisfactory in those classes in which the teachers get help from trained learning support assistants. However, in some of the classes, where no specialist support is available, the curriculum is not always made fully accessible to all of the pupils. For example, the planned work does not always provide

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

enough opportunities for the pupils to acquire and understand the language being used. As a result, the pupils’ learning needs are not fully met. 22. The school’s arrangements for health education are satisfactory. Much of the work is taught through the curriculum for science in which there is an appropriate emphasis on developing a healthy lifestyle. The school’s policy on sex education is to teach it only in response to pupils’ questions. The school makes satisfactory use of homework, and satisfactory use of a limited range of planned visits to places in the local and more distant community in order to enhance the curriculum. It organises visits to the National War Museum and Bethnal Green Toy Museum, but it invites few visitors to the school. Among those the school does invite are musical ensembles. The school runs a craft club after school each week in which pupils take part in activities such as flower pressing, decoupage, cross stitch,

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

screen printing and making lavender bags. There is also a garden club. 23. The school makes good provision for the pupils’ spiritual development. It is promoted successfully through daily acts of collective worship which succeed very well in holding the pupils’ attention. The pupils are helped to consider the spiritual dimension to their lives through prayers and reflections on religious teaching from different world faiths. The school makes effective use of hymns such as ‘When I needed a neighbour’ and ‘Kumbayah’ to reflect the rich diversity of faiths among the pupils. The school also makes effective use of contributions to spiritual development from other subjects such as art, music and religious education. The school makes satisfactory use of displays to raise the pupils’ spiritual awareness. For example, it displays religious artefacts from the Muslim faith and prominently displays pictures of Muslim and Hindu dancers. In religious education lessons, the

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

pupils learn about a wide range of faiths that help them to respect and value the beliefs and values of others. However, there are no links to places of worship other than the local parish church, and groups representing other cultures are not regularly invited in as part of school life. Eldon Infant School - 16 24. The school provides very well for the pupils’ moral development. Through assemblies, religious education and stories, the pupils are successfully encouraged to think about moral issues and to consider the differences between right and wrong. The pupils are given responsibility for developing their own moral standards in the form of rules for their classes. These are prominently displayed in all classrooms so the pupils have a good understanding of the moral code of the school. The teachers, and other adults at the school, share expectations that pupils should be polite, show respect for people and

p.15

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

property, and understand the need for fairness. As a result, few sanctions are needed. 25. The school makes very good provision for the social development of its pupils. Relationships are good between staff and pupils and very good among the pupils themselves. As a result, racial harmony within the school is particularly impressive. The pupils from different ethnic groups work alongside each other happily and supportively. The teachers and classroom support assistants offer good role models to the pupils. There is scope for the pupils to take part in tasks to help with the smooth running of the school, such as taking registers to the school office. However, the accommodation of Year 2 pupils in a separate building which is not their own restricts the opportunities the teachers have to provide activities that encourage the pupils to become independent. 26. The school’s provision for the cultural development of the pupils is satisfactory. There has been

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

some improvement since the last inspection but the school still misses many opportunities to enrich the pupils’ cultural experience. Some appreciation of their own and other cultures is furthered by lessons in religious education and assemblies, and, to a lesser extent, in music and art. In music lessons, the pupils learn to appreciate music from Africa and India. There is insufficient emphasis, however, within the schemes of work, on how each subject could be used to value and celebrate the many cultural traditions represented in the school. For example, the school misses opportunities to include references to the way other cultures approach and solve technological problems. It also misses opportunities in geography to use the varied geographical origins of its pupils. 27. The school, however, successfully enhances the curriculum through its good links with the local community. It uses the history of the local area well to support the pupils’ learning. It uses the

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

Coronation Gardens extensively to provide its pupils with the opportunity to study plants, trees and insects. The school has developed a very wide range of local contacts including the Enfield Education Business Partnership, the fire brigade and the police, who provide regular advice to pupils on health and safety and stranger danger. An environmental group, which includes several members of staff, raises funds to develop the school site. The school involves pupils in environmental issues; a good example being the recycling of garden waste by composting, for which the school won a local competition. The school has also secured the sponsorship of a major petroleum company for their annual ‘Grounds Day.’ It uses this event to promote the pupils’ understanding and involvement in the local environment. The local Fire Brigade supported the school’s application for a Millennium Grant to further enhance the school site, particularly the playground facilities. The school has recently secured

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

the services of a playleader who is helping the pupils to learn new play skills.

p.16

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The school’s relations with the adjacent junior school, (which provides the teaching base for all of the Year 2 classes), and its transition arrangements for Year 2 pupils, are satisfactory. The school has not developed many curricular links with its partner school, but it is part of group of five local schools. Among other things, the school’s membership of the group has helped it to strengthen its provision for pupils with special educational needs.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

29. The school’s procedures for child protection and welfare are very good and those for the monitoring of pupils’ academic performance and personal development are good. The educational and personal support and guidance it gives to pupils’ is also good. The very high level of child protection and welfare support that the school makes available to pupils has a significant impact on their learning Eldon Infant School - 17 and personal development. It is a major strength of the school. This is an improvement since the last inspection.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

30. The school’s Child Protection procedures are very effective. The staff, very well supported by a range of external agencies, provides a high degree of welfare support to individual pupils, particularly the pupils with special educational needs. The day-to-day pastoral and welfare provision for children at the school is strong. In the classroom, teachers are quick to observe any pupils with personal difficulties and take appropriate action. The teachers are well supported by a large staff of classroom assistants and language support assistants. The school carries out regular health and safety audits of the site and keeps full records. The school keeps appropriate records of the fire drills its carries out, but its arrangements are not wholly satisfactory because some teachers receive conflicting guidance on what to do. The school, with the regular assistance of external agencies, is proactive in monitoring

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

individual levels of pupil absence. The senior staff monitor and promote attendance sensitively. The school has developed a range of strategies for monitoring the pupils’ behaviour and implements them effectively.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. The school provides a good level of educational and personal support to pupils, which is aimed at raising individual levels of achievement. It acknowledges each pupil’s achievement through praise given in the classroom and, more formally, in presentations during assemblies. The classroom support assistants work closely with the teachers to monitor the academic and personal progress being made by pupils in the school. The procedures for assessing the pupils’ attainment and progress are good overall and very good in the nursery. The use of assessment to guide curricular planning is satisfactory overall and very good in the nursery. The children at the Foundation Stage who attend nursery are assessed shortly after they start school. The teachers also note and use the detailed information compiled during the pre-school home visit undertaken before the children begin nursery. This helps them to plan to meet the needs of the children in each area of learning.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. The children are assessed again when they begin full-time education and before they enter Year 1. The school compiles a record of achievement and a pupil profile for each child from the time they are admitted to either the nursery or one of the reception classes. The same methods for assessing and monitoring pupils’ progress continue throughout Key Stage 1. The information is used to set targets for individuals and some groups of pupils. The teachers use tracking and anecdote sheets to record pupils’ progress, and they analyse test and assessment results in order to identify particular areas for development. However, there are some inconsistencies in how individual teachers record their assessment information; some are much more comprehensive than others.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

33. Parents’ hold favourable views of the school. The school’s links with parents, and the impact of parents’ involvement with the school, are satisfactory. This is in line with the last inspection

