Broomhill Infant School

BROOMHILL INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 19 th – 21 st May 2003

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BROOMHILL INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection number: 246655 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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BROOMHILL INFANT SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Broomhill Infant School - 4

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Beech Hill Road Sheffield

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Christine O’Leary

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 20 th October 1997 Broomhill Infant School - 5

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Mr P. Edwards Registered inspector English Information and communication technology Design and technology Physical education Educational inclusion Special educational needs English as an additional language What sort of school is it? The school’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are the pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? Mr M. Brennand Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? Mrs P. Goodsell Team inspector The Foundation Stage Mathematics Art and design Music Mr G. Simpson Team inspector Science Geography History Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The inspection contractor was: Sandfield Educational Consultants Limited 16 Wychwood Drive, Trowell Park, Nottingham. NG9 3RB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Broomhill Infant School - 6

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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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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 11

The school’s results and pupils’ achievements Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Broomhill is a small infant school catering for pupils between the ages of four and seven. The school is popular and frequently over-subscribed. Most of the children are from the local area although a significant minority come from further afield. There is a high level of pupil mobility. In the last academic year, nine pupils joined and 17 left at times other than the normal admission and leaving times. There are currently 119 pupils on roll, 56 boys and 63 girls. There are currently 42 reception children in two classes. Twelve of the children who entered the school in September are now in a mixed Reception /Year 1 class. The remainder of the children who reach their fifth birthday between the beginning of March and the end of August enter the school in January. All the children attend full time once they have been admitted to the school. Most of the children have attended nursery or playgroup before they come to school. The majority of pupils are from white ethnic backgrounds but

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

there are a significant number who come from a wide range of other backgrounds and over 25 per cent speak English as an additional language. The percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals (11 per cent) is similar to the national average. The percentage of pupils on the school’s register of special educational needs (22.2 per cent) is average, although the percentage of pupils with a Statement of Special Educational Needs (4.2 per cent) is above the national average. Attainment on entry to the school varies considerably from year to year but the attainment of the current Reception class is broadly average. The school was awarded the Basic Skills Quality Mark in January 2003.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a very effective school that provides very good value for money. In the National Curriculum tests at age seven, the pupils achieve standards that are above the national average in reading and mathematics and average in writing. Most of the pupils make good progress throughout the school and those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language make very good progress. The quality of teaching is good overall. The pupils have very positive attitudes towards school and their behaviour is very good. The headteacher provides strong, effective leadership and is well supported by the staff and governors. The staff work well together and there is a commitment to raising standards further.

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What the school does well

• The curriculum and quality of teaching for children in the Foundation Stage is very good. • The pupils attain above average standards in National Curriculum tests in reading and mathematics. Attainment in science, art and design, design and technology, information and communication technology, geography, history and religious education is above national expectations. • The teaching is good. • The pupils behave very well and have very good attitudes towards learning • Pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language make very good progress. • The pupils are provided with a very good range of interesting learning and activities and the provision for their moral, social and cultural development is very good. • The learning support assistants and the early years assistants play an effective part in the pupils’ learning. • Leadership and management are very good.

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What could be improved

Broomhill Infant School - 8 • The range and quality of the pupils’ writing. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was last inspected in October 1997. Standards in the National Curriculum tests have been maintained although there are now more pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language. Overall, the pupils achieve well. There have been good improvements in the progress made by the pupils in history, religious education and information and communication technology. Assessment procedures are much better. There is now an effective strategic development plan in place and this is linked closely to the school’s financial planning. Procedures are now in place to ensure the work of all staff is appraised.

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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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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

The table shows that standards in National Curriculum tests in reading and mathematics are above the national average and average in writing by the end of Year 2. When compared with similar schools, standards are well above average in mathematics, above average in reading and below average in writing. Inspection evidence shows that the pupils are attaining above average standards in reading and mathematics and average in writing. The pupils are achieving well because of the good teaching throughout the school. Very occasionally, work is not well matched to the pupils’ ability and in these instances the pupils do not make the progress of which they are capable. Standards in writing are improving with more pupils attaining higher levels. However, the pupils need more opportunities to practise writing at length and to develop these skills in subjects such as history and geography. The pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language

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STANDARDS

make very good progress due to the quality of the support they are given.

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STANDARDS

Standards in science are above average at the end of Year 2. The school makes very effective use of its wonderful garden to develop the pupils’ knowledge of living things. Standards in art and design, design and technology, history, geography, religious education and information and communication technology are above national expectations and standards in physical education and music are in line with national expectations by the age of seven.

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STANDARDS

On their entry to the reception class the baseline assessments show that the children are of average attainment although there is a broad range of attainment. The very good teaching ensures that all the children progress very well and the majority reach the early learning goals in communication, language Broomhill Infant School - 9 and literacy, mathematics, personal and social development, creative development, physical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. The pupils enjoy coming to school and are enthusiastic in their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Most pupils behave well in lessons. They play sensibly during lunch and break times.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Very good. The pupils have very good relationships with their class teachers and between themselves. They take turns to act as classroom monitors and older pupils apply for jobs as playground friends.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Satisfactory. A number of parents take their children on extended holidays during term time.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

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

The quality of teaching is good overall and this has been maintained since the previous inspection.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The teaching is very good in the Reception class and reaches a good standard in the mixed Reception/Year 1 class. The high quality of the teaching enables the children to make a very good start to school. Basic skills are taught well and this results in the good progress seen in learning to read and write, and in number work. In both classes the teachers plan the learning activities carefully to ensure that there are opportunities for the children to have access to all six areas of learning and to the literacy and numeracy strategies. The classes are well organised and the children are very well managed. In both classes the early years assistants and learning support assistants very effectively support individual and group activities.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The basic skills of literacy and numeracy are generally taught very well throughout the school. The teachers have a good understanding of the National Strategies and most provide a good balance between whole class and group activities. There is occasionally a lack of pace in the oral starter in mathematics, resulting in some pupils not making the progress of which they are capable. The teachers generally ensure that literacy and numeracy skills are developed through other subjects, although the school has recognised the need to provide the pupils with more opportunities to write at length. A strength of teaching throughout the school is the rapport that exists between staff and pupils, resulting in a very pleasant working environment. Most of the teachers assess the pupils’ Broomhill Infant School - 10 understanding through effective questioning and use this information well to plan further work. In

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

some lessons, the pupils are allowed to present work that is not their best and although the teachers’ marking identifies how they should improve their work, this is not followed up.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The teachers make very effective use of the school garden to develop learning, particularly in science. Teaching has improved in information and communication technology due to the increased confidence of staff and the better facilities and this is helping the pupils to make good gains in their learning. The teachers need to make increased use of information and communication technology to develop learning in other subjects. Teaching in art and design, design and technology, geography, history and religious education is good, enabling the pupils to learn well. Teaching in music and physical education is satisfactory.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The pupils who are learning English as an additional language are provided with very effective support and make rapid progress. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well and their needs are met effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Very good. The children in the Foundation Stage are provided with a very good range of activities. The school gives a high priority to teaching literacy and numeracy and this is helping to raise standards. A good range of visits and visitors adds significantly to the quality of provision.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. There is early identification of pupils with special educational needs and the school provides an appropriate level of support to ensure they make the progress of which they are capable.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Very good. These pupils are provided with a good level of support that enables them to make rapid gains in their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development There is very good provision for the pupils’ moral, social and cultural development and good provision for their spiritual development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils There are very good procedures in place for child protection and for looking after the pupils. There are good procedures in place for monitoring the pupils’ progress and for monitoring and improving behaviour. This is a factor in the pupils’ positive attitudes.

