Summary
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- Inspectorssingle source
Elaine Parrish
- URN verified
103288
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Strengths
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- The management of children’s behaviour is very effective and they, therefore, make good progress in developing positive attitudes to work and to each other. p.13
- Very good routines and very effective team work have been established in the Foundation Stage which ensure that children settle down very quickly and feel confident to talk about anything that worries them. p.17
- Teachers and learning support staff work very well together to develop children’s greater awareness of the world around them and to ensure the children are well supported and yet challenged. p.8
- Children under five are very well looked after, and this ensures that they enjoy school and think that learning is fun. p.17
- In the very good lesson observed in Year 2, the excellent range of resources to be sorted into ‘found in a city’ and ‘found in a village’ promoted considerable discussion. p.40
Concerns
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- There are significant weaknesses in two out of the three classes in Year 1 and pupils make insufficient progress in their learning in too many lessons. p.8
- There is a suitable range of procedures, but they are not sufficiently rigorous to identify areas of weakness or to ensure further improvement. p.10
- The headteacher has developed an appropriate range of procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school, but they lack the rigor necessary to identify weaknesses and do not have the strength to promote change. p.19
- This is a similar picture to that found at the previous inspection, however the weaknesses now are predominantly in one year group, whereas at the previous inspection the weakness was particular to mathematics. p.13
- Insufficient progress has been made in raising the quality of teaching because of the lack of rigorous monitoring and identification of the difficulties. p.13
Next steps
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- The quality of teaching is inconsistent and there are significant weaknesses in two classes. p.6
- There are insufficient rigorous procedures for monitoring the work of the school and ensuring that all pupils have similar effective opportunities for learning. p.6
- Information from assessment of pupils’ work is not used well enough to support curricular planning so that future tasks effectively build on what pupils’ already know and can do. p.6
- There are weaknesses in school management. p.6
- The role of the senior management team is underdeveloped and senior staff do not play a sufficiently active role in supporting the headteacher in the effective management of the school and the evaluation of its work. p.6
- The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. p.6
- The school has made overall satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection in November 1997. p.6
- Good improvement was made in raising standards, especially in mathematics where the concerns about weak teaching in mathematics have been mostly addressed. p.6
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Anatomy of the report
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- Pages
- 45
- Words of findings
- 21,284
- longer than usual (typical 1049)
- Reading level
- Hard
- Flesch 44, typical 45
- Average sentence
- 20 words
- Next steps
- 8
- typical 5
- Hedged sentences
- 12%
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Where the words go
Full report text
SCHOOL
Reporting inspector: Mrs Hazel Callaghan
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SCHOOL
Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 26 th September 2002
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SCHOOL
Full inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated.
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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. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 3
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
School address: Monyhull Hall Road King’s Norton Birmingham
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Date of previous inspection: 24 th November 1997 Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 4
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
22254 Hazel Callaghan Registered inspector Science Geography Physical education. Equal opportunities How high are standards? How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? 9577 Elaine Parrish Lay inspector How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 20326 Peter Clark Team Inspector Mathematics Design and technology Information and communication technology. Special educational needs 23026 Monica Mullan Team Inspector English History Music Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and personal development.
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
21547 Pearl White Team Inspector Foundation stage Art and design Religious education How good are the curricular other opportunities offered to pupils?
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
The inspection contractor was: Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be raised with the inspection contractor. Complaints that are not satisfactorily resolved by the contractor should be raised with OFSTED by writing to: The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division
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Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities
Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 5
p.4
PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6
Information about the school How good the school is What the school does well What could be improved How the school has improved since its last inspection Standards Pupils’ attitudes and values Teaching and learning Other aspects of the school How well the school is led and managed Parents’ and carers’ views of the school
p.5
HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 10
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
p.5
AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 26
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 6
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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School is a large school of its type with a total of 259 pupils on roll. Children are admitted into the nursery at the age of three. In the first few weeks of term, children are admitted in groups and attend either mornings or afternoons. At the time of the inspection there were 22 children attending the nursery. Children transfer to the adjacent three reception classes when they are four years old. The majority of pupils in the school are of white UK ethnic origin. A small number of pupils are of other ethnic backgrounds and very few pupils have English as an additional language. An above average proportion of pupils are entitled to free school meals, whereas the proportion of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs is similar to that found nationally. These pupils have a variety of needs: most have moderate learning difficulties; six have emotional and behavioural difficulties; and a
p.6
INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
small number have specific difficulties such as dyslexia, autism and dyspraxia. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational needs. When children enter the school, their standards of attainment are usually below that found nationally in all aspects of learning.
p.6
HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS
The school has been effective in significantly raising standards in reading, writing and mathematics since 1999 and although standards declined a little last year, pupils continue to achieve well. The headteacher has provided a suitable educational direction for the school. Good leadership has been provided by the headteacher and the previous early years co-ordinator, in developing the curriculum for children in the nursery and reception classes (Foundation Stage). However, there are some weaknesses in the management of the school. There are also inconsistencies in the effectiveness of pupils’ learning and significant weaknesses in the teaching in Year 1, which slows pupils’ overall achievement. The school provides satisfactory value for money.
p.6
What the school does well
• Pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics and attain above average standards compared with those in similar schools. • The provision for children in the nursery and reception classes is good and children make a good start to their education. • Pupils throughout the school are well cared for; they enjoy school and staff promote their good attitudes to work. • Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is well promoted. Consequently, pupils develop good relationships and show care and respect for one another. • There is a generous number of well-trained learning support staff who work well with the teachers and provide good levels of support and encouragement for all pupils.
p.6
What could be improved
• The quality of teaching is inconsistent and there are significant weaknesses in two classes. • There are insufficient rigorous procedures for monitoring the work of the school and ensuring that all pupils have similar effective opportunities for learning. • Information from assessment of pupils’ work is not used well enough to support curricular planning so that future tasks effectively build on what pupils’ already know and can do. • There are weaknesses in school management. The role of the senior management team is underdeveloped and senior staff do not play a sufficiently active role in supporting the headteacher in the effective management of the school and the evaluation of its work. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.
p.6
HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION
The school has made overall satisfactory improvement since the previous inspection in November 1997. Good improvement was made in raising standards, especially in mathematics where the concerns about weak teaching in mathematics have been mostly addressed. A nursery was established in 1999 and the provision for children in reception classes has improved. Children now make good progress in all aspects of their development through the Foundation Stage. The roles of subject co-ordinators have been Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 7 satisfactorily strengthened. Co-ordinators provide good leadership in their subjects, but are not yet monitoring the quality of teaching and learning. Comprehensive schemes of work have been developed to support teachers’ planning. However there is insufficient rigorous monitoring of the work of the school to ensure continued improvement and significant concerns in the quality of teaching remain in some classes in
p.6
STANDARDS
The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.
p.7
Performance in: all schools similar schools Key
1999 2000 2001 2001 Reading C B B A well above average above average A B Writing B B B A average below average C D Mathematics B A C B well below average E
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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key
Standards rose significantly in 1999 in English and mathematics and they have been mostly maintained at above average in the National Curriculum tests in 1999, 2000 and 2001. Compared with standards of schools in similar socio-economic areas, pupils at Broadmeadow attained standards in 2001 that were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics. This is a significant achievement. Test results in the 2002 National Curriculum tests, however, are not as high and early indications are that standards are about average in English and mathematics. This still represents good achievement because children enter the school with standards below that found nationally. Pupils achieved the targets set for them in attaining Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers’ assessment of pupils’ work in science was below average in 2002. Standards now are generally in line with those
p.7
Performance in: all schools similar schools Key
expected in reading, writing, mathematics and science. Children make good progress in their learning in the nursery and reception classes, and in Year 2, and this ensures that pupils achieve well through the school. However, pupils’ learning is inconsistent in Year 1 and their progress slows in some classes. In all other subjects, pupils’ standards are similar to those expected nationally. The very few pupils with English as an additional language who attend the school are supported effectively and they make good progress in their acquisition of English. Pupils with special educational needs are well supported and make good progress towards their individual targets.
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Aspect Comment
Attitudes to the school Pupils enjoy school and most show good attitudes to their work. Where teaching is good, they concentrate well and are often eager to show what they know.
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Aspect Comment
Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is satisfactory overall and in many lessons it is good. Children in the nursery and reception classes behave well. In some lessons, older pupils are slow to listen and to settle to their tasks. Pupils are generally polite and respectful to adults and visitors. At playtimes pupils show good levels of care for each other.
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Aspect Comment
Personal development and relationships Relationships throughout the school are good. Pupils are considerate of each other and show respect for each other’s feelings and ideas.
p.7
Aspect Comment
Attendance Attendance is similar to the national average.
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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 8 Quality of teaching Good Satisfactory 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
Evidence of the quality of teaching and of pupils’ learning is gathered from observations of lessons, from teachers’ planning and from a careful study of pupils’ past work. The teaching in the nursery and reception classes is good. The good range of activities provided stimulates children’s interest and curiosity, and so develops their ideas and knowledge. Teachers and learning support staff work very well together to develop children’s greater awareness of the world around them and to ensure the children are well supported and yet challenged. Children are given good opportunities to develop their personal and social skills, and their independence. Children’s literacy skills are well promoted in everything they do.
p.8
Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2
In Years 1 and 2 the quality of teaching is inconsistent and this interrupts the good progress in pupils’ effective learning. There are significant weaknesses in two out of the three classes in Year 1 and pupils make insufficient progress in their learning in too many lessons. This is due to weaknesses in the management of pupils’ behaviour in some lessons so they lose concentration and do not complete the activities set for them. In other lessons pupils are not given tasks that sufficiently build on what they already know and can do. Pupils’ work is not sufficiently monitored to ensure good progress is made. Alternatively, the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in the other Year 1 class and the Year 2 classes is often good. There are high expectations for pupils’ attention. A very good range of resources stimulates their ideas, and good opportunities are provided to promote pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills. Generally
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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2
the teaching of literacy is good through the school and pupils achieve well. The teaching of mathematics, although improved, is satisfactory overall. Despite these inconsistencies in provision, pupils of all abilities and of all ethnic groups make similar good achievement through the school. They are well supported by the good partnership between learning support staff and teachers.
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Aspect Comment
The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum for children in the nursery and reception classes is good. It provides them with rich learning opportunities. The curriculum for pupils in Years 1 and 2 is appropriately broad and well balanced, but there are some inconsistencies in the range of opportunities provided.
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Aspect Comment
Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good provision, especially by the special educational needs co-ordinator, ensures pupils make good progress.
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Aspect Comment
Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Only a very few pupils that have English as an additional language attend the school. They are well supported and enabled to make good progress in learning English. This supports their general progress well.
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Aspect Comment
Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. This results in a racially tolerant community where pupils develop good levels of self-confidence and show respect and care for one another.
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Aspect Comment
How well the school cares for its pupils Pastoral care for the pupils is good. Procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment have much improved, but the information gathered is not yet sufficiently used to develop the curriculum so that activities build on what pupils already know and can do.
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Aspect Comment
The school’s partnership with parents is satisfactory. The school provides a good range of information for parents to keep them informed about school life and the curriculum provided. Some parents do not feel Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 9 that they are kept sufficiently well informed about how their child is getting on. They feel that a few staff are unapproachable and do not listen to their concerns. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 10
p.8
Aspect Comment
Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher has provided an effective educational direction for the school, which has resulted in the raising of standards in Year 2 and improved curriculum for children in the nursery and reception. Aspects of school management are unsatisfactory. The senior management team does not play a sufficiently active part in supporting the headteacher, or in managing and monitoring the work of the school.
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Aspect Comment
How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors carry out their statutory requirements appropriately through a suitable range of committees. They are kept well informed by the headteacher and subject co-ordinators, but they do not play an active part in monitoring the work of the school.
p.10
Aspect Comment
The school’s evaluation of its performance The school has only just started to monitor and evaluate its performance. There is a suitable range of procedures, but they are not sufficiently rigorous to identify areas of weakness or to ensure further improvement.
p.10
Aspect Comment
The strategic use of resources There are satisfactory procedures for controlling and monitoring the school budget but the principles of best value are not fully understood or applied. The range and quality of resources for learning are satisfactory. There is a good number of well-trained learning support staff who have a significant impact on promoting pupils’ good achievement.
p.10
What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
• Most parents are pleased that their children enjoy school and want to attend. • Parents say that children are well cared for and there is a strong family atmosphere in the school. • Most parents feel that teaching is good and that their children are making good progress in their learning. • Most parents feel they could approach the headteacher and most of the staff with questions or a problem. • Most parents feel the school is well managed by the headteacher. • Some parents do not feel that they are kept sufficiently well-informed about how their children are getting on. • Some parents do not feel that all staff are ready to work with them, to listen to their comments and concerns. • Some parents would like to see a greater range of extra-curricular activities. • Some parents have concerns about the different starting times of the nursery class and the infant and junior schools.