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

34. The parents’ meeting with the inspectors was well attended but the number of parental questionnaires returned was small. Most parents are very supportive of the school and of its aims and objectives. They feel that their children like school and that they are making good progress. Most of the parents feel that the teaching is good and that the school is well managed. Some parents feel that the school does not always keep them well informed. The information provided by the school through its prospectus, annual report to parents and regular class newsletters is satisfactory. The pupils’ annual reports, however, do not include information on what individual targets have been set for improvement.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

35. Some parents provide very welcome classroom support and many attend school assemblies. The school has succeeded in persuading parents to enter into a home/school agreement designed to Eldon Infant School - 18 promote improved relationships between the school, parents and children. The school opens its doors to all parents. The headteacher is proactive in her endeavours to further develop the home/school partnership. The school provides good additional support to the parents of pupils with special educational needs. Some support is available for parents of pupils for whom English is an additional language. This support extends to home visits to families new to the school. During the summer months the school holds play sessions for children who are about to join the nursery. Some parents play an important part in their children’s education by helping them at home with their reading or by assisting them with occasional project work related to a particular topic being studied at school. The

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

school’s links with parents provide a satisfactory contribution to pupils learning and personal development.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

36. The leadership and management of the school have improved significantly since the last inspection. The work of the headteacher, deputy headteacher and the senior management team is better focused than it was and this has helped the school to respond more effectively to the needs of the pupils. For example, it has successfully raised the quality of teaching across all of the age groups and has worked hard in partnership with parents and the local community to improve the quality of the learning environment. The team has been further strengthened by the appointment of a senior teacher who will have responsibility for co-ordinating the school’s curriculum development programme. She will also support the professional development of teachers.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

37. A very significant achievement of the headteacher and staff is the success they have had in creating a caring school in which the pupils are well behaved and very eager to learn. This is a good foundation for future development. A few important weaknesses remain, however. These are to do with planning and implementing a strategic response to a number of important issues. For example, the school has not developed a sufficiently robust response to the need to raise standards, particularly among the higher attaining pupils, nor has it developed a coherent plan for improving the way it provides for pupils with English as an additional language, who now represent nearly half of the pupils on roll. For example, there is no policy or strategic plan to use professional development opportunities to equip all teachers and learning support assistants with the knowledge and skills they need to enable them to respond flexibly to the needs of pupils whose home language is not English. There are also

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

weaknesses in the way the school deploys and manages its staff of classroom support assistants.

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

38. The school has given much thought to how it uses the grants for ethnic minority achievement since funds were devolved to schools in 1999. The additional funds are well used to employ four bilingual classroom assistants and two part-time teachers. The bilingual assistants are very enthusiastic about their work and give good support to teachers. They have completed a training course for classroom assistants run by the local education authority, but they would like more specific training on working with pupils who are becoming bilingual. The school has a generous allocation of classroom support assistants who are funded from within the school’s own budget and through various grants. Consequently, they appear to have a ‘specialist’ designation for ethnic minority achievement or special educational needs, or as general classroom assistants. On the one hand, this appears to focus their work, but it is also clear that the deployment of staff in this way leaves many class teachers unsure

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

about what they can expect from additional teaching and support staff. Given the very high numbers of pupils becoming bilingual and those from ethnic minority backgrounds, the current arrangements do not ensure that class teachers can take full responsibility for making the support provided by classroom assistants work flexibly and successfully. This is made much more difficult by the decision to change support staff attached to each class every term. The school is unable to respond quickly and easily to the needs of late arriving pupils, and the staff as whole has had no specific training on meeting the needs of early bilingual learners. Eldon Infant School - 19 39. The subject managers have a clearer idea of their role than at the time of the last inspection, and are now more effective. For example, the mathematics co-ordinator is actively involved in raising standards in the subject through monitoring the teaching and learning. The recently appointed science

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

co-ordinator has conscientiously assembled a subject portfolio that provides good evidence of the recent work of the school and the steady rise in standards. As a result, the school has a clear picture of when most pupils have mastered the key learning objectives. It does not, however, use the outcomes well in order to provide more challenging work for the higher attaining pupils. This applies to other subjects, including mathematics and English. The teachers are not encouraged to plan work from the Programmes of Study for Year 3 when it is appropriate to do so. Assessment outcomes are, however, used effectively by the school to meet the needs of pupils who have special educational needs.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

40. The newly established governing body has a satisfactory overview of the work of the school and is increasingly more effective in holding the school to account for it work. For example, the recently appointed literacy and numeracy governors are doing much good work. They make regular classroom visits to monitor how well the school is implementing the literacy and numeracy frameworks. The governors are well served by the work of the finance committee and by an efficient administrative officer. They work closely with the headteacher and local authority in drawing up the annual budget and in monitoring spending decisions. The governors have a clear understanding of the impact their spending decisions have upon the work of the school. Many of the governors, although new to their roles and responsibilities, are developing their expertise. They are well placed to move the school forward.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

41. The school is too big for its accommodation. Many of the classrooms are too small for the number of pupils being taught. Most of the classrooms are adjacent to the main hall, which is also the school’s main thoroughfare. This causes disruption to lessons taking place in the hall. Although the teachers and pupils cope well with them, the disruptions have the potential to deflect attention from the learning tasks. None of the reception classes has unlimited access to, or facilities for, outdoor play. Because there are insufficient classrooms on site, the school is obliged to house its four Year 2 classes in accommodation provided by the adjacent junior school. This adds further disruption to the day-to-day organisation of the school and reduces opportunities for teachers and other staff to work together. It is a credit to the teachers and support assistants that the pupils cope well with the problems caused by

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

the split site. Much good work is being undertaken to improve the grounds of the school to make it a better resource for learning. For example, the school has set up an environmental group that plans and implements improvements to the school grounds. Its recent projects include the construction of a quiet area for the pupils, a sensory planting project, a wildlife area and a recycling scheme. The school has appropriate plans to extend the accommodation and facilities for information and communication technology. The building is very well maintained but some spaces adjacent to classrooms could be better adapted and used more effectively for learning. Eldon Infant School - 20

p.19

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

42. The headteacher, teachers and governors should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Raise standards in English by: • Reducing inconsistencies in the teaching of spelling and reading; • Ensuring that the teaching provides adequate support to the pupils’ development of writing skills by making better use of learning aids such as word banks and writing frames; • Make better use of information and communication technology to support the learning of different groups of pupils, particularly bilingual and the higher attaining pupils; • Make better use of suitable resources to support pupils who are at an early stage of becoming bilingual; (Paragraphs: 2, 52, 58)

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Raise standards in mathematics by: • Planning more effectively from the Programmes of Study to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils; • Paying more attention to teaching pupils mental strategies that will reduce their dependence on apparatus and the teacher; • Making more effective use of information and communication technology to support the learning of some groups of pupils, particularly the higher attaining pupils; • Paying greater attention to helping pupils acquire and use mathematical terms; • Improve the teaching in numeracy lessons by making the mental sessions more challenging.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

3. Improve the way the school makes its long term plans to meet the needs of the pupils for whom English is an additional language, by: • Devising and implementing a policy on the professional development of all teachers and learning support staff that prepares them adequately to support the learning of pupils at the early stages of becoming bilingual; • Revising the job descriptions and roles of all learning support assistants to include support for bilingual pupils; • Devising a strategy for the deployment of teachers and support staff that ensures the support they are able to offer is distributed equitably, according to need.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

