Acre Rigg Infant School

ACRE RIGG INFANT SCHOOL

Short inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.

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ACRE RIGG 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. Acre Rigg Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Acre Rigg Road Peterlee Co. Durham

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body at the above address

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Ralph Liddle

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 15 September 1997 Acre Rigg Infant School - 4

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Team members

6282 P Raja Registered inspector 11358 V Lamb Lay inspector 19919 J Killeen Team inspector

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Team members

The Kingston Centre Fairway Stafford ST16 3TW

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Acre Rigg 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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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED 18

The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the subjects they lead and contributing systematically to the overall school development.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Acre Rigg Infant School is an average sized primary school. It is situated in Peterlee, a designated ‘New Town’ which is a few miles from the East Durham coastline. There are 185 pupils on roll and a further 88 children attend the nursery part-time. Most of the pupils live in nearby council housing where a number of residents have opted to buy their houses. An above average percentage of pupils are entitled to free school meals. Nearly all the children have attended nursery or had some pre-school experience. Approximately 23% of pupils have special educational needs, which is similar to the national average. Pupils with special educational needs generally have moderate learning or behavioural difficulties, eight of whom have a statement of need. Two pupils have recently joined the school, one is Chinese and the other from a South African background. All the other pupils in the school are from white UK backgrounds. Attainment on entry to the nursery is

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

below nationally expected levels, especially in language and social development.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

It is a good school with many strengths. It makes good provision for all pupils including those with special educational needs. Pupils achieve well. By the time they leave school, standards of pupils’ work are higher than in most schools. Good teaching throughout the school enables pupils of all levels and abilities and backgrounds to make good progress in their learning. Hence, by the age of seven pupils attain above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and information and communication technology (ICT). Pupils have very good attitudes to the school and to their work. Provision for their overall personal development is very good. The headteacher and staff have high expectations and consistently show a high level of care and concern for the pupils. The headteacher provides very good leadership and a very clear direction for the school. The school has effective policies and practices. It includes all pupils in everything it does and has a purposeful and caring

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

environment. This helps pupils to take full advantage of the educational opportunities provided. The cost of educating pupils is above average. It manages its resources very efficiently and gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year 2 is above average. Standards in writing are particularly impressive. • The teaching and learning are good. • The management and leadership of the school are good. • Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships with each other and with their teachers are very good.

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What could be improved

• The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the subjects they lead, and in contributing systematically to the school’s overall development. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Acre Rigg Infant School - 7

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in 1997. Since then improvement has been very good. Standards have improved significantly in English and mathematics and ICT. The quality of teaching is much better than at the time of the last inspection with a much higher incidence of good and very good teaching. There has been a major improvement in the resources particularly for ICT. The school has removed the afternoon playtime, which has added more time for teaching and learning in the classrooms. Teacher assessments of what pupils have learned have improved. Work is now well matched to pupils’ needs in lessons. The school has introduced a good system of teachers evaluating their short term planning each week to check how well pupils have learnt. Teachers assess and record pupils’ attainment, which satisfactorily builds a picture of what each pupil has experienced and attained in all the subjects of the National Curriculum. The school has taken good

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

advantage of the support provided through national initiatives in addressing its rate of attendance, which is now in line with the national average. The school has a good capacity to sustain well above average standards of work in English and mathematics and improve standards in science and other subjects.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

1999 2000 2001 2001 reading B A A A* writing A B A A*

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Key

mathematics B A A A* very high well above average above average average below average well below average A* A B C D E

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Key

Pupils’ results in the National Curriculum tests for seven-year-olds are very high, and there has been an upward trend since 1999. The table shows that in 2001, Year 2 pupils’ standards of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average when compared to all schools and in the highest 5% nationally when compared to similar schools. The inspection of lessons and pupils’ work and discussions with pupils, show that pupils by the end of Year 2 are on track to achieve above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and ICT and average standards in science. The present Year 2 cohort has a much higher than usual percentage of pupils with special educational needs. The standards currently being attained in these subjects in Year 1 are high. Pupils are provided with challenging tasks. Additional support is very well targeted to support development of literacy and numeracy skills.

