Churchfields Infants' School

CHURCHFIELDS INFANTS’ 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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CHURCHFIELDS INFANTS’ 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. Churchfields Infants School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Churchfields South Woodford London

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Sandra Wood

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 February 1998 Churchfields Infants School - 4

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Team members

6676 Joy Richardson Registered inspector 9835 Glenda Spencer Lay inspector 17826 June Punnett Team inspector 10270 Sandra Teacher Team inspector

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Team members

Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks Kent TN15 0EG

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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 Churchfields Infants School - 5

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REPORT CONTENTS

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

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PART B: COMMENTARY

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER? 17

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PART B: COMMENTARY

PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 18-21 Churchfields Infants School - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school has 477 boys and girls on roll, aged from three to seven. There are 358 children from Reception to Year 2, with four classes in each year group. The Nursery, in its own building, is attended part time by 119 children. A Language Facility, based on the site, provides for eight pupils with expressive language difficulties. These pupils are fully integrated into classes, while also receiving individual support. The school has an admission number of 120 in each year and is oversubscribed. Children transfer from the Nursery to Reception in the September or January before they are five. There are three small Reception classes in September, expanding to four full classes in January. Around three quarters of the children transfer from the Nursery into Reception, where about a quarter of the year group join from other nurseries. On entry to Nursery or Reception, children’s skills vary but are well advanced, on average, for this age. At the age of seven,

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils transfer to the Junior School which shares the same site. Around a third of pupils come from an ethnic minority background. For 62 pupils, English is an additional language and 25 pupils are at an early stage of acquisition. Many different home languages are represented. The percentage of pupils know to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average. The school provides support for 14 pupils with special educational needs, including three with statements.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a successful school with many strengths. Pupils reach high standards because they are well taught. They are given a very well rounded education. The school is well led, organised and managed and great care is taken in making arrangements to meet pupils’ individual needs. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy. • Teaching is thorough and effective in helping pupils to learn. • The nursery gives children a very good start. • The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good. • The school’s leadership harnesses team effort and creates a very positive climate for learning. • The school provides a broad, interesting and varied curriculum which builds knowledge and skills.

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What could be improved

• Co-ordination and continuity across the Foundation Stage (Nursery and Reception) should be strengthened. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in February 1998. Since then it has maintained high standards and continued to improve. Issues from the last report have been acted upon. The planning of the curriculum and the assessment of pupils’ learning have improved significantly. Detailed plans for each term are now in place. There are regular assessments, and pupils’ progress is tracked from year to year. This is helping to identify how well pupils are doing and where more teaching is needed. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented to good effect. The school’s provision for pupils with special educational needs has improved significantly. There have also been Churchfields Infants School - 7 physical improvements: playground areas have been imaginatively developed; the building has been enhanced by a welcoming reception area and a well equipped computer suite. Since the last inspection, the school has strengthened its processes for reviewing how well it

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

is doing and planning further development. This means that it is well placed to continue to improve.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

reading A A B C well above average above average A B writing A A C D average below average C D mathematics A* A B C well below average E

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Key

Almost all children achieve the learning expected nationally by the end of Reception, and some achieve many of these goals by the end of Nursery.

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Key

Since the previous inspection, results in the national tests for seven-year-olds have generally been well above average in reading, writing and mathematics. The 2002 results, though not as high, were still above the national average, and broadly in line with those in similar schools, in reading and mathematics. In writing, results were in line with the national average but below those in similar schools. When assessed on entry to Reception, this year group did less well overall than other years, and this was reflected in their results at the age of seven.

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Key

On the basis of pupils’ current attainment, the school predicts that results will be better in 2003 and this is confirmed by the work of Year 2 pupils seen on inspection. The school is particularly successful in supporting pupils who might otherwise fall behind, helping them to keep up with the level expected for their age. The school sets challenging targets, aiming for most pupils to reach a secure Level 2 (the national standard for seven-year-olds) by the time they leave.

