Booker Avenue Infant School

BOOKER AVENUE SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 16-17 September 2002

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BOOKER AVENUE SCHOOL

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

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BOOKER AVENUE 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. Booker Avenue School

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Ian Brellisford

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: January 1998 Booker Avenue School

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Team members

25406 Mr Paul Nicholson Registered inspector 19693 Mrs Sally Hall Lay inspector 7230 Mr Rob Crompton Team inspector

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Team members

TWA Inspections Ltd 102 Bath Road Cheltenham GL53 7JX

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Booker Avenue School

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Booker Avenue Infant School is situated in Liverpool’s Grassendale ward, which is south of the city centre. It serves a favourable residential area where housing is mainly owner-occupied. Currently, there are 267 pupils on roll (134 boys and 133 girls) aged from four to seven years. Six per cent of pupils are eligible for free school meals, which is below the national average. Two per cent of pupils speak English as an additional language, which is higher than in most schools. Five per cent of pupils come from ethnic minority groups. The school has identified 9 per cent of pupils as having special educational needs, which is below the national average. Two pupils have Statements of Special Educational Need. When children enter the reception year, their attainment varies, but overall it is better than expected for their age.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school with several important strengths. Pupils gain well above average standards in literacy and numeracy. Their good progress results from the quality of teaching and the pupils’ positive attitudes. The school is well led and managed. It provides good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy. • The quality of teaching is good and so pupils make good progress in their learning. • The school is well led and managed.

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What could be improved

• The learning opportunities, facilities and resources for outdoor activities for children in reception. • Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these skills in supporting pupils’ learning in other subjects. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has made good progress since its last inspection in January 1998. It has successfully addressed most of the issues raised at that time. It has increased the level of support staff and this has had a positive impact on children’s learning in reception. The teachers have successfully introduced more effective procedures for assessing pupils’ work. The school has greatly improved the resources for information and communication technology through the opening of a well-equipped computer room last term, but it is too soon for this to have had a major impact on raising pupils’ standards. The school has addressed the health and safety concerns raised in the last report by making good the damaged areas within the building and patching the potholes in the playground. The school has maintained the well above average standards in literacy and numeracy and the good quality of teaching. Booker Avenue School

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

Overall, children make good progress in their first year and by the end of reception, they reach, and many exceed, the expected early learning goals set for them in their language and mathematical development. Their progress in other areas of learning, particularly their physical development, is constrained by the lack of suitable outdoor facilities. Pupils make good progress through Years 1 and 2 and, by the age of seven, they achieve very good results in national tests in reading, writing and mathematics. In 2000 and 2001, their performance in writing was in the top 5 per cent nationally. The pupils’ results compare favourably with those of similar schools 1 .

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Key

Inspection evidence indicates that standards in the current Year 2 are similar to those of recent years. By the end of Year 2, most pupils achieve Level 2, the expected standard for a typical seven-year-old in reading, writing and mathematics. The well-above average standards are achieved because more pupils reach the higher standard, Level 3, than is normally found. Pupils read very well for their age and develop good speaking and listening skills. Their basic skills in writing, such as spelling, are very good and most apply these skills well in their written work. Pupils have very good numeracy skills and they use them well to solve simple mathematical problems. Overall, pupils gain good levels of personal achievement in literacy and numeracy and are well prepared for the next stage of their education.

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Key

Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology by the age of seven are below those expected for their age. Currently, pupils make satisfactory progress because of their recent access to new resources. However, they have not made sufficient progress over time in developing their skills and in using computers to support their learning in other subjects and so their standards are slightly low.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils have positive attitudes towards their school. They are eager to learn and concentrate well for their age.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good. Pupils behave very well in lessons and well around the school. They are polite and friendly.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Pupils’ personal development is good. Their relationships with each other and with staff are positive.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. The pupils’ rate of attendance is above the national average.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils’ good behaviour, positive attitudes and relationships are important strengths of the school and contribute to its positive ethos.