4. Improve the way the school plans to meet the needs of the higher attaining pupils, by: • Ensuring that, where appropriate, the teachers plan work from the Programmes of Study for the next year group; • Seeking ways to help the higher attaining pupils develop greater independence in their learning; • Ensuring that subject co-ordinators identify and track the progress of the higher attaining pupils more effectively.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(Paragraphs: 14, 17, 39, 51, 59, 61, 67) Eldon Infant School - 21

p.20

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.21

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 30 397

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 172

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 86

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 212

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 30

p.21

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 32

p.21

Attendance

National comparative data 5.3 National comparative data 0.5

p.21

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Eldon Infant School - 22

p.21

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2000 68 70 138

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 41 37 55 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 44 44 54

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 62 (71) 59 (77) 79 (86) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 85 (83) 90 (87)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 41 52 50 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 45 52 49

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 62 (77) 75 (81) 72 (81) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (82) 88 (86) 88 (87)

p.22

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 17 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 33 Black – African heritage 0 0

p.22

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 7 Other minority ethnic groups

p.22

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. Eldon Infant School - 23

p.22

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 17.6 Financial year 2001

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.5

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR– Y2 Total expenditure 905514

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 15 Expenditure per pupil 2106

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 191 Balance brought forward from previous year 40150

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 54446

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 3

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 75

p.23

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Eldon Infant School - 24

p.23

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 49 44 5 1 0

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 37 55 1 3 4

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 38 10 3 6

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 41 36 18 4 1

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 57 32 6 4 1

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 32 1 0 5

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 36 41 16 3 5

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 45 40 5 0 10

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 42 42 10 0 5

p.24

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 21 28 28 10 14 Eldon Infant School - 25

p.24

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. The attainment of the children who enter the nursery is well below that expected nationally. The children’s social skills are poorly developed and many of them have little experience of English. By the time they begin the reception year, the children attain standards in language, literacy, mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world that are below what is expected for their age. Although they make good progress in all areas of learning, most of the children take longer than usual to reach the appropriate Early Learning Goals.

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

44. The children demonstrate positive attitudes to school. This is because the teachers give personal and social development a high priority and promote it effectively. The teachers take every opportunity to ensure that individual children feel safe, happy and secure. They encourage the children to relate well to each other and to adults. Because many of the children have English as an additional language, the teaching places great emphasis on providing opportunities for activities in small groups supervised by adults who can model personal and social skills. The children are introduced very well to school routines. They are encouraged to voice their likes and dislikes, to share and to take turns. The reception children are taught to work and play co-operatively, and to develop a clear understanding of what is acceptable behaviour. Through discussion and example, the teachers help the older children to

p.25

Personal, social and emotional development

develop a good understanding of the difference between right and wrong. As a result, their behaviour is consistently very good. The teachers develop the children’s independence well by providing many opportunities for the children to think and act for themselves. Their increasing independence and eagerness to participate in tasks enables the children to make choices and be responsible for the things they use. In the reception classes, the teachers help the children to work well in groups and independently. Many children, therefore, learn to persevere with activities without direct supervision. The teaching is good overall and very good in the nursery. The teachers make good provision for children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language. The strong focus put on daily routines and personal and social development activities has a positive impact upon the overall attainment and progress made by the children.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

45. By the end of the reception year, only a few of the children attain the level expected of five- year-olds nationally. Most of the children in the nursery, especially those who are learning English as an additional language, find it difficult to express themselves clearly. The teaching, however, gives the children every opportunity to copy good examples of speech and language. The teachers regularly set aside time for the development of specific speaking and listening skills and they use a range of appropriate strategies and contexts. For example, they use small group and whole class story and discussion times to foster an interest in language and to provide opportunities for the children to explore words and phrases. The teachers make very good use of questions during these sessions to challenge the children to widen their vocabulary. In the reception classes, most of the children learn to listen

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

attentively to their teachers. Many wait their turn to speak and are becoming increasingly eager to contribute to discussions. A few children speak fluently. They use their developing vocabulary well, expressing ideas and opinions independently. Most of the children understand that print carries meaning. They share books well. They read simple texts on their own and use their knowledge of letter sounds to help them read unfamiliar words. The teachers provide useful opportunities for the children to begin early writing by encouraging mark making in a range of activities. The nursery Eldon Infant School - 26 children frequently trace, draw, crayon, finger-paint and experiment with dough during indoor and outdoor tasks. They are encouraged to ‘write’ independently in play activities. Thus, when they reach the reception classes, the children are beginning to tackle the more formal aspects of writing.

p.25

Communication, language and literacy

Most reception children are mastering copy-writing skills. However, the children who have had little pre-school experience still find it difficult to form letters correctly. Only a few of the higher attaining children reach the stage of independent writing, although many others know what they want to write.

p.26

Mathematical development

46. Attainment is below the level expected nationally because many children need more time than usual to achieve the expected level. The children’s learning is effectively promoted through a range of practical tasks. The nursery children develop their knowledge of number when they count and sort bricks, solid shapes and toys as they play. They make up games when they match familiar objects by colour. The reception children are beginning to estimate numbers of objects. They compare size and shape with increasing accuracy. With adult prompts, they compile sets and subsets of objects according to the different criteria suggested. The most fluent children confidently explain why they make certain decisions when working in the water or wet and dry sand. In the nursery, the children master a range of simple mathematical terms as they make comparisons of containers in the sand tray and investigate objects in the water tray. The teachers encourage the children to tally numbers based

p.26

Mathematical development

on situations from every day life such as when they share milk and biscuits. The teachers encourage the children to solve problems when they provide them with activities in matching colours, sizes and shapes of three-dimensional toys. They further develop the children’s understanding through activities such as ordering materials into patterns, completing jigsaws and using construction toys. In reception, many children count to ten and order confidently numbers up to five. The higher attaining children develop a secure understanding of simple addition facts up to five. The teachers build effectively upon what children know, and this is having a positive impact upon the children’s attainment. They have adapted the early stages of the numeracy strategy well to include time when they concentrate on number skills. Although the teaching is very good in the nursery, it is inconsistent in the reception

p.26

Mathematical development

classes, where it ranges from good to satisfactory. In some reception classes, the teachers give children too much freedom of choice and miss opportunities to challenge their understanding of mathematical ideas.

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

47. By the end of reception year, most of the children attain below the level expected for their age. Because many of the children are learning English as an additional language, it is difficult for them to talk fluently about past, present and future events. To compensate for this, the teaching offers the children many opportunities to learn about the world around them. In the nursery, the teachers provide opportunities for the children to handle things and to understand what they are. They encourage the children to participate in, and talk about, interesting activities such as planting bulbs and making fruit kebabs. In the reception classes, the children discuss what they see and do on nature walks. The teachers draw their attention to signs of spring and the world of insects and birds. Throughout the Foundation Stage, children’s birthdays, and the birth of babies in the children’s families, are treated as

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

special times. As the children learn more life skills, they recognise that their bodies, and their skills, change over time. In the nursery, the daily routine includes ordering and recognising the days of the week, and observing and reporting different weather conditions. The higher attaining reception children understand the order of events in the school day. Most know what happens at assembly and dinnertime and many record their findings in drawings and pictures. The reception children are increasingly confident about finding their way around school. They describe how to get to the playground or dining hall. In the nursery, the teaching places a high priority on the development of technology skills. The children use construction kits; and cut, stick and join re-cycled materials to Eldon Infant School - 27 create three-dimensional models. The nursery children use a computer program confidently and

p.26

Knowledge and understanding of the world

manipulate the mouse device accurately. The children squeal with excitement as they ‘spray’ and ‘sprinkle’ the screen with different colours. The children in the reception classes build upon these early skills when they use computer games to support learning in reading and mathematics. The teaching is very good in the nursery. The adults offer a very good range of opportunities for children to learn about themselves and the environment. They carefully and sensitively support and guide the children as they explore the world through play and activities such as printing, making collages and filling plant pots with soil. The children in the reception classes show an increasing knowledge and understanding of natural processes when they plant and grow cress, and they order events successfully to make watercress sandwiches. However, in the reception classes, the teaching sometimes misses opportunities to challenge individual pupils to tackle more demanding work.