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Key

The attainment of children when they start in the nursery is below average with some children having well below average language and social skills. Most children make good progress in the Foundation Acre Rigg Infant School - 8 Stage, and assessments carried out at the end of the Reception Year show that by the time they are ready to start Year 1, children’s attainment is in line with the recommended Early Learning Goals. This is confirmed by the work seen in lessons and in books.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils show high level of interest and enthusiasm in their work and enjoy coming to school. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Pupils behave very well, both within the classroom and around the school. They are polite and friendly towards each other and to visitors. Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils make very good relationships with each other and with adults. Pupils work co-operatively and collaborate well in activities, which helps them to make good progress. Attendance It is now in line with the national average. The school checks patterns of absence carefully and follows up causes for concern.

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Aspect Comment

This area is a strength of the school. Pupils respond very well to the high standards of behaviour and self-discipline expected of them. They work hard and take pride in meeting the challenges set for them.

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Teaching of pupils: Nursery and Reception Years 1 - 2

Lessons seen overall 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: Nursery and Reception Years 1 - 2

The good quality of teaching contributes effectively to pupils’ learning overall. Teachers know their pupils well and ensure that individual needs of all the pupils, including those with special educational needs are met well. Teachers in all the classes set high expectations and plan a range of activities, which present sufficient challenge but are achievable. However, they provide fewer opportunities for practical and experimental work. Teachers make very effective use of homework in English and mathematics; it is set for pupils individually to provide opportunities for consolidating learning at school. Basic literacy and numeracy skills are taught very well. Focus on grammar, spellings and vocabulary work from an early stage and rigorous practice, provide a secure foundation on which pupils build their skills in reading, writing and number work. Opportunities are used well to promote skills in number calculations. Teachers make good use of questioning techniques to check and to

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Teaching of pupils: Nursery and Reception Years 1 - 2

extend pupils’ learning. Class routines, rules and responsibilities effectively promote independence and contribute to pupils’ personal development. Teachers present well-thought out supportive resources in activities and in class displays for English and mathematics. They make very good use of the additional support provided by classroom assistants and parent helpers. Throughout the school, teachers use very effective methods and strategies, which result in pupils’ very good standards of behaviour, self-motivation and attitudes to work. The very good provision in ICT enhances skills development well and provides effective links with other subjects. Acre Rigg Infant School - 9

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum A good range of activities is provided throughout the school. The activities are well matched to the wide range of pupils’ abilities in the classes. Development of writing has been a key focus and effective links to ICT and other subjects are consistently emphasised. Provision for pupils with special educational needs The provision is very good. Pupils are screened at an early stage for identification of educational needs. Additional support is very well targeted in lessons to support their learning. Pupils with statements of special educational needs are integrated well into lessons. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. The school makes very good provision for pupils’ social and moral development. Provision for spiritual and cultural development is satisfactory. However, there is insufficient focus on raising awareness and understanding

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Aspect Comment

of the wider cultural diversity in UK. How well the school cares for its pupils The school takes very good care of its pupils. There are very good systems for checking and promoting good behaviour. End of year reports are informative. Pupils are prepared well for move to the junior school and transfer arrangements are good.