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Aspect Comment

1 National Benchmark information bands together ‘similar schools’ based on the proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals. Booker Avenue School

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

An analysis of pupils’ work and their test results show that the overall quality of teaching is good. This was confirmed during the inspection, when teaching ranged from satisfactory to very good. In all of the 13 lessons seen, teaching was satisfactory or better; seven were of good quality and very good teaching was observed in two lessons. The school successfully promotes the inclusion of all its pupils. Consequently, all groups of pupils, including those from ethnic minority backgrounds, make good progress in their learning. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is good because teachers plan these lessons well. They ensure the activities match the needs of all their pupils by carefully monitoring their progress and by using ability groups. Teachers make effective use of support staff, so that they make an important contribution to pupils’ learning.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum The school provides pupils with a good range of relevant learning opportunities. There is a significant focus on the teaching of literacy and numeracy skills, which has helped to maintain high standards.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs The school provides very good levels of support for these pupils, which ensures that they make good progress towards their individual targets.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language None of these pupils are at an early stage of acquiring English. The school takes adequate measures to support their learning and as a result they make similar progress to their classmates.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The overall provision for pupils’ personal development is good and successfully promotes the aims of the school. The provision for pupils’ moral and social development, both in lessons and daily assemblies, is a particularly strong feature.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils The school is a caring community. There are clear and effective procedures for child protection and for ensuring pupils’ welfare.

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Aspect Comment

Overall, the school provides pupils with a good range of learning opportunities. However, in reception, it does not provide for regular and frequent outdoor activities to support children’s physical, social and creative development. Booker Avenue School

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides clear and highly effective leadership and she manages the school well. The deputy headteacher and the other teachers ably support her. The school has correctly identified the need to develop the role of the subject co-ordinators further in areas other than literacy and numeracy in monitoring standards across the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body carries out its statutory responsibilities well. Governors are aware of the need to develop their role in monitoring the work of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school successfully evaluates its performance. There are good procedures for monitoring and developing teaching and learning.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes satisfactory use of the funds it is given and ensures that appropriate resources are available.

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Aspect Comment

The school satisfactorily applies the principles of ‘best value’ by questioning what it does and ensuring money is spent wisely.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Fourteen parents attended a meeting with inspectors and 67 parents (26 per cent) completed questionnaires.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school and they make good progress. • Teaching is good and the school has high expectations. • The school is well led and managed and the staff are approachable. • Behaviour is good and children become more mature. • The range of extra-curricular activities. • The amount of homework set. • The school working more closely with parents.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection findings support the very positive views of the parents. For an infant school the staff provide a good range of extra-curricular activities. The school has a clear policy for homework, which provides good support for pupils learning. It is analysing the results of a recent questionnaire and is actively seeking ways to improve communications with parents. Booker Avenue School

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

Pupils achieve high standards in literacy and numeracy.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

1. The school’s early assessment of children as they enter the reception classes shows they have levels of attainment that are above those expected for their age. Pupils make good progress and, by the age of seven, they attain standards in literacy and numeracy that are well above those normally found. These high standards reflect the positive attitudes of the pupils towards their learning and the good quality teaching they receive.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2. Over recent years the school has consistently attained very good results in national tests for seven-year-olds in reading, writing and mathematics. Most pupils achieve Level 2, the expected level for a typical seven-year-old. The school’s well-above-average performance is the result of the high proportion of pupils who achieve Level 3, the higher standard. For example in 2001, around 40 per cent of the pupils achieved Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics. These results were well above the national average and in writing were in the top 5 per cent nationally. The average National Curriculum points score 2 achieved by the pupils by the end of Year 2 shows that they are two terms ahead in reading and writing and a term ahead in mathematics. The school’s performance compares favourably with those achieved in similar schools.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3. Although there was a slight decline in the 2002 test results, national comparisons show that they follow a broadly similar pattern to previous years. Most pupils achieved Level 2 and more than is normally found achieved Level 3 in reading, writing and mathematics. This dip was due to differences in attainment on entry to the school of this particular year group. The school has taken positive action to analyse the test results in order to identify and correct any possible areas of weakness. Inspection evidence indicates that these pupils made good progress and reached good levels of personal achievement in literacy and numeracy before transferring to the junior school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