p.27

Physical development

48. Most children will have reached the standard expected for their age by the time they finish the reception year because the teaching is good overall. The teaching in the nursery is very good. The teachers plan very well to provide carefully structured outdoor play that offers the youngest children many opportunities to practise and improve their manipulative skills. Many children steer the wheeled toys with confidence and reasonable accuracy. The teaching provides a range of activities to help the children gain finer control through cutting, painting and building. The staff appreciate that the children’s handling and use of pencils, crayons and other tools is below average and provide many opportunities for the children to practise writing letters and numbers. Most reception children learn to move confidently, imaginatively and with good directional control. They show proficiency when moving

p.27

Physical development

at different speeds as they practise routines in the hall. The children in the reception classes use the school hall and apparatus for gymnastics, games and dance. In these lessons they move in a variety of ways demonstrating a good awareness of space and safety. At playtimes they make up rules and join in games that further develop control of their bodies. The teaching for this area of learning is good because the adults effectively support the children and encourage them to persevere. For example, the playground is well used to provide challenging activities that help the children to improve their skills and develop self-confidence.

p.27

Creative development

49. Most children achieve the level expected for their age by the time they reach the end of the reception year. The children make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage. There is a wide range of self-managed, creative tasks available to the children for part of each day, involving sand, water, paint and modelling media.

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Creative development

50. The children develop a satisfactory range of creative skills. They listen carefully to music. The older children sing a range of songs tunefully and from memory. The children explore pitch, singing loudly or quietly, and accompany simple songs using percussion instruments. The nursery children, with the support of the teacher, beat simple rhythms. The teaching provides many opportunities for the children to explore colour shape and texture. The children use a range of media when they draw, paint, design and make in a variety of ways. When choosing colours and materials with which to make patterns and pictures, they show a growing understanding of how to blend materials. Both in nursery and reception classes, the teaching offers the children good opportunities for role-play. The nursery children discover how to treat sick animals as they organise the Vet’s Surgery. The teachers and children in the reception classes construct flower shops and garden centres in which the children role-

p.27

Creative development

play customers or owners who sell stock, order new items and write stock lists. Throughout the Foundation Stage, the children play together extremely well, co-operating and communicating as they act out different situations with a good degree of spontaneity and inventiveness. They use tools, Eldon Infant School - 28 scissors and a variety of brushes with increasing competence because they are given opportunities to experiment and learn by a process of trial and error.

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ENGLISH

51. The results of the Year 2000 national tests show that, at the age of seven, the standards achieved in reading are well below average when compared with both the national average and with the results of pupils in similar schools. In writing, the pupils’ results are very low (in the lowest five per cent) when compared with the national average. When compared with the results of pupils in similar schools, results in writing are well below average. The numbers of pupils attaining the higher level (Level 3) is well below the national average in reading and below the national average in writing. 52. Since the last inspection and, particularly since 1999, there has been a decline in standards in both reading and writing. This is mainly due to an influx of pupils who are at an early stage of English language acquisition and a higher than average number of pupils who are on the school’s register of special educational needs. In an effort to address this decline, and to raise standards, the school has

p.28

ENGLISH

taken specialist advice and has adapted the Literacy Hour in order to provide more time for the teaching of reading and writing skills. There are separate guided reading sessions, and the teachers have received in-service training on the teaching of phonics. The impact of these developments on standards has yet to be fully evaluated by the school, but opportunities for sustained reading practice and the frequency with which the pupils read to the class teachers or other adults are not consistent across the school.

p.28

ENGLISH

53. By the end of Key Stage 1, standards in listening are broadly average. The standards attained in speaking and reading are, however, below average and those in writing, well below average. 54. The inspection findings show that the majority of pupils, including those who are learning English as an additional language and those with special educational needs, are developing satisfactory listening skills. The majority of the pupils make good progress. For example, they listen very attentively to the teachers and to each other during the literacy hour, and they respond well to instructions. The majority of the pupils also make good progress in developing their oral skills, but given the low starting point of many of the pupils, standards in speaking in English are still below average by the time the pupils are seven. Nevertheless, when the pupils are required to make a contribution to discussions, they are

p.28

ENGLISH

confident and keen to share their views. However, a significant minority of the pupils lack sufficient knowledge of English and have too narrow a vocabulary to fully explain and articulate their ideas. 55. By the time they are seven, a significant minority of the pupils are reading accurately. The higher attaining pupils read fluently and with expression. Almost all the pupils are familiar with letter sounds and, together with picture and context clues, they use this knowledge to help them read unfamiliar words. However, some of the lower attaining pupils find it difficult to make use of pictures, initial letters and the context of what they are reading to make informed attempts to read unfamiliar or difficult words. The higher attaining pupils have a satisfactory awareness of some authors who write for their age group and they talk informatively about their favourite stories and titles. Most of the

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ENGLISH

pupils who are learning English as an additional language are able to read texts in English, but their ability to comprehend some of the more complex vocabulary is very variable. 56. By the age of seven, many of the pupils find recording their thoughts and ideas difficult. Standards in spelling are weak because common rules and strategies for spelling are not taught consistently across all the classes. Although many of the pupils know the letter sounds and, in oral sessions in the Literacy Hour, use what they know to build words, they fail to apply this knowledge when writing independently. Most pupils use full stops and capital letters in their sentences and some of the higher attaining pupils use speech marks and question marks accurately. The school gives writing a high priority in order to raise standards. It gives the pupils many opportunities to write for a Eldon Infant School - 29 variety of purposes. For example, in science they write lists of the equipment needed; they write facts

p.28

ENGLISH

and accounts in history and geography as well as imaginative stories as part of the writing sessions in the Literacy Hour. However, as a rule, only the higher ability pupils are able to write in sufficient depth or for a suitably wide audience. Although most of the pupils form their letters correctly and produce writing of an appropriate size, too few of them are sufficiently proficient in joining their writing. There are inconsistencies, too, in the quality of presentation from class to class. 57. In all areas of their language development, the pupils with special educational needs attain standards that are good in relation to their ability and they make good progress. The many pupils who speak English as an additional language respond well to the support they receive and often achieve well, but because the expertise of the specialist learning support assistants is not distributed equitably across the year groups, not all of them make as much progress in reading and writing as they should.