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Key

Pupils make a very good start in the nursery and learn well over their time in school. They reach good standards in literacy and numeracy. They read confidently and fluently and their handwriting is very good. The school analyses its results and acts to secure improvement, for example in boys’ writing. Work of good quality was seen in a wide range of subjects. Pupils sing very well and the high standard of art is a strength of the school. Churchfields Infants School - 8

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school The school cultivates positive attitudes to learning. Children in the nursery learn to be independent and to make choices. Throughout the school, pupils are generally interested in their work and keen to succeed.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Pupils understand and respect the school’s behaviour code. They behave very well in lessons, co-operating, concentrating and working hard. They play constructively and imaginatively at playtimes and enjoy the range of equipment available.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils are confident, friendly and helpful. They relate well to each other and to adults, and are interested in other people’s ideas and experiences.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance The school emphasises the importance of good attendance. Attendance is above the national average and there is little unauthorised absence.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

The root of the school’s success is the thorough and effective teaching it provides. In most lessons (seven in ten of those seen), the teaching is good or better. The strengths of teaching include:

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

• good planning of the work to be covered each term; • questioning and discussion which help pupils to think and join in; • purposeful use of time so that learning moves forward and pupils make progress; • good organisation and management of most classes and classrooms.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

Teaching is very good in some lessons (around a quarter of those seen). Here the pupils are challenged and encouraged to go as far as they can. There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm and excitement about learning and the teaching is imaginative in sparking pupils’ interests. Expectations are high, but the teaching makes them achievable. In other lessons (around three in ten of those seen), teaching is satisfactory and pupils make progress, but these qualities are less evident.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

Throughout the school, the skills of literacy and numeracy are taught effectively. As a result, pupils become competent and confident readers and writers and they have a good grasp of number. Teachers make links across subjects, so that, for example, pupils gain writing skills through writing about famous people in history. The teaching of information and communication technology, using the new computer suite, is extending pupils’ skills in the use of technology and reinforcing their learning in other subjects. Churchfields Infants School - 9 High quality teaching by the special educational needs co-ordinator and by teachers from the Language Facility adds to the strength of teaching throughout the school as well as supporting individual pupils. Teaching assistants and learning support assistants also make a strong contribution in lessons, helping to take learning forward. Pupils who speak English

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

as an additional language are well supported and teachers share a good understanding of how pupils develop fluency.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides a broad, balanced and very well organised curriculum which gives pupils a good grounding in all subjects. Creative and practical skills are valued and fostered while special events, clubs and visits extend the horizons of pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is a strength of the school. There are very effective arrangements for identifying needs, providing focused teaching, reviewing progress and communicating with parents. The work of the Language Facility is very well integrated into the work of the school so that everyone benefits.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Staff are alert to the needs of pupils who speak English as an additional language. Some additional teaching is provided for pupils at an early stage, with a good level of support and guidance for staff. The school’s emphasis on developing speaking and listening skills helps pupils of all language backgrounds.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal development, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The school teaches pupils that they have a part to play in making the school a good place for everyone. Pupils are keen to help others. They show a lively interest in the world around them and in pupils’ different cultural and religious perspectives. They learn to appreciate art, music and dance.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school makes very good arrangements for the care of pupils. Teachers and support staff work together well as a team in this. Pupils’ progress in learning is carefully assessed and monitored.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher, well supported by the deputy headteacher, knows pupils well and has a very clear overview of the school’s work. The work of support staff is very well managed and the school is very well organised and administered. Subject and year group leaders effectively co-ordinate work in their areas. There is more to be done in providing leadership across the Foundation Stage as a whole, to improve continuity for children and the sharing of good practice.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Newly constituted in 2001 as a separate governing body, the governors are fulfilling their responsibilities well. Governors are well informed and supportive of the school. They evaluate the impact of spending and are seeking to develop their skills in applying the principles of ‘best value’ when making decisions. Churchfields Infants School - 10 The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has well-established procedures for reviewing its performance and planning for improvement. The school development plan is very thorough and staff, governors and pupils all contribute to this.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school uses its resources well. Support staff are carefully deployed. Learning resources and equipment are well chosen to make pupils’ education even better. Money carried forward from previous years is now being well used to improve the building and to increase support in classrooms.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children are making good progress • The teaching is good • Children are expected to work hard and achieve their best • The school helps children to be mature and responsible • The school is well led and managed • Information about how children are getting on

