Pennington Infant School CLOSED

PENNINGTON INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20th – 21st November 2000

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PENNINGTON INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Priestlands Road Pennington Lymington Hampshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body, Pennington Infant School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE 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. Pennington Infant School - 3

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Team members

June Punnett 17826 Registered inspector Sue Thomas 19650 Lay inspector Bob Lever 16492 Team inspector

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Team members

Phoenix Educational Consultants "Thule" 60 Joy Lane Whitstable Kent CT5 4LT

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Pennington Infant School - 4

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 5

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pennington Infant is a school for boys and girls aged between four and seven. The school has 36 children in the Foundation Stage. Pupils come from a variety of social backgrounds, and before entering the school, most attend one of two available playgroups. Mobility is an important factor in this school as figures show a turnover of approximately ten per cent each year. There are currently 139 pupils on roll who are organised into six single-aged classes. All children start school on a full or part-time basis in the September of the year in which they are five. There are 64 boys and 75 girls at the school. The school is smaller in size than most schools of the same type and the percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals (22 per cent) is higher than the national average. The percentage of pupils identified as having special educational needs, including those with statements of special educational need, is above the national average. The percentage of pupils with special

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

educational needs has increased from 13 to 35 per cent since the last inspection. There are no pupils with English as an additional language. On entry to the school, pupils’ attainment is below average.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective infant school whose work is soundly underpinned by its caring, family ethos. The pupils achieve very good standards in relation to their previous attainment. The school has identified the improvement of pupils’ writing as an area for further development. The leadership and management of the school are excellent and there is a very good sense of teamwork amongst the staff. The quality of teaching is good overall with some examples of very good and excellent teaching. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good. This school is well placed to build further upon its successes. The school continues to give good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average. • Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average. • The leadership and management of the school are excellent and promote the good standards that pupils reach. • Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attitudes to school are very good and greatly enhance their learning. • The good quality of the teaching is the basis of the good progress made by the pupils.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ attainment in writing and the application of their handwriting skills. • Rates of attendance. • The range of extra-curricular activities. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since it was last inspected in July 1996, the school has made good improvements. Following that inspection, the school produced a comprehensive action plan to address the key issues and this has been well implemented. Standards have risen in reading, writing, mathematics and science, especially during the past two years due to the successful implementation of the National Numeracy and Literacy Strategies. Pupils in the 2000 cohort, where results were not as good as previously, attained good standards for their abilities. The headteacher was found to be offering ‘good’ leadership in 1996 and the governing body, although monitoring effectively, had no formal committee structure in place. This inspection finds excellent leadership by the head and deputy, and a well- organised and efficient governing body. Attendance is lower than it was in 1996 as a good proportion of pupils take holidays during term time. There has been a good improvement in the quality of teaching since the school’s

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

last inspection. At the time of that inspection, 93 per cent of lessons were satisfactory or better and 16 per cent unsatisfactory. In this inspection, 100 per cent of lessons were good or better and no unsatisfactory teaching was observed. This improvement is directly attributable to the careful monitoring of teaching by the headteacher and the willingness of staff to build on their good practices and to learn from each other. The school has a good capacity to continue to improve. Pennington Infant School - 6

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Most of the five year olds in the Foundation Stage achieve what is normally expected for their age in language and literacy and numeracy. They reach good standards in their knowledge and understanding of the world, physical development, personal and social education and creative development. At seven years of age, standards in the 2000 tests were well below average in reading, writing and mathematics when compared with similar schools. In science, standards were broadly average. Almost half of this particular group had special educational needs and 19 per cent of the more able pupils in this year group left before the tests took place. The 1998 and 1999 results were much improved on the 1997 results and this inspection finds that the current Year 2 standards in reading, mathematics and science are above average. Standards in writing are average. More able pupils’ attainment exceeds that expected for the age group. These findings are similar to

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Key

those of the previous two years where pupils’ achievements exceeded those found nationally. Other curricular strengths are information and communication technology, art and music. The work pupils were doing during the inspection confirmed these standards. In reading and writing and mathematics, the trends over time show the school to be consistently improving so those standards are above or well above average. The school has set appropriate targets, which are challenging, yet realistic, for further improvement. Good standards of work were seen during the inspection. More able pupils reached good standards in listening, writing, reading, mathematics, science, information and communication technology, art and music. Speaking skills were average. Pupils with special educational needs attained standards in these subjects that reflected targets in their individual education plans. Pupils are also making good progress in learning design and technology,

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Key

history, geography, physical education and religious education.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils are keen to come to school and are enthusiastic about learning. They concentrate well and treat resources carefully.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good, both in and out of lessons. No evidence of bullying or oppressive behaviour. Pupils are friendly and courteous to visitors.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Excellent. Pupils have a very good understanding of how to care and show consideration for each other. Pupils work very well together. They form very good relationships with one another and with their teachers and other adults.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Unsatisfactory. Some incidence of holidays being taken during the school term.