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ENGLISH

58. The quality of teaching in English is good overall but there are inconsistencies in the teachers’ skills and knowledge. The teaching, therefore, ranges from very good to unsatisfactory. In the very good lessons, the teachers use the oral session very effectively to teach the pupils how to listen to words and segment the sounds as an aid to reading and spelling. Their good use of questions encourages the pupils to listen carefully to the words. Most teachers skilfully involve the pupils by providing words and sounds at the appropriate level. Their expectations of success for pupils of all abilities and language levels are high and this results in good achievement. In one very good lesson in Year 2, for example, the activities on the correct use of tenses built successfully on what the pupils already knew. The lesson was well planned and organised and the teacher’s effective modelling of the writing process provided good support to the pupils and helped them to learn skills they could use when

p.29

ENGLISH

they attempted their own pieces of work. In the unsatisfactory lesson, the objective to learn about adjectives was not fully shared with the pupils or sufficiently well emphasised during the lesson. For example, during the class discussion, the teacher missed opportunities to clarify the pupils’ understanding. In this lesson, and in others where the teaching was less successful, the teachers gave insufficient support when the pupils were writing; for example, they made little use of prompts, word banks or writing frames. When learning assistants were available, the teachers deployed them well so that they made a valuable contribution to the pupils’ progress, especially among pupils with special educational needs and those at an early stage of learning English. However, the teachers and support staff do not widely or consistently make sufficient use of the available resources for literacy, such as

p.29

ENGLISH

sound games, flash cards, puzzles and tactile materials. Lesson observations and the scrutiny of work reveal that there are considerable differences in the teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve in terms of the amount and quality of their written work. The teaching makes insufficient use of information technology to support learning in English. Although some teachers use the available programs others do not. The two classroom support assistants who are skilled at creating links between English and information technology do some of the best work using computers. As a result, the pupils with special educational needs make effective use of computers to help them acquire basic literacy skills. The quality of the teachers' marking is variable because the policy is not consistently applied. Only in some of the classes does the marking and oral feedback help the pupils to improve their work.

p.29

MATHEMATICS

59. The pupils do not attain the standards expected for their age by the end of the key stage. A similar picture is portrayed in the 2000 national tests in which the pupils’ attainment was well below average, and below average for pupils from similar schools despite a seven per cent improvement in the number of pupils attaining above average standards. The results over the last three years indicate the school has made only a little progress in improving standards despite significant improvements to the teaching. This is partly because the school has admitted growing numbers of pupils part-way through the school year, some of whom have English as an additional language, but also because the Eldon Infant School - 30 teachers do not expect enough of the small, but significant, number of more able pupils, who consequently underachieve. 60. By the age of seven, a minority of the more able pupils successfully partition to solve addition

p.29

MATHEMATICS

problems, for example 39 + 91 = 30 + 90 and 9 + 1. Over half of the pupils understand doubling and can use this to solve computation problems such as 4 + 5 is 4 + 4 + 1. They are less secure, however, when asked to apply these strategies to two or three digit numbers. Over half the pupils are unable to recall number bonds to 20 quickly. For example, in the lessons seen the Year 1, the pupils wrote and ordered numbers to 20 but struggled to recall number bonds to 10. Most pupils order three numbers correctly but are unable to find three numbers that add up to 5, 10 or 15 without using counting blocks. Most pupils find counting in 5’s difficult, though a few are able to work with numbers over 100. Pupils know the correct units of measurement for capacity and weight and can measure accurately in centimetres. 61. The quality of teaching and learning varies from unsatisfactory to good but is satisfactory

p.30

MATHEMATICS

overall. In the good lessons, the teachers use skilful questioning to encourage the pupils to explain their methods of calculation when solving problems. For example, ‘How can you find the missing number in the following equation, 65 + ? ?= 100?’ resulted in the pupils offering a number of ways to solve it, including the following: ‘100 – 65 = ? ,’ and ‘count on from 65 in tens and add on the rest.’ In another successful lesson, the pupils were given apparatus such as straws and pentagons to consolidate counting and recording in fives with particular emphasis on the correct use of the symbols + and =. These lessons are characterised by clear explanations and open-ended tasks, often generating good collaborative discussions within the group. There are plenty of opportunities for pupils to extend their independent problem solving skills when pupils are asked to solve problems such as ‘find three

p.30

MATHEMATICS

numbers greater than 10 that add up to 100.’ The work in the most effective lessons is well matched to the different needs of the pupils. In too many instances, however, pupils are not sufficiently challenged. For example, a group of high ability pupils who count easily in fives to twenty-five, were not provided with extension work but were given further tasks at the same level. The teaching, therefore, sometimes misses opportunities to challenge the pupils to raise standards. Some teachers let the pupils rely too heavily on apparatus or become over-dependent on the teacher’s support. Much of the teaching fails to make adequate use of resources in information technology to support learning. 62. Since the last inspection, there has been much improvement in the clear direction given to pupils on number processes such as addition and subtraction. The provision of suitable work for all ability groups is now clearly identified if not always acted upon. The teaching helps the pupils who have

p.30

MATHEMATICS

special educational needs to make good progress because the work is well planned and the classroom assistants are used effectively to support them. There are still occasions, however, when some pupils, particularly those who are learning English is an additional language, are not given sufficient help with mathematical language. The teachers have a secure knowledge of the National Numeracy Strategy. The three-part lesson structure, for example, is soundly established. The teachers always identify in their planning what is to be learnt in a lesson and share it with their pupils. However, the quality of teaching in the numeracy hour varies considerably. Some of the teachers do not conduct the opening mental maths session with sufficient pace and rigour. Some target their teaching at too narrow range of attainment and do not take sufficient account of the needs of the whole class. In other sessions the

p.30

MATHEMATICS

pace is slow because each pupil completes an activity whilst the rest sit and watch. Most of the teachers manage the pupils and the learning resources effectively during the main teaching activity. For example, they use hundred squares well to demonstrate number patterns and to help the pupils with computation. The teaching provides plenty of opportunities for pupils to experiment with, and practise, their recording skills.

p.30

SCIENCE

Eldon Infant School - 31 63. In the national teacher assessments for 2000, the pupils attained standards below the national average. The inspection evidence, however, indicates that standards in most aspects of the subject among the pupils who near the end of the key stage are about average. This is mainly because the present cohort of pupils is very different from the previous one. The 2000 cohort had an exceptionally high percentage of pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs, and a substantial influx of pupils partway through the year who were at a very early stage in learning English as an additional language. In the present cohort, there are no pupils with a Statement, and far fewer pupils who were admitted after the beginning of the school year. The co-ordinator’s analysis of the 2000 results indicates that if the unusual circumstances were taken into account, the attainment of that cohort was

p.31

SCIENCE

broadly in line with those of pupils in similar schools. But it also indicates that the number of pupils attaining above Level 2, the expected standard for seven-year-olds, is still well below the national average. Another factor accounting for the rise in standards is the recent improvements in the quality of the teaching.

p.31

SCIENCE

64. In the lessons on life processes, the pupils showed a good knowledge of the different types of food and how to classify them as ‘healthy’ and ‘less healthy.’ They confidently classify foods in other useful ways. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, the pupils classified food under three headings, according to their sources: plant, animal and manufactured (or processed). The pupils demonstrate a clear understanding of the relative value each food has in a healthy diet. They recognise that a balanced diet does not exclude foods that are less healthy, but that such foods should be eaten in moderate quantities. Some of the higher attaining pupils are aware that healthy foods can be made less so by the way they are processed in factories or prepared at home. One pupil pointed out, for example, that potatoes generally contribute to a healthy diet when they are eaten boiled or baked, but are not so good for us in the form of deep-fried chips. In the same lesson, other pupils recalled a visit from the

p.31

SCIENCE

dental health specialist and remembered what she had taught them about the effects of highly sugared foods, such as sweets, chocolate and fizzy drinks, on the health of teeth and gums.