4. By the age of seven, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Standards of speaking and listening are above those expected for pupils of this age. The vast majority of pupils listen carefully to instructions and stories in lessons and assemblies. Pupils, for example, listened very attentively to a video during a science lesson. Consequently, they remembered the sequence of events in the production of knitting wool. Pupils speak clearly and confidently, as when describing the characters in a book during the start of a literacy lesson. They develop good reading skills. This stems from the close attention given to the development of skills by staff who carefully implement the National Literacy Strategy. Pupils read confidently and have a good range of strategies for tackling unknown words. For example, pupils use the initial letter sound, break the word up into smaller parts, look at the following word and use picture clues to help them. Older pupils

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

show a keen interest in books and are eager to tackle more difficult texts. Pupils spoke of enjoying, with the support of their parents, books such as The Hobbit and the Harry Potter stories.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

5. Despite a slight dip in 2002, pupils attain well above average standards in writing. By the age of seven, pupils make appropriate use of capital letters and full stops when writing simple sentences. They make good use of words to create interest, as in a poem about the sun, where one pupil wrote, ‘The sun is a yellow butterfly flying in the sky.’ Many pupils successfully link their ideas into more complex sentences. For example, one pupil wrote,

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

2 The average points score provides schools with a single statistic to compare the overall grades attained by their pupils with the grades attained by pupils in another school. At Key Stages 1 and 2, the Level attained by each pupil, for example , in mathematics, is given a score. A Level 1 = 9 points, a Level 2 = 15 points and so on. Therefore the average points score in mathematics is worked out by adding up all of the points based on the Level attained by pupils and then dividing by the number of pupils who took the test. Therefore, a school whose average points score for mathematics in the end of Key Stage 1 tests is greater than 15.0 is one whose pupils are performing above that expected for their age. Booker Avenue School ‘While we were having our picnic on the beach we noticed an island out to sea’. They develop their ideas logically using lists, maps and diary notes to plan and write longer

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

stories, though opportunities to do this are limited. Spelling of common words is generally accurate and pupils develop legible, joined handwriting.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

6. In mathematics, pupils have a clear understanding of number and make good progress in developing their numeracy skills. By Year 2, pupils read, write and order numbers up to 1,000. They successfully develop their knowledge of place value by partitioning numbers. For example, pupils know that the number 653 is equal to 600+50+3. Pupils have a good understanding of symmetry and they accurately use metric measures, such as centimetres, when drawing shapes. They use pound and pence notation correctly in money problems and know, for example, that 82p can be written as £0.82.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

7. Pupils make good use of their literacy and numeracy skills in other subjects. For example, pupils write careful accounts of people from history, such as Florence Nightingale, and they use graphs and measurements in science. The school sets relevant targets for its pupils from the assessment information it gathers. Consequently all pupils including those from ethnic minority backgrounds and those who speak English as an additional language make good progress in developing the basic skills of literacy and numeracy. There are no significant differences between the results of girls and boys. The well above average standards pupils attain in literacy and numeracy reflect the good quality teaching they receive.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

The quality of teaching is good and so pupils make good progress in their learning.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

8. Observations in lessons and an analysis of pupils’ work and their results in national tests show that the overall quality of teaching is good and that pupils make good progress in their learning. This is similar to the findings of the previous inspection.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

9. Teachers’ early assessments of children’s attainment when they enter reception show that their standards are above those expected for their age. By the time pupils leave the school at the end of Year 2 their standards in basic skills of literacy and numeracy are well above average. Their results compare favourably with those of pupils in similar schools. This good progress over time indicates that the overall quality of teaching is good. This was confirmed by an analysis of pupils’ work and observations in lessons. During the inspection teaching ranged from satisfactory to very good. In all of the 13 lessons seen teaching was satisfactory or better; seven were of good quality and in two lessons very good teaching was observed.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