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Aspect Comment

The school has a productive partnership with parents. They make good contribution to their children’s learning through homework and some parents work in the classroom. The schools’ very good systems for care effectively underpin very good standards of behaviour fostering a strong sense of belonging to the school community and raising pupils confidence and self esteem.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides very good leadership. She is effective in setting high expectations of staff and pupils. The key staff and subject managers effectively support the work of the school. However, their role in planning school development could be developed further. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities. It is very supportive of the school. The school’s evaluation of its performance Processes for monitoring what pupils learn and how well they achieve are in place. Some monitoring of the quality of teaching takes place. Effective systems help staff to collaborate and share ideas with each other. However, these systems are not used regularly and all subject managers do not have planned opportunities to check the standards pupils achieve in their subjects.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very effective use of its resources and the school accommodation. It applies ‘best value’ principles in spending decisions and in planning development. Acre Rigg Infant School - 10 Leadership and management by the headteacher are a significant strength of the school. The governors, deputy headteacher, other key staff and the subject co-ordinators are highly committed to making good provision for pupils. The support staff are very effectively deployed and make a good contribution to the pupils’ learning, particularly those with special educational needs. The school is well resourced, in particular the provision for ICT is very impressive. However, throughout the school there is a general lack of resources to promote the multicultural dimension in the curriculum.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like going to school and make good progress with their work. • Behaviour is good. • The teaching is good and parents are kept well informed of their children’s progress. • The school has high expectations of children. • Children are given homework regularly. • The school is well led and well managed. • The school helps children to mature and become responsible. • No significant concerns were registered by parents. • Parents hold the school in very high regard and are very confident about all the aspects of the school’s work.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The parents’ meeting was attended by two parents and 22% of parents returned the questionnaire. The findings of the inspection team confirm the positive views expressed by this relatively small sample of parents. Acre Rigg Infant School - 11

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

2 is above average. Standards in writing are particularly impressive.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

1. The results of national tests and assessments at the end of Year 2 are very impressive and have been of a consistently high standard for the past three years. Although there has been minor fluctuation from year to year because of different composition of year groups, pupils’ attainment has been well above the national average and in the highest 5% when compared to similar schools. In the 2001 results, seven-year-old pupils’ standards of attainment in reading, writing and mathematics were well above average. In the assessments conducted by the teachers at this age for science, the proportion reaching the expected level was in line with the national average. In reading, writing, mathematics and science, the proportion reaching the higher Level 3 was very high and within the highest 5% nationally. When the average level reached by the seven-year-olds is compared to that attained by similar schools

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

at this age, pupils’ performance in reading, writing and mathematics is in the highest 5%. The school’s improvements compared with national trends over time have remained consistently high. Inspection evidence shows that by the age of seven most pupils achieve above average standards in reading, writing, mathematics and ICT. The present Year 2 cohort has about 25% of pupils registered as having special educational needs, some of whom have learning difficulties. These pupils are very well supported in their learning and make good progress. The percentage of pupils achieving at the higher than expected Level 3 is not as high as the previous years.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

2. Standards attained by pupils have shown an overall improvement since the previous inspection when attainment was average in all the subjects except in physical education where it was above average. Progress made by children in the Foundation Stage was good and progress made by pupils in the infant classes was satisfactory. Inspection evidence shows that progress made by children in the Foundation Stage continues to be good. Most pupils in the infant classes work at or near their capacity and achieve well in terms of their earlier attainment showing good progress in their learning overall.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

3. Several factors contribute to these levels of success. Pupils’ high standards in English are primarily a result of the very good teaching of basic skills. Reading and writing are a priority throughout the school. The school has successfully implemented the National Literacy Strategy. This has helped to ensure a consistent approach to planning and teaching. The enhanced work in phonics, spelling, vocabulary and grammar is having a positive effect on pupils’ learning. From the time they first start school, children are encouraged to develop an interest in books and are supported in literacy sessions to recognise initial sounds and to follow text in shared reading activities. Reading and writing activities are well supported and children regularly take books home. Reception children continue to make good progress, building on the learning that takes place in the Nursery. The computers in all the classrooms

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

and in the computer suite are used well to support initial mark-making as a basis for writing, in developing early writing skills such as letter formation and word recognition, and in Acre Rigg Infant School - 12 composing stories and recording information in graphs. Pupils learn to use a range of strategies for tackling new words. They have good opportunities to read with reading partners. They read books and their own writing for a range of purposes. Standards in writing have improved. Pupils write for a range of purposes in different forms with growing competence. The higher attainers and average pupils write well and lower attaining pupils develop growing confidence and skill in expressing their ideas in writing. Standards in speaking and listening are average. The school is currently focusing on implementing strategies to raise standards in this aspect of pupils’ language development.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