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Aspect Comment

The enthusiasm of pupils and their very good attitudes to work contribute greatly to the very good ethos at the school. Pupils’ very good behaviour shows their good understanding of the school’s code of conduct.

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

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

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

One hundred per cent of teaching and learning observed during the inspection was good or better. The teaching of English and mathematics, including literacy and numeracy, is good. All teachers have a good understanding of the teaching of basic skills and confidence in the subjects they teach. The needs of all pupils are well met. The quality of teaching and learning for pupils with special educational needs is very good and enables them to make good or better progress in their learning. Assessment information is very well used by all teachers to plan pupils’ work and, in all lessons, teachers make it very clear what they expect pupils to learn. The use of assessment to support learning is a strength of the teaching. Some examples of very good or excellent teaching were seen in the Foundation Stage where pupils’ learning was good, resulting from the good or better quality of teaching. Throughout the school, pupils of all ages make satisfactory or better progress in their learning. They concentrate

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

well in lessons and show a very good understanding of teachers’ expectations of their work and behaviour.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Curricular provision is good and is well planned to achieve progression in the pupils’ learning from year to year. The curriculum meets all statutory requirements. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been well implemented. The curriculum for the Foundation Stage takes account of the Early Learning Goals for children of this age.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Pupils of all abilities are well supported and given appropriate work to help them make progress. Pupils with special educational needs are integrated very well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. There are close links with the parish church and good opportunities for spiritual, moral and social development through literature and assemblies. The opportunities for pupils’ personal development and initiative are very good.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Excellent. The school has excellent procedures in place to assess pupils’ progress in English, mathematics, science and other subjects. It has very good procedures in place for promoting good behaviour. Pennington Infant School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Excellent. The headteacher and her deputy give clear educational direction to the school and set appropriate standards for staff and pupils to achieve. The headteacher is very effective in managing the staff and curriculum well. The school’s ethos is very strong and its aims are very well promoted through its work. All teachers are curriculum managers in this small school and make a significant contribution to the school’s success.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Very good. The governing body has a good grasp of its responsibilities. Finances are managed efficiently and the school makes sure that services are bought at the right price. Governors give very good support to the headteacher and her staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Excellent. The monitoring of the school’s performance is very well planned and appropriately involves all staff. Realistic and challenging targets have been set for improvement. The rigorous monitoring of teaching and learning by the headteacher is very good and has a positive impact on raising standards across the school.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Very good use is made of all staff, time, curricular resources and the buildings. Staff are effectively deployed. The library is well resourced. Resources for information and communication technology are used well.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like coming and it is a very friendly school. • The school has high expectations. • The approachability of the staff and their care for the children. • The way the school is led and managed. • Links with parents are good. • A few parents commented that the hall could be bigger.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Inspectors confirm the positive views that the parents express. In relation to similarly sized schools, the hall is a good size and enables pupils to have physical education lessons safely. Pennington Infant School - 9

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

1. The 1999 national test results at the end of Key Stage 1 show that standards in reading were above average and in mathematics were well above those expected in all schools and when compared with similar schools. The National Literacy Strategy is supporting well the continued improvements in pupils’ literacy skills. Standards in mathematics have improved since the 1998 tests, when they were broadly in line with the national average. The school achieved above average results in reading and science. However, the 2000 results were lower than those of 1999 in reading, writing, mathematics and science. When compared with similar schools, this year’s results were well below average due to 45 per cent of the cohort having special educational needs and 19 per cent of more able pupils in the year group having left the school. With each pupil representing 2.6 per cent of the total these factors had a significant impact on the 2000 results which are not representative of standards at the school.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

This inspection finds the standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science to have improved since the last inspection. The judgements of the inspection confirm these average or above average levels of attainment in Key Stage 1.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