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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
The inspection team acknowledges that children enjoy school, that they are well cared for and that they make good achievement in their learning. However, there are significant weaknesses in the quality of teaching that slows pupils’ progress in some classes. The headteacher provides good educational leadership, but has not addressed these weaknesses. A satisfactory range of information is provided about pupils’ attainment and progress, but it does not always give the detail parents would like or clearly explain how standards compare with children of the same age. Generally the staff are very approachable and eager to develop an effective and open partnership with parents. A few teachers, however, are not always sensitive to parents’ worries and concerns. The inspection team feels that the school provides a good range of out of class activities, especially for children of this age. There is a difference in the starting
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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved
times, which creates problems for some parents. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 11
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
1. There was a significant rise in standards after the previous inspection, especially in reading and mathematics, which were below average in 1998. In 2000 standards had risen to above average in reading and writing and well above average in mathematics. Similar good standards were evident in the 2001 National Curriculum tests where standards were above average in reading and writing and average in mathematics and science. When compared with the results attained by schools in similar socio-economic areas, standards were well above average in reading and writing and above average in mathematics.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
2. Last year standards in the National Curriculum tests declined a little due to the greater number of pupils in the year group that were identified as having special educational needs. The school recognised that this was a weaker cohort, but pupils achieved the targets set for attaining Level 2 in reading, writing and mathematics. The results of tests have not yet been compared with national figures, but appear to be similar to the national average in all aspects of English and mathematics. This still represents good achievement as the assessments made when children were admitted to the school showed standards below those found nationally especially in early literacy and numeracy skills. Standards in science also declined a little according to the teacher assessment made in 2002. It was judged to be below average overall. The inspection took place within the first month of the school year but even at this early stage it can be seen that standards are similar to
p.11
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
those expected for pupils’ age in all aspects of English, in mathematics and in science. Pupils achieve well through the school, but it is not steady progress. Good achievement is made in the Foundation Stage (in the nursery and reception classes). Progress slows in Year 1 and then picks up again in Year 2.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
3. At the time of the inspection, children were still being admitted into the nursery and children in the reception class had only recently begun to stay all day at school. Children enter the nursery with a very wide range of abilities and each year group differs markedly, but standards are below average. All children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in the Foundation Stage, and the majority are expected to achieve the early learning goals in personal and social development, communication, language and literacy and numeracy by the time they enter Year 1. They also make good progress and are in line to achieve the expected standards in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development; this is an improvement since the last inspection. Overall, in the area of physical development, children make good progress. However, they make very good progress in learning to control and co-ordinate their bodies and to
p.11
The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
handle tools and construction materials. There are, however, too few opportunities for children to develop their climbing and balancing skills, as there is limited access to outdoor equipment and this slows progress in these aspects of physical development.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
4. Pupils’ gains in learning are inconsistent through Year 1 because the quality of teaching is variable across the three classes. Pupils continue to achieve well in one class, but pupils make insufficient progress in their learning in too many lessons in the other two. During the inspection, standards were seen to decline in mathematics because in one class the teacher did not have a secure understanding of pupils’ capabilities, and activities did not sufficiently build on what they already knew and could do. In the other class, poor management of pupils’ behaviour resulted in a lack of concentration and progress in learning. The variations of teaching quality and in teachers’ expectations have had a similar impact on pupils’ achievement in many other subjects. The quality of teaching improves in Year 2 and pupils’ progress increases. The school has also successfully identified individual targets for pupils in English and mathematics, which has highlighted those
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
pupils who were in need of further support if they were to attain the expected standards by end of Year 2. This was followed by a programme of teaching the key words in reading, aspects of Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 12 writing and numeracy to small groups of pupils with similar learning needs. It resulted in improved standards and raised the pace of pupils’ achievement.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
5. Pupils with special educational needs receive good support to meet their needs, and so most make good progress in developing their literacy and numeracy skills, which are the main focus of their individual education plans. These plans are generally clear, and written in a style that is easy to follow. Nevertheless the school is aware that this is an area for continued development so that, with more specific detail in the targets, measurable success will be easier to determine.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
6. The school identified that pupils’ speaking and listening skills were a weakness and started to develop strategies for improving them. These have been successfully developed in some classes, especially in one of the Year 2 classes where role-play and ‘brainstorming’ are regularly used to provide opportunities for pupils to ask questions and develop their speaking skills. These kinds of activities are not consistently provided and so progress in developing speaking and listening skills is only satisfactory through the school. Teachers plan their lessons together, but there is insufficient discussion about the range of vocabulary and skills to be taught. Teachers’ expectations for the quantity and levels of literacy and numeracy skills to be used in each unit of work also vary and this also leads to inconsistencies in the provision and variations in the levels of achievement.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
7. Standards in science are generally in line with those expected and similar to that of the previous inspection. Pupils acquire a balanced range of information and are developing satisfactory skills of observing, predicting results and recording simple investigations. Where teaching is good, pupils’ investigative skills are well promoted. Whereas, in the less effective lessons, pupils’ learning is directed by the teacher rather than gained through their own experience. Standards in information and communication technology are in line with those expected nationally and pupils’ achievement is satisfactory. The time given to teaching new skills and using them to support pupils’ learning in other subjects varies, however, from class to class according to the teacher’s confidence and expertise.
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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements
8. Standards in religious education have dropped since the previous inspection because more attention has been placed on improving pupils’ learning in literacy and numeracy. Pupils now attain standards that are similar to those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. Overall, standards in all the other subjects are in line with those expected and pupils make satisfactory gains in their learning through Years 1 and 2. The strengths and weaknesses in each subject follow very similar patterns as those already mentioned in English, mathematics, science and information and communication technology.
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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
9. The attitudes, values and personal development of pupils are good overall. Although this represents a similarly positive picture to the previous inspection, there has been some decline in the standards of behaviour observed. Most parents, however, consider the behaviour in the school to be good, and are appreciative of this aspect of their children’s development.
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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
10. Most pupils appear to enjoy coming to school and are generally willing to learn. In the classrooms they show enthusiasm for their work, particularly where it is made interesting. Many try hard and concentrate quite well for their ages, even though lessons in literacy and numeracy can be overlong. As pupils become familiar with the routines and expectations of their teachers, they work with increasing co-operation. In those classes where teaching is less than satisfactory, pupils are more likely to lose concentration and even abandon their work. Pupils are generally positive about working with others and are seen to share and take turns sensibly. Children in the Foundation Stage enjoy coming to school. Good emphasis is placed on developing children’s personal and social skills and they soon make good progress and have positive attitudes to work and to each other. Pupils with special educational needs have a good self-image and display a
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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 13 positive attitude to the school and their work. Similarly those pupils from other ethnic groups interact positively developing attitudes of tolerance and respect.
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
11. Standards of behaviour are satisfactory overall. Many pupils are well behaved and sensible. Most know the rules and generally seek to obey them. They are aware of the moral code that underpins the school’s expectations and try to work within them. They are obedient to instruction and generally treat each other with reasonable courtesy. However, some pupils are less conscientious. They work in rising noise levels, which sometimes make teaching more difficult. In and around the school, these pupils are seen to be less willing to co-operate and please. They can be rough in their play and pay less attention to adults than the other pupils.
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
12. Pupils’ personal development is good. This generally reflects the good relationships that exist between pupils and staff in most classes. The majority of pupils are beginning to be suitably aware of the needs of others. In some classrooms, small individual responsibilities are successfully promoted. For example, pupils are able to take charge of taking the register to the office, opening the door or in tidying up. Outside, pupils generally mix well with each other, and share games and amusements showing satisfactory awareness of fair play.
p.13
Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development
13. Attendance remains satisfactory at 93.4 per cent, which is just below the national average. However, attendance compares favourably with other schools in the Birmingham area where it has exceeded the LEA targets for four years. Some pupils are late for school, a few regularly. Pupils who arrive late have a disruptive effect on the start of lessons. The majority of parents support the school’s efforts to maintain regular attendance and punctuality.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
14. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall, but there are significant variations through the school which impact on the effectiveness of pupils’ learning. This is a similar picture to that found at the previous inspection, however the weaknesses now are predominantly in one year group, whereas at the previous inspection the weakness was particular to mathematics. Areas of weakness in the Foundation Stage due to the imbalance of the curriculum and the lack of opportunities for children to develop their independence have been successfully eliminated. So have many of the weaknesses in teachers’ subject knowledge in the teaching of mathematics. Insufficient progress has been made in raising the quality of teaching because of the lack of rigorous monitoring and identification of the difficulties.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
15. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good in all areas of children’s learning, and occasionally it is very good because of the high emphasis placed on developing children’s personal and social skills. Throughout the Foundation Stage, good relationships are established and adults get to know the children well. The management of children’s behaviour is very effective and they, therefore, make good progress in developing positive attitudes to work and to each other. There is a good team of nursery nurses and teachers who work very well together to plan, prepare and teach the curriculum. Teachers demonstrate their good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum by making creative links between suitable activities. In the reception classes, teachers place an appropriate emphasis on the development of key skills and these are well taught. This was seen in a lesson when children enjoyed writing their names and identifying initial sounds. All staff work
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
very well together to systematically develop children’s counting skills and to extend their mathematical vocabulary. All staff assist children in using the computers appropriately to learn to control the mouse and move objects on the screen. Children learn well because they enjoy the activities that relate to their own experience, such as counting each other while singing a nursery rhyme.
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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
16. Although the quality of teaching in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory overall, in Year 1 it is unsatisfactory in two out of the three classes. The proportion of unsatisfactory lessons observed in Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 14 these two classes was unacceptably high. The impact of this unsatisfactory teaching is to slow pupils’ learning. Activities do not sufficiently challenge pupils’ thinking or build on their previous knowledge and skills. In one class, pupils’ behaviour is not successfully managed and pupils frequently lose attention, do not sufficiently listen to the teacher’s instructions and consequently do not complete the task they are given. In the other Year 1 class, and in the three classes in Year 2, teaching is often good, sometimes very good. In the most effective lessons teachers have an effective grasp of what pupils already know and can do, and provide activities that match the
p.13
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
learning needs of all groups irrespective of their capabilities, gender or ethnicity. The lessons are well structured so that there is a clear progression of activities linked to the central theme. Teachers’ questioning challenges pupils’ thinking, as was seen in a Year 1 science lesson on light and darkness. The teachers make learning meaningful to the class by linking activities to pupils’ own experience, as was observed in a mathematics lesson in Year 2. Resources are used well to stimulate pupils’ interest and curiosity. This was seen well illustrated in a geography lesson in Year 2 where pupils successfully explored the similarities and differences between cities and villages.
p.14
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
17. The quality of teaching in English is good overall, although there are inconsistencies, as already mentioned. Pupils’ literacy skills are well promoted in most lessons and reading in particular plays an important role in all subjects, resulting in pupils’ good achievement. Teachers are mostly secure in their teaching of the National Literacy Strategy. Effective links are made across the curriculum to foster pupils’ spiritual, social, moral and cultural development. This was seen well illustrated in the topic based on the story called the ‘Owl Babies’. One teacher in Year 2 successfully uses pupils’ discussion not only to share ideas, but also to further develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills in a variety of contexts including science, geography and personal, social and health education lessons. Simple role-play activities where members of the class ask the main character questions and the use of quick-fire ‘brain storming’ discussions between pairs of pupils are
p.14
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
improving pupils’ concentration and speaking skills.
p.14
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
18. The teaching of mathematics is satisfactory overall. Although improved since the previous inspection, there are weaknesses due to inconsistencies in teachers’ expectations and the unsatisfactory management of pupils’ behaviour. Teachers have a satisfactory knowledge of the National Numeracy Strategy, but aspects of the quick ‘mental maths’ sessions are not yet sufficiently developed. Pupils’ numeracy skills are satisfactorily promoted in subjects such as geography, design and technology and science. However, teachers do not sufficiently discuss which skills should be further promoted to ensure that all pupils across the year group benefit from the opportunities to draw graphs, for example, when recording information. Similarly, teachers do not clarify the language and terms to be taught in their lessons so that all pupils have the opportunity to explore and develop their vocabulary in subjects such as science.
p.14
HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?