4. Standards in mathematics are above average. Pupils throughout the school including those with special educational needs make good progress in developing their mathematical skills. Most pupils have a particularly secure grasp of number. They use simple mathematical language confidently when explaining their calculations. Pupils enjoy working out simple word problems and playing number games such as Number Bingo. Pupils’ learning is significantly enhanced by the many good opportunities for them to understand mathematical ideas. The school has successfully implemented the National Numeracy Strategy. This has had a positive effect on developing pupils’ mental agility. Homework is set regularly for individual pupils and marked by classroom assistants and teachers. This contributes very well to the progress pupils make in their mathematical development.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

5. By the end of Year 2 pupils reach above average standards in ICT, building well on the good start that they make in the Nursery and Reception classes. Much of the high achievement stems from the instruction that takes place in the classroom and more recently in the computer suite. Here, pupils, quickly master skills of typing text into computers, producing tables from information they collect, for example on the different properties of materials. Artwork of a good quality is produced, using programs designed for the purpose. Pupils in Year 1 gain optimum value from their learning when, for example, they use programs to develop their numeracy and literacy skills. They accurately instruct a programmable robot to move accurately around a predetermined route. Pupils and staff in the school also make excellent use of digital photography.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

6. Pupils achieve average standards in science. Younger pupils are taught interesting topics such as ‘a seed in need’ and learn about the life cycle of a plant. Year 2 pupils sort natural and manufactured materials. Good use is made of computers to reinforce understanding. However, fewer opportunities are provided for experimental and investigative work. The school recognises this need and has introduced an after school gardening club and other strategies such as each class choosing a theme linked to nature and making close observations of the seasonal changes. For example, Year 1 classes chose bushes in the playground whilst Year 2 classes focused on the cherry tree in the yard. This provides good opportunity for pupils to discuss the changes observed over a period of time. However, pupils do not always have the opportunities to record their observations in different ways.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

7. The school has worked very hard in recent years to raise standards in basic skills. Very good use is made of the national guidance provided in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. Additional support offered by national initiatives through Education Action Zone Acre Rigg Infant School - 13 (EAZ) is used well. Support staff are trained well to ensure that they make effective contributions to pupils’ learning.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

8. The teaching is good overall and leads to the high standards achieved by the pupils reaching age seven. The school has successfully maintained the good quality of teaching since the previous inspection and has built on its strengths. This has resulted in a much higher incidence of very good and good teaching seen during the inspection. In the 19 lessons seen, teaching was very good in six lessons, good in ten lessons and satisfactory in three lessons. Good and very good teaching is evenly spread across the Foundation Stage, Year 1 and Year 2. Additional support provided by the classroom assistants, the input from the EAZ through staff development and consultations and the support of ICT technician, have all had a positive effect on pupils’ learning.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

9. Basic skills in literacy and numeracy are taught thoroughly and systematically, particularly writing. The school gives high priority to pupils’ progress in literacy and numeracy. Teachers have used well the ideas promoted in the training sessions provided by the literacy consultant from EAZ such as ‘making books’ and ‘story planners’ to improve standards of pupils’ writing. Teachers are very confident and effective in teaching literacy and numeracy skills. They provide good opportunities for pupils to apply and improve their basic skills. Spelling and grammar conventions are clearly taught from an early stage and are reinforced well in lessons. Regular homework is set for individual pupils in all the classes to reinforce and extend what is learned in the class. The frequency of pupils’ recorded work in their books at school and their homework books, is very good. This enables pupils to consolidate their learning and regularly use their developing skills in reading, writing and

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

number work. This helps to consistently maintain a brisk pace in learning.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

10. Teachers have good levels of subject knowledge and expertise. This forms a good basis for effective planning of stimulating and demanding activities, which generate enthusiasm and interest. Lessons move at a brisk pace and pupils make good progress. However, teachers do not provide sufficient opportunities for investigative and experimental work. The recent ICT training provided by the school has proved effective in raising both teachers’ ICT skills and their expectation of the standards that pupils can achieve. Teaching of ICT is now good in all the classes.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