2. In speaking and listening, pupils build on the skills acquired in the Foundation Stage where the development of language has a very high priority. A large proportion of children begin school with poorly developed speaking and listening skills. Teachers carefully give pupils very good opportunities to extend their vocabulary and knowledge of letter sounds. As they move through the school, pupils develop confident speaking and listening skills due to consistently good teaching. Very good listening skills are evident in assemblies and during lessons across the school.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

3. A strong emphasis is placed on developing reading skills and, by the age of seven, pupils confidently use a range of reading strategies and read a variety of good quality stories fluently. In the Foundation Stage, children are surrounded by words, classrooms are lively and displays reflect the emphasis put on developing literacy skills. Books about ‘Teddy Bears’ in the Foundation Stage are supplemented by teddy bear pictures, lots of teddy bears, items beginning with ‘t’ and whole class sessions about the letter ‘t’ resulting in the children making very good progress in their learning of the sounds that letters make. Resources are good in reading, with a good range of materials in all classes. Effective home/school link books support pupils’ learning very well.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

4. The National Numeracy Strategy has been introduced well. The whole-class oral sessions are having a positive impact on the development of pupils’ mental agility and skills. Well-targeted questions ensure that pupils make good progress in their learning. The arrangement of sitting pupils in their numeracy groups for the whole-class sessions is efficient and ensures lessons have a good pace, ‘ I am looking for fast hands’. More able pupils apply their numeracy skills well in design and technology when making ‘emergency vehicles’. Pupils are becoming confident in using a range of strategies to recall doubling and halves of numbers and near doubles, and explain what they are doing. They know that 100 centimetres make a metre and understand nine more/less of any two-digit number. They are developing their strategies to solve differences between four digit numbers. Pupils with special educational needs are well catered for and, with support, make good progress in their learning.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

Information and communication technology is used well to support learning in mathematics.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

5. In science, the youngest pupils understand that they wash hands ‘to get rid of germs’. Older pupils investigate various materials to make and test compression springs. They show good understanding of which objects work without a spring. They use their literacy skills well to describe the Pennington Infant School - 10 principles of compression involving force and energy. Pupils can accurately sort materials into natural and man-made and suggest reasons why they belong to particular groups. They understand about fair tests when investigating cars and ramps as part of a forces and motion experiment. Pupils accurately record how to plan an investigation. Information and communication technology is used well to support learning in science.

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Attainment in reading, mathematics and science is above average

6. Since the last inspection, standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science have improved overall. At the last inspection, attainment was good with pupils reaching at least the national average in these subjects. During recent years, pupils’ attainment has exceeded the national averages in reading, writing and mathematics. Standards in reading, writing and mathematics are rising due to the successful implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The exception was the results of the group of pupils who took the 2000 national tests who, for reasons already explained, did not attain high standards in relation to national averages.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

7. The last inspection judged standards in information and communication technology to be below expectations, although some work was in line with expectations. At that time, information and communication technology was used as a ‘finishing off’ activity, which resulted in many pupils becoming frustrated with the software. Occasionally, information and communication technology was used to isolate pupils with behavioural problems. This is no longer the case and attainment has improved considerably since the last inspection.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

8. In Year 2, pupils use information and communication technology confidently to organise, reorganise and edit text to ensure that their writing is clear, well presented and free of errors. They type in text, use the spacebar to create spaces and the caps lock to create capitals. Their knowledge of how to load a file and save changes to a file is less well developed. They quickly locate appropriate icons on the computer screen to enhance sound and vision when listening to a story about ‘A Headache’. They use ‘colour magic’ programs to draw pictures in a frame box. Younger pupils produce a class newspaper to support learning in a history based literacy hour. Lap top computers are well used during the literacy hour when small groups of pupils learn rhyming words and share stories. In Year 2, pupils draft their stories directly onto the screen, successfully use digital cameras and understand how to program a computer controlled device. Pupils’ use of data handling programs is

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

particularly well developed: they compile accurate tally charts to collect data about, for example, the colour of people’s eyes, and produce good graphs to illustrate their findings. They have a good understanding of how audio tape recorders are operated. Pupils of all abilities have regular, planned opportunities to use the computers and they are well used to support learning in other subjects. However, some opportunities are missed to help pupils improve their writing skills using the computers.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

9. The last inspection judged standards in art as ‘sound’. At that time, the subject had been the focus of the school development plan and all staff had been involved in some in-service training on printing techniques. Art materials were requiring some additions.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