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Parents have a high level of confidence in the school and the inspection team considers this to be well justified. Almost half the questionnaires sent out before the inspection were returned and there was overwhelming agreement about the positive points listed above. Just under a quarter of those who expressed a view felt that the school did not keep them well informed about how their children were getting on. Inspectors consider that the school provides good information about what children are doing, how well they are progressing, and how parents can help them. This includes consultation meetings, curriculum evenings and termly letters about the work in each class. However, procedures for seeking parents’ views, for example on what they find most helpful, could be improved. A fifth of parents disagreed that the school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. The view of inspectors, taking the age of pupils into account, is that pupils’ learning is enriched

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

by a wide range of activities in and out of lessons. Children benefit greatly from the provision of playground equipment which extends opportunities for physical and imaginative play. Churchfields Infants School - 11

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve well in literacy and numeracy.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. Pupils make good progress in learning to read and write. They read regularly at home, building on what they have learned in school. The school fosters enjoyment of reading and encourages pupils to read widely. This is helped by the good supply of graded reading books, the library and the book club. Teachers take account of pupils’ interests, for example balancing fiction and non-fiction and recognising the reading preferences of boys.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Reading skills are taught well in shared and guided reading sessions. Pupils become confident in reading common words by sight and tackling unfamiliar words. They are quick to learn the letter sounds and are interested in how letters make words, for example, in Reception, sounding out ‘zip’ and wondering about the strange spelling of ‘egg’. Shared and guided reading sessions extend their skills and link reading with writing. When reading a recipe in Year 1, for instance, children were quick to spot words such as ‘first’, ‘next’ and ‘finally’, which could then be used in their own writing.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Pupils’ handwriting is very good. They learn to form and to join letters correctly and evenly. By the time they leave, most have mastered a joined handwriting style and take pleasure in using it. Pupils learn to spell well and are supported by the use of word books which include a core of common words. They enjoy using words adventurously, inspired by what they read together, as seen in writing about a dolphin in Year 2: ‘He splashes and he swishes and he flies and he cries to his mates’.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. From analysis of its results, the school has identified the need to work for higher standards in writing, particularly among boys. It has taken steps to build interest in writing, by using it as a tool for learning. Pupils are given the opportunity to write often and sometimes at length. They recognise that they are writing for a purpose, for example to record what they have done, or what they have learned in science or in history. Pupils in Year 2 took pleasure, for example, in writing extended factual accounts of the life of Mary Seacole and her work in the Crimean War. Pupils learn to plan and improve their writing over time, as seen in well-developed stories about ‘The Quest’ in Year 2. All this is helping pupils to achieve well in writing.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Pupils do well in mathematics because the foundations are well laid. Children in the Reception year use numbers to 10 and can add and subtract when working practically. Pupils become confident in working with numbers in their head. In Year 1, they work out ‘secret numbers’, in counting on and back. They are supported with equipment such as number lines, but also learn to work mentally: ‘I can count backwards in my head!’ Pupils look for patterns, for example recognising subtraction as the opposite of addition when challenged to make four sums from three numbers. Secure in their knowledge of numbers bonds within 10, they apply this to larger numbers. For example, a pupil working in a lower- attaining group in Year 2 explained: ‘From 21 to 30 will be 9 because from 1 to 10 is 9.’ Pupils use mathematical vocabulary, recognising that ‘minus’ and ‘take away’ relate to ‘subtraction’, and referring to ‘multiples of 10’

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. Pupils apply their knowledge of number in working on practical problems about time, weight and money. They explore different methods of working and can talk about what they are doing. Pupils in Year 2 speak proudly about the times tables they know and are keen to practise them. Churchfields Infants School - 12 7. For one mathematics session a week, pupils in the Year 2 classes are re-grouped by attainment. This is working well. Lower groups are achieving in line with the expectation for their age and the more able groups are working beyond this level. Many pupils say that they enjoy mathematics and this is reflected in their good achievement.