10. Teachers have a calm, pleasant approach and they manage the pupils well. A purposeful working atmosphere is created through high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and clearly established classroom routines. This helps reception children to settle quickly into the daily routines of the school. For example, children start their morning activities with very little fuss as the teacher has established appropriate systems, such as the children know that only those wearing a coloured band can use the sand tray. With older pupils, the good relationships between staff and pupils foster their positive attitudes and good behaviour. This allows teachers to focus on pupils’ learning and pupils to develop good levels of concentration.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

11. Teachers make good use of the well-trained support staff who make a positive contribution to the quality of pupils’ learning. In particularly they support children in reception, lower- attaining pupils and those with special educational needs. The classroom assistants are very well briefed and provide valuable support to individual pupils and small groups. In the reception classes, they provide sensitive support to children who are upset, monitor children’s attainment and allow a wider range of activities to take place. Pupils with Statements of Special Educational Need receive very good levels of support within lessons, Booker Avenue School which ensures they maintain concentration and complete the tasks set for them. This allows these pupils to make good progress towards their individual targets.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

12. The teaching of the basic skills in literacy and numeracy are particularly good throughout the school. Teachers have a thorough understanding of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. There is a significant focus on the teaching of reading, the sounds that make up words and spelling. In a Year 1 literacy lesson, for example, pupils made good progress in their understanding of rhyme and spelling. They successfully changed the beginning of words to produce a new rhyming word, such as changing ‘walk’ into ‘talk’ and ‘giggle’ into ‘wiggle’. In mathematics, there is a focus on developing pupils’ knowledge of number, as when pupils in Year 2 consolidated their knowledge of multiples of ten during the mental starter of a numeracy lesson. Teachers make effective use of resources, such as the good range of ‘big books’ 3 and group-reading books available for literacy. In a very good numeracy lesson, the teacher used large sponge dice and blocks representing

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

hundreds, tens and units to help develop pupils’ understanding. Teachers are making increasing use of computers to support pupils’ learning, though this work is at an early stage of development.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

13. Teachers use questioning well to assess what pupils know and the level of their understanding of what is being taught. For example, a teacher used effective questioning to find out what the pupils had remembered about the characters in their storybook and used this effectively to introduce the ideas of setting and sequence within the story. Teachers introduce new and technical vocabulary, which extends pupils’ learning well. This was effectively illustrated by the use of words such as ‘genre’ and ‘phonemes’ in a literacy lesson and ‘manufactured’ and ‘natural’ in a science one. Teachers make good use of homework to support pupils’ learning, particularly in reading and spellings.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

14. Teachers plan lessons well and clearly identify what it is pupils are to learn. They share this with the pupils at the start of lessons. This serves to make the purpose of the lesson clear. In the better lessons these objectives are reviewed at the end of the lesson and key areas of learning are reinforced. In a numeracy lesson, for example, the teacher carefully clarified earlier confusions, recapped the work completed on tens and units and emphasised the idea of place value. Consequently, the pupils made very good progress in their understanding of number. Teachers know the pupils well. Their good day-to-day assessment of pupils’ progress ensures that activities are well matched to the needs of the pupils. This results in all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who speak English as an additional language, making good progress.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

15. At the time of the last inspection the leadership and management of the school were strong. Since then a new governing body has been appointed. The school has maintained its strengths in these important aspects and remains well led and managed.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

16. The school has clear aims, which are published in its prospectus and are fully reflected in its work. They are based on promoting high standards through equal access to a broad and balanced curriculum. The headteacher provides highly effective leadership and has developed a sense of common purpose amongst the staff and newly appointed governors. She has successfully moved the school forward since the last inspection and has ensured high standards are maintained. The headteacher has gained the confidence of governors, staff and parents, who find her and the school’s staff very approachable. The headteacher is well supported by the deputy headteacher and the staff, who are an effective team and make a good contribution to the management of the school.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

3 Big books are specially enlarged editions of factual and fictional works that, because of their size, enable a whole class to read from one book together. Booker Avenue School 17. There are effective procedures for the monitoring of teaching and learning, particularly in literacy and numeracy. The headteacher and the co-ordinators for these subjects monitor planning, teaching, pupils’ work and their results in tests. These strategies have a positive impact on the quality of teaching in these two important areas. In other subjects, co- ordinators satisfactorily monitor planning and resources. The school has correctly identified the need to develop their role further so as to give them a greater input into monitoring teaching and learning and raising standards.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