10. This inspection judges standards in art to be above average. There is strong evidence from the very good quality displays around the school and from the school’s own web-site. In the Foundation Stage, the youngest children explore texture, shape and form when looking at ‘Lucy’s Picture’. They use straws, wool and card to create a large collage of ‘Goldilocks’ and paint pictures of ‘Patrick’ linked to a science topic about ‘hearing’. In Year 1, pupils entered a competition to make a ‘screen saver’ using their computer skills and won an art book and a voucher for £100. They enjoy using computer programs such as ‘art attack’ and ‘colour magic’. Pupils create abstract three-dimensional weaving pictures and make moving pictures using split pins. They demonstrate a good range of Pennington Infant School - 11 painting techniques using fingers and brushes. When making robot heads, they show creativity and

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

dexterity at levels beyond those expected for their ages. Pupils are knowledgeable about Picasso and Van Gogh. They have drawn pastel ‘faces like Picasso’ and used scraps to make Picasso style pictures. When making coil pots, pupils of all abilities show skill at making ‘even’ coils; they evaluate their own products and suggest improvements such as ‘smoothing the outside more’. Resources are good and the use of information and communication technology enhances the art curriculum.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

11. Music was judged as ‘sound overall with some high attainment in singing’ at the time of the previous inspection. The strength in singing has been maintained and other aspects of the music curriculum have improved so that pupils’ attainment overall is above average.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

12. The youngest children in the Foundation Stage recognise and explore sounds, they experiment with musical instruments to create their own sounds. They record their name on a tape recorder and play their chosen instrument. Children express and communicate ideas through play-dough by modelling ‘noisy’ objects. They are familiar with the ‘step glockenspiel’ and create a sound collage. Children sing ‘Rain, rain go away’ and ‘I hear thunder’ tunefully and with great enthusiasm. Older pupils take part in the local recorder festival and lessons show very good extension activities for the more able recorder players. A good proportion of the school’s pupils successfully identify music in assembly as being composed by Beethoven. They tunefully sing a hymn requested by a pupil, and seven pupils accompany their singing with percussion instruments. When practising for the school’s Christmas concert, pupils show confident bell-ringing skills, and learn the words of songs very quickly.

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Attainment in information and communication technology, art and music is above average

Pupils explain ‘crescendo’ and ‘diminuendo’ correctly and make sensible suggestions about the suitability of instruments to demonstrate different kinds of wind force. They successfully name instruments such as cabasas, shaky eggs, cymbals and sand blocks and are familiar with using rain sticks and drums. The school has contributed to the County’s in-service training video for music and produced a unit entitled ‘Rain’. Pupils of all abilities have very good opportunities to make progress in their learning. A guitar club enhances provision. Resources for the subject are good. Music contributes significantly to the school’s ethos and to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attitudes to school are very good

13. Pupils’ personal development is very good. There are good opportunities for pupils to take responsibility in the school community such as helping at the end of assemblies and taking the registers to and from the office. Pupils’ personal development is fostered positively by the varied activities provided by the school. All classes take part in interesting off-site visits such as to the New Forest and the local village, and visitors regularly attend the school. Recent visitors have included the ‘Owl Man’ with his entourage of owls. Pupils behave exceptionally well in class, during lunchtimes and as they move around the school. The school has an effective code of behaviour, but good discipline is maintained without over reliance on the policy. The staff know all pupils very well and teachers and support staff promote positive attitudes by the caring and sensitive way in which they deal with pupils.

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Pupils’ personal development, behaviour and attitudes to school are very good

All the adults in the school are very good role models for the pupils, and the very good relationships are strengthened by the consistent way in which pupils across the school are treated. In lessons, they are interested in all aspects of learning, contribute sensibly to class discussions and concentrate well. Pupils share their ideas willingly, and show respect for the views and ideas of others. Pupils’ personal development and positive attitudes were judged as strengths in the previous inspection report although negative attitudes were evident in a small minority of lessons. No negative attitudes were observed this time and this is an improvement from the last inspection.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