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Aspect Comment

How well does the school work in partnership with parents? There are very good links with parents who appreciate the opportunities to participate in their children’s education and to discuss the progress made by them. Most parents support the school well, helping with homework topics. Broomhill Infant School - 11

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff The headteacher provides strong, effective leadership and manages the school very well. She is well supported by staff and governors. The co-ordinators manage their subjects well although they need to identify areas for development.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governors know how well the school is performing and have a very clear understanding of what needs to be done to improve further. They fulfil all of their statutory duties effectively.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance The school monitors the performance of the pupils very effectively in the key subjects of English and mathematics and has a clear understanding of the progress made by individuals. There is no complacency and good use is made of statistical information to identify how improvements can be made.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources The school makes very good use of staff, learning resources and the accommodation. There are clear links between the school improvement plan and the budget. The school applies the principles of best value by comparing its performance with other schools and by seeking quotations for services and selecting the most cost effective options. Very effective use is made of specific grants, especially funding for pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language.

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Aspect Comment

There is a sufficient number of appropriately qualified staff and resources are good overall. The accommodation is satisfactory overall although the school make very effective use of its wonderful garden.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Their children like school and they make good progress. • Behaviour is good. • The teaching is good. • The school looks after the children well and expects them to work hard. • There is a ‘family’ atmosphere at the school and children from different backgrounds and cultures mix well. • The school is well led and managed. • There are good links with the parents. • The amount of homework. Some parents felt there was too much and others too little. • The information about how their children are progressing

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspection team agrees with the parents’ positive views of the school. The level of homework is similar to that seen in other infant schools and is satisfactory. Reports showing the pupils’ progress Broomhill Infant School - 12 are good and there are good opportunities for the parents to meet with teachers to discuss their children’s work. Broomhill Infant School - 13

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

1. The baseline assessments show that on their entry to the reception class the majority of children are of average attainment, although there is a wide range of ability. The very good teaching ensures that all the children progress very well and the majority reach the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy, mathematics, personal and social development, creative development, physical development and in knowledge and understanding of the world by the time they move to Year 1.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

2. The 2002 National Curriculum test results were above average in reading and mathematics and average in writing. When compared with similar schools, the results were well above average in mathematics, above average in reading and below average in writing. The provisional test results for 2003 show that the standards are broadly similar to the previous year. However, the proportion of pupils with special educational needs (twenty three per cent) is much higher than in previous years and the results reflect the very good progress made by this group of pupils. These standards have been maintained over the last three years and are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. The proportion of pupils reaching the higher level (Level 3) is well above the national average in mathematics and above average in reading. The teacher assessments in science at the end of Key Stage 1 show attainment to be well above average.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

The inspection findings broadly confirm the results of the National Curriculum tests and teacher assessments.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

3. At seven years old, the pupils’ speaking skills in English lessons and in other subjects are above the expected level. The pupils talk with confidence. Their skills are systematically developed as they move through the school through the provision of good opportunities to respond to questioning and to explain their views in front of others. The pupils’ listening skills are satisfactory. The more able pupils demonstrate good listening skills through the relevant responses that they give to each other and to the teachers’ questions.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

4. The inspection found standards in the pupils’ reading to be above average and writing skills to be broadly average. Literacy hours are, overall, taught well, and the pupils are encouraged to read for information and to express their written ideas in a range of different styles. Significant improvements have been made in the quality of the pupils’ writing and they write in a range of different styles. However, they need more opportunities to develop their writing skills in subjects such as history and geography. The school has recognised that the pupils need to improve their presentation skills and to ensure that handwriting skills are developed effectively. The pupils read a wide variety of books and are confident readers by the end of Year 2. They understand how to use the library to search for information and enjoy reading for pleasure, making good use of the school’s good range of books.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

5. In mathematics, by the end of Year 2, the pupils’ attainment is above average. Lessons follow the National Numeracy Strategy with a good variety of activities and most pupils develop a good understanding of number. They are taught at the beginning of each lesson how to work out sums in their heads. Occasionally, this oral session lacks pace and there is insufficient challenge for the most able pupils in the independent activity. Seven year olds understand how to add, subtract, multiply and share simple numbers. They count up to and back from 1000, in 100s. They confidently estimate numbers and tell the time accurately. They measure the perimeter of Broomhill Infant School - 14 shapes accurately, and know the properties of a good number of three-dimensional shapes. The pupils are developing an understanding of data handling and this aspect of mathematics is supported effectively by using computers.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

6. The results of tests and assessments are used in English and mathematics to set targets for pupils. The targets are challenging and the school works hard to ensure they are achieved.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

7. The pupils’ attainment in science is above what might be expected by the end of Year 2. The pupils learn to make predictions and know how to carry out a fair test. The pupils acquire a very good knowledge and understanding of plants, animals, land management and environmental issues through activities undertaken in the school garden. They also have a good knowledge of electric circuits and are able to name some reversible and irreversible changes, such as water to ice, or mud to bricks.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

8. Due to the good teaching and the appropriate emphasis placed on the subjects, standards in art and design, design and technology, history, geography, information and communication technology and religious education are above those normally expected at the end of Year 2. Standards in music and physical education are in line with national expectations.

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The school’s results and pupils’ achievements

9. The pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language generally make very good progress and achieve well. The very good support provided by teachers and learning support staff ensures that the targets identified for these pupils are reached.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. The good attitudes, values and personal development that were found at the last inspection have been maintained and built upon. The pupils like their school. It provides a happy and stable environment in which they are encouraged to build good relationships and are given every opportunity to develop responsible attitudes.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. The children make very good progress in the reception classes because the adults have high expectations that they will behave very well, play and learn well, both alongside one another and together. The children have very good relationships with the adults who work with them. The school has very good arrangements in place for the reception children to be introduced to the full school day and this means that they come into school happily and confidently. The children enjoy coming to school, they like to learn, concentrate well and persevere to complete a task before they move to a new activity. They know the routines of the classrooms, for example selecting their names for the board, putting their reading folders in the boxes and serving themselves with their milk.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. The pupils’ attitudes to the school are very good. Their enthusiasm is most evident during lessons. For example in Reception the teacher’s insistence that the pupils listened carefully lead to high standards of concentration, participation and interest, and in a Year 1 English lesson the pupils found it difficult to contain themselves when responding to questions. The vast majority of the pupils arrive on time and in a happy frame of mind. The presence of parents in the school helps in this regard and also provides a calm and orderly start to the day.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Overall behaviour is very good, particularly in lessons where the pupils are well managed by their class teachers and learning support assistants. Occasionally, a small minority of the pupils are allowed to shout out answers without first raising their hands and in these instances a more Broomhill Infant School - 15 consistent approach is required. In the playground at break and lunch, the pupils were observed playing well together and in the dining hall at lunchtime they wait quietly for their turn to be served. No incidents of bullying or racism were observed and conversations with parents confirmed that such occurrences are very rare. There have been no exclusions in recent times.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