11. Teachers have high expectations, and more able pupils are constantly being challenged by work planned, whilst lower ability pupils are given good support to enable them to achieve to the best of their abilities. Teachers know their pupils well and are very aware of their needs. They plan tasks and activities with just the right amount of challenge to extend individual pupils’ learning. Teachers use a good range of topic and subject-related vocabulary. They provide ample opportunities for pupils to understand and subsequently use specific vocabulary in their spoken and written work. For example, in a Year 2 lesson focused on character profiling, pupils suggested more use of ‘adjectives’ and ‘alliteration’. Acre Rigg Infant School - 14 12. Questioning is used very effectively to make pupils think as well as find out what they know and understand. This is particularly so in numeracy lessons when pupils are given good

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

opportunities to describe different ways of arriving at their answers. In literacy lessons pupils are taught directly about how to construct their questions. They are consistently encouraged to ask questions of adults and each other, particularly in the concluding part of the lesson when they share their work with others. Pupils benefit from good organisation of activities and resources in classrooms. For example, in a Year 1 class each group has a red and a green happy and sad face stick to indicate when a pupil has finished their work and when one is stuck. A purposeful, quiet and calm working atmosphere is created in classrooms. This encourages pupils to work hard and persevere with their tasks.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

13. Pupils with special educational needs are well integrated in the classes with the lower attaining pupils. Their individual needs are well catered for and they make good progress.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

14. Teachers manage their pupils well and channel their energies into productive work. This results in good standards of behaviour. They consistently make constructive comments and give on-going feedback to pupils, which improves their work. A few teachers write detailed evaluative remarks in pupils’ books including homework books to help pupils to understand what they have to do next to extend their learning. However, this good practice is not applied consistently throughout the school.

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Pupils make good progress and achieve well. Pupils’ standard of work by the end of Year

15. Teachers work very well together and with support staff, helpers and parents who work in the classrooms. The support adults are kept well informed and subsequently make effective contributions to pupils’ learning. Support staff and parent helpers motivate pupils, particularly the least able and help them to concentrate on the tasks. Teachers commonly give pupils targets to attain over short periods and these are displayed in their books. Pupils are highly motivated to achieve their targets, so that they can move on to attain the next target. For example, the after-school computer club, which makes very good use of the EAZ Digital Excellence Awards Scheme, provides a structure and incentive to the pupils to further develop their skills.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

16. The overall leadership provided by the headteacher is very good and has made a significant contribution to the improvement of the school since the last inspection. The school has responded very effectively to what needed to be done. She is well supported by key staff. The quality of leadership and management provided by the governing body are satisfactory. Overall, the leadership and management are judged to be good. The headteacher, staff and governors have a strong commitment to raising standards of attainment and providing quality education for all the pupils in the school. The good facilities and the high quality resources provided by the school reflect the high expectations of governors, senior management team and staff. Senior staff set a good example in all matters especially in presenting a good role model of professional practice.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

17. The headteacher has successfully maintained the strengths of the school and effectively implemented the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. These have been Acre Rigg Infant School - 15 supplemented well by the additional support and training provided through the EAZ projects introduced in the area. She provides very strong leadership for the work of the school. Her vision of the school as a caring, community committed to offering pupils with high quality learning opportunities has been conveyed to staff, parents and governors. The deputy headteacher works closely and successfully with the headteacher in shaping the direction of the school. Together they have an analytical and constructive approach and show good understanding of where the school is heading and what needs to be done next. This approach has fostered very good relationships throughout the school.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

18. The positive aims of the school in the prospectus are clearly reflected in its work. For example, the school aims to reward pupils for positive behaviour and places self-discipline at the heart of learning. This is well achieved through encouragement and constructive feedback in lessons, adults presenting good role models and ensuring that the individual needs of all the pupils are met effectively.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

19. Parents feel that the school is well managed and led and that the school works closely with them. Many parents regularly work in classrooms to support pupils’ learning. Most pupils are very well supported by their parents in completing their homework, which makes significant contribution to the standards attained by them. Reports to parents are informative with some teachers setting out specific targets for English and mathematics and how parents can help. Parents feel they are kept well informed about their children’s progress.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