Pennington Infant School - 12 14. The aims of the school are reflected in its every day life and they make a strong contribution to the good progress made by pupils. The school has a very clear educational direction and the whole school community understands this. The headteacher receives very good support from the deputy head, staff and governors and this strongly contributes to the school’s success. The headteacher has high expectations of staff and pupils and these are well met. The strength of the school’s leadership has improved since the last inspection when it was judged as ‘good’. There are very good links with pre-schools, and the on-site junior and secondary schools. Pre-school staff are welcomed to in-service training sessions and work with the on-site junior school has resulted in joint policy making. There is an excellent pupil-tracking sheet devised by both headteachers, and there are plans to develop the site into

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

an 'open campus' as part of the ‘Priestland’s Heritage Project’. Pupils from the campus secondary school undertake work experience at the school, and infants use the on-site facilities for swimming during the summer term.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

15. The staff are hardworking and committed to the school. Staff are very well managed by the headteacher and her deputy, and close teamwork contributes to a harmonious atmosphere and reflects the school’s commitment to high standards of behaviour, attitudes, and work. Teachers with curricular responsibilities monitor their areas through regular scrutiny of teachers’ plans and pupils’ work and through the monitoring of lessons when required. Subject action plans are comprehensive and well linked to curricular needs within the school. Staff development is well supported through the school’s own appraisal policy, supplemented by a new performance management policy. Many teachers’ assistants acquire further professional qualifications with help from the school. Both the headteacher and her deputy have undertaken industrial placements. The headteacher and deputy monitors and analyses the national test results and these inform the focus for the school development plan. The

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

headteacher monitors the effectiveness of teaching and learning on a regular basis and formal written records reflect her work. Targets are set for individual pupils and these help to drive standards forward.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

16. The governing body is effective and fulfils its statutory responsibilities. Governors are involved in the work and life of the school and this contributes significantly to the school’s very good ethos and success. The relationship between the governing body and the school is very good. The budget is well managed and planned to support the priorities in the school development plan. Funds allocated for staff training and for pupils with special educational needs are well spent. The recommendations of the most recent audit report (1998) have been fully implemented. The school office is welcoming and provides a good first reference point for the school. The accommodation is bright and spacious. A small minority of parents commented that the hall was too small. The school has not developed a pond and environmental area, as was indicated in the last inspection. However, as part of the ‘Priestland’s

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

Heritage Project’ involving the on-site junior and secondary schools, ‘lake safety’ training for staff is planned before pupils can access the resource. Resources for learning are good.

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The leadership and management of the school are excellent

17. Communication with parents is very good. The headteacher interviews all new parents and offers a home visit. Parents give very good support to all school events and parent governors view their role as being the ‘voice of the parents’. Parents give the school good support in fund raising and for helping out in emergencies such as when support staff are absent. They also give their time to work in classrooms and teachers manage this very well. The school values parents’ contributions of time and effort. All parents, of the 29 per cent who returned the parents’ questionnaire, support the school’s approach to homework. Those parents at the parents’ meeting felt that there was the right amount of homework and that homework was an improved area of the school’s work. The school’s web site was thought to be informative: it enabled parents to be kept up-to-date and made a new pupil feel part of the school. The parents have very positive views about the school.

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The good quality of the teaching

Pennington Infant School - 13 18. Throughout the school, the quality of teaching and its impact on pupils’ learning are good. Focused teaching is promoting high standards and good achievement. There is a strong team spirit as teachers plan and work together in year teams to ensure continuity of teaching and learning. In the classroom, all teachers establish clear guidelines for the quality of work and behaviour. They create a purposeful working atmosphere but also make learning an enjoyable experience for their pupils.

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The good quality of the teaching

19. Strengths of the teaching across the school were illustrated in a literacy lesson in the Foundation Stage. The teacher’s lively and enthusiastic introduction quickly secured and sustained the pupils’ interest and attention. Skilful questioning, strong links to children’s creative development and mathematics and the very good range of ‘real’ artefacts such as teddy bears, tigers and torches, resulted in pupils being keen and well motivated. The teacher’s focused questioning about ‘books’ enabled the children to make significant gains in their learning. They identified the author and illustrator, and related their learning to other books studied previously. By the end of the lesson, the children had made significant gains in their learning and in their understanding of the sound that the letter ‘t’ makes. They were also more confident when ‘reading’ the book with the teacher. The very good relationships within the class enabled the teacher to set and achieve very good standards of work

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The good quality of the teaching

and behaviour. The teacher’s very good subject knowledge contributed positively to the good progress that children make in literacy.