19. The quality of teaching for pupils with special educational needs is good in class and in sessions where they are withdrawn for individual support. In most English and mathematics lessons, teachers meet the needs of pupils well, providing appropriate activities and good classroom support. Generally classroom support assistants play an important role in ensuring pupils with special educational needs make good progress. However in some lessons, for example science, geography and history, pupils with special educational needs complete the same work as other pupils when an easier task would have promoted better learning. Work in these lessons is sometimes planned without direct reference to targets set in individual education plans, and this restricts progress. In the best lessons seen, for example numeracy in a Year 2 class, pupils with special educational needs were given practical tasks that were appropriate for them, and this
p.14
PUPILS?
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 15 20. There has been significant improvement in the development of the early years curriculum since the last inspection with greater emphasis being placed on the range of activities provided and the opportunity to foster independence amongst the children. The curricular provision for children in the Foundation Stage is now good and successfully promotes the recommended early learning goals. It is broad and balanced and enriched by creative and thoughtful planning to ensure that children in the nursery and reception classes make good progress. A variety of role-play opportunities have been developed and are now linked to half-termly topics. In both the nursery and reception classes there is a good focus on developing children’s literacy and numeracy skills through independent play and more structured activities. There are, however, few opportunities for children to develop their climbing and balancing skills, as there is limited outdoor equipment
p.15
PUPILS?
available for children to use on a regular basis. Although progress has been made in involving children in independent learning they are as yet are not fully involved in planning and reviewing their own activities.
p.15
PUPILS?
21. The breadth of the curriculum in Years 1 and 2 is satisfactory. It is relevant to the pupils’ needs and meets all the statutory requirements by providing all subjects in the National Curriculum. Religious education also meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. The overall planning of the curriculum is now detailed and effective. The school has adopted the nationally recommended guidelines for all subjects, many of which have been successfully adapted to meet the needs of the school. This is an improvement since the previous inspection when schemes of work did not provide staff with sufficient detail to support their lesson planning. The school allocates adequate time for all subjects, but there is sometimes a lack of balance in the length of lessons. Some literacy and numeracy lessons are too long. This results in a more leisured approach and loss of pupils’ attention. It also means that a number of other subjects, such as
p.15
PUPILS?
history and music, are shorter than intended and pupils’ learning in these lessons is restricted.
p.15
PUPILS?
22. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies are both well established and have had a good impact on raising standards in these subjects. Literacy skills are taught well, and pupils have the opportunity of writing at length in other subjects, particularly geography. Pupils’ numeracy skills are satisfactorily promoted in other subjects. For example, pupils use block graphs in information and communication technology and design and technology. Information and communication technology is used appropriately across the curriculum; however, an area for future development is to identify in planning the skills pupils are to learn to ensure they are taught.
p.15
PUPILS?
23. The school is socially inclusive, reflecting the good provision for pupils with special educational needs, with most staff ensuring that these pupils are fully integrated into groups within the classroom. Pupils with English as an additional language and from different ethnic groups are well integrated into the school and provided with satisfactory opportunities for learning appropriate to their needs. Boys and girls achieve well through the school and are provided with similar opportunities to extend their learning. There is, however, a lack of awareness by some staff who still separate the boys from the girls when managing their movement around the classroom and school.
p.15
PUPILS?
24. There is appropriate provision for personal, social and health education with a scheme of work that links to the school’s topic programme. Sex education and anti-drugs awareness is not taught as a specific area of study, but is taught appropriately through the health education programme. A ‘Health Week’ is organised each year promoting healthy living, and this coincides with the visit from the local authority ‘Health Caravan’. The curriculum is enhanced by a good range of extra- curricular activities for pupils in Year 2, which includes both music and sporting activities and a French club. Pupils are able to use the experiences gained to enhance their learning.
p.15
PUPILS?
25. The school has developed good links with the local community, which make a positive impact on pupils’ learning and the quality of life within the school. There are good links with a local business partnership, which has supported the school in its improvement of the playground. There are also effective links with a variety of agencies that support the pupils’ learning in different topics, such Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 16 as regular visits from staff from the Health Centre to support the school’s healthy eating programme. There are visits from the local electricity company who talk about electricity and safety and regular visits from the Lollipop lady to remind pupils about safety on the roads. Pupils also gain great enjoyment as well as information when the Fire Brigade visits the school. Good use is made of local museums, the library and a falconry centre to help pupils’ project work in history,
p.15
PUPILS?
geography and science. The school donates harvest produce to a local hospice and Year 2 pupils sing at an old people’s home at Christmas. There are satisfactory links with other schools which promote the curriculum, such as the annual dance festival. There are twice termly meetings with the head of the junior school where curriculum issues and transition arrangements are discussed, but subject co-ordinators from the two schools have not met for several years. Pupils’ easy transition to the next school at the end of Year 2 is well promoted through the visits to the junior school for school productions and a special induction day.
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PUPILS?
26. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. The school places great emphasis on appreciating and valuing the individual. Opportunities for spiritual awareness occur frequently, mainly through assemblies and the planned learning topics. From the youngest classes upward, a respect for the feelings, and indeed fears, of others is well promoted. Pupils are encouraged to experience and reflect upon the wonders of the living world. In the Year 2 classes, for example, the well-chosen literacy topic on ‘The Little Owls’ provides very good direction in nurturing this aspect of pupils’ development. Stimulated by an unusual visit to the school by bird experts with live owls, pupils have fully engaged in exploring these natural marvels. Many areas of learning are greatly enhanced as pupils’ interest is captured by such amazing mysteries.
p.16
PUPILS?
27. Provision for pupils’ moral development has improved since the last inspection and is now good. The majority of teachers set high standards and provide good examples as to what is expected. A suitable code of behaviour is promoted and pupils are generally aware of the sanctions that apply if rules are not followed. Good systems to reward and encourage pupils are in place. Pupils are frequently reminded to consider their own actions and to always choose the better course. In assemblies, for example, a well-planned programme of topics continually fosters ideas of right and wrong, and focuses on the importance of selecting the good moral path. The school is well supported by parents who generally approve of the values the school promotes. They like such things as the ‘Golden Book’ which is effectively used in assemblies to inspire pupils to do their best.
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PUPILS?
28. The staff make good provision for pupils’ social development. Throughout the school pupils are encouraged to be friendly and caring towards each other. Within the security of the early routines provided, the youngest children flourish and begin to make the necessary social contact with others. As they grow older they are continually encouraged to be considerate and take turns fairly. They are regularly organised to work in groups, or with a partner, which increases the necessity for them to listen to the thoughts and ideas of their classmates. The importance of showing friendship towards others, and not leaving people out, is practically advanced through the playground’s ‘Friendship Post’.
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PUPILS?
29. Pupils are given good opportunities to learn about their own culture, as well as those of the wider world in which they live and this promotes the pupils’ racial awareness and tolerance. A great variety of books is made available which reflect the lives, differences and cultures of other peoples. The multicultural dimensions of the UK are also well represented in, for example, art, cookery and display. The well-established French club, as well as the organisation of an annual ‘European Day’, place successful emphasis on our own continent. On this day, pupils are able to benefit from the experience of direct contact with people from other European countries. These visitors to the school are able to usefully share their language and some of their more distinct culture with the pupils.
p.16
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 17 30. The overall standard of care provided by the school for its pupils, including pupils with special educational needs, is good and this compares favourably with the previous inspection. There are good procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare. Procedures to support and monitor pupils’ personal development are also good. The quality of care for children in the Foundation Stage is very good and enables them to make a very secure start in school.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
31. Teachers know their pupils well and most respond readily to their needs. Many staff smile and show affection for their pupils, which puts pupils at their ease and helps them to concentrate on their learning. Very good routines and very effective team work have been established in the Foundation Stage which ensure that children settle down very quickly and feel confident to talk about anything that worries them. Children under five are very well looked after, and this ensures that they enjoy school and think that learning is fun. Child protection procedures are fully in place and all staff have received the appropriate training. The health and safety policy is comprehensive and its procedures are rigorously overseen by the governing body. There are good arrangements for first aid and fire drills are held regularly. All pupils are well supervised in school and in the playground. The quality of care and support provided by learning support assistants is very good.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
32. The school makes good provision for pupils with special educational needs and there is good liaison with outside support agencies. In the classroom, learning support assistants are patient and encouraging and make a good contribution to pupils’ learning. There are clear procedures for the early identification of pupils who need extra help, and the school follows all the recommendations of the national guidance. The number of pupils in the school for whom English is an additional language is very small. On the rare occasions when a pupil is found to be experiencing difficulties, the school undertakes an assessment and arranges for appropriate support to be provided.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
33. Good procedures have been developed to promote good behaviour and the school functions as a calm and ordered community. A behaviour modification programme has been introduced into the playground and has proved successful in structuring pupils’ play and ensuring harmonious playtimes. Eighty-eight per cent of parents who replied to the questionnaire felt that behaviour was good. There was no evidence during the inspection of bullying or harassment and there have been no exclusions.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
34. There are effective measures in place to promote good attendance and parents know they must inform the school if their child is absent. The vast majority of parents are co-operative and there are good systems in place to follow up any absences that have not been correctly notified. There is good liaison with the education welfare worker. The school encourages pupils to maintain regular attendance by awarding prizes and certificates for 100 per cent attendance.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
35. Teachers build up a good picture of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses in their work, behaviour and personal development, but these are not always formally recorded in an individual pupil profile. Each pupil has a personal target for literacy and numeracy, which can focus on aspects of their efforts and behaviour as well as their attainment. The school takes care to acknowledge pupils’ achievements, particularly when they have made efforts and tried hard. There is a good system of headteacher awards which are greatly prized and which encourage pupils to work well and do their best.
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
36. Assessment is used effectively in the Foundation Stage to track children’s progress and to adapt activities so that they continue to make good progress. Baseline assessments are carried out both in the nursery and at the end of the reception year. In the Foundation Stage, all teachers keep very detailed records of children’s achievement in all areas of the curriculum. They use this information to ensure that each child has appropriate support and makes suitable progress to the next steps in learning. A comprehensive record of achievement passes from nursery to reception, ensuring that successive teachers have suitable information about each child. All staff use the newly introduced record sheet to make careful observations of children’s personal development. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 18 37. The previous inspection identified weaknesses in assessment procedures, but over the last few
p.17
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
years sound improvement has been made. Overall systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress are now satisfactory in English and mathematics, clearly reflecting the improving picture of standards in those subjects. Assessments are suitably focused on the National Curriculum levels. As a result, clear findings help set measurable targets for improving groups and individual pupils’ achievements. For example, in Year 2 additional teaching support has been targeted at a group of pupils who attain standards that are below average in order to bring their standards up to average levels. In numeracy, pupils are aware of their own personal targets which appear on the inside cover of their homework books. This has a positive effect on helping pupils to work hard on what they need to do to improve. Nevertheless, assessments at the end of each unit of work in mathematics do not focus clearly enough on pupils’ ability to use their numeracy skills to solve
p.18
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
38. There is still a relative weakness in the way in which teachers use assessment information to highlight the next step for planning so that future activities build on what pupils already know and can do. Apart from English and mathematics, records of what has been learnt lack detail and, as a result, work set does not always meet the needs of all pupils. The school is aware of the need to develop still further its assessment procedures to more rigorously track pupils’ achievements as they move through the school, but also the relative achievements of classes within the same year group. As such, many aspects of assessment remain incomplete, and the issue for the school is to continue to address this in order to continue to raise standards to higher levels.
p.18
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?
39. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and all the requirements of the new national guidelines (Code of Practice) are met. The individual education plans, written in conjunction by the class teacher and the special educational needs co-ordinator are sound. The school is effective at collecting, storing and using information gathered from many sources. However, the information gained does not always have a direct impact on teachers’ planning and the deployment of classroom assistants throughout the school as this at present reflects a historical arrangement of class teacher and classroom assistant, rather than the needs of specific pupils. The school is aware of the need to increase the involvement of pupils in reviewing their own progress against agreed targets.
p.18
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
40. There are strengths and weaknesses in the school’s links with parents. In the pre-inspection questionnaire and at the parents’ meeting, most parents registered high levels of satisfaction with the standards of education, but expressed some concerns with the way in which the school works in partnership with them. This represents some deterioration since the last inspection.
p.18
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
41. Parents with children in the Foundation Stage are very satisfied with the information they receive about their children’s progress, and the standard of written communications to parents is good through the school. There is an effective system of letters and newsletters, which keeps parents up to date with the termly curriculum and with school activities. The prospectus and a helpful induction programme give clear information about school routines and encourage parents to share any concerns they may have with the class or headteacher. There are formal consultation evenings in the autumn and spring terms when parents can discuss their children’s performance. Annual reports are sent out in the summer term and these give parents a clear understanding of the standards pupils have achieved as well as targets to help them improve. There is a useful homework diary, which parents can use to communicate with teachers. However, some parents
p.18
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
find one or two teachers reluctant to give additional information about weekly topics or about their child’s progress in order to support their learning at home. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 19 42. The school encourages parents to become involved in the life of the school. Most parents co- operate readily by signing the home/school partnership agreement, by helping their children with reading and by reporting absences promptly. Many parents demonstrate their interest in the school by attending open evenings and supporting school activities, such as the ‘Golden Book Assembly’ on Fridays. Other meetings such as the governors’ annual report to parents are less well attended. There are no formal links with parents through organisations such as a parent/school association. Parents find all staff in the Foundation Stage helpful and approachable and several parents make a regular commitment to help in the nursery and reception classes. This is not the case in Years 1
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HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
and 2 where very few parents come in to help and where some parents find one or two teachers unwelcoming and unapproachable.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
43. A number of parents told inspectors that some of their concerns are not always taken seriously. They particularly cited the examples of the difference in opening hours for the nursery, which can leave parents with older children in the infants and juniors with 15 minutes to wait either in the mornings or afternoons. They were concerned at the school’s perceived indifference to the recurrence of head lice in one class. Parents said they had not received explanations for either of these concerns.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
44. In the questionnaires, a significant number of parents raised concerns about the range of activities provided outside lessons. The inspection team found that the number of extra-curricular activities provided by the school, which include music, drama, gymnastics and French, is good for pupils of this age.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
45. Parents are promptly informed if their child is identified as having special educational needs or if their child is to be moved to a different stage of the school’s special needs register. Individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are shared with parents at regular, planned interviews; most parents receive copies of these plans identifying action requiring their support, an area of continued development to ensure all parents receive a copy and attend arranged meetings. At present the percentage of parents attending these planned meetings is less than ten per cent.
p.19
HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?
46. The quality and amount of information regarding the provision and success of special educational needs provision within the school is far too limited in the governors’ annual report to parents. It makes no mention of the numbers on the special educational needs register, monitoring arrangements or costings.
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
47. The headteacher took up post shortly after the previous inspection and it is due to her good leadership that the school has made significant improvements in standards in English and mathematics. Pupils now achieve well. Under her direction and support the provision in the Foundation Stage has improved. She has effectively initiated a team approach to developing the Foundation Stage curriculum. Children settle well and have a good range of stimulating activities that promote their learning. The school curriculum is now securely underpinned by comprehensive schemes of work and the generally good leadership provided by subject co-ordinators has eliminated many of the inconsistencies in planning. The staff are successful in promoting an inclusive school ethos.
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
48. The headteacher has provided a clear educational direction for raising standards, but many aspects of the management of the school have been insufficiently developed and weaknesses in the provision, especially in the quality of teaching, remain. The headteacher has developed an appropriate range of procedures for monitoring and evaluating the work of the school, but they lack the rigor necessary to identify weaknesses and do not have the strength to promote change. She observes teachers in their lessons and provides good support and encouragement, but there Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 20 are no formal procedures for setting targets for the improvement in teaching or for following up areas of weakness observed to ensure this improvement.
p.19
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
49. At present the senior management team is under strength with no middle manager in the Foundation Stage or in Year 2. The deputy headteacher and remaining senior teacher do not take a sufficiently active part in supporting the headteacher in the strategic management of the school or in evaluating its effectiveness. The senior management team do not have the knowledge or training to support the headteacher in this monitoring role.
p.20
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
50. Co-ordinators have made a satisfactory start in managing their subjects and they show an enthusiasm and commitment for continued improvement. They monitor planning and aspects of pupils’ work, but they lack the training to be aware of inconsistencies in the provision. With the exception of co-ordinators in English and mathematics, co-ordinators have not been involved in monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in lessons and this reduces their knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses in their subjects and consequently the strategies needed to raise standards further.
p.20
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
51. The school benefits from the support of the governing body, which carries out its roles and responsibilities appropriately. They are kept well informed by the headteacher and other staff about developments in the school, but rarely undertake any direct monitoring of their own. Working commitments make it difficult for most governors to attend school during the day and so their knowledge of the school’s strengths and weaknesses are dependent on attendance at their regular meetings. Governors monitor the progress on school initiatives in the school improvement plan through the headteacher’s regular report. They are invited to add their ideas to the plan, but there is no opportunity to be involved its initial development and this lessens their understanding of its impact.
p.20
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
52. The school improvement plan identifies appropriate areas for improvement. Analysis of the National Curriculum tests by the headteacher is effectively used to identify areas of weakness, such as pupils’ speaking and listening skills, the need for greater focus on investigation in science and applying numeracy skills to solve problems in mathematics. The plan appropriately sets a date for when the targets for improvement are to be completed and some of the costs associated with the developments are recognised. The plan is not an effective mechanism for improvement, however, because there are no criteria by which success can be measured to ensure the targets are met.
p.20
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
53. The school benefits from an experienced special educational needs co-ordinator who ensures effective management of special educational needs provision. She provides good leadership and is committed to providing good quality support to all pupils with special educational needs in the school. Suitable arrangements for managing, supporting, assessing and reviewing pupils’ progress are in place. However, at present the co-ordinator is also the school’s special educational needs governor, therefore making any impartial monitoring of the success of policy and practice difficult. All funds designated for special educational needs are used for the purposes intended. Classroom assistants have good relationships with pupils on the special educational needs register. Most are suitably directed when working with pupils and make effective use of the time allocated to them.
p.20
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
54. The school has an adequate number of teachers and plenty of support staff to meet the demands of the curriculum and the learning needs of the pupils, including those with special educational needs. For most of the lessons, classroom assistants give valuable support to pupils with special educational needs, prompting them to answer questions during class discussions, or helping them with their written work. This boosts the pupils’ confidence and they try harder as a result. However, classroom assistants are not always used effectively during lesson introductions. Their skills are not always used as effectively as they should be. Their placement in respective classes is historical and, at present, not dependent on pupils’ needs to achieve higher standards. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 21 55. Satisfactory arrangements are in place for performance management. All teachers have personal targets, and these are now securely linked to raising standards in writing, which is part of the
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HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
school’s improvement plan. Induction procedures for new staff are appropriate, and newly appointed teachers receive adequate support from the headteacher. Administrative and other support staff, including the dinner and site supervisors, work well for the benefit of all the pupils.
p.21
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
56. There are a satisfactory number and adequate range of resources for most subjects, with resources in the Foundation Stage and for literacy being good overall. Since the previous inspection, resources for information and communication technology have been improved. Most resources are in sound condition and appropriate to offer satisfactory support to learning. Resources are generally well organised by the subject co-ordinators. Overall, resources contribute well to pupils’ learning.
p.21
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
57. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory and allows all subjects of the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum to be taught effectively. The school has worked hard to improve the playground environment and there is an attractive and secure play space for nursery and reception classes. A new library area has been provided which provides an attractive entrance to the school as well as effectively presenting books for staff and pupils to use. Improvements have also been made to access arrangements for the disabled. The whole school site is clean and well maintained. The Foundation Stage classrooms are in a separate building across the junior school playground. Apart from the obvious difficulties of accessing the main building for assemblies, physical education and lunch in bad weather, children in the Foundation Stage are isolated from Years 1 and 2 and they are prevented from becoming involved in the daily life of the school.
p.21
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
58. The day-to-day administration by staff in the office is smooth and efficient. The headteacher, school administrator and governors manage the school finances effectively. They make good use of the long-term financial plan provided for them by the local education authority and use it to identify and plan for the areas of possible concern in the future. The school knows that there is potential overspend with the current level of staffing and is preparing for the future. The principles of best value, however, are not fully understood or applied.
p.21
HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?
59. The school successfully promotes pupils’ good achievement through the school in English and mathematics, but their progress in learning could be better if the quality of teaching in Year 1 was improved. The school uses its finances effectively in many ways but this fundamental weakness reduces the school’s value for money to satisfactory. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 22
p.21
WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?
The governors, headteacher and staff should now:
p.22
1. Improve the quality of teaching, especially in Year 1 by:
• developing and implementing rigorous procedures for the monitoring of teaching and pupils’ learning to identify areas of weakness and develop targets for improvement; • providing support and further subject training where required; • further developing effective strategies to support teachers in the management of pupils’ behaviour. (Paragraphs 4, 14-19)
p.22
by:
• monitoring pupils’ work to identify and eliminate inconsistencies in teaching to ensure similar expectations for pupils’ learning across the year group; • developing the criteria to be used and an agreed rationale for monitoring; • providing training for co-ordinators in monitoring techniques; • providing opportunities for staff to develop the skills required; • developing a manageable timetable for the monitoring of all subjects with agreed areas of focus; • implementing effective strategies for using the information gathered so improvements are made. (Paragraphs 14-19, 48, 78, 85, 89, 95, 100, 105, 116, 121, 128, 133)
p.22
3. Further improve the procedures for assessment by:
• developing whole-school procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and progress in all subjects; • developing strategies for using the data collected to identify areas of weakness; • using assessment information to further develop curricular planning so that activities build on what pupils already know and can do. (Paragraphs 36-39)
p.22
4. Improve the management of the school by:
• strengthening the senior management team so there is an effective management structure to support communications and consistency of expectations through the school; • developing clear roles and responsibilities for senior managers in promoting, monitoring and evaluating school effectiveness and provide essential training; • improving the quality of the school development plan so that there are clear and measurable success criteria against which the action taken can be evaluated. (Paragraphs 49-50, 52)
p.22
4. Improve the management of the school by:
In addition to the key issues above, the following less important weaknesses need to be considered for inclusion in the action plan.
p.22
4. Improve the management of the school by:
• Develop a more positive partnership with parents. (Paragraphs 42-43, 45) Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 23
p.22
Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection
Number of lessons observed 57 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 30
p.23
Summary of teaching observed during the inspection
Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 0 8 19 24 6 0 0 Percentage 0 14 33 42 11 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 one percentage point.
p.23
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery Y1 – Y2 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 11 248 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 82 FTE means full-time equivalent.
p.23
Information about the school’s pupils
Special educational needs Nursery Y1 – Y2 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 28
p.23
Information about the school’s pupils
English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 1
p.23
Information about the school’s pupils
Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 26 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 20
p.23
Authorised absence Unauthorised absence
% % School data 6.6 School data 0.8 National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 24 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 25
p.23
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 50 43 93
p.25
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 45 45 45 level 2 and above Girls 42 43 40 Total 87 88 85
p.25
National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics
Percentage of pupils School 94 (90) 95 (89) 91 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (83) 86 (84) 91 (90)
p.25
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Numbers of pupils at NC Boys 45 45 45 level 2 and above Girls 41 36 40 Total 86 81 85
p.25
Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science
Percentage of pupils School 92 (86) 87 (92) 91 (90) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (84) 89 (88) 89 (88) Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 26
p.25
exclusions
White – British 147 0 0 White – Irish 0 0 0 White – any other White background 2 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 0 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 1 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 14 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 0 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 0 0 Black or Black British – African 2 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 0 0 0 Chinese 0 0 0 Any other ethnic group 0 0 0 No ethnic group recorded 2 0 0 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. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 27
p.26
Qualified teachers and classes: Y1 – Y2
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2001-02 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23 Average class size 27 £ Education support staff: Y1 – Y2 Total income 730,991 Total number of education support staff 10 Total expenditure 792,723 Total aggregate hours worked per week 267 Expenditure per pupil 2,831 Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 110,020
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Qualified teachers and classes: Y1 – Y2
Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 48,288 Number of pupils per qualified teacher 12 Total number of education support staff 2 Total aggregate hours worked per week 65 Number of pupils per FTE adult 4 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 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) 1 Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) FTE means full-time equivalent. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 28
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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. 55 37 1 1 6
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Percentage of responses in each category
Behaviour in the school is good. 54 34 2 0 10
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Percentage of responses in each category
My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 35 41 7 2 14
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Percentage of responses in each category
I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 34 45 13 4 4
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Percentage of responses in each category
I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 62 32 4 1 1
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 60 33 3 1 3
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school works closely with parents. 38 39 13 5 6
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school is well led and managed. 50 38 4 0 8
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 52 38 4 0 6
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Percentage of responses in each category
The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 27 25 17 4 26 Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 29
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
60. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception classes) is good. There has been continued improvement since the last inspection. A nursery class for 78 children attending on a part-time basis was opened in 1999 which, with three reception classes, is now housed in a purpose-built early years unit. The school has successfully achieved its aim to give young children a good start to their education. Most children naturally transfer from the nursery to reception, although a small number of new children join from other settings. At the time of the inspection, children were still being admitted into the nursery, and children in the reception class had only recently begun full-time education. Children enter the nursery with a very wide range of abilities and each year group differs markedly, but standards are usually below that found nationally. All children, including those with special educational needs, make good progress in the Foundation
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
Stage, and the majority are expected to attained the standards expected in the early learning goals for personal and social development, communication, language and literacy and numeracy by the time they enter Year 1. They also make good progress and are in line to achieve the expected standards in knowledge and understanding of the world and creative development. This is an improvement since the last inspection. Overall, in the area of physical development, children make good progress. However, there are too few opportunities for children to develop their climbing and balancing skills, as there is limited access to outdoor equipment. They make very good progress in learning to control and co-ordinate their bodies and handle tools and construction materials.