14. Relationships are very good. In lessons there are numerous planned opportunities for the pupils to work together and through this they learn to share ideas and resources. For example, in Reception special equipment has been bought which encourages the pupils to share and play together and in a Year 1/2 ‘thinking time’ session the pupils work productively together, to reach the correct answer. Arrangements for personal development are good. In the early years, children develop self-help skills through dressing and undressing for physical education lessons and by helping to tidy away apparatus. All pupils take turns to act as classroom monitors, collecting the buckets containing the registers and letters. In Year 2 the pupils apply for jobs as playground friends and the small size of the school encourages friendships across age groups.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

15. Attendance, at 93.5 per cent for the year to May 2003, is satisfactory. However it has declined since last year primarily because of absences due to sickness and a growing number of extended holidays taken during term time. The small size of the school means that one absence affects the overall attendance level to a greater degree than in a school where there are more pupils on roll.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. During the inspection, 40 percent of the lessons seen were very good, 48 per cent were good and 12 per cent were satisfactory. There was no unsatisfactory teaching. This shows that the standards of teaching have been maintained since the previous inspection.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

17. The teaching is very good in the Reception class and reaches a good standard in the mixed Reception/Year 1 class. The high quality of the teaching enables the children to make a very good start to school; they make good progress and achieve well. The teaching has a number of strengths, including the very good teaching of basic skills and this results in the good progress seen in learning to read and write, and in number work. This was especially the case in the separate Reception class where the teacher has a very good knowledge and understanding of the needs of the children. She has very high expectations of the children to behave well and concentrate on the challenging and well-planned learning tasks. In both classes the teachers plan the learning activities carefully to ensure that there are opportunities for the children to have access to all six areas of learning and to the literacy and numeracy strategies. The classes

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

are well organised and the children are very well managed. In both classes the teaching assistants very effectively support individual and group activities. All the adults make good use of questions and talk to promote and challenge the pupils’ thinking and communication skills. On a few occasions the learning focus of an activity is diminished because the group is too large or the activity goes on for too long.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall in Years 1 and 2. The teachers plan lessons well and they have a good understanding of the subjects to be taught. They assess the pupils carefully and make good use of this information to plan work that meets their needs. This is particularly so for English and mathematics where improved teaching is helping to raise standards. Whilst group learning objectives are effectively shared with the pupils, more emphasis could be placed on sharing individual targets, particularly for the more able pupils. Broomhill Infant School - 16 Most pupils respond well to the good teaching. They concentrate well, work hard and make good gains in their knowledge and understanding.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. The teaching of literacy and numeracy is very good throughout the school. The work is challenging and matched closely to the pupils’ needs. The arrangements for grouping the pupils according to their prior attainment in English and mathematic are successful in helping the pupils to achieve their potential. In the best lessons, the teachers make good use of the warm up session to develop the pupils’ mental arithmetic skills. The pupils enjoy these sessions and respond enthusiastically. Occasionally, in some lessons, this part of the lesson lacks pace and the pupils do not learn as quickly as they should. In the best literacy lessons the pupils make good gains in their learning. The teachers generally make effective use of assessments to ensure the work is planned at the appropriate level. As a consequence, the pupils are continually challenged to improve. In some lessons, the work is not matched sufficiently closely

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

to the pupils’ ability resulting in limited progress. The relationships between the staff and the pupils are very good and this enables the pupils to develop in confidence. A small number of pupils find it difficult to concentrate for sustained periods and the teachers need to develop alternative strategies beyond raising their voice above that of the pupils.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. The school has identified that pupils should be making better progress in writing. Whilst the teaching of this aspect has improved, more could be done. Although the pupils are now writing in a wide range of styles and for different audiences, the teachers need to provide the pupils with more opportunities to produce longer pieces of writing in other areas of the curriculum, for example in history and geography. Although the pupils demonstrate good handwriting skills during handwriting practice sessions, these skills are not transferred to other work. The teachers need to ensure the pupils sit correctly, hold pencils properly and to present their work neatly using an agreed format. The teachers do not always set a good example with the quality of their handwriting.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. The teaching of science is good throughout the school. Apart from the good planning and clear learning objectives, a particular strength is the way in which the teachers question the pupils to determine their understanding and to stimulate their interest. They also make very effective use of the school’s garden and wildlife area, resulting in good progress by the pupils. The teaching of art and design, design and technology, history, geography, information and communication technology and religious education is good and that of physical education and music is satisfactory.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language are provided with a very good level of support. The knowledgeable staff provide work that is well-matched to the needs of these pupils. This enables them to make very good gains in their learning, particularly in their ability to communicate effectively.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

23. The provision for the children when they start school in the reception class, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language, is very good and is a strength of the school. The broad curriculum, that overall is well planned, takes into account the early learning goals and the literacy and numeracy strategy planning for children under five. In the reception classes, which form the Foundation Stage, the children have access to a very good range of challenging and stimulating learning activities. This Broomhill Infant School - 17 encourages all of the children to become well involved in the adult lead or independent learning opportunities provided and promotes the very good progress seen, especially in the dedicated reception class.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

24. The school provides a very good curriculum, which is very well balanced and broadly based. It includes all subjects of the National Curriculum and religious education, and meets the statutory requirements for all subjects. The provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good, as is that for pupils with English as an additional language. All pupils have equal access to the opportunities offered. The curriculum is organised on a two-year cycle. All subjects have policies and schemes of work based on national guidelines. They are well planned to meet the needs of all pupils, as well as providing secure continuity and progression. The school successfully adjusted its day following an analysis of time, which resulted in a better organisation. The national strategies for the teaching of literacy and numeracy are very effectively taught, resulting in high standards. The pupils are given many opportunities for

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

‘hands on’ experiences, which enable them to make sense of the world in which they live. A strength of this approach in the school is the good cross-curricular links, which not only leads to efficient use of time, but also helps the pupils to establish relationships between subjects. A further strength is the very good use of the excellent garden area. Here, the pupils learn about their world in an environment, which fosters the skills of enquiry and investigation. This is achieved in an atmosphere, which develops spiritual awareness and encourages social skills. Worthy innovations, which broaden the scope of the pupils’ learning, are the ‘thinking skills’ and ‘learning power’ programmes which, although in its infancy, teachers believe is having a positive impact on the pupils’ learning.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

25. A good programme for the development of personal, social and health education has been introduced. ‘Circle Time’ is used very effectively and the pupils learn, and apply, the required code of conduct, as they discuss issues of importance to them. Aspects of drugs education are well taught, supported by the school nurse. The policy on sex education has been improved. Sex education is taught spontaneously in response to the pupils’ inquiry. The school garden provides opportunities to discuss life cycles. The school has successfully enriched its curriculum by teaching a range of foreign languages, such as German, Japanese and Spanish, according to the availability of expertise. Very good use is also made of the local environment, as the pupils study aspects related to topics in school. Regular visits are made to places of interest, such as the Heritage Museum, Kelham Island or the Mayfield Valley. All of these enhance the