18. The governing body is very supportive of the school. It successfully fulfils its statutory responsibilities by ensuring all legally required documents and policies are in place, including its annual report to parents and a special educational needs policy. Governors have successfully introduced procedures for performance management. The governing body meets regularly and has an appropriate structure that includes committees for staffing and curriculum and also finance and buildings. It carefully monitors spending and has put high priority on funding additional support staff and the building of the new computer room. Governors see questioning policy and practice as an important part of their role. They have correctly identified their need to develop a better understanding of the day-to-day working of the school and are keen to develop procedures for regular focused visits to the classroom.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

19. Governors, headteacher and staff have ensured good progress has been made in addressing the issues identified at the time of the last inspection in January 1998. The balance between activities led by the teacher and those initiated by the children in reception has improved following an increase in the number of support staff. Systematic assessment procedures are now in place and information is successfully used to plan what pupils need to learn next. The resources for information and communication technology have been much improved and are now good. The health and safety issues regarding ceilings, floors and the playground have been addressed.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

20. The school development plan is a detailed document that outlines the school’s priorities for improvement. It correctly identifies targets that will result in the continued improvement of the quality of education provided. The impact of these whole-school priorities is to some degree lost in the rather large document. However, it sensibly includes the development of outdoor activities in reception and the continued development of the use of computers together with the ‘maintenance’ of areas such as writing. It links initiatives with the budget and developments are therefore carefully costed. Some of the criteria used to measure the success of the school’s actions do not clearly identify their intended impact on pupils’ learning or the raising of their standards.

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WHAT THE SCHOOL DOES WELL

21. The school has consistently maintained high standards and pupils make good progress in literacy and numeracy. Its capacity for improvement is good and the commitment of the governors, headteacher and staff is strong. The school provides good value for money. Taking account of all these different aspects, the leadership and management of the school are good. Booker Avenue School

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The learning opportunities, facilities and resources for outdoor activities for children in

22. The school has made good progress since the last inspection in improving the quality of education provided in its reception classes. It has successfully addressed the issue of providing additional support staff to each of the classes. This has helped to improve the balance between activities planned by the teacher and those planned or initiated by the children. Teachers have introduced role-play areas, such as a ‘baby clinic’, into the classrooms to support children’s personal and social development. The staff have introduced an effective planning system based on the nationally recommended six areas for learning for children in the Foundation Stage 4 . Overall, the school now provides satisfactory learning opportunities for reception children. It has correctly identified the need to develop resources for outdoor activities.

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The learning opportunities, facilities and resources for outdoor activities for children in

23. Overall, children make good progress during their reception year, particularly in their language and mathematical development. By the start of Year 1 almost all have met or exceeded the early learning goals for these two areas of learning 5 . This is because of good teaching and carefully planned activities. Progress in other areas of learning, notably children’s physical and social development is limited by the lack of a suitable outdoor area and resources. There are few opportunities for children to make good use of an outdoor space to enable them to learn by working on a larger more active scale than is possible indoors. This has an affect on children’s physical development as there is no appropriate outdoor area that would enable children to explore ways of using space, or for climbing and crawling over a range of challenging materials. There is no provision for children to make effective use of large equipment or for using wheeled toys. Currently, the school does not

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The learning opportunities, facilities and resources for outdoor activities for children in

provide opportunities for regular and frequent physical activities outdoors.

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The learning opportunities, facilities and resources for outdoor activities for children in

24. The lack of outdoor activities also limits children’s personal, social and emotional development. It reduces the opportunities to initiate activities that promote learning and enable children to learn from one another, for example, in the development of their independence skills. Aspects of developing children’s creative skills and their knowledge and understanding of the world, such as construction work on a large scale, mapping, weather and the environment, are also reduced.

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

skills in supporting pupils’ learning in other subjects.