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
61. Teaching in the Foundation Stage is good in areas of children’s learning. It is occasionally very good, due to the appropriately high emphasis placed on developing children’s personal and social skills. Staff in the nursery settle the children into school well and begin to establish good routines. Throughout the Foundation Stage, good relationships are established and adults get to know the children well. The management of children’s behaviour is very effective and they therefore make good progress in developing positive attitudes to work and to each other. There is a good team of nursery nurses and teachers who work very well together to plan, prepare and teach the curriculum. Teachers demonstrate their good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum by making creative links to suitable activities and planning well at all levels, and, on occasions, including the outside learning area. Children of all abilities and ethnic background are well provided
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AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE
for and make good progress in their learning.
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Personal, social and emotional development
62. In their personal, social and emotional development children achieve well and most will attain the early learning goals at the end of the Foundation Stage. The quality of relationships established between adults and children is the basis for the development in this area. From the earliest days in the nursery, children begin to understand how to behave, following well-established routines and systems, as was seen when they tidied away toys and games, washed their hands and sat down quietly in preparation for ‘snack time’. This time is used very effectively, throughout the Foundation Stage, to promote good manners and suitable behaviour, with children being encouraged to rehearse ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. Opportunities are taken for children to sit quietly, reflect and say, ‘thank you for the food we eat’ and this contributes well to their spiritual development. Their sense of responsibility is being developed when they are selected as the
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Personal, social and emotional development
‘leader’ and undertake a few small duties during the day. In the nursery, adults encourage children to become involved in activities for an extended period of time, for example when painting a ‘red picture’ or finding a favourite colour in a book. In the reception classes children are able to spend sustained periods of time on activities, learning to co-operate well. This was seen well illustrated when a boy and girl played an imaginary game with animals in the sand pit and swept up the sand afterwards. Children are developing an awareness of each other’s needs and they assist each other in choosing a game. Children are encouraged to become more independent learners, for example when following activities the teacher has displayed on the ‘task boards’. A number of Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 30 children found this difficult, as they were not used to keeping to the activity assigned to their
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Personal, social and emotional development
group. They moved very quickly from one activity to another so that their learning was limited. Children are generally well behaved and learn how to line up quietly. They walk sensibly across the playground to the hall where they join in assemblies and physical activity sessions. They prepare themselves well for these sessions, needing no help with dressing and undressing. They were seen to fold their clothes neatly. Children listen intently to stories that are well read by the teachers.
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Communication, language and literacy
63. Children achieve well in communication, language and literacy and almost all will attain the early learning goals at the end of the reception class. Children enter nursery with varying abilities in language, so appropriate emphasis is placed on speaking and listening skills. Good opportunities are taken for discussion, particularly when children are having their fruit and are encouraged to talk about the taste, and their likes and dislikes. Staff take every opportunity to extend children’s vocabulary and understanding; for example when talking about her picture, a bright little girl in the nursery was encouraged to say that she needed to put an ‘antenna’ on her butterfly. Children in the reception classes speak with confidence as they remember well what they did at the weekend with Monty the ‘class toy’. Early writing skills are encouraged in the nursery, for example when adults write captions that the children have dictated, or the children ‘write’ letters to their mothers
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Communication, language and literacy
in the imaginative area. In the reception year teachers skilfully develop children’s writing, introducing elements of the literacy strategy, so that many are now beginning to write independently. They are beginning to form their letters well and write their names confidently. A great emphasis is placed on teaching letter sounds in the nursery so the majority of children in reception recognise the initial sound of their name. Higher attaining children also hear and say initial sounds related to familiar objects. For example, one child said, ‘B starts my name, banana and bear’.
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Communication, language and literacy
64. Children in the nursery, who have only recently started school, enjoy listening to stories and take delight in repetition and reciting aspects of the story of ‘The Five Little Ducks’ with the teacher. At the beginning of the year in the reception classes, the higher attaining children have a good awareness of books, can find and describe their favourite picture and recognise a few isolated words. The majority of children hold a book correctly, turn the pages one by one and understand that writing has a link to pictures. The lower ability children, however, when looking at a book, are not interested as yet and loose concentration very easily. Staff in the reception classes regularly use name cards, and the majority of children recognise not only their own names but also those of their friends. Children entering the reception classes are introduced to a structured reading scheme and from scrutiny of reading records it is evident that children make good progress during
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Communication, language and literacy
the year. By the time they enter Year 1, they independently read a range of familiar and common words and simple sentences in story books.
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Mathematical development
65. Throughout their time in the Foundation Stage, children have many well-planned opportunities to investigate all areas of mathematical development. Consequently they achieve well and almost all will attain the early learning goals by the time children enter the Year 1. In the nursery the stimulating environment has appropriate displays of numbers and well-designed structured-play activities, which introduce children immediately to counting. Staff skilfully encourage children to interact with a story, learning to count the number of ducks on a page. No opportunities are missed to extend understanding, for example, when taking milk, the staff introduce colours by emphasising ‘this is your yellow mug’ and encouraging children to say whether the cup is ‘full’ or ‘empty’. In the reception classes teachers effectively use elements of the numeracy strategy to engage children in interesting mental work, challenging them to count forwards and backwards to
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Mathematical development
ten. Planning is particularly effective for children’s group work, where independent activities are an extension of their structured play, with themes closely linked to the direct teaching. For example, children enjoyed decorating numbers one to ten with the appropriate number of stars, and decorating biscuits while counting out carefully the correct amount of sweets. Teachers Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 31 effectively match activities to children’s capabilities so that the lower attaining children count to five and sometimes above when counting spots on a card. The average attaining children count numbers up to ten and are beginning to match numbers of objects as they count. Higher-attaining children count to 20 and teachers are starting to introduce the vocabulary of ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. In one class children are learning to know and understand ‘zero’. Most children know the
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Mathematical development
names of a few simple shapes when matching them on a pegboard. They are also developing a mathematical understanding of vocabulary, such as ‘big’, ‘little’ and ‘middle-sized’, and are aware of the numbers on a clock.
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Knowledge and understanding of the world
66. Children have many varied opportunities for structured play and more direct teaching in knowledge and understanding of the world. They achieve well and attain the early learning goals by the time children enter the Year 1. In the nursery there is an emphasis on children using their senses to find out about the world around them. They enjoyed playing a game where they identified various herbs and spices by their smell and different materials by their feel. They find out about the world around them effectively through role-play in the home corner. They develop awareness about the needs of living things in their care of plants and the class’ pet fish. In reception classes, teachers plan appropriately to interest the children in finding out about their local environment. They begin with thinking about past and present events in their own lives, their homes and their first days at school. They learn about the environment in which animals live and
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Knowledge and understanding of the world
they have good knowledge of polar bears and their homes. Activities promote children’s learning well so that the higher attaining children talk about how various animals ‘camouflage’ themselves when in danger. The majority of children also found out about and named various plants and flowers when making a ‘technicolor dream coat’. They show good concentration when investigating and trying to reassemble a variety of telephones. Reception children are able to control tape recorders so that they can listen to stories and songs. Staff also help these children to use simple programs on the computer and they learn to use the mouse to control activities on the screen. Throughout the Foundation Stage, there is good provision of construction toys and materials and children learn well to build and construct a wide range of objects. Reception children learn the days of the week and are beginning to observe the weather, discussing this at the
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Knowledge and understanding of the world
beginning of the morning session. Scrutiny of planning and children’s work shows that children in both nursery and reception learn about festivals from major world religions and are encouraged to reflect on their experiences.
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Creative development
67. Children achieve well in creative development and almost all will attain the early learning goals at the end of the reception year. Children use paint successfully in all classes to make their own expressive pictures. For example, children in the reception have made brightly coloured pictures of themselves on their first day at school. In the nursery, children were learning to paint using various shades of one colour, and in the reception classes a number of children were able to carefully mix blue, red and yellow and name the colours they had made. Children make good patterns using natural materials, such as flowers and leaves. At this early stage children are taught to observe carefully, as was seen when they had made careful drawings of a ‘teddy bear’. Activities are provided in both year groups to promote children’s imaginative play. In the reception classes some children create simple stories that they construct as they play, using the cars, houses and animals.
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Creative development
Throughout the Foundation Stage, children are given a good range of materials to select from and glue onto paper to create their own designs and pictures. Music features well in both years, and children learn and sing with some enjoyment a range of nursery rhymes and action songs. They support other areas of the curriculum well, particularly children’s counting skills. In the nursery, children respond well to music when it is used as a signal for them to tidy up ready to move into the ‘quiet room’ to listen to a story. Reception children enjoy formal music sessions and have developed the ability to discriminate between sounds, for example, when playing games involving various materials and kitchen utensils. They also learn musical terms such as ‘loud and quiet’, ‘fast and slow’ and were able to use these successfully when listening to each other’s composition. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 32
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Physical development
68. By the end of reception, most children will have attained, and a number may have exceeded, the early learning goals in physical development. Children in both the nursery and reception classes have some opportunities to run, jump and play with balls and wheeled toys in the outside area. However, these are not always regularly planned into the curriculum. The reception children also have timetabled sessions in the hall and these are used very effectively with children learning well about the use of space and the need to warm up their bodies before exercise. Progress in this area is very good. In the Foundation Stage, children make good gains in learning to manipulate tools when painting and to hold pencils and crayons correctly. All staff provide good teaching of cutting and sticking skills in meaningful situations.
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ENGLISH
69. Standards in both reading and writing have improved since the previous inspection. Last year, however, standards dropped a little due to the higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs. By the end of Year 2 pupils’ attainment in English is in line with average standards. This still represents good achievement since pupils enter the school with standards below that found nationally. Pupils’ progress in their learning through Years 1 and 2, although good overall, is not consistent as there are dips in the quality of teaching in some classes in Year 1. Overall there is very little difference in the attainment of boys and girls, although girls made greater progress in reading last year. Pupils of other ethnic groups achieve equally as well.
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ENGLISH
70. Throughout the school, effort is made to develop pupils’ abilities in the skills of speaking and listening. As a result, pupils’ standards are now generally satisfactory. The majority of pupils are attentive in those parts of a lesson when they are required to be so. A few have less well- developed listening skills, particularly when engaged in group activities. Although levels of speech vary, most pupils are able to express themselves satisfactorily. They generally use an appropriate range of vocabulary and are able to make their ideas clear. A few are quite competent for their age and use their skills to express thoughts, and pose questions, appropriately. In a Year 2 class effective strategies are used to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills. Simple role-play activities where members of the class ask the main character questions, and the use of quick-fire ‘brain storming’ discussions between pairs of pupils are having a positive impact on developing
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ENGLISH
their concentration and speaking skills, but these strategies are not generally used. For many pupils, particularly the less articulate, too few opportunities are currently provided to help them achieve more.
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ENGLISH
71. Standards in reading are also similar to the national average. Emphasis has been placed on encouraging this aspect of language. Despite the below average point from which many of the pupils start school, most are able to read satisfactorily for their age by the time they are ready to move to junior school. A significant number of pupils begin Year 1 with a well-laid foundation of language skills. This enables them to continue making good progress into Year 2. Even at an early stage in the school year, a few pupils already read with growing accuracy and understanding. They are reasonably confident, sometimes expressive, and clearly enjoy their stories. The majority of pupils work steadily through structured programmes, which provide for steady progress as well as introducing them to a good range of books. Pupils use a variety of different methods to help them read and understand their texts, such as ‘sounding out’ the letters in unknown words. They
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ENGLISH
take their reading books home regularly and many parents hear them read and so make progress.