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

curriculum and extend the pupils’ knowledge and understanding. Events, such as ‘International Day’, involving the pupils, parents and friends, not only enrich the curriculum, but also foster community spirit. Visitors to the school play an important role, such as theatre groups or the doctor talking to the pupils during the inspection. Language clubs are provided after school, conducted by university students, and parents and children have had opportunity to work together on computers. Although the school lacks a playing field, mixed teams still participate in football tournaments.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

26. The school makes very good use of the community in its curriculum. There are productive links with the children’s hospital, senior citizens and the Broomhill Festival. The pupils sing in the festival and make a colourful contribution to the parade. Academic pursuits include participation in the World Book Day, the Sheffield book awards and language competitions at the university. Parental contributions are valued and make a significant impact. Links are established with feeder nurseries. Visits are made prior to children starting at the school, which enable a smooth transition. The school also has strong links with the next phase, so that the pupils are well prepared to move on. Ongoing writing projects with the junior school help to raise standards, as Broomhill Infant School - 18 well as easing transition. Good links with the university enable students to avail themselves of the learning opportunities in the school in order to promote their own training.

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PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

27. The school affords its pupils the chance to develop in an atmosphere, which is socially, academically and culturally inclusive. This ethos is supported by a structure and organisation; within which spiritual, moral, social and cultural development thrive. Provision for these aspects is very good. Spiritual development is fostered through the planned curriculum and by the celebration of the diversity of the pupils’ backgrounds. Through their involvement in practical activities, especially in the wildlife garden, the pupils experience the excitement of discovery and learning. This essentially involves co-operation and collaboration, which has a positive impact on social development. ‘Circle time’ is very effective in allowing the pupils the opportunity to discuss, consider and express their views on a range of important issues. The pupils acquire a knowledge and understanding of different faiths through the religious education syllabus, as well

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

as from each other. The mutual respect, which this engenders, leads to a community, which lives in harmony and is at ease with itself. Achievements, from both inside and outside of school, are celebrated in assemblies, which are successful in building self-esteem and a sense of self worth. Although assemblies do provide opportunities for reflection and fulfils statutory requirements, more opportunities for the pupils to voice and explore their own ideas would enhance these occasions.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

28. The pupils have a very good moral awareness, which develops within the context of a very good provision. The pupils are given regular opportunities to consider moral and social issues, which affect theirs’ and others’ lives. Conflict resolution plays an important part in discussions. The pupils are led to realise that issues are not necessarily clear-cut and that solutions can be difficult to achieve. As a result, the pupils develop a good sense of right and wrong, and of the impact their actions have on others. Parents and pupils have access to books dealing with important issues of morality or emotional development, which successfully supplements the achievements in school. The pupils raise funds for charities and become increasingly aware of everyone’s responsibility to the less fortunate. They are also made aware of what happens to this money. Relationships in the school are very good, which promotes integrity and respect. Teachers

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

create a climate in which the pupils confidently express their ideas and opinions. Attitudes are reinforced by posters around the school, which promote the qualities of perseverance, co- operation and friendship, among others.

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

29. Provision for social development is very good. The school has general policies, plus policies developed for particular pupils. Classroom procedures are well established and the pupils conduct themselves responsibly. They carry out their jobs sensibly. The pupils volunteer to befriend younger children and support them in the playground. Mixed age friendships are encouraged by the school, which successfully fosters the ‘family’ feeling, which exists. The pupils, who have perceived ‘weaknesses’ in social behaviour or attitudes, are given extra time and support to tackle their difficulties and are set targets for achievement. This coaching is appreciated by the pupils who also enjoy the ‘Golden Time’, awarded to reward success. The ethos of the school successfully promotes understanding and respect of differences and similarities. Discussion times enable the pupils to reflect on social and anti-social behaviour, so

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

that they gain a good understanding of the requirements of society. This manifests itself in the way the pupils interact when working together on resolving practical problems, such as in design and technology. They also learn respect for each other and the environment when engaged in experimental and exploratory work, in the classroom, the wildlife area and the wider community. The many visits made by the pupils provide a good platform for social development, which is enhanced by the high expectation of teachers. Certainly, parents are impressed by behaviour and attitudes on school visits. Broomhill Infant School - 19 30. The development of knowledge and understanding of a diversity of cultures permeates the life of the school and is very good. The pupils learn about a range of cultures through the taught curriculum, as well as the many opportunities offered in the wider curriculum. English, history,

p.18

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

geography, art, music, dance and religious education are some of the subjects, which exert a considerable influence in developing the pupils’ cultural understanding and awareness. Visits within the immediate and to the wider locality enhance and enrich these experiences. Assemblies have a multi-cultural influence, through the playing of a wide range of music in different styles and from different origins. The pupils also sing in different languages. Stories from around the world are shared. Parents and other visitors share their experience and understanding, for instance, during the ‘arts fortnight’. Parents demonstrate writing in different languages. The school has accumulated a wide range of books and artefacts, which support the teaching of faiths and cultures. Posters of people from all around the world are a constant reminder of the diversity of the world’s peoples and cultures. The school exemplifies the

p.19

PUPILS OR STUDENTS?

benefits of living in a multi-ethnic society, where all involved live in harmony and demonstrate mutual respect and affection. A positive relationship exists with a school of a predominantly white ethnicity, so that all pupils will experience each other’s normality.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. This is a caring school, maintaining the high standards that were noted at the last inspection. The small number on roll means that staff know their pupils well and have a good understanding of their needs. Much time is devoted to supporting children with known health and emotional problems to ensure that their needs are met and this is done very well.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. Overall the procedures for child protection and ensuring the pupils’ welfare are very good. The headteacher is the recognised Child Protection Officer and she has been trained on the recent procedural changes. All staff were involved in the most recent review of the Child Protection Policy and they were supported in this process by a representative from the Local Education Authority (LEA). Arrangements for health and safety are also good. There is a good health and safety policy and risk assessments have been documented. The headteacher is supported in her termly audits of the building by a representative from the governing body and on a daily basis by the building supervisor. Arrangements for first aid are good with two fully qualified first aiders and there are termly fire drills for which records are kept.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Procedures for monitoring and promoting attendance are good. Registers are monitored weekly by the headteacher. Where the pupils, who are poor attenders, are absent without a reason she will carry out a first day telephone call. Pupils arriving after the start time of 8.50am must report to reception. Attendance reports have also been to parents to remind them of the need for their children to attend regularly. The school is well supported by its Education Welfare Officer who comes in half termly. At these meetings the attendance of those pupils whose attendance has fallen below 90 per cent is discussed. The LEA also conducts an annual attendance report, the most recent being conducted in April 2003. It concluded that monitoring systems were good. To encourage good attendance the school awards termly certificates for 100 per cent attendance and there are weekly whole class awards for punctuality.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are very good. There is a good Behaviour Policy which places an emphasis on rewarding the positive. Within each class there are a variety of awards including stamps, stickers and reward charts. At the Friday Celebration Assembly acts of kindness, good behaviour and good work are all recognised. These are Broomhill Infant School - 20 supplemented each half term by a headteacher’s award. Where behaviour is inappropriate sanctions, in the form of lost privileges are applied and the headteacher keeps records of such incidents. Should these incidents persist the pupil will be placed on a pastoral support programme, which may also involve parents. Procedures for preventing bullying and racism are good. Although rare, the headteacher is not complacent in dealing with such incidents and parents are very much involved. Parents are also confident that when they occur, the school