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Teaching is thorough and effective in helping pupils to learn

8. Pupils succeed in learning because they are well taught. Thirty lessons were observed on this inspection, as well as short parts of other lessons. Inspectors concluded that teaching was at least satisfactory in all the lessons seen. Furthermore, the quality of teaching in most lessons (seven in ten) was good or better. In about a quarter of lessons, the teaching was very good or, occasionally, excellent.

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Teaching is thorough and effective in helping pupils to learn

9. Teaching throughout the school shares some key qualities. Work is well planned for each term in all subjects and teachers make good use of this planning framework in preparing lessons. Joint planning in year groups provides consistency across classes so that all pupils cover the necessary ground. Teachers encourage pupils to be actively involved, making good use of resources such as individual whiteboards. They pose questions to help pupils clarify their thinking. Teachers regularly assess pupils’ progress and identify strengths and weaknesses in learning.

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Teaching is thorough and effective in helping pupils to learn

10. Teaching frequently draws on or develops pupils’ first-hand experience and stimulates their curiosity. Pupils in Year 1 keenly examined some root ginger which the teacher showed them to illustrate work on the ‘Gingerbread Man’. Another class was fascinated by an investigation of the best sort of paper for wrapping up a present. Pupils in Year 2 who had visited Mary Seacole’s grave in Jamaica were encouraged to share information with others.

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Teaching is thorough and effective in helping pupils to learn

11. In the most successful lessons, the teacher’s enthusiasm is infectious and highly motivating. Pupils were spurred to do even better when the teacher revelled in their descriptions of a magic box: ‘I can see it!’ The teacher praised real achievement: ‘Not one careless spelling mistake!’ while picking up on errors such as a missing apostrophe: ‘What do we need here?’ so that pupils strove to do their best. In a fast- paced dance lesson, high expectations and excellent rapport between teacher and pupils created a joyful atmosphere. Pupils responded individually to music, working hard to link movements at different levels in a ‘Jack in the Box’ dance.

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Teaching is thorough and effective in helping pupils to learn

12. Teachers generally manage their classes well, holding pupils’ attention and organising interesting activities which are well matched to their ability and individual needs.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

13. The nursery lays strong foundations for children’s education. Children are co- operative, confident and purposeful in their learning. They enjoy what they do.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

14. Very good arrangements are made to help children settle into the nursery, working in partnership with parents and carers. The contribution of parents is welcomed and close contact is maintained between home and school. The staff team of teachers and nursery nurses works very well together. Children benefit from meeting in a small group taught by one adult at the start and end of each session.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

15. The nursery offers children a wide range of activities which are carefully planned to secure progress in each of the six areas of learning for this age group. Children are Churchfields Infants School - 13 encouraged to be independent. They understand the nursery’s routines and move around happily within the nursery. The imaginative structuring of activities, and adult support when it is needed, help children to concentrate and to become deeply absorbed in what they are doing.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

16. The nursery provides much to interest children. They stopped in the course of their dressing up play to look at seeds with magnifying glasses, and to examine their ‘grass heads’ to see if they were sprouting. Daily outdoor play fosters imagination and the development of physical skills.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

17. Creativity and individual expression are encouraged. Standing at an easel, a child deftly mixed powder paint, making pale blue, green and orange and relishing the results as she painted her picture. Children’s paintings of faces around the wall show observation and individuality, in the capturing of different skin colours and hair styles, and details such as eyelashes. Children work imaginatively and experimentally with materials, constructing models from boxes, moulding clay and investigating wet sand. Adults make the most of simple activities to maximise learning, so that a mixture of cornflour, water and colour became a source of wonderment as children cut, squeezed and stirred it.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

18. The staff adapt teaching according to what children can already do, taking learning a step further when children are ready and exploring how far they can go. For example, a song about currant buns in the baker’s shop was used to help some children count to five, while introducing others to simple addition and subtraction. Children have many opportunities to work in a small group and this fosters their speaking and listening. Children who start with little English make very rapid progress. The foundations are well laid in literacy. Children take great pleasure in books. Most know a number of letter sounds and some have made a good start in reading by the time they join Reception.