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ENGLISH
72. Although standards in writing are similar to the national average, too much variation occurs in the range and quality of written work produced across the different classes, particularly in Year 1. The majority of pupils in the school make good progress in writing. By the age of seven, they write simple sentences, using simple punctuation in their stories. In Year 1, a solid knowledge of letter sounds enables them to spell simple words. They copy words adequately and are beginning to Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 33 compile their own lists. As they move into Year 2, some begin to write creatively and descriptively as well as for information and instruction. However, in general, the range and interpretation of writing topics is not rich enough to raise standards further. This applies particularly to potentially higher attaining pupils. There is little evidence that pupils at any stage are involved in the essential
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ENGLISH
skills of planning, drafting and improving their own writing. There is insufficient opportunity for pupils to write at length so they can practise their knowledge and achieve greater success.
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ENGLISH
73. Pupils are taught to form their letters carefully in the reception classes, however standards in the quality of handwriting are variable and match the expectations and emphasis placed on this skill by different teachers. In some classes, pupils are supported practically in producing their best written efforts, while in others untidy work is accepted and not commented on. Throughout the school there is little evidence that pupils’ written work is being sufficiently celebrated and displayed. There are too few examples of pupils being provided with opportunities to present their best efforts at a final stage, when concentrating on handwriting is more possible and useful.
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ENGLISH
74. Pupils with special educational needs make at least satisfactory progress in line with their abilities. Sometimes it is good, particularly in reading. Pupils generally receive sufficient support in the classroom to enable them to complete their tasks in the allotted time. Pupils of all ethnic groups and backgrounds experience the same benefits, and disadvantages, which result from the variations found in the provision of the subject. They are happily included in all areas of language and literacy. Resources for the subject are good, particularly the breadth and quantity of reading materials which are used well to stimulate the interest of pupils of all abilities and ethnicity.
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ENGLISH
75. The quality of teaching of the subject is good overall. However, there are some areas of weakness and pockets of unsatisfactory performance. Generally, teachers are comfortably familiar with the requirements of the National Literacy Strategy and have adapted it appropriately to their planning. They know their pupils well and design lessons to meet their varying needs and abilities. In the good teaching observed, efforts are frequently made to capture and maintain pupils’ interest and ensure that the sessions do not become too repetitive and routine. Group work is appropriately matched to pupils’ present levels of attainment and maturity. Where very good teaching occurs, an energetic approach encourages pupils to achieve a great deal in the time. High standards are expected, and pupils are very well provided with the necessary vocabulary resources and language tools, to ensure they are able to reach them. Teachers effectively
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ENGLISH
stimulate pupils’ good attitudes towards their lessons. Pupils’ effort and concentration usually reflect the expectations of the teacher. When topics are most interesting and challenging they are seen to approach their work with enthusiasm and a tangible desire to do well. They tend to concentrate well for their ages, particularly in the best structured lessons. They are usually appropriately behaved in class and take turns for the attention of the teachers and assistants. Less demanding teaching is seen to result in an increase in noise levels and lack of application.
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ENGLISH
76. Unsatisfactory teaching is marked by a slow pace with far too little expected of pupils’ effort. Consequently, a few lose concentration and misbehave and these pupils underachieve. The more general weaknesses in teaching are associated with the lack of breadth, frequency and demand in the writing activities provided. Topics are not always as richly interpreted as they could be and opportunities to provide a more significant range of different modes and styles of writing are missed.
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ENGLISH
77. The great majority of pupils are given suitable opportunities to use their literacy skills in all areas of the school day, particularly when reading. There are some strengths in writing, for example in geography, when good opportunities are provided for pupils to exercise their writing in a relevant format. However, on other occasions, the overuse of worksheets restricts opportunity for appropriate expression. Pupils’ spiritual and cultural development are often effectively promoted through sensitive use of the good range of texts used. Very little use is made of information and communication technology at present to promote pupils’ literacy skills. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 34 78. The subject management of English is good and steps have been successfully taken to bring about improvements in provision and generally raise standards. There has been a general strengthening of this fundamental part of the curriculum. Marked developments have taken place and the
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ENGLISH
National Literacy Strategy securely established. Many lessons are, however, often over an hour in length and pupils’ concentration wanes. This is not effective use of time and pupils’ more effective learning could be better promoted by a restructuring of the timetable. Pupils are suitably assessed and appropriate targets set. However, the monitoring of provision and standards across the classes is not sufficiently robust at present to ensure good progress across the year groups. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 35
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MATHEMATICS
79. Standards in mathematics have significantly improved since the previous inspection. Pupils in Year 2 attain the standards expected for their ages in numeracy and in all areas of mathematics. The 2001 national tests show that standards are above average when compared with similar schools. Inspection evidence indicates from the work undertaken by the present pupils in Year 2 that the majority will reach the expected standard; however, the percentage of pupils expected to reach the higher standard will be lower than in previous years due to the higher number of special educational needs pupils receiving additional support. If this steady improvement in standards is to be maintained throughout the school, the overall quality of teaching needs to be of a consistently high quality in all classes. There are no marked differences in the performance of girls and boys. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and make good progress in relation to
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MATHEMATICS
80. A study of pupils’ past work in Year 2 clearly indicates that pupils have a sound knowledge of place value up to one hundred. Most pupils recognise and name the properties of two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes and measuring accurately, for example when measuring centimetres with a ruler in design and technology in the manufacture of models. They understand simple fractions and relative parts of a whole when divided into halves and quarters. Pupils are given less opportunity through practical activities to estimate weights and measurements because teachers do not sufficiently encourage this ‘hands on’ approach. Good practice clearly visible in one Year 1 class involved pupils recording many of their numerical experiences in a way that clearly suited individual needs. However, this practice is not consistent within the year group, with a preponderance of worksheets being the staple diet of most pupils in the other Year 1 classes. In
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MATHEMATICS
these classes the setting of work involving real-life problems is not a regular feature of many lessons. Lesson observations clearly indicate that pupils’ quick thinking mental arithmetic is at best satisfactory. Many pupils in Year 2 confidently give the numbers which, when added together, make ten, but they lack the speed that comes from practise and developing mental agility.
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MATHEMATICS
81. While the quality of teaching and learning are satisfactory overall, they could be better. In Year 1 the teaching varies from unsatisfactory to very good, with the majority of lessons observed in Year 1 being unsatisfactory. The pace and challenge for most pupils in two out of the three classes is slower than other year groups and the lack of challenge in the majority of lessons means that pupils’ mental agility in counting and retrieving numbers is unsatisfactory. The study of pupils’ past work in Year 1 clearly reveals that the demands made on pupils are too low. Pupils of very different abilities are set the same work with limited opportunities for them to record work showing more than one way of working out the answers. Good practice is clearly identifiable in one Year 1 class as work is recorded in a very individual manner, clearly consolidating a range of work including answering mathematical problems linked to everyday events.
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MATHEMATICS
82. In all the lessons observed in Year 2, teaching is usually satisfactory and occasionally very good. In the few very good lessons observed, pupils were encouraged to use correct mathematical language to describe the relative magnitude of numbers, for example ‘larger’, ‘smaller’ and ‘smallest’ when reviewing numbers on a number line and their relative position. Starting on the number six, pupils in Year 2 confidently counted in steps of ten up to one hundred and well beyond. The use of a hundred square prominently displayed assisted pupils well with their counting strategies.
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MATHEMATICS
83. In the least successful lessons, all of which were in Year 1, the majority of work was too easy, the pace at best pedestrian, with bored pupils becoming more concerned with chattering amongst themselves rather than the mathematical content of the lessons. Urgent action is needed to improve the quality of teaching in Year 1 if the upward trend in standards is to be maintained. At present most pupils achieve well in reception, followed by a plateau of learning in the majority of Year 1 classes, before finally accelerating in Year 2. For example, pupils were observed counting Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 36 confidently forwards and backwards up to 20 and well beyond in the reception class, by contrast in a Year 1 lesson pupils were only challenged to order numbers up to six. Nevertheless, by Year 2 the majority of pupils have achieved well in relation to their prior starting level in reception.
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MATHEMATICS
84. Most teachers are familiar and secure with the National Numeracy Strategy, which they apply soundly. The three-part structure is firmly established, and planning is satisfactory, although the use of clear questions at the end of a lesson to assess what pupils have understood is not a strong feature. Many lessons are also too long especially for pupils of this age and the pace of their learning slows. The majority of teachers use a sound range of mathematical language and this results in most pupils being able to explain their work using the correct terms. Pupils’ ability to use information and communication technology to develop their mathematical knowledge is unsatisfactory. This is because teachers do not provide enough well-planned opportunities. Pupils’ use of mathematics in other subjects is often underdeveloped, although there is satisfactory evidence in design and technology, science and geography.
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MATHEMATICS
85. The post of subject manager is at present under the direction of a newly appointed temporary teacher in post for one year. Therefore the general overview of the subject’s performance is undertaken by the headteacher. The assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress has improved since the previous inspection. Careful analysis of teachers’ assessments has resulted in pupils receiving their own targets for improvement, which with staff training has led to the raising of standards. Greater analysis of the results of national tests to identify areas of weakness is needed to inform future planning and so develop strategies for further improvement. At present there is no systematic monitoring of teaching quality, or detailed monitoring of teachers’ planning to ensure pupils make steady progress through the scheme of work.
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SCIENCE
86. Standards in science have remained overall in line with those expected since the previous inspection. Last year, however, the teachers’ assessment in the National Curriculum tests judged standards to be below average. From a study of pupils’ past work and from discussion with pupils during the inspection, standards are now judged as in line with those expected. Pupils of all abilities make overall satisfactory achievement, but there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching and consequently in pupils’ learning from one class to another.
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SCIENCE
87. The curriculum for science is appropriately broad and well balanced. Pupils have suitable opportunities to study a variety of living things. They use simple classifications in Year 1 to sort them into groups, and study their habitats, and in Year 2 they consider what creatures and plants need to survive. Pupils have satisfactory opportunities to investigate and to record their findings in a variety of ways. By the end of Year 2 pupils observe carefully and with support use drawings and tables to record information. From the scrutiny of pupils’ past work it is evident that pupils in Year 2 explored their ideas through simple experiments, such as testing different surfaces to see which had an impact on the movement of objects when studying forces. In Year 1 pupils are also given effective opportunities for investigations. During the inspection, for example, pupils were discovering that light is needed for us to see, and they were exploring the effectiveness of
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SCIENCE
different fabrics in keeping out light and so creating darkness. In the most effective lesson observed the pupils were asked to predict what would happen and were challenged to explain why. The good questioning enable higher attaining pupils to develop satisfactory theories about what they thought would happen in their experiment. The lower attaining pupils were well supported and helped to consider whether it was the colour of the material or its thickness that had an effect on letting light into the light-box.
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SCIENCE
88. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Where teaching is good pupils’ investigative skills are well promoted and pupils’ scientific awareness is enhanced. Pupils of all abilities and ethnic groups are encouraged to use their knowledge to predict and suggest hypotheses. In the less Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 37 effective lessons, pupils have fewer opportunities to explore ideas for themselves and so they make less progress in developing a secure understanding. Teachers in each year group plan the work together in order to maintain the balance of activities. However, although pupils in all of the Year 2 classes are taught the same units of work, there are sometimes significant differences in the teachers’ expectations. From the study of last year’s work and from lessons observed during the inspection it was evident that there is little discussion of the scientific language to be used or
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SCIENCE
the skills of recording to be employed and, consequently, what pupils know and can do varies across the year group. For example in one class last year, pupils used terms such as ‘opaque’ and ‘transparent’ in their work, but it was not included in the other classes’ work. One class was introduced to a simple format for recording their investigations, but it was not apparent in the other two classes’ work. During the inspection other contradictions were observed, for example different terms were used when sorting and classifying foods in their study of ‘How to Keep Healthy’. These aspects of the curriculum are used effectively to promote pupils’ personal, social and health education, but insufficient opportunities are made to use information and communication technology to promote learning in science.
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SCIENCE
89. Teachers assess pupils’ attainment and progress satisfactorily after each unit of work and the information on what pupils know is recorded effectively so that it creates a satisfactory overview as the pupils move through the school. The co-ordinator has produced simple test papers for each area of study to support teachers’ judgements. There is, however, little opportunity for moderating the teachers’ judgements to ensure common understanding of levels of attainment. The co- ordinator provides sound leadership in science. Satisfactory analysis of National Curriculum tests identified the need for a greater focus on investigations and this aspect of the curriculum has been improved. The co-ordinator monitors pupils’ work, but had not recognised the differences in teachers’ expectations. There has been no opportunity for monitoring the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in lessons and this reduces her knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses across
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SCIENCE
the school. In these aspects, management of science is unsatisfactory.