p.31

SCIENCE

65. Most of the pupils learn to predict, describe and observe experiments and outcomes with an appropriate degree of accuracy. For example, they observe plants grown from seed and conduct experiments to determine which conditions are best for growth. As a result, they talk confidently about a plant’s need for water and light. The pupils explain the effects of gravity on model cars placed on a ramp, and most of them understand the counter effects of friction when, for example, in the course of their investigation, they change the surface of the ramp. The pupils talk confidently about how materials are changed by heating them. They know that the ingredients used to make a cake change when placed into an oven. Many of the pupils, when prompted, provide examples of other types of change. They recall how some materials change when they twisted, stretched or squeezed. The pupils understand how electricity is used in the home and at school, and they know how to construct a simple

p.31

SCIENCE

circuit that lights a bulb. The pupils have an appropriate understanding of how sounds are made. They identify and sort sounds with a good degree of confidence when, for example, they determine whether sounds made by musical instruments are produced by striking, plucking, scraping, shaking or blowing. The main weakness in the pupils’ attainment is in their ability to record what they know. While most pupils produce useful and accurate drawings and diagrams to illustrate their work, few of them use writing well to record outcomes of investigations or present information to others.

p.31

SCIENCE

66. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall but not consistently so. In the lessons observed the teaching ranged from good to unsatisfactory. One of the strengths of the teaching is the way the teachers share with the pupils what it is they are expected to learn in the course of the lesson. The objectives are usually prominently displayed and referred to during the lesson in order to sharpen the pupils’ focus or re-direct their discussions. This helps the pupils to stay on task and arrive at accurate conclusions. Another strength of the teaching is the way teachers organise the learning tasks and the pupils. Most lessons are well structured to include direct teaching, demonstration, discussions and Eldon Infant School - 32 practical work. This enables the pupils to work at a good pace and gives them a number of ways to acquire an appropriate range of the skills and scientific knowledge and understanding. The main

p.31

SCIENCE

weaknesses in the teaching are the lack of opportunities provided for the higher attaining pupils to become independent learners, and the lack of emphasis on recording in writing what the pupils know about the topics they study. In the unsatisfactory lesson, the pace of learning was too slow. This was mainly because the teacher kept the pupils sitting for too long answering questions and provided no practical work, even though there was plenty of time. As a result, the pupils were not sufficiently challenged. They became bored and fractious and did not learn very much.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN

67. No direct art teaching was observed. However, scrutiny of samples of the pupils’ previous work, and discussions with some of the older pupils, indicate that attainment by the end of the key stage is similar to that at most schools. The standards at the school have not changed significantly since the last inspection.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN

68. The younger pupils recognise the primary colours and know that they can create new colours and shades by mixing them. They know, for example, that blue and yellow paints, when mixed, make green, and that the same result can be achieved when they blend pastels. The pupils make pleasing observational drawings; some higher attaining older pupils show skill when drawing plants, flowers and portraits of their school friends. Throughout school, these detailed observations are translated successfully into class displays. Although the pupils have difficulty recalling the names of the artists they have studied, they successfully refer to picture evidence, (for example, copies of famous paintings displayed about the school,) for clues when describing their previous experiences.

p.32

ART AND DESIGN

69. The evidence from pupils’ work and from discussions with teachers shows that the teaching gives the pupils appropriate opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and techniques in a sufficiently wide range of media. The teachers successfully help the pupils to express their feelings and ideas through their work when; for example, they provide the older pupils with opportunities to discuss how their field work observations could be used as a starting point for a piece of work on house design and structures, leading to a three-dimensional construction. In painting, the teachers encourage the pupils to experiment with colour and texture, and help them to learn how to widen and refine their responses by looking carefully at the work of famous artists. This helps the older pupils to understand some of the techniques the artists have used to create particular effects: for example, when designing their own flower studies, the pupils learned much from looking at and discussing the

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ART AND DESIGN

style of Vincent van Gogh. The teaching pays particular attention to the pupils’ knowledge of how colours are created. In one lesson, for example, the pupils were encouraged to experiment with different mixes in order to create a suitable background for their three-dimensional models of streets.

p.32

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

70. By the end of Key Stage 1, the pupils’ attainment is similar to that of pupils in most schools. The standard attained by the pupils has not changed significantly since the last inspection. By the end of Year 2, the pupils make satisfactory use of a range of materials including construction kits, recycled materials, textiles and foodstuffs. The older pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language, make good progress in their learning because the chosen activities are well matched to their abilities and are sufficiently challenging. One particularly good feature of the pupils’ attainment is their understanding of the links between the designing and making processes and how the one evolves out of the other. For example, before a Year 1 class embarked on designing a product featuring a hinge, they observed and handled a range of every day objects with hinges. Not only did the pupils make good use of the time they had to

p.32

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

Eldon Infant School - 33 discuss design issues, they also closely observed how and why hinges are used for a range of purposes. In another class, in the same year group, the pupils successfully studied the design features of house construction in order to identify how and why hinges are used. The pupils in Year 2 build successfully on what they have learned previously when they design vehicles with axles and make sure that they work effectively. The pupils show a developing awareness of why some of their designs are more likely to work than others. In particular, the higher attaining pupils are beginning to offer sensible suggestions for improving their designs. Many pupils gain a good understanding of the purpose of designs and the kinds of materials they need to make working models. They compare their ideas and talk confidently about how their original designs may be modified and adjusted in order to

p.33

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

71. The quality of teaching is at least satisfactory. Some aspects of it are good. For example, the teachers often make good use of well-chosen resources to support the pupils’ learning. In one lesson, the teacher introduced a model car, that had a transparent body, in order to illustrate the intricacy of a complete working model. A particular strength of the teaching is the way teachers provide good opportunities for the pupils of different levels of attainment to work collaboratively. This helps to stimulate the pupils’ use of language and to think logically in order to solve problems. In particular it enhances the communication skills of the pupils who are learning English as an additional language. Because the teaching often provides good opportunities for pupils to work at practical tasks, they develop very positive attitudes towards designing and making. They work with concentration and

p.33

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

care. The teachers use questions well to encourage the pupils to think for themselves and to talk about how to improve their designs. They also provide many opportunities for the pupils to work independently in developing their own ideas and solving problems. The teachers are beginning to make useful links with other subjects, such as art, science and mathematics, as a starting point or part of the work in design and technology.

p.33

GEOGRAPHY

72. Throughout the school, the pupils make satisfactory progress in geography. Their levels of attainment are in line with those expected for their age. These standards are similar to the ones found at the time of the last inspection.

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GEOGRAPHY

73. The pupils learn about the globe, find routes to places and study different journeys. They are beginning to know and understand some of the differences between their own locality and other places such as the seaside. The pupils learn to make plans of their classrooms and maps of the area surrounding the school. They explain the maps they have drawn and understand the way in which routes may be followed on maps. The Year 2 pupils use maps of the London underground and successfully use simple grids to plot journeys to other areas of London. The Year 1 pupils plan and describe routes to different parts of the school. Although some of the teachers make good use of world maps to illustrate the different countries and varied backgrounds of the pupils, the pupils’ knowledge of other countries and where they are in the world is not well developed.

p.33

GEOGRAPHY

74. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall and sometimes good. The lessons provide the pupils with carefully planned and interesting opportunities to learn about different localities within Britain and how to make plans and maps. Most teachers, at the beginning of a lesson, share with their pupils what it is they are expected to learn by doing the planned tasks. In discussing a plan of the classroom the teacher, in a Year one lesson, used appropriate geographical language such as ‘bird’s eye view’ and encouraged the pupils to do the same. She further motivated the pupils and increased their learning when she urged the pupils to think carefully about the position of furniture and equipment and what it might look like from above. At the end of the lesson, the teacher was careful to review what the pupils had learned. She directed questions to pupils of different levels of attainment in order

p.33

GEOGRAPHY

Eldon Infant School - 34 to assess how successful the lesson had been. In another lesson, the teacher made good use of the learning support assistant to provide practical activities for the lower attaining pupils. This helped them to get a better understanding of the relationship between the route marked on a plan of the school and the actual journey from the classroom to the secretary’s office. The support assistant successfully reinforced the learning by her careful use of vocabulary such as ‘turn’, ‘past’, ‘through’ and ‘across’. This enhanced the pupils’ learning and enabled them to achieve greater success with the classroom task.