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

deals with them quickly and effectively.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. In the reception classes the children come into school happily and confidently, the start to the day is calm and positive. In the reception class for example, there is a very good range of independent learning activities provided for the children to engage in and they do this in a very positive manner. There are good arrangements in place for the day-to-day exchange of information between parents, carers and the school staff and for the children to leave school safely in the care of a known adult. The teachers know the children well, and establish very good relationships with them; this encourages the children to work hard and to behave very well.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. The school in conjunction with neighbouring schools has recently developed a comprehensive baseline assessment scheme closely linked to the Foundation Stage curriculum. Soon after entry into the reception class this assessment is carried out with the children. The information is well used to group the children and target areas for development with individual children and forms the basis of a new tracking system of the children’s progress through the school. The children with special educational needs are identified at an early stage and very good support is given to them. Those children who are learning English as an additional language are also very well supported and they make rapid progress in gaining a basic vocabulary giving them good access to the activities planned for both of the classes. The teachers have put good arrangements in place to check how well all the children are learning and whether they are making enough

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

progress. They use this information to plan further work for all the children enabling them to make the good progress seen.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. At the time of the last inspection a key issue was to regularly assess the attainment of all pupils, and use this information to plan work, set targets and monitor the effectiveness of curriculum development. Overall this has been well addressed although there remain areas for further development particularly in mathematics. The school has good procedures in place for monitoring and supporting the pupils' academic progress. In all subjects good procedures for checking the progress of the pupils have been put in place and the information is put to good use to group the pupils according to attainment and this generally enables work to be matched to the pupils’ needs to help them to achieve well. The school sets group and cohort targets and the results of the end of key stage tests are analysed to identify gaps in the teaching during the previous year.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. In English appropriate targets are set for the pupils and this has promoted the good progress seen. However there are occasions on which the wording of the targets for the pupils could be more ‘child friendly’ in order to better involve the pupils in their own learning. In mathematics the tracking of individual pupil’s progress is in the early stages of development and has not yet been used to set personal targets that are made clear to the pupils. In addition, although good overall progress is seen in mathematics, there are occasions when the information from assessment is not used carefully enough to match the work to the pupils’ needs. This means that occasionally work is too easy for some pupils and too hard for others.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. Arrangements for monitoring and supporting the pupils’ personal development are good. The small number of pupils in the school ensures that the teachers know them well. ‘Circle Time’ is Broomhill Infant School - 21 an integral part of the personal, social and health education curriculum and provides teachers with an opportunity to make an assessment of personal development and in each class file a formal record is kept. This information is used to good effect in the end of year reports to parents.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. The school’s partnership with its parents is very good, maintaining the positive circumstance that was present at the last inspection. The school places a high priority on developing this partnership and in turn parents are very positive in their support of the school. Their only concerns were with the amount of homework provided and how well they are kept informed about their children’s progress. The inspection findings concluded that homework was satisfactory and that information on the pupils’ progress was good.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The links, which the school has developed with its parents, are very good. These begin with an induction meeting for the children at school. During the induction the procedures within the school are explained and parents are given a good information pack containing all the information they will need. The class teacher usually visits the children at the Nursery and all parents are offered a home visit. Once children start at the school parents are encouraged to accompany their children into school at the start of the day and many of them for the opening lesson. Parents are also encouraged to attend class assemblies, out of school visits, and social events organised by the parent association. The headteacher makes a point of attending these events because they allow her the opportunity to exchange information in an informal setting. There is a regular supply of newsletters, which provide information on the work of the school

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

and the dates of forthcoming events. The school also seeks parents’ views on an annual basis by sending them a detailed questionnaire.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The impact of parents on the work of the school is very good. Most of the classes have between two and three parents who help out on weekly basis supporting literacy and numeracy, ICT and sewing. Support for outside trips is also very good. There is a very active parent association, which organises a range of social and fundraising events including discos, barbecues, summer, autumn and Christmas fairs. The money raised has been used to buy outside play equipment, software for computers, and subsidising special visitors to the school such as a drummer and a theatre group

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The quality of information provided for parents is very good. The Induction Pack is comprehensive and provides everything that parents need to know about the school including how to help with their children’s learning at home. There are three consultation evenings per year at which the turn out is good. Those parents who are unable to attend on the specified evening are given alternative dates. The quality of the annual reports is good. The text gives an indication of each child’s knowledge and understanding and within the core subjects there are targets for development. The reports could be improved further by giving an indication of the level at which each child is working and whether this is appropriate to their age.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The contribution of parents to children’s learning at home is good. The school provides parents of reception children with guidance on learning through play and for children in Years 1 and 2 there are newsletters that contain information on the topics, which will be covered during the term. This information is also sent out by email and is posted to the school’s embryonic website. Homework, in the form of spellings and reading is set weekly. The support given by parents is generally good evidenced by the quality of the comments in the reading diaries. The school has Broomhill Infant School - 22 run curriculum evenings on literacy and numeracy, which were well attended, as was the recent ten-week information and communication technology course.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The leadership and management of the school are very good. The headteacher provides strong effective leadership and she has worked hard, together with staff, governors and parents, to address the issues outlined in the previous report. The good progress the school has made since the last inspection is due to the hard work put in by the staff. There has been a clear focus on raising and maintaining standards, particularly in English and mathematics but also in subjects such as design and technology and information and communication technology. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been implemented effectively, and subject policies and schemes of work have been developed. The role of subject leaders has become clearer although they need to take a greater lead in identifying areas for development. The assessment procedures for English and mathematics are much improved and enable the staff to monitor