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The nursery gives children a very good start

19. Pupils’ progress towards the Early Learning Goals for the Foundation Stage is assessed and carefully annotated. This builds up a very clear picture of children’s attainment. It also provides a very good basis for tracking progress through the school and setting sights high for later learning.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

20. The school is very good at meeting a diversity of individual needs, while seeking the best for all pupils.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

21. The special educational needs co-ordinator provides additional teaching on four days a week, working with individuals and teaching lower-attaining groups in literacy and numeracy. For example, teaching 11 pupils in Year 1, she reinforced vocabulary for weighing such as ‘heavier’ and ‘lighter’, helping pupils to estimate the number of cubes needed to balance the weight of a toy. Such teaching is based on careful assessment of what pupils can or cannot do, and where they need help.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

22. The group teaching room is well equipped so that pupils with special needs have access to resources, such as a mathematics computer program, which are different from those available in classes. Children enjoy their special activities and this boosts their confidence.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

23. The co-ordinator oversees the identification of needs, the drawing up of individual education plans, the setting of targets and the reviewing of progress. This provision is well organised and administered. The co-ordinator makes time available daily for Churchfields Infants School - 14 parents and keeps in close contact with them, making good use of e-mail where possible, as in communicating with parents who are abroad. The co-ordinator liaises well with class teachers and manages the team of learning support assistants effectively, meeting with them weekly. This ensures well-focused effort and good communication about children’s needs. Learning support assistants work well with statemented pupils, establishing a good rapport and addressing specific difficulties. For example, one helped a child to concentrate properly, using a book of photos of him demonstrating ‘How to Sit’ as a reminder.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

24. The Language Facility, based in a ‘Cabin’ on the site, provides very effective teaching and support for pupils with expressive language difficulties. It is also the base for an outreach teacher who works across the local area. The eight pupils served by the Facility are fully integrated into classes. Each one receives an allocation of teaching time and of support time from the nursery nurse attached to the Facility. The language facility co-ordinator ensures very good liaison between class teachers and Facility staff. There is also good liaison with a speech therapist who works with each child weekly, although this has become more difficult in the absence of a permanent speech therapist. Teachers from the Facility make a very good contribution to literacy lessons, and particularly the teaching of phonics to support speaking, reading and writing. For example, in Reception, the Facility co-ordinator led work on letter sounds with the

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

whole class, introducing the letter ‘p’. She made learning very explicit, reinforcing the vocabulary of ‘sound’ ‘letter’ and ‘word’ and guiding children in writing ‘p’: ‘Stick his long ears back around his face.’ Teaching is backed by planning which links learning objectives for the class with the targets on individual education plans, for example working on lip and tongue movements in making the sounds of letters.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

25. The needs of pupils who are learning English as an additional language are assessed, and a teacher provides support, for pupils and for teachers, on one day a week. All teachers are alert to the diversity of language backgrounds and stages of learning, and have had training in how to support pupils who are developing fluency in English. The school emphasises the importance of speaking and listening. It encourages activities such as role play to support reading and writing. Children in Reception, for example, were keen to record their customers’ orders in their ‘creperie’. Teachers explain and reiterate technical vocabulary in subjects such as mathematics. All this helps pupils to gain fluency and control in learning and using English.