20. The governing body is very supportive of the school and ensures that the school meets the statutory requirements. Governors who work at the school and others who sometimes visit it contribute well to keeping the governing body informed about the quality of its work. The named governors for the core subjects have participated in the training programme offered by the local education authority to improve their understanding of the work of the school. The headteacher and senior staff, provide reports regularly to keep the governors informed of school matters. However, governors are aware that they need to be more actively involved in the strategic planning of the school’s development over a longer period. For example, the school allocates a training day to review school development priorities for the previous year and agree on the focus for development in the forthcoming year. Governors are invited to join the staff and participate in this process. This leads to the outline school

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The management and leadership of the school are good

development priorities for one year only .

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The management and leadership of the school are good

21. Governors are well advised by the headteacher and the local authority finance officer about the school’s finances. They have prudently taken decisions that have had a very positive effect on the quality of provision made for pupils. For example, the school spends a high proportion of its budget on support staff, which is more than twice the amount allocated by average primary schools. A supply teacher works regularly for one day a week to provide additional support for pupils with special educational needs, cover for absent staff and for teachers attending courses. This contributes well to the smooth running of the school and ensuring that the quality of support is of the high standard. Additional grants are used effectively. The school has accumulated a substantial reserve fund over the past few years. The school has sensibly decided that this should be spent on maintaining the school building

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The management and leadership of the school are good

in a safe and attractive condition. Some of the reserve fund is reserved to develop better Acre Rigg Infant School - 16 library facility for the pupils. The school is well aware of the principles of best value and applies these rigorously.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

22. The school effectively uses the relatively unusual process of streaming pupils by ability in Years 1 and 2 as a strategy to raise standards and provide more targeted support for the individual pupils. Assessments at the end of Reception Year are used to allocate pupils of higher and lower attainment into separate classes. Pupils with special educational needs in Reception and Year 1 are taught in a special class containing 19 pupils, 18 of whom are on the special educational needs register. Teachers plan together and provide similar activities, which are well differentiated to meet the needs of a wide range of abilities in each year group. Classroom assistants are deployed very effectively; they reinforce learning and help teachers in many other ways.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

23. Overall the school is successful because all teachers and their assistants work well together and work hard to ensure that they meet the needs of their pupils.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

24. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is well managed. The school consistently reviews the provision it makes for pupils with special educational needs, including the talented and gifted pupils to ensure that they are making good progress. Support staff help to meet their needs effectively. All pupils with special educational needs are well integrated in all that the school does.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

25. The school’s procedures for evaluating its performance are in place but are not always applied rigorously. The headteacher monitors teachers’ weekly and medium term planning and the teaching and learning in the core subjects. Monitoring outcomes in the form of a brief report are shared with all the staff and governors. However, this process is not extended systematically to the subject co-ordinators to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects in order to identify strengths and areas for further development. Targets for mathematics and English are set in all the classes for individual pupils, some teachers note the targets in pupils’ homework books. Teachers review pupils’ progress against these targets according to individual preference but as yet the school has not developed a system for the whole school. Test results for reading, writing and mathematics are analysed thoroughly. Since the previous inspection the school has focused on improving

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The management and leadership of the school are good

basic literacy and numeracy skills and is recently focusing on improving ICT skills. In its effort to achieve high standards in these areas, some of its other practices such as monitoring of teaching and learning are not as systematic. For example, the school viewed standards in ICT as below their expectations and rightly decided to take vigorous action. The improvements made have had a major impact on standards. The current school improvement plan is an efficient working document based on the review of the preceding year. However, due to insufficient rigour in monitoring of other subjects, teachers are not as sharply focused on areas for further development. The school has placed a great deal of effort on developmental work, which has resulted in significant improvements in standards in writing, a major achievement for the school.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