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

more effectively the progress made by the pupils. The headteacher knows the staff well and the effective monitoring of teaching and learning is helping to raise standards.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The governors are regular visitors to the school and have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They are effective in fulfilling their responsibilities and work hard to support the school. Individual governors have responsibility for special educational needs and for curriculum subjects and they are effective in monitoring what is taking place. The governors appraise the work of the headteacher and have set targets for improvement. They fulfil their role in holding the school to account for the quality of education it provides very effectively.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school improvement plan is a good document that takes account of the previous report and demonstrates a clear vision for raising standards. Achievable goals have been set, timescales are realistic and methods of monitoring progress towards the goals are clear. Specific grants awarded to the school are used well and linked to expenditure outlined in the school improvement plan.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. The Foundation Stage is well led and the teacher in charge works well with her colleagues to promote the provision and development of the curriculum for the reception children. She has a clear vision of how it can be further developed. However, opportunities for her to directly monitor and evaluate the teaching and learning in the mixed Reception and Year 1 class are limited. The classrooms and outdoor area provide a very good variety of resources and activities to support learning in all areas. Good use is made of the garden area for the Reception children to explore and experience the natural environment at first hand.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The management of special educational needs is carried out very effectively and the recommendations of the Code of Practice for special educational needs are fully implemented. The team of learning support assistants is always very well briefed, has received suitable training and plays a key role in ensuring that the pupils of below average ability make very good progress in their learning. The management of the provision for pupils who are learning English as an additional language is also very effective, enabling them to make the progress of which they are capable.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. There are very good financial planning practices in place. These involve the staff and ensure the school’s educational priorities are fully addressed towards providing a good learning Broomhill Infant School - 23 environment for the pupils. Specific grants are used well to improve the pupils’ learning and raise standards. A good example is the use of the National Grid For Learning grant to develop and extend the information and communication technology resources. Taking into account the school’s expenditure and the quality of education provided, including provision for the personal and non-academic needs of the pupils, the school gives very good value for money.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school has a suitable number of qualified teachers to teach all subjects of the national curriculum and they have a balanced range of experience. Teaching staff are sensibly deployed and they are well supported by classroom assistants who are particularly good at helping children with special educational needs. Job descriptions are in place for all staff providing clear aims on what must be achieved and how.

p.23

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. Accommodation is satisfactory. The strengths are the size of the rooms, which allow for the full range of teaching styles, the outdoor play area for reception children and the wonderful garden. The weaknesses are the lack of storage space, the dual use of the information and communication technology suite, which has to double up as a dining room, and the lack of a welcoming reception area. Plans are in place to remedy the latter but this will take up most of the available funds, making it difficult to make significant changes to the remainder of the building. The staff are, therefore, in a circumstance of having to make the most of what is available and this they do well. The learning resources in all subjects are sufficient to meet the needs of the curriculum and are particularly good for information and communication technology. Broomhill Infant School - 24

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

53. The headteacher, staff and governors should now;

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) raise the standard of the pupils’ writing by; • providing them with more opportunities to write at length in subjects such as history and geography; • improving the quality of handwriting; • ensuring the pupils present their best work. (Paragraphs 4, 67, 70, 72, 93, 98, 101)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In addition the school should consider including the following in their action plan;

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Identifying opportunities for information and communication technology to be used to support learning in other subjects. Encouraging subject co-ordinators to identify areas for development. Continue to develop procedures for assessment. Broomhill Infant School - 25

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 26

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

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

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 119

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 13

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 4

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 20

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 28

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 9

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

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

p.25

Attendance

School data 4.9 School data 0.6 Broomhill Infant School - 26 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5

p.25

Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Broomhill Infant School - 27

p.26

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

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 23 15 38

p.27

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.27

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

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

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (94) 92 (91) 95 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.27

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.27

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

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

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 92 (88) 92 (94) 95 (97) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.27

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Broomhill Infant School - 28

p.27

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

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 4 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 3 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 2 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 6 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 1 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.28

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.

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.2 Financial year 2002/2003

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 23.8

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: Y1– Y2 Total income 370,072

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 6 Total expenditure 382,900

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 147 Expenditure per pupil 3,191

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance brought forward from previous year 34,178

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 21,350

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Broomhill Infant School - 29

p.28

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0.2

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.2

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of unfilled vacancies or vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of less than one term (FTE) 0

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Broomhill Infant School - 30

p.29

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 63 34 1.5 0 1.5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 55 42 0 1.5 1.5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 49 37 11 1.5 1.5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 50 39 11 0 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 76 24 0 0 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 48.5 47 1.5 0 3

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 63 34 3 0 0

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 90.5 8 0 0 1.5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 71 27.5 0 0 1.5

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 50 40 3 0 7 Broomhill Infant School - 31

p.30

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

54. The children enter the school with a range of previous experiences. The children make very good progress in the reception classes and most achieve and many exceed what is expected by the age of five. They settle quickly and happily when they come into school. The quality of teaching in this area of learning is very good, the teachers make sure that all the children have a clear understanding of what is expected of them and as a result they quickly develop positive attitudes to learning. The children know the routines well on entering the classrooms and become involved with the very good range of ‘free flow’ activities provided such as writing, reading, painting, collage work and using the role-play areas.

p.31

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

55. The teachers have high expectations of the children’s behaviour and ability to take care of themselves. The children are confident and independent when dressing and undressing and when taking care of their personal hygiene. There is a good balance of teacher-directed tasks and of children-chosen activities. This provides good opportunities for the children to develop independence and self-reliance, especially when they move between the activities during the free-choice sessions. The children’s personal and social skills are developed well because they are provided with good opportunities to work and play together and to reflect on the effect of their actions on others. They speak confidently to adults and each other. The children behave very well, persevere well with tasks and try hard to think things through for themselves. There are very good relationships between all the adults who work in the reception classes and the

p.31

Communication, Language and Literacy

56. There is a wide range of attainment in language skills when the children enter the school. There are a significant number of children whose first language is not English, although they have well- developed skills in their home languages. In addition there is a high number of children with a range of special educational needs. The children make very good progress because the teaching in this area is very good. By the end of the reception year most of the children achieve the early learning goals in communication, language and literacy and many exceed them.

p.31

Communication, Language and Literacy

57. The children enjoy listening to and reading stories and information books and they concentrate very well in literacy sessions. The children listen to and talk to their teachers and other adults in individual and group discussions. They respond well to events in stories such as ‘The Kiss that Missed’. The teacher extends the children’s vocabulary very well and gives the children good opportunities to explain new words to each other and to describe their favourite part of the story. The provision of a good range of role-play opportunities provides numerous occasions for the children to use and develop speaking and listening skills. Great enjoyment is gained from using mobile phones (defunct!) to order pizzas or chat to friends.

p.31

Communication, Language and Literacy

58. The teachers develop and build on the children’s early reading skills through the sharing of books and stories and the very good teaching of phonic skills. An exciting opening session to a literacy lesson was observed when the teacher had very well prepared a pair of Wellingtons full of items beginning with ‘w’ - the sound being taught. When the final item of a wizard’s costume came out there were gasps of amazement and a child commented, ‘it must be magic’. Broomhill Infant School - 32 Key words are systematically but encouragingly taught, and many of the children have made a good start with gaining early reading skills. A number of the children read fluently and are able to retell stories they have read. All the children take reading books home daily to share with parents and carers and this makes a positive contribution to their achievement.

p.31

Communication, Language and Literacy

59. The children acquire a good understanding of the writing process; they hold pencils correctly and are taught the correct way to form letters. Many of the children know the individual letters of the alphabet by name and sound. They recognise, read, and can write their names. They use their knowledge of letter sounds to help them read and write unfamiliar words. The classrooms have some alphabet charts and labels to encourage the children to link letters and sounds and write words themselves. There are good formal and informal opportunities provided for the children to encourage them to write for a wide variety of purposes such as writing lists and invitations, and sequencing stories. The hospital role-play area enables the children to experiment with writing skills to fill in forms, write reports and appointment cards. The teachers value the efforts that the children make and as a consequence they generally approach writing

p.32

Communication, Language and Literacy

tasks with confidence, enjoyment and enthusiasm. There are some areas for development in the teaching of writing however. For example, on occasions the focus groups are too large. In addition, insufficient ‘prompts’, in the form of sound or word cards, are provided on a regular basis.