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

25. At the time of the last inspection pupils made satisfactory progress in information and communication technology. However, the low level of resources inhibited the development of pupils’ skills for the subject. There were too few computers and a lack of other resources to meet the needs of all pupils. For example, pupils were unable to access and retrieve information, and this restricted the use of computers in supporting pupils’ learning in other subjects.

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

26. The school has worked hard to address this key issue. In the summer term 2002 this culminated in the opening of a purpose built and well-resourced computer room. Staff have attended national training in the use of information and communications technology as part

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

4 The Foundation Stage begins when children reach the age of three and finishes at the end of the reception class year. It is a distinct stage in preparing children for later schooling and is based on six areas of learning. These mainly refer to communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development, but also includes knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. 5 Early learning goals - these are expectations for most children to reach by the end of the Foundation Stage. They refer mainly to achievements children make in connection with the following six areas of learning: communication language and literacy; mathematical development; and personal, social and emotional development; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical and creative development. There are many goals for each area of learning, for example, in language and literacy pupils should be able to write their own name and other things such as labels and

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

begin to write simple sentences. Booker Avenue School of the New Opportunities Funding initiative. This has improved their subject knowledge and confidence in the use of computers. The regular use of the new computer room is beginning to have a positive affect on pupils’ learning, but it is too soon for it to have raised standards to those expected by the end of Year 2. This was confirmed by an analysis of pupils’ previous work.

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

27. During the inspection pupils used computers to support their learning in literacy and numeracy lessons. Pupils in Year 2 used a simple word-processing program to communicate their ideas. They wrote simple sentences with pupils using the mouse to click on key words to add them to their writing. In a numeracy lesson, pupils practised their adding skills using an appropriate programme. These activities supported pupils’ learning but their skills in editing their text and their confidence in using programmes were below that expected for their age. Evidence of pupils using computers well to research a history topic on the origins of names was seen, together with examples of artwork produced on the computer. However, these were limited examples. Pupils have not had sufficient opportunities during their time in the school to develop fully their knowledge and skills in each aspect of the subject. Consequently, pupils currently do not have the depth of

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

understanding required to meet the national expectations for this subject.

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Pupils’ standards in information and communication technology, and the use of these

28. The school’s new resources will go a long way in helping to address this weakness. Continued development of pupils’ information and communication technology skills, the use of a wider range of software and the careful planning of when and how computers can support pupils’ learning remain important issues for the school.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

29. To build on the school’s many strengths, the governors, headteacher and staff should now:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) strengthen the provision for children in the reception classes, by

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• developing the facilities and resources for outdoor activities;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• providing regular and frequent structured outdoor activities that support and enhance children’s development towards the early learning goals for children of this age;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) raise standards in information and communication technology and improve the pupils’ use of these skills to support their learning in other subjects, by:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring all aspects of the subject are taught in sufficient depth;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• fully utilising the school’s new resources so that pupils have regular and frequent ‘hands-on’ opportunities to use computers;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• developing the range of software used to support learning in other subjects;

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• identifying suitable opportunities in each subject where pupils’ learning can be enhanced by the use of information and communication technology. Booker Avenue School

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

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

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very poor

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Percentage 0 15 54 31 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than seven percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 267

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 16 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 24

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 2

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Booker Avenue School

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

Year Boys Girls Total Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 39 38 77

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 30 32 37 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 37 38 38

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

Percentage of pupils School 87 (96) 91 (96) 97 (96) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 32 36 35 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 38 38 38

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

Percentage of pupils School 91 (91) 96 (95) 95 (95) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Booker Avenue School

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 5 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.8 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 24.9

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 583,622

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 7 Total expenditure 581,544

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 141 Expenditure per pupil 2,199

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 56,561

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Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Balance carried forward to next year 58,639 Booker Avenue School

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0.6

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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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. 69 30 1 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 47 51 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 45 37 15 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 46 9 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 70 30 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 72 28 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 42 45 12 0 1

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 73 22 5 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 61 36 0 0 3

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 36 33 20 2 9

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