26. The school manages its physical resources well. The school building is built at different levels with a number of steps connecting these levels. The school manages the potential Acre Rigg Infant School - 17 safety issues very well and makes good use of the accommodation available. Very good quality resources seen for English and mathematics add to the quality of teaching and learning. The school has significantly improved its provision for reading and research by increasing its book stock for the library and computer software. However, artefacts and resources for promoting the multicultural dimension in the curriculum are scarce. The school has significantly enhanced its provision for ICT. More computers in all teaching areas and a recently completed computer suite, with interactive whiteboard, have been provided through funding from the school budget and the EAZ initiatives. The recent addition to resources

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The management and leadership of the school are good

and well thought out plans contribute very effectively to the quality of provision for the teaching and learning of ICT skills.

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The management and leadership of the school are good

27. Two years ago Acre Rigg Infant School gained an Excellence Award for the high standards of work in the school. It has received the same award again. The school has also gained the Investors in People award and the Basic Skills Quality Mark. This reflects very well the school’s high expectations and its determination to succeed.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

with each other and with staff are very good.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

28. The very good standards of behaviour, pupils’ very good attitudes towards school and the very good relationships make a significant contribution to their learning. The school continues to put a great deal of time and effort into promoting positive attitudes to school, maintaining very good standards of behaviour and to increasing the opportunities that are specifically designed to enhance pupils’ personal development. For example, it is in the process of setting up a school’s council.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

29. In the Nursery and the Reception Years, children make good progress in their personal, social and emotional development. Children under five enjoy the activities provided for them. They quickly learn to take turns, for example, when working on the computer in a small group. Children are attentive and listen to each other and adults. Children, including those with identified learning needs are open friendly young people who relate very well to adults.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

30. In Years 1 and 2 pupils have very positive attitudes to learning. They are interested in their work and share and co-operate well with one another. Most pupils show good levels of effort and concentration in lessons. They are very eager to take work home and show a keen sense of pride in their achievements. They are courteous, trustworthy and respectful of others. Most pupils are confident and enthusiastic in answering the teacher’s questions and contributing to discussions.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

31. Behaviour is very good throughout the school. This is promoted through a number of strategies and pupils respond well. The overall atmosphere, the quality of respect and good classroom management means that for almost all pupils, little correction is needed. It has not been necessary to exclude any pupils for a long period. Pupils play well together at break and lunchtimes, in the dining room during breakfast club and lunch period pupils behave very well and talk openly to each other and adults. Acre Rigg Infant School - 18 32. Pupils’ personal development is very well supported by the school. From an early age pupils are encouraged to develop independence and invariably pupils rise to the expectations. For example, children in the Nursery change their clothes independently for physical development activities and take responsibility for folding and tidying their clothes. Throughout the school pupils help readily with class routines and are effective in the manner

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

in which they put out and return resources at the start and end of lessons. Relationships amongst pupils and between staff and pupils are very good. Pupils relate very well to their teachers and are confident to ask for help if they are unsure or seek clarification of a teaching point. The polite manner in which they listen to each other’s contributions and acknowledge their achievement is impressive. A good example of this was seen in Year 2 class when pupils listened with interest and appreciation to those who were eager to read their writing aloud in the concluding part of the lesson.

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Pupils’ attitudes to work and school, their behaviour and the quality of their relationships

33. The school’s rate of attendance has improved since the previous inspection. And is broadly in line with national averages. The school works very hard to achieve these levels and has effective systems in place to deal with any cases of unauthorised absence. It takes good advantage of the EAZ sponsored project ‘Call Divert’ to monitor any lateness or unexplained absence from school. In the main pupils arrive on time and lessons start promptly. This results in pupils settling quickly to work.

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The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the

subjects they lead and contributing systematically to the overall school development.