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ART AND DESIGN
90. The attainment of pupils, including those with special educational needs, at the end of Year 2 is in line with those expected nationally, and they make satisfactory gains in their learning. This is the same as at the time of the previous inspection.
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ART AND DESIGN
91. When pupils leave the reception class, they are already able to control markers and apply paint with brushes with satisfactory accuracy. These basic skills are further developed in Year 1 so that by Year 2 pupils’ confidence in their ability is clearly shown when working in a range of media. A display in the classroom showed that pupils in Year 1 satisfactorily explored mixing the colours of paint to make different tones and shades. Throughout Years 1 and 2, pupils’ cutting and pasting skills are developing well as shown in collages displayed in the hall. Pupils in Year 2, having studied pictures by Van Gogh, were successfully experimenting well with various media to create their own self-portraits.
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ART AND DESIGN
92. The school has benefited from the introduction of a detailed scheme of work adapted from the national guidelines. The study of famous artists and high expectations by the teachers has inspired some good artwork. The observational drawings, inspired by the work of William Morris of leaves, fruits and birds, are of a high standard. Sketchbooks are now being used well and this is an improvement since the last inspection The carefully sketched ‘teddy bears’ demonstrates that the teaching of observational drawing starts well in the reception and is continued through into Year 2.
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ART AND DESIGN
93. The quality of teaching and pupils’ learning is satisfactory overall. Teachers successfully stimulate pupils’ interest and they generally enjoy their art activities. For example, they enthusiastically used crayons to create two-dimensional shapes. Planning is generally good and pupils throughout the school have effective opportunities to explore a range of art activities. In one lesson observed in a Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 38 Year 1 class, the teacher provide a wide variety of activities linked to work on ‘cool colours’. One group of pupils, well supported by a classroom assistant, mixed paints carefully, while another group used chalks to create landscapes in various shades of blue. Other pupils enjoyed selecting from the interesting variety of materials provided to weave a collage that depicted the sea. The management of pupils is generally satisfactory; however in another lesson observed in a Year 1
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ART AND DESIGN
class there were insufficient demanding activities and the pace of the lesson was too slow, with pupils losing interest and not completing their task. A general weakness in lessons is the lack of opportunities for pupils to review their work and look for areas of improvement. 94. A good contribution to art and design in the school is the links made with other subjects. Pupils talked excitedly about their three-dimensional clay work, describing in detail how they had made a ‘relief plaque’ linked to the topic on building in Year 1. Pupils had carefully painted a lion on a colour wash background that had been used as a stimulus for ‘creative writing’ connected to a topic on Africa. Information and communication technology is used satisfactorily, as seen by the computer-generated pictures that incorporate colour, shape and lines. Pupils in Year 1 also created a picture of the Blue Whale as an illustration for their work on the Arctic in geography.
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ART AND DESIGN
Art makes a satisfactory contribution to pupils’ cultural development. They study the work of various artists and made clay divas to celebrate the religious festival of Divali.
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ART AND DESIGN
95. The co-ordinator has led the subject well. Subject knowledge is satisfactory overall, however, she recognises the need to arrange training on the new scheme of work, both for herself and all staff. Satisfactory assessment procedures have been adopted to monitor pupils’ progress. Formal monitoring of teaching and learning to ascertain strengths and weaknesses in the subject has not yet started so the co-ordinator does not have a secure understanding of strengths and weaknesses in the subject.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
96. Standards in design and technology are in line with those expected nationally by end of Year 2. This is similar to that found at the time of the previous inspection. Pupils of all abilities make satisfactory gains in their learning.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
97. The approach to design and technology is through topics such as history and literacy. For example in Year 1, pupils linked the story of the ‘Magic Fish’ to the manufacture of moving fish shadow puppets using a range of paper fastenings. Satisfactory teaching, and ample presence of additional adult support, enabled the majority of pupils to complete the task enthusiastically. Most achieved the cutting out of fish shapes with sound precision, indicating broadly average skills. Most classrooms have effective displays of pupils’ work and a feature of much of the work is the sound development of designing and making. Displays on the classroom wall reflect pupils’ initial designs. In discussions about last year’s work, pupils in Year 2 showed a good understanding of the importance of thinking about the purpose of objects, and which materials would be best when they had been making waterproof shopping bags. They showed good attitudes to the subject,
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
obviously having enjoyed the practical and cutting part of their tasks. The evaluation of finished articles is, however, less well developed. Pupils are not sufficiently encouraged to consider ‘next time I would ...’.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
98. A good range of practical activities is accessible to pupils of all abilities and makes a good contribution to their social development. There are well-planned opportunities to develop pupils’ speaking and listening skills as observed in Year 2 during a jam sandwich making ‘session’. Whilst the recommendations of the official guidelines followed by the school provide examples of using information and communication technology, teachers at present are not making use of these suggestions. Recently introduced assessment sheets provided by the same guidelines are not yet used to inform future planning and so ensure pupils’ steady progress. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 39 99. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. At its best, pupils’ effective learning is well promoted as was observed in a successful Year 2 lesson. Pupils were finding out about the correct procedures, on how to make a jam sandwich with the minimum of ‘mess’. They were
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
enthusiastic to contribute. Skilfully guided by the class teacher, they suggested their favourite ‘sandwich fillings’ and how food is best presented. They were quick to point out that butter goes on before the jam, and that bread could be cut easily to form different shaped sandwiches. Pupils’ sense of fairness and positive relationships with the classroom assistant enhanced a meaningful experience that successfully promoted the rules of hygiene and the need for cleanliness. Prompted skilfully by the supporting adult, pupils refined their own methods of cutting and spreading, happily eating their own sandwich on the completion of the task. At the end of the lesson, the teacher used a good range of questions to ensure all ability levels contributed to the discussion about what they had learned. Lessons are frequently over directed by the teacher and insufficient opportunity is given for pupils to work at their own level of ability. Templates are provided reducing pupils’
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
individuality and creativity as all models turn out almost the same. Teachers’ planning is consistent in its quality, often fails to show what pupils of different capabilities are to know and be able to do. It is not sufficiently detailed to ensure that pupils in all three classes across the year group have similar good opportunities to develop knowledge and skills. Assessment procedures at present fail to identify effectively what pupils know and can do in order to inform them of what they need to do in order to improve their work.
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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
100. The subject co-ordinator is well organised and knowledgeable. She is providing effective management of the subject and has identified areas for improvement, including the planned use of information and communication technology to underpin design and evaluation skills, and the regular use of construction kits to more fully develop pupils’ appreciation of working models. Although she monitors planning and checks this against the newly implemented scheme of work, no detailed monitoring of teaching and scrutiny of pupils’ work has been established with a view to raising the present standards.
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GEOGRAPHY
101. Pupils of all abilities and ethnic groups make satisfactory progress in developing an appropriate range of knowledge and skills. Progress in some lessons is often good because the curriculum is based on pupils using their own experience as often as possible. This stimulates pupils’ interest, curiosity and greater understanding. In the most effective lessons pupils attain standards above those expected, but this level of attainment is not consistent across Year 1 and Year 2. Pupils’ achievement overall is satisfactory. By Year 2 pupils have a satisfactory range of knowledge and skills and attain standards in line with those expected. This is similar to that found at the previous inspection.
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GEOGRAPHY
102. Although early in the school year, pupils in Year 2 have already achieved a clear understanding of the main differences between cities and villages. In a very good lesson observed, pupils also developed a good understanding that in some ways cities and villages are similar. The exploration of ideas, very well led by the class teacher, enabled pupils to realise that villages also have houses, churches, schools, shops and restaurants. For many this was a new concept as they thought villages were just made up of farms. From the scrutiny of Year 2 pupils’ work from last year it is evident that this understanding is further developed through a trip to a local village. Pupils’ literacy and numeracy skills were well promoted in their study, enabling them to write diaries about their visit and to present information from traffic surveys in tables and graphs.
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GEOGRAPHY
103. Pupils in Year 1 also have effective opportunities to explore the school environment and the areas in which they live. No geography lessons took place during the inspection as they were studying history this term, but from the scrutiny of pupils’ past work it was evident by the end of Year 1 pupils have a satisfactory understanding of simple maps and drew their own to show the route to school. They have a developing awareness that different places in the world have contrasting Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 40 climates and that people who live there need different types of clothes. Pupils’ literacy skills are also effectively promoted in Year 1 and they recorded their ideas using drawings and text produced on a computer. Their pictures of arctic whales were a successful example of the use of a graphics program.
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GEOGRAPHY
104. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. It is sometimes good and occasionally very good, but pupils’ past work shows the inconsistency of teachers’ expectations and differences in the range of pupils’ work. The same topics are taught in the three classes in the year group, but there is variety of skills being developed. In one Year 2 class, for example, simple ticks were used to record the passing of vehicles in a traffic survey. In another class, pupils used a ‘gated’ form of tally to record the information, and in the third class pupils also drew a graph from the data collected. In the most effective lessons resources are used well to promote pupils’ learning. In the very good lesson observed in Year 2, the excellent range of resources to be sorted into ‘found in a city’ and ‘found in a village’ promoted considerable discussion. Led by the teacher’s good questioning, pupils’ skill of using secondary resources was well developed as they discussed
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GEOGRAPHY
evidence they could see in the photographs of the village they are soon to visit. The teacher was well supported by the learning support assistant who also guided the discussions of the lower attaining groups enabling them to gain success in their observations. Another teacher in a Year 2 class successfully promoted pupils’ speaking skills by getting them to ask questions of a boy in their class who had recently visited a village to visit his ‘Gran’. The opportunity had not been planned, but was successfully developed to promote pupils’ greater understanding.
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GEOGRAPHY
105. At present there are few whole-school procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and monitoring their progress, and any information gained is not passed on to the next teacher. Consequently there are insufficient strategies for further developing pupils’ skills. The good scheme of work has been effectively developed and the co-ordinator has a satisfactory knowledge of standards through her collection of pupils’ work for the school portfolio. There are no procedures for monitoring the consistency of pupils’ learning or evaluating the quality of teaching and in these aspects management is unsatisfactory.
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HISTORY
106. By the end of Year 2, pupils of all abilities attain standards expected nationally for that age. This is a similar finding to the previous inspection report, and pupils of all capabilities and backgrounds make satisfactory progress in their learning.
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HISTORY
107. In Year 1, pupils are provided with suitable activities that enable them to become aware of the constant passage of time; that it brings about inevitable changes in people and society. They have looked at growth and development in infancy and childhood and have satisfactorily observed many of the more obvious changes that take place. Quite a few pupils are able to sort pictures correctly to illustrate these changes. They have some understanding of the meaning and significance of the generations. When looking at old photographs they are able to correctly identify certain differences in dress and fashion. They are acquiring a relevant historical vocabulary, for example ‘now’, ‘then’ and ‘a long time ago’ to enable them to focus on, and describe, time and change. This ensures that they can more easily interpret other topics, such as ‘Toys’ and ‘Buildings’, to which they are regularly introduced. Outside visits to such places as Avoncroft Museum, provide
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HISTORY
good opportunities for furthering their knowledge of these topics, as well as stimulating historical enquiry.
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HISTORY
108. The curriculum for pupils in Year 2 provides good opportunities to appreciate some of the features of different periods of history such as the 1950’s and the Victorian age. They have also satisfactorily studied aspects of the clothes and music of the post-war period. Pupils have developed an understanding of some of the similarities and differences in function of items used in the kitchens of the time, recognising some of the changes in style. Similarly, pupils have looked at Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 41 the significant differences in food shopping and compared this with the modern culture. They know that their own school dates from the 1950s and have made links with the Queen’s Coronation and Golden Jubilee. Through their studies pupils recognise the changes that have taken place in transport from, for example, the pony and trap of Victorian times to the modern car. A visit to Hartlebury Hall provides good quality stimulus for developing interest and curiosity about
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HISTORY
life in the past. As pupils dress up appropriately for the occasion, they are enabled to appreciate the quite significant changes in costume. They also successfully learn about some of the hardships and deprivations of many people at the time.
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HISTORY
109. The quality of teaching of history is satisfactory overall. In teaching observed in Year 1, lessons are mainly structured to promote satisfactory learning. Pupils’ readiness to learn is satisfactorily promoted through appropriate reference to previous work. However, sufficient attention is not always paid to firstly discovering what pupils already know so that new work builds successfully on their past learning. In the most effective lessons, teachers successfully stimulate pupils’ positive attitudes to history. Good use is made of artefacts, such as photographs, to illustrate the different generations and extend pupils’ understanding. Although no teaching was observed in Year 2 classes, examination of other evidence indicates that pupils are generally provided with suitable opportunities to develop historical knowledge and understanding. The amount of time taken for history lessons is sometimes too short to complete work to a good standard or to better meet
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HISTORY
pupils’ actual learning needs. However, the use of school visits by all classes enriches pupils’ learning and contributes to their achievements.