p.32

Mathematical development

60. The children enter the school with broadly average skills in mathematical development. The teaching is very good in the reception class and enables the children to make very good progress in gaining mathematical understanding and skills. An impressive start to a numeracy lesson was seen when the children counted swiftly and accurately to a hundred, back from twenty and then to a hundred in tens. Their enjoyment and enthusiasm was harnessed and reinforced by the activities the teacher had devised to teach the concept of subtraction. In the mixed reception / Year 1 class the overall teaching is good although in a lesson seen the introductory part of the lesson was too long and the work was not fully matched to the needs of the children. By the end of the reception year, most of the children achieve the early learning goals and many exceed them. Overall, the children make good progress because the teachers know what they

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Mathematical development

have learnt and generally plan the next stage of work carefully to challenge and extend their knowledge of, and skills of working with, numbers.

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Mathematical development

61. The children recognise and write numbers one to ten in digits and many confidently beyond. They understand the concept of simple addition, and are beginning to add and subtract to ten. Some of the more able know their number bonds and how to use them and can work with larger numbers. The children learn to recognise coins and use money to a value of 20 pence. They learn to tell the time in hours and sequence events in their daily lives. They can estimate and weigh objects using balances, identify taller, longer and shorter items and measure using cubes.

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

62. By the time they are five, the majority of the children are likely to achieve and many exceed the level expected in knowledge and understanding of the world. Overall the quality of teaching is very good in this area and the children make very good progress. Their understanding is very well fostered and enhanced by visits and visitors to support their learning. For example, as part of their topic on people’s work, they discover the tasks carried out by fire fighters and doctors when they come to the school to talk to the children and demonstrate relevant equipment. Broomhill Infant School - 33 63. The children are given very good opportunities to use the computers to support their learning in many areas of the curriculum. They know how to use a program to choose colours, characters and objects. They confidently use the mouse to point and click and can change the size of objects they are dragging into a picture. The children can predict which materials will float or

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Knowledge and Understanding of the World

sink. They learn to recognise the stages of change and growth in tadpoles and frogs and they know the names of parts of plants. They can recognise the changes in themselves since they were babies. They can express their likes and dislikes of the environment in which they live and they understand the concept of representing a route on paper. There are good opportunities for the children to learn about the faith and customs of Christianity and other faiths. They hear the stories of the Old Testament. They learn there are special books in different faiths, such as the Bible and the Qur’an, and buildings where people worship such as churches and mosques. The children often participate in whole school activities and have good opportunities to learn about other religions, cultures and traditions.

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Physical development

64. The children develop their physical skills very well through the indoor and outdoor sessions. The teaching is very good in this area. By the age of five, most children reach the national expectations in this area of learning and many exceed them. The children show a good awareness of space, they can interpret and follow instructions and respond imaginatively when asked to moving in a variety of ways and make different shapes. They do not bump into each other as they move and they take care when they are playing not to act in ways that may harm other children. They show great enjoyment in moving to a variety of music and try hard to throw, catch and kick beanbags accurately. They have very good opportunities to develop their skills on wheeled outdoor equipment, and to climb and balance. They can dress and undress themselves with occasional help with fasteners. There are very good opportunities to develop

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Physical development

fine motor skills using paintbrushes, pencils and scissors, as well as through joining together pieces when completing jigsaws, train tracks and models.

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Creative development

65. The children enjoy a very good range of experiences in art, story and imaginative play. They have good opportunities to listen and respond to a range of music. The quality of teaching and learning is very good and enables the children to make very good progress in their creative development. Most attain and many exceed the early learning goals by the end of the reception year. The children know a good range of colours and how to mix them, and they paint with enjoyment, confidence and some skill. Materials such as sand and water are available for children to explore on a daily basis. Music lessons and a range of musical instruments, songs and rhymes, help to develop the children’s understanding of sound, rhythm and pattern. They sing and join in songs with actions competently and enthusiastically. Very good resources for indoor and outdoor role-play situations are provided and the children enter imaginatively into

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Creative development

treating one another in the hospital or as mechanics mending the wheeled vehicles. The school makes very good use of the garden area to stimulate and promote the children’s imagination and creativity.

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ENGLISH

66. By the end of Year 2, the pupils attain standards that are above average in most aspects of English and this is confirmed by the National Curriculum test results for 2002 and the provisional results for 2003. The standards are similar to those found at the time of the previous inspection. Broomhill Infant School - 34 The pupils make good progress throughout the school as a result of the consistently good and occasionally very good teaching. The pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language frequently make very good progress as a result of the good level and quality of support they receive.

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ENGLISH

67. The number of pupils reaching the higher levels in reading, 37% and 40% in the 2002 and 2003 National Curriculum tests respectively has improved since the previous inspection. This is partially as a result of improvements in the breadth of the reading curriculum and the successful implementation of the National Curriculum Strategy but also as a result of improved teaching. The school makes very effective use of the skilled and very effective teaching assistants who support all pupils, but especially those who find reading difficult. In writing however, far fewer pupils reach the higher level. The school has identified this as an area for continued development and has started to improve the way in which writing is taught. Girls achieve better than boys in writing but the way in which writing is now being taught is particularly suitable for boys and is beginning to have results.

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ENGLISH

68. Standards of speaking are good throughout the school. The teachers take every opportunity to provide activities that stimulate the pupils’ imagination and require them to listen carefully to each other and to adults and then respond appropriately. For example, the pupils are provided with many good opportunities to express their feeling during ‘circle time’ and personal, social and health education sessions, when they discuss solutions to problems involving behavioural and other issues. The pupils’ listening skills are not as good and a significant minority find it difficult to pay attention to the staff. Because of the many opportunities they have for speaking, all of the pupils make good progress in this aspect of their literacy work.

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ENGLISH

69. The pupils make good progress in their reading. The wide range of reading books and those based on ‘real’ books and authors such as Anne Fine, JK Rowling and Roald Dahl, interest and motivate the considerable number of pupils who are already proficient readers. This enables them to reach above average standards. The pupils understand that authors use plot, character and description to catch and hold the reader’s attention. Most pupils successfully contribute to group and class discussions about the author’s intentions. Most of the pupils use information books successfully. They know, for example, where to find the contents and index and they make good use of illustration to help them understand what they read. Younger pupils are taught how different letters make the same sound and how to break words up into parts. This gives them confidence to tackle unknown words. For pupils who have more difficulty with their

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ENGLISH

reading, the teaching assistants use time very effectively to support these pupils. The structured approach enables the pupils to make good progress in their reading. The range of books that the pupils take home, such as information books, story and poetry books, some specifically at the pupil’s reading level and others intended to be shared at home, ensure that the pupils read widely. The reading diaries that go between home and school ensure that parents and teachers work together effectively.