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The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the

34. The management role of the co-ordinators has not been developed sufficiently since the last inspection and overall they remain insufficiently informed about teaching and learning in their subjects. They work hard to develop their areas but do not have regular opportunities to observe colleagues teaching or to visit classrooms. They mostly rely on informal staffroom conversations for some indication of what is being taught in their subjects but is too general to form a view of the standards being achieved. The monitoring of pupils’ work is not regular or rigorous enough to check on their progress or the quality of the teaching. Subsequently, teachers as yet do not draw up action plans with clear objectives for short term development and long term goals based on an analysis of strengths and weaknesses in their subjects or cost out in detail what resources and training are required to support further

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The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the

35. The school’s system for resourcing each of the subjects and developing teachers’ subject expertise is based on the co-ordinators making a bid for their subjects annually. Funds are subsequently allocated according to need. It is unclear how the bids are linked to the school’s overall improvement priorities. Much of the training and staff development has been linked to English and mathematics over the past few years. Some opportunities for attending courses are linked to individual interest and preferences. Currently the co- ordinators have little time allocated for subject management. For example, the special Acre Rigg Infant School - 19 educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) does not have regular non-teaching time though the school has eight pupils with a statement of need.

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The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the

36. The school is aware of the need to develop the role of the co-ordinators and delegate management responsibilities to the deputy headteacher and senior staff. It is in the process of appointing a part-time teacher for a year to release the deputy headteacher from class teaching duties. This will enable the school to use the additional teaching time for releasing the co-ordinators to monitor the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. It will also enable the school to cover for staff to attend courses and for the deputy headteacher and key staff to take further active role in school management whilst ensuring that the quality of the teaching and learning is maintained in all the classes. This initiative exemplifies the school’s effectiveness in identifying weaknesses in current practice, and taking sensible action to rectify these weaknesses.

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The role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are performing in the

37. ICT is led by an enthusiastic co-ordinator, who is well aware of the subject’s possibilities and has produced considered plans for the future. He has developed an excellent website for the school, which is attracting attention of parents, as well as other schools. Very good use is being made of the computer suite, largely because it is planned to follow a scheme of work that extends pupils’ skills and understanding at a challenging rate.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

38. The governors, headteacher and staff should now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Improve the role of the subject managers in checking how well the pupils are

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development by:

• providing planned opportunities for classroom observations to monitor teaching and learning in their subjects;

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development by:

• establishing systems for analysing pupils’ work and monitoring teachers’ planning to identify strengths and weaknesses and standards achieved by pupils through the school.

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development by:

• auditing existing provision and practice in subjects and drawing action plans with clear short term and long term objectives for subject development to inform overall improvement planning. (see paragraphs 25, 34, 35, 36). Acre Rigg Infant School - 20

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 19 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 14

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than five percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y1 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 44 185 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 66

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y1 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 8 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 11 36

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English as an additional language

No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 2

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Pupil mobility in the last school year

No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 10 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 19 Acre Rigg Infant School - 21 Acre Rigg Infant School - 22

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 5.2 School data 0.1 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

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

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2001 34 28 62

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Boys 32 31 31 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 27

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 95 (91) 94 (87) 94 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Boys 31 29 29 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 27 27 26

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 94 (89) 90 (99) 89 (94) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year [i.e. 2000]. Acre Rigg Infant School - 23

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black – Caribbean heritage 0 Black – Caribbean heritage 0 0 Black – African heritage 0 Black – African heritage 0 0 Black – other 0 Black – other 0 0 Indian 0 Indian 0 0 Pakistani 0 Pakistani 0 0 Bangladeshi 0 Bangladeshi 0 0 Chinese 1 Chinese 0 0 White 120 White 0 0 Any other minority ethnic group 1 Other minority ethnic groups 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8.5 Financial year 2000/2001 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 26.4 Average class size 26.4 £ Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 448215 Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 444596 Total aggregate hours worked per week 146 Expenditure per pupil 1916 Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Balance carried forward to next year Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22.0 Total number of education support staff 2 Total aggregate hours worked per week 65 Number of pupils per FTE adult 11.0

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

FTE means full-time equivalent. Acre Rigg Infant School - 24

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1 Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0 Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE)

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Acre Rigg Infant School - 25 Results of the survey of parents and carers

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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. 80 19 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 78 19 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 57 40 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 75 19 5 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 80 17 2 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 88 12 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 64 36 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 80 19 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 73 25 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 60 33 3 0 3

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