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HISTORY
110. History and geography are managed by the same co-ordinator and there are similar strengths and weaknesses in the subjects’ co-ordination. At present there are few whole-school procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and monitoring their progress, and any information gained is not passed on to the next teacher. Consequently there are insufficient strategies for further developing pupils’ skills. There are no procedures for monitoring the consistency of pupils’ learning or evaluating the quality of teaching and in these aspects management is unsatisfactory.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
111. Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 is broadly average. Since the school’s last inspection, standards have been maintained. Staff training has recently been undertaken, but there is still more to be completed to ensure that all staff are fully confident teaching pupils the basic skills of information and communication technology. Assessment is at an early stage of development; most teachers have a shared understanding of what needs to be assessed. Pupils’ learning is not currently tracked or evaluated at sufficiently regular intervals to more clearly identify who needs more practise as opposed to those who need to refine and or extend their skills.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
112. All pupils show an increasing confidence in using computers. They shared ideas and equipment amicably. All this supports their improving standards in the subject. Pupils of all abilities and backgrounds are making sound progress.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
113. In Year 1, pupils confidently listen to a range of everyday sounds, linking these to photographs and learning that some sounds also indicate an emergency. By the end of Year 2, most pupils have learnt the basics of controlling a computer by means of a keyboard and mouse. They are confident in typing in their own password and, with help, find the program to be used. Many of those pupils who have computers at home have a satisfactory knowledge of saving, retrieving and printing their work. Most pupils have had satisfactory experience of basic operations, such as word processing and simple graphics, including a range of art packages, and have had some experience of how a computer can be used to find information.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
114. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Teachers effectively promote pupils’ very positive attitudes to lessons and they particularly enjoy using the computers in the classrooms. When Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 42 interested, they work hard and their behaviour is satisfactory, as observed in Year 2 during a session involving pupils demonstrating their knowledge to others in the class relating to the enlargement and reduction of drawn lines. In some lessons, however, the management of pupils and use of time is barely satisfactory, as pupils continue to shout out answers, failing to listen quietly to the teacher’s initial explanation. Scrutiny of pupils’ work clearly indicates that many teachers are still insecure about how they can most effectively use information and communication technology to support work in other subjects. Although some good work was seen in classroom displays, for example the use of the digital camera to support written contributions
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
relating to the visit of the ‘OWL Person’ and pupils’ visits to the swimming pool, these were infrequent. Scrutiny of pupils’ work shows relatively few examples of the use of the computer across all subjects taught. Practice and pupils’ regular access to computers is inconsistent between respective classes.
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
115. The subject co-ordinator has prepared an appropriate action plan for improvement. With the support of a recently appointed technician who visits the school on a regular basis, she has worked hard to get the new computer systems up and running. The targets for development are carefully planned, but there is a lack of urgency in ensuring pupils’ learning is being promoted. The school needs to develop a more consistent approach to the teaching of information and communication technology. The nationally recommended guidelines have been adopted and these should now form the basis of the way in which teachers work both in the development of information and communication technology skills and its use across the curriculum. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 43 116. The management of information and communication technology is satisfactory. Although the co- ordinator sees class teachers’ planning, no full monitoring of teaching and regular scrutiny of
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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)
pupils’ work has been established. Consequently, the co-ordinator does not have a full appreciation of standards in the subject or what strategies are needed to improve the provision and so raise the present satisfactory standards higher.
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MUSIC
117. By the end of Year 2, the standards achieved by pupils in music match those expected for their age. Pupils of all abilities generally meet this satisfactory level of attainment. Standards have been satisfactorily maintained since the last inspection.
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MUSIC
118. Teachers lead singing sessions enthusiastically and promote pupils’ effective learning; consequently standards in singing throughout the classes are good. This aspect of music shows a number of strengths. Pupils have a fairly extensive repertoire of songs and hymns which they sing regularly. They sing with confidence and enthusiasm. They have a good memory for tunes and a nice sense of melody. They match words to the tune easily and are able to follow the musical signals provided well. Voices are mainly well controlled and show pleasing evidence of good practise. Singing is also clearly enjoyed. In assemblies they sing their prayers and hymns with both sweetness and concentration. In this and many other aspects of music pupils’ spiritual and cultural development are promoted well.
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MUSIC
119. No lessons were observed in classes in Year 1. In Year 2, pupils are suitably developing their musical knowledge and skills. They appreciate the rhythms of the music presented and they hear and successfully maintain a steady pulse. A variety of suitable sounds and movements, such as clapping and clicking, are appropriately employed to demonstrate their growing abilities. They are able to repeat evenly, the rap beat of a familiar rhyme. Pupils are generally confident in selecting percussion instruments. These are mostly played efficiently to accurately reproduce the sounds heard. A good range of, mainly wooden, instruments are effectively used. Pupils play together appropriately and are able to keep in time. They are also able, as a class, to perform competently the whole of the relevant poem selected.
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MUSIC
120. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Class lessons sometimes have strengths. Good management of pupils leads to their good effort and the successful completion of the tasks planned. Pupils are encouraged to listen carefully and absorb the sounds presented. Consequently, they are enabled to perform as required. Teachers stimulate pupils’ enjoyment of lessons and promote their good attitudes towards music. Pupils are, therefore, usually very willing to take part and seek to please in what they achieve. They particularly appreciate the opportunities to play the untuned instruments to create sound. They handle the instruments with care and are willing to take their turn. Where teaching is less effective, teachers’ insecure subject knowledge prevents them from sharing sufficient new knowledge with pupils. In addition, the time allowed for lessons is often too short and this impedes pupils’ better learning.
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MUSIC
121. The curriculum is satisfactorily broad and appropriately balanced. Pupils in Year 2 also have the opportunity of joining the music club after lessons which further promotes their interest. Assessment of pupils’ attainment and progress are not sufficiently developed as yet so that future activities build successfully on what pupils already know and can do. The co-ordination of music is satisfactory but there has been no opportunity to monitor the quality of teaching and pupils’ learning in lessons and in these aspects management is unsatisfactory.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 44 122. The curriculum for physical education is broad and well balanced, and the learning of pupils of all levels of attainment is enhanced by additional activities such as maypole dancing and swimming lessons. Unfortunately only dance and gymnastics lessons were observed during the inspection because of timetable restrictions. Standards are judged on the evidence from the lessons observed, information about pupils’ achievement in swimming and in discussion with pupils. By end of Year 2 pupils attain standards that are broadly in line with that expected. This is similar to that found at the previous inspection.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
123. Pupils make satisfactory progress in developing their confidence in performing a variety of dances so that by Year 2 they have learnt a range of movements to express rhythm and in response to music. In their performances, pupils move with a satisfactory awareness of the space around them, travelling at different speeds and in different directions. Pupils in Year 1 responded effectively to the different rhythms in the music played in their lesson. Using satisfactory balance and control, they imitated how a spider scurries from place to place and quickly curls when it is threatened. Pupils in a Year 2 lesson used their arms and bodies to explore the different levels around them, successfully imitating the swooping of an owl in search of its prey.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
124. In gymnastics, pupils in Year 1 develop satisfactory agility in their performance of various jumps and rolls. Many pupils in the lesson observed were beginning to link the two movements in simple routines, developing increasing control in their movements and finishing with a final pose. As yet pupils in both dance and gymnastics are not aware of the body tension required to perform to their best ability. They make less progress than they could because teachers’ expectations are not always high enough and in some lessons pupils are not sufficiently encouraged improve their performance.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
125. Pupils enjoy their physical education lessons and most show good levels of enthusiasm and attention. They follow the teachers’ instructions well and respond well when asked to be the audience for the rest of the class, giving simple reasons for which dance they liked best. Pupils recognise the need for a warm up before they start their activities, so that ‘muscles are ready for work’, but most cannot explain the purpose of the cool down at the end of the lesson.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
126. All pupils in Year 2 have the opportunity of participating in swimming lessons at the local baths. Most are unable to swim at the start of this unit of lessons, many never having had the opportunity before. They make good progress under the instruction of the physical education co-ordinator and the pool instructor so that the vast majority are able to swim five metres and many ten metres by the end of the sessions.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
127. The quality of teaching is satisfactory overall. Not all teachers are confident, especially in teaching dance, but they have developed satisfactory strategies, with the support of the co-ordinator, to enable pupils to achieve sound standards in the activities provided. Lessons observed had an appropriate structure and teachers used a satisfactory range of resources to enhance the pupils’ learning. They managed the pupils effectively so all had an opportunity to explore new ideas, develop their movements and perform for the class. The lack of direct coaching to raise pupils’ standards was a weakness in several lessons, although pupils’ demonstration was used satisfactorily to provide good role models for the rest of the class, and to support pupils in the development of new ideas. One lesson observed was unsatisfactory because the pupils’ behaviour was not effectively managed. The teacher did not sufficiently explain the need for pupils’ good
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
listening or maintain pupils’ attention, and so the pace of lesson was slow and pupils did not sufficiently achieve standards of which they were capable. There are no whole-school procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and skills, and no strategies for promoting pupils’ greater progress from year to year.
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
128. The co-ordinator provides good leadership for the development of physical education. She uses her expertise and enthusiasm to support colleagues by providing training and in the development of a scheme of work. She also arranges a good range of extra-curricular activities for pupils to enjoy. Broadmeadow Infant and Nursery School - 45 The gymnastics club for pupils in Year 2 meets each week and there is an annual dance day involving pupils in Year 2 with local primary and secondary schools. Sessions of country dancing and games, and the annual sports day further developed pupils’ interests and skills. Last year, pupils in Year 2 learnt how to Rock and Roll as part of their history topic on the 1950s. The curriculum is well planned and promotes pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. It is effectively promoted by the co-ordinator, but there she has not had the opportunity to
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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
observe other teachers’ lessons in order to monitor standards and to evaluate the quality of teaching. In these aspects the management of physical education is unsatisfactory as it does not ensure that standards will rise.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
129. Standards in religious education are in line with those expected in the locally agreed syllabus. They have, however, declined since the last inspection as the school has in recent years been concentrating its attention on raising standards in literacy and numeracy. All pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress overall.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
130. Teachers successfully promote an aim of the curriculum, which is for pupils of all abilities and ethnic backgrounds to acquire and develop a knowledge and understanding of Christianity and other principal religions represented in Great Britain. Pupils show a satisfactory recall of stories and special events in the Christian calendar. In discussions with pupils in Year 2, they showed a satisfactory recall of the major Christian festivals; relating Christmas to celebrating the birth of Jesus and Easter to when he ‘died on the cross’. In a lesson in Year 2 observed, pupils were beginning to learn satisfactorily about the Harvest Festival in both the Christian and Jewish religion and how it is a way of saying ‘thank you’ for the gift of food.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
131. The quality of teaching is satisfactory throughout the school and, as a consequence, pupils make sound progress in their learning. Teachers’ knowledge and understanding is satisfactory and lesson planning sets out appropriately what pupils are to learn. The study of pupils' past work and photographic evidence show that the children in reception are appropriately introduced to Hinduism and Judaism through celebrating the festivals of Divali and Hanukkah. This makes a good contribution to their cultural development. There is an appropriate range of resources to support the teaching of the major religions for pupils in all year groups.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
132. Religious education makes a good contribution to pupils’ spiritual development. Teachers’ expectations are satisfactory and, in a lesson observed in Year 1, pupils listened attentively to a story about a ‘Clown of God’ and sensitively discussed how prayer is a way of praising and thanking God for talents and gifts. They then thought of ‘special people’ and joined in a prayer, very reverently, thanking God for their family and friends. Pupils’ literacy skills are not, however, effectively promoted in religious education. There was very little evidence of pupils recording their ideas and knowledge. This is a weakness as it limits opportunities for pupils to further reflect on what they have learnt.
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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
133. The co-ordination of the subject is satisfactory. The locally agreed syllabus has been adopted, but the scheme of work has not yet been updated to reflect recent government guidelines. This has been identified as an area for development in the school improvement plan. There are no detailed assessment procedures, and formal monitoring of teaching and learning to ascertain strengths and weaknesses in the subject has not yet started. This is a weakness in the management and delays the implementation of the essential strategies needed if standards are to rise once more.
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