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The provision for pupils with individual learning needs is very good

26. The school is committed to achieving the best for all pupils, whatever their background or individual needs. It is very effective in doing this and in ensuring that all pupils benefit from the expertise and understanding of staff in helping pupils to succeed. Churchfields Infants School - 15

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learning

27. Although large for an infant school, the school has a strong sense of community and this is underpinned by efficient and effective organisation, administration and communication.

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learning

28. The headteacher has a very clear overview of all the elements of the school’s work, and this is shared across the staff team through effective management. The headteacher knows pupils well, teaching regularly and monitoring samples of pupils’ work. Pupils value the stickers and comments in their books which show that the headteacher has seen their work. The deputy headteacher sets a very good professional example in her teaching, and in the management of staff development. She has also led the development of provision for information and communication technology, setting up the computer suite and ensuring that staff are well trained to make good use of the technology.

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learning

29. The work of support staff is valued and directed effectively to achieve the school’s aims. Teaching assistants, managed by the deputy headteacher, help in each Reception class in the morning. They liaise closely with class teachers, and work purposefully with groups of children to achieve the learning intended.

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learning

30. The school has an experienced team of teachers and they contribute collectively to the planning of school development. The headteacher oversees planning, and regularly observes teachers teaching. This has led to improvements, for example in making learning objectives clear in lessons, and in using the ‘plenary’ well at the ends of lessons to reinforce learning.

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learning

31. The school provides a good environment for learning, despite severe constraints on space. Classrooms are small and some open out of others, but they are generally well organised. Attractive displays give a sense of purpose, celebrating pupils’ work and sparking their interest. The playground has been very well developed, providing many opportunities for children in each year group to play imaginatively and constructively. Children talk with enthusiasm about their favourite games, showing inventiveness and appreciation of the range of equipment available. When asked to record what they like about the school and what could be better, environmental features were frequently mentioned, with positive references, for example, to the play equipment, computer room and millennium garden.

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learning

32. Children are encouraged, from the nursery on, to be independent and responsible. They were consulted about their ideas for the playground and have a strong sense of ownership as a result.

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learning

33. The school is an orderly and purposeful community. Many people contribute to this, from those on the front desk, to those who clean and care for the building. The school’s leadership fosters and values effective teamwork by the whole staff team. Churchfields Infants School - 16

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knowledge and skills

34. The school places a major emphasis on literacy and numeracy while maintaining a broad and balanced curriculum. As a result, pupils receive a very good all-round education which develops knowledge and skills and helps them to develop as people. Teaching in all areas of the curriculum is carefully planned so that pupils make progress and reach a good standard in their work.

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knowledge and skills

35. Work in science fosters observation and learning from first-hand experience. For example, pupils in Year 2 explored the grounds in search of mini-beasts, finding wood- lice, snails and worms. They predicted what they might find where, discussing habitats and creatures’ preferences for light or dark, wet or dry. Hands-on investigations engage pupils’ thinking and challenge them to apply their knowledge.

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knowledge and skills

36. Teachers, with the help of support assistants, plan and prepare well so that practical work runs smoothly. As a result, time is used to good effect. Pupils gain technical skills while also working creatively and solving problems. This was seen in a design and technology lesson in Year 1 where pupils made paper sculptures. The teacher’s clear and concise introduction whetted pupils’ appetites for action, ensuring that they knew what to do, but allowing room for them to develop their own ideas as they created spirals and woven springs.

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knowledge and skills

37. Art is a strength of the school and contributes to the quality of the learning environment. Pupils learn to observe closely, for example in drawing spring flowers. They paint well, expressing their ideas with verve. Working with an artist in residence, pupils have produced a series of striking murals, which now decorate the school. Special projects such as this enrich learning and show pupils what can be achieved.

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knowledge and skills

38. Music is an integral part of the curriculum, and includes learning to play the recorder in Year 2. Pupils sing well, as seen in assembly. In a lesson for Year 1, pupils sang and danced with evident enjoyment and a good sense of rhythm, and were quick to learn words and movements. Physical education sessions include dance, games and gymnastics. A high level of activity is sustained, as seen in a skipping session in Year 2. Pupils benefit from the exercise and from the practice and mastery of physical skills.