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The good quality of the teaching

20. There are important strengths in the basic teaching in English and mathematics. All teachers are skilled at introducing new phonic sounds and blends. Teachers emphasise the correct language during other lessons too. In a science lesson, the teacher frequently used the terms ‘ compression’ and ‘force’ to check pupils’ understanding about a ‘springs’. This emphasis on language gives pupils confidence in talking about their work. Teachers have high expectations about the quality of work that pupils will complete and pupils consistently rise to this challenge. This is apparent in the quality of the design plans for ‘emergency vehicles’, and the coil pots in Year 2 classes. A good feature is the way teachers are ensuring that pupils develop their information and communication technology skills in literacy, numeracy and art lessons.

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The good quality of the teaching

21. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils are given work to match their specific needs, particularly in English where many attend small group reading activities. The learning support assistants play a significant role in ensuring that pupils focus on tasks, and make good progress in their learning. Teachers identify those pupils in their classes with particular talents and tailor their work accordingly. A more able pupil has an individual education plan to ensure progress. Pennington Infant School - 14

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

Pupils’ attainment in writing and the application of their handwriting skills.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

22. Writing skills are taught well: teachers emphasise the correct pencil grip to the youngest children resulting in the development of a ‘good hand’. The youngest children are encouraged to develop their own style of writing and by the time they reach Year 2, a good number have a clear, cursive handwriting style. Pupils acquire handwriting skills in specific handwriting lessons but they lack confidence to apply those skills in other areas of their work. The content of pupils’ creative writing varies. The more able pupils achieve well. They write descriptions of, for example, ‘meeting my uncle at Gatwick airport’ and ‘how to make orange juice’. Less able pupils in the year group are still copy writing and experiencing difficulties in forming all letters correctly. Not all pupils have sufficient opportunities to practise their writing skills on the computer. The majority of pupils are capable of achieving higher standards and it is appropriate that the school has already identified improvements in

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

writing as a key area in the school development plan.

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Attendance rates

23. Attendance is broadly average but the rate of unauthorised absence is above the national average. The school has satisfactory procedures in place to ensure good attendance and involves the educational welfare officer when appropriate. Some pupils take holidays during the term time, and therefore, miss valuable learning experiences. The marking of registers is variable. Registers do not contain hints about monitoring absence or give guidance on the notes to be written in when pupils are absent. The school’s monitoring of attendance is insufficiently rigorous to ensure that pupils attend school for the whole academic period.

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The range of extracurricular activities

24. The headteacher has just started a guitar club for interested pupils. Previously, there was a French club but this is now discontinued. When compared with similar sized schools, there is a limited range of extra-curricular activities. Pennington Infant School - 15

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

25. The school has identified writing as an area for improvement in its own planning and, in order to maintain and build on the standards achieved, the headteacher and governors should:

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(1) Raise pupils’ attainment in writing by:

• raising teachers’ expectations of what pupils can achieve when writing; • affording more opportunities for pupils to develop their own personal writing; • developing the use of information and communication technology to improve pupils’ confidence when writing stories. (paragraphs 8, 22)

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(2) Improve attendance rates by:

• monitoring more closely those pupils known to have unsatisfactory attendance records. (paragraph 23)

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(3) Extend the range of extracurricular activities by:

• considering ways of enhancing the curriculum. (paragraph 24) Pennington Infant School - 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 139

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 31

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 1

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 49

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 14

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Pennington Infant School - 17

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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 22 16 38

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 24 18 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 26 10 13

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 84(89) 74(91) 92 (88) at NC level 2 or above National 84[82] 85[83] 90 [87]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 20 21 22 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 11 11 14

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 82( 89 ) 84[88] 95[95] at NC level 2 or above National 84 [82] 88[86] 88[87]

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Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Any other minority ethnic group 0 Other minority ethnic groups

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

This table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. This table gives the number of exclusions of pupils of compulsory school age, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Pennington Infant School - 18

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 6.8 Financial year 1999/00

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24:1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total expenditure 297685

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Expenditure per pupil 2173

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 149 Balance brought forward from previous year 17801

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 16956 Pennington Infant School - 19

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 51 44 0 5 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 45 0 3 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 53 48 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 37 49 0 12 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 73 23 0 5 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 38 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 60 28 0 10 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 76 22 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 49 49 0 3 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 41 41 0 11 7

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Percentage of responses in each category

Figures may not necessarily total 100 due to rounding up by the computer.

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