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HISTORY

75. By the end of the key stage, the pupils attain the standard expected of seven-year-olds. The pupils make good progress because the teachers make learning about the past interesting and enjoyable. Both learning and teaching are better now than at the time of the last inspection. This is mainly because the school has provided better guidance to teachers on what the pupils need to learn in each year group. 76. In Year 2, the pupils study Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. They learn about the similarities and differences between nursing in the Crimean War and nursing in modern hospitals. They begin to get a feel for what life was like in the past when they compare clothes and learn about the advances in technology since the Victorian period. For example, the pupils learn about how, over time, health has improved as a result of improvements to public health, housing and medicine. Most pupils understand that there were few cars and telephones, and no televisions or videos in Victorian

p.34

HISTORY

times. The pupils make good use of pictures, posters and information from computer programs to learn about the past. The pupils are able to explain the meaning of Remembrance Day; they know why the red poppy is associated with it. They demonstrate a developing sense of chronology when they use a line, strung across the classroom, on which they display pictures and text about events from the past. They confidently discuss the order in which the events occurred. The Year 2 pupils build successfully upon the work they did in Year 1 when they compare the similarities and differences between old and new toys and Victorian and modern domestic artefacts. The pupils with English as an additional language attain the expected standards in most aspects of the subject but many are not sufficiently bilingual to write well about what they know. The pupils who have special educational needs make good progress in acquiring historical knowledge because the teachers make effective use of group

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HISTORY

discussion to extend the pupils’ understanding and correct their misunderstandings. 77. In the lessons observed, the quality of teaching was good or better. In a very effective lesson, the teacher demonstrated very good subject knowledge and an infectious delight in the subject. She told tales about the gruesome conditions in the Crimean War that enthralled the pupils. When she produced a large photograph of one of the pupils who had recently been into hospital, she skilfully used the pupils’ interest to encourage an animated discussion in which they shared their experiences. As a result the pupils had a very clear idea of how much better hospitals are now than at the time of the Crimean war. She used probing questions to guide the pupils towards drawing their own conclusions. The teachers use resources well to ensure that the pupils make good progress in appreciating how living conditions have changed with the passing of time. They make useful links, too, with art, design

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HISTORY

and technology and English to enrich the pupils’ learning by making the learning activities interesting and varied. The teacher in one class even tried to re-create the smells of a field hospital so that pupils would have a better idea of the conditions endured by nurses and wounded soldiers. The school arranges some educational visits to local places, including visits to the National Army Museum and the Bethnal Green Toy Museum, but the teachers’ planning still misses opportunities to use the pupils’ enthusiasm to stimulate good written work.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Eldon Infant School - 35 78. By the end of the key stage, the pupils attain the standard expected of seven-year-olds. Standards at the school are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

79. The pupils successfully use computer programs to help them organise and classify information and to present their findings. For example, they use a program that helps them to organise information gathered from surveys. In one such survey, on the most popular pets, the pupils presented their findings in the form of graphs and were able to use them to discover the answer to questions such as ‘How many children own the least popular pet?’ and ‘Which pet was the second most popular one?’ By the age of seven, most of the pupils can make changes to the data and graphs they use. Some pupils are able to devise their own simple graphs.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

80. The pupils are able to enter, save and retrieve their work. They confidently use the mouse to move objects and to open, and select from, ‘drop down’ menus. Nearly all of the pupils confidently load programs or reset the screen this way. They know how to load from a floppy disk and how to use the ‘bin’ to rid the screen of unwanted text and images. They print work out without the support of the teacher and many know how to print two or more copies should they be needed. The pupils with special educational needs achieve well in handling computers because they receive good levels of support from learning support assistants.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

81. Most of the pupils confidently use computers to help them record work and share their ideas in different forms, such as tables and images. In mathematics, for example, the pupils use ‘drag and drop’ techniques to carry out work on ordering numbers and counting in fives. They use a simple data program to organise information and create block graphs, pie charts and line graphs to illustrate their findings. They know how to change the appearance of the graphs they create in order to present information in different ways. Most of the pupils work with a good degree of confidence when they explore paint programs to create pictures and patterns. In doing so, they successfully use a range of tools for drawing and colouring. In one ambitious piece of work, the pupils created their own designs then replicated them using the repeat function. In this way they produced a pleasing ‘wallpaper’ effect. The pupils know how to enter text, how to change the size and colour of fonts and how to

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

highlight text in order to ‘cut and paste’ it. Most of the pupils, therefore, are able to use word processors with an appropriate degree of confidence to carry out common writing tasks such as stories, letters, posters and lists. By the end of the key stage, the pupils are beginning to combine text and graphics to create effective ways of communicating their ideas. The pupils use simple programs that enable them to give instructions to make things happen, and to model events in real and imaginary situations. For example, they create imaginary islands that feature hills, forests, rivers and buildings such as churches, factories and houses. They use programs to design model towns and use the results to discuss questions such as ‘what can be changed?’ and ‘what happens if ...?

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

82. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. In one in four lessons, the teaching is good. Two well-trained learning support assistants do some of the most effective teaching. They usually take small groups of pupils in the computer suite. They are good at implementing the teachers’ plans and in making links with other subjects. For example, they provide good support to pupils who have special educational needs because they combine learning in information and communication with subjects such as English and mathematics. The specialist music teacher makes effective use of computer programs to teach music composition. Most teachers have sufficient subject knowledge to enable them to use classroom computers to support learning in other subjects. In art, for example, the teachers make effective use of graphics and paint programs to teach pattern making and picture composition. There are no significant weaknesses in the teaching except in the considerable variations in the success the

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

teachers have in managing the pupils’ access to classroom-based computers. Whilst some teachers make sure that the computer is almost always available, and in use, others do not. All teachers use computers to support, to some extent, work in English in such activities as reading and writing but few Eldon Infant School - 36 use it well. The teaching does not fully exploit the potential computers have to provide opportunities for the higher attaining pupils so that they can develop as independent learners or to support pupils who are at the early stages of becoming bilingual.