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knowledge and skills

39. All pupils now have a weekly lesson in the new computer suite and good progress is being made in using computers to build learning across the curriculum. Teachers make use of the computer suite to reinforce work, for example in Year 1, using a program to sort materials by their properties, as part of the science curriculum. Teachers have developed their own skills through training and are increasingly using technology as a tool to aid their teaching.

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knowledge and skills

40. Teachers make links across the curriculum so that skills in literacy and numeracy are applied in the course of gaining knowledge in subjects such as geography and history. In Year 2, pupils have read and written about famous people across the centuries, relating the times when they lived to the chronology of a timeline. This work has generated much interest, and effective learning.

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knowledge and skills

41. The school’s wide curriculum cultivates interest in the wider world, pleasure in the mastery of skills and enjoyment in gaining knowledge. Churchfields Infants School - 17

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should be strengthened

42. Designated leaders co-ordinate the work of each year team but have a limited role in management beyond their year group. This is reflected in the separate co-ordination of the Nursery and Reception. There is discussion between the staff teams and the curriculum has been planned to avoid repetition. However, there is a lack of leadership across the Foundation Stage to maximise continuity and progress in what children learn and how they learn it, and the sharing of good practice. The physical separation of the Nursery and Reception makes leadership across the Foundation Stage more difficult, but all the more necessary.

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should be strengthened

43. The Reception classes, in small classrooms, do not have the space and freedom of movement of the Nursery. Teachers do well within these constraints, but a stronger overview is needed to consider the best use of space and the organisation of resources for this age group. The deployment of teaching assistants is providing valuable help and attention for pupils and practical assistance for teachers in managing large classes.

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should be strengthened

44. Expectations are high in Reception, and this is appropriate given children’s attainment. However, children sometimes spend too much time listening, and activities are not always well structured to extend learning and to engage children’s interest.

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should be strengthened

45. Assessment procedures are being revised in line with national initiatives. The school recognises that there is work to be done on the tracking of pupils’ progress across the Foundation Stage as a whole, and in using this information to set sights high for later years.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) In order to improve co-ordination and continuity across the Foundation Stage, the school should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• review the school’s management structure to strengthen leadership across the Foundation Stage; • extend opportunities for evaluating and sharing good practice; • develop assessment procedures to monitor progress across the Foundation Stage, in relation to the Early Learning Goals and expectations by the age of seven; • monitor and develop the most effective use of space across the reception classrooms; • evaluate the structuring of activities and the use of time, in order to foster active learning by children in Reception. (Paragraphs 42 to 45) Churchfields Infants School - 18

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 15

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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

Percentage 3 23 44 30 0 0 0 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 three percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 60 358

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals na 14 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 3

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 3 11

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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 62

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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 27

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 17

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Churchfields Infants School - 19

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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 2002 58 62 120

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 51 51 53 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 59 57 57

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (94) 90 (92) 92 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 52 51 54 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 59 57 55

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

Percentage of pupils School 93 (96) 90 (96) 91 (93) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 20 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 7 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 3 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 9 0 0 Churchfields Infants School - 20 Black or Black British – African 8 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 16.9 Financial year 2001-2

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 1022810

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 18 Total expenditure 1008660

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 249 Expenditure per pupil 2419

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 75168

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 2 Balance carried forward to next year 89318

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 30

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 4

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 105

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per FTE adult 11.6 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 3

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 4

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0 FTE means full-time equivalent. Churchfields Infants School - 21

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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. 53 42 0 0 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 50 43 2 0 5

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 44 42 8 0 6

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 30 46 20 3 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 58 36 5 0 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. 64 32 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 35 50 11 1 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 70 30 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 44 1 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 24 39 18 2 17

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Other issues raised by parents

A few parents raised concerns about the consistency of supervision at lunchtime. The school is aware of these concerns and is working to address them.

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