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MUSIC

83. The pupils make good progress and attain higher standards than those expected nationally of pupils aged seven. Standards are high, and are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection, because the part-time music co-ordinator, who knows her subject well and provides interesting and challenging learning activities, does most of the teaching. As a result of the very good teaching, the pupils make good progress. 84. By the end of the key stage, the pupils have learned that instruments have different timbres. They demonstrate this when they discuss the differences between the tambourine and the tambour, and the sounds made by xylophones and glockenspiels. The pupils successfully sustain simple rhythms. They identify and respond to changes in pitch and accurately control their voices. They know and sing a range of songs from memory. The pupils enjoy singing and do it well. They enthusiastically

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MUSIC

accompany their singing with a range of hand and arm actions. The pupils are aware of the difference between loud and soft sounds. They develop good listening skills because they are encouraged to listen to a wide range of music both in lessons and during assemblies. The pupils with special educational needs, and those who are learning to speak English as an additional language, enjoy music and achieve well. 85. Nearly all of the lessons are taught by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable co-ordinator who effectively stimulates each class with lively and varied activities. The pupils’ respond very well to the teaching. They are eager to become involved in the songs and tasks prepared for them. They listen well and remain focussed and attentive throughout the sessions, even when they are longer than is usual for pupils at Key Stage 1. The teacher makes very good use of prompt cards to focus the pupils’ attention on the learning objectives. She makes very effective use of questions and pupils’

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MUSIC

demonstrations in order to assess what the pupils have remembered from previous sessions and to move them forward successfully to complete new and more challenging tasks. A particular strength of the teaching is the awareness and sensitivity shown to pupils with very different levels of language, learning and ability. The teaching meets the pupils’ different needs very well and encourages and values the children’s contributions. In doing so, it successfully raises the pupils’ confidence and self- esteem, and the standards they attain. 86. The curriculum is well planned to provide the pupils with good opportunities to learn by listening, appraising, performing, and composing music. From time to time the pupils have opportunities to learn more about musical instruments when they attend live performances from visiting musicians such as the brass workshop. The pupils’ learning in music makes a significant contribution to their spiritual,

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

87. By the end of the key stage, the pupils attain standards in dance, gymnastics and games that are expected of seven-year-olds. The standards are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

88. The pupils quickly master simple games skills such as throwing and catching balls, changing pace and direction when running, hopping and skipping, and using different parts of the body when exploring ways to move about the playing area. The pupils show an appropriate awareness of space when they practise fielding skills. In a Year 2 lesson, for example, the pupils passed beanbags accurately to each other and quickly learned to distinguish the role of ‘fielder’ from ‘possessor’ in Eldon Infant School - 37 invasion-type games that involve the use of attack and defence strategies. Nearly all of the pupils successfully use their arms to increase momentum when running to avoid, or intercept, another player. In gymnastics, the pupils demonstrate an appropriate knowledge of parts of the body and most of them have a good understanding of how warm-up exercises should be used to prepare them for vigorous

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

exercise. Most of the pupils successfully devise short sequences of movements around a given themes. In one lesson, for example, the pupils explored twisting and stretching movements using their arms, legs waist and spine to create simple sequences that showed a clear beginning, middle and end. Some of the higher attaining pupils successfully include contrasts in direction, level and speed in their performances. The pupils show good awareness of safety when they perform their activities and show a satisfactory degree of control when they practise balancing, turning and twisting actions. No dance lessons were observed, but teachers’ planning indicates that the pupils are likely to attain the expected standards by the time they are seven.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

89. The quality of teaching is never less than satisfactory. In two of the five lessons, it was good. One of the strengths of the teaching is the way the teachers demonstrate and explain clearly what it is they want the pupils to learn. They make good use, too, of the pupils’ work to illustrate important teaching points. In a Year 1 lesson on ball skills, for example, the teacher provided opportunities for the pupils to demonstrate what they could do, took some of their ideas and extended them so that the pupils were faced with a new set of challenges. Teaching strategies such as these help the pupils to acquire skills quickly. Another strength of the teaching is the skill with which the teachers assess the pupils’ progress and adapt their teaching to the needs of different groups of pupils. In a Year 2 lesson on fielding skills, for example, the teacher noticed that some pupils were not successful in identifying

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

and moving towards the nearest fielding post. She introduced the new command ‘freeze’ in order to give those pupils an opportunity to think before they moved again. This gave new confidence to the lower attaining pupils and helped many of them to improve their performance. The teaching provides many opportunities for the pupils to evaluate their own work so that they become more confident in expressing how they could improve. Another consistently good feature of the teaching is the skill with which the teachers organise and manage the pupils. Standards of discipline are very good. As a consequence, the pupils work at a good pace and listen attentively to instructions. A few of the teachers show considerable skill in adapting their teaching to meet the needs of the pupils who are not fluent speakers of English. In a Year 1 lesson, for example, the teacher used a good combination of simple instructions and arm movements to provide the pupils with a clear picture of what they had to

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

do. In another lesson, the teacher got the learning support assistant to hold up large cards displaying shapes such as circle, square and triangle to help the pupils understand clearly what shapes they were to form with their bodies. Although there are no significant weaknesses in the teaching, there are occasions when the work is not demanding enough or the pace not sufficiently vigorous. In these lessons, the pupils do not make as much progress as they could and do not fully receive the health benefits of really vigorous exercise.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

90. The pupils make good progress, especially in Year 1. By the time the pupils leave the school their attainment is in line with the expectations of the locally Agreed Syllabus. Similar judgements were made during the last inspection. 91. Throughout the key stage, the pupils have a good appreciation of the importance of faith and ritual in some of the major faiths, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism. The pupils are beginning to make comparisons among the different faiths and relate them to their own lives. The teachers encourage the pupils to discuss moral and social issues in the context of their own experience. The Year 1 pupils, for example, discuss why Krishna is important to Hindus, and then consider who is important to them? They are able to locate India on a map and understand that while a religion may have begun in a particular region of the world, it can be followed anywhere. They

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Eldon Infant School - 38 successfully recall the stories of Muhammad from earlier lessons. In another class, the pupils knew how Krishna is traditionally depicted. They recalled that he wears jewellery, has a halo, dark blue skin and that he wears a feather in his hair. All of the pupils talk about a range of festivals linked to Christianity and other religions, such as Easter, Christmas, Hanukkah, Holi, Divali and Ramadan. They explain how symbols are used in religious practice and why different religious artefacts are used in worship such as the Muslim prayer mat, the Christian christingle and the Judaic menorah.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

92. The quality of teaching ranges from satisfactory to very good. The teachers have a sound knowledge and understanding of the scheme of work for religious education. They make good use of questions to extend and assess the pupils’ understanding of stories and of the moral and social issues treated in them. The skilful questioning has a significant impact on learning because it provides many opportunities for the pupils to contribute to lessons and to express in their own words what they understand. In this way, the pupils who are learning English as an additional language are helped to acquire an appropriate vocabulary linked to the topics they study. In one very effective lesson, where the teacher had very good subject knowledge, the pupils were awe-struck when presented with an opportunity to see and handle a feather like the one in Krishna’s hair. They enjoyed listening to tales about how some children in India attempt to make themselves cleverer by putting feathers like

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

Krishna’s into their schoolbooks. The teaching makes good use of stories to promote learning. In the most effective lessons, the teaching sustains the pupils’ interest by giving them good levels of support when they come to record what they have learned. As a result, the pupils work hard and at a good pace. The learning is made more effective because the teachers ensure an effective balance between direct teaching and opportunities for the pupils to express their thoughts and opinions. Occasionally, where the teaching is less successful, the pupils spend too much time listening to the teacher and begin to lose interest before they settle to their individual learning activities.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

93. The school policy and schemes of work are based upon the Locally Agreed Syllabus that enables the required areas of study to be covered throughout the key stage. In Year 2, however, the school allocates too little time to the subject to ensure that all of the topics are explored in sufficient depth. The school does not make use of information technology to support the pupils’ learning. It misses opportunities to celebrate the rich diversity of faiths among its pupils because it has few links to local places of worship and does not have a sufficiently useful programme of visits by local religious leaders.

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