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ENGLISH

70. National tests show that standards reached in writing by pupils when they transfer to the juniors are broadly average. Standards are improving because the teachers are putting much more time and emphasis into formally teaching the skills of writing and are expecting much higher standards from their pupils. They ensure that the pupils have a good understanding of how to structure their writing into a coherent and structured plot with realistic characters who use interesting vocabulary. This is achieved by the whole class, sometimes all together, sometimes in pairs and sometimes in groups, discussing particular sections of the story. This is beginning to raise standards further and the majority of the pupils compose interesting stories that have plot and structure. The pupils’ spelling, handwriting and presentation of their work are broadly Broomhill Infant School - 35 average. Whilst the pupils demonstrate the ability to write fluently and neatly in their

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ENGLISH

handwriting books, these standards are rarely carried over into other work. Most Year 2 pupils confidently use full stops and capital letters and the more able pupils use speech marks, exclamation and question marks correctly. The less able pupils and those who are learning English as an additional language make significant progress in the development of writing skills as a result of the early identification of their needs and the good support and most of these pupils are attaining the standards expected for their age. The school has identified the need for all pupils to be provided with more opportunities to practise and develop their writing skills in other subjects, particularly those such as history and geography.

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ENGLISH

71. The overall quality of teaching is good. No unsatisfactory lessons were seen. In all lessons seen, the teachers are skilful in ensuring that the pupils understood the main purpose of the lesson and in reviewing what the pupils had learnt at the end. They use resources effectively such as white boards to involve all the pupils directly and to check how well the pupils understand. Teachers have appropriate expectations of what the pupils can do and they are becoming higher. They use questions very well to check the pupils’ understanding and to demand responses from all pupils at the level of which each pupil is capable. They set challenging targets and lessons are generally well paced. Planning is good and teachers are skilled at providing an accurate match of work to challenge the pupils at the most appropriate level, particularly for the less able and those who are learning English as an additional language.

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ENGLISH

In all classes, relationships are very good and this adds to the pupils’ motivation. The teachers establish good levels of control because they have high expectations of the pupils’ behaviour. Learning support assistants play a valuable role in ensuring these pupils make as much progress as possible. Teachers use a good range of methods such as memorable rhymes and phrases to help the pupils remember the spelling of frequently used words although the pupils do not always stop to use these guidelines in everyday work. All teachers make regular and accurate assessments of the pupils’ progress. The quality of the teachers’ marking is generally good across the school although the they need to ensure where targets for improvements have been set, they are followed through by the pupils.

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ENGLISH

72. The English co-ordinator has a very good understanding of the strengths in English and the areas for development. The school quite rightly recognises that a greater number of pupils are capable of achieving the higher level in writing and this forms an integral part of the action plan for the subject and is leading to improved standards. The school library has been recently re- organised as a result of the installation of the computer suite. However, the school recognises that further improvements are required in order to make the books more accessible to the pupils. The computer suite is now being well used to support and extend the pupils’ literacy skills, through gaining and using information from the Internet as well as developing the pupils’ word processing abilities. The pupils need more opportunities to use computers to develop learning in other subjects.

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MATHEMATICS

73. The pupils reach standards in mathematics that are above the national average by the end of Year 2. This is a similar picture to that seen at the last inspection. The pupils enter Year 1 with a range of attainment but generally above the national average, and because of the good teaching they receive they make good progress as they move through the school. The teachers and teaching assistants support pupils with special educational needs and English as an additional language very well in numeracy lessons and this enables them to make the good progress seen. The teachers use the guidance of the National Numeracy Strategy together with a commercially Broomhill Infant School - 36 produced scheme of work to decide what should be taught to the pupils. These arrangements provide a good range of mathematical experiences for the pupils and contribute well to the high standards seen.

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MATHEMATICS

74. At the time of the last inspection a key issue was to regularly assess the attainment of all pupils, use this information to plan work, set targets and monitor the effectiveness of curriculum development. Overall this has been well addressed, although there remain areas for further development. Good procedures for checking the progress of the pupils have been put in place and the information is put to good use to group the pupils according to attainment and this generally enables work to be matched to pupils’ needs to help them to achieve well. The school sets group and cohort targets and the results of the end of key stage tests are analysed to identify gaps in the teaching during the previous year. However, the tracking of individual pupil’s progress is in the early stages of development and has not yet been used to set precise personal targets that are made clear to the pupils. In addition, although good overall progress is

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MATHEMATICS

seen, there are occasions when the information from assessment is not used carefully enough to match the work to the pupils’ needs. This means that occasionally work is too easy for some pupils and too hard for others.

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MATHEMATICS

75. The Year 1 pupils can count, sequence, read and write numbers to 20 and many to 100. They can add 9 to a number by adding 10 and subtracting one. They can add three single digit numbers and subtract within 10. They can transfer their skills and knowledge of number bonds to make 10 to working with coins to give change. The most able pupils can quickly calculate the change from 20 pence and identify the least number of coins needed to make up the amount. Information and technology skills are well used to promote mathematical knowledge and understanding. For example, Year 1 pupils use a program to extend their thinking skills by identifying the correct two-dimensional map to represent a three-dimensional model.

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MATHEMATICS

76. By the end of Year 2, the pupils understand the place value of digits, and can use numbers confidently to 100, the most able can work with larger numbers adding and subtracting. The pupils can identify odd and even numbers and know how to double numbers. They can estimate and measure with increasing accuracy using centimetres. They know the properties of three- dimensional shapes and can relate the shapes to the correct net. They communicate findings of collected information in using tally charts and Venn diagrams. They can tell the time in half and quarter hours using both digital and analogue clocks. The more able pupils can multiply and divide by two, three, five and ten. A gifted pupil is able to work with negative numbers, use brackets to multiply and can change fractions such as an eighth into its decimal equivalent.

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MATHEMATICS

77. Overall the standard of teaching is good and the basic skills of numeracy are taught systematically. The teachers manage the pupils well; they have high expectations of good behaviour and use resources well. The well-planned use of the teaching assistants, students and volunteers helps to ensure that learning is effective for all the pupils. The teachers place good emphasis on work to help pupils develop their thinking and reasoning skills. The better lessons are characterised by clear explanations by teachers to develop understanding of new knowledge. After identifying the need for pupils to improve their skills in showing working out as part of solving a number problem the teachers are using purposeful questioning to help the development of this aspect of learning.

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MATHEMATICS

78. However, on occasions the pupils’ learning is not as good as it could be because the introductory parts of lessons, when the pupils practise mental calculation, are not conducted with enough pace or involvement of the pupils. This means that the pupils who are alert and eager to answer questions do not all have opportunities to do so. The work planned for the independent part of Broomhill Infant School - 37 the lesson does not always fully challenge the most able or it is overly complex thereby confusing the pupils and lessening the opportunities for learning to take place. The pupils complete a lot of work but it is often untidy and little use is made of the squares in exercise books to help the pupils keep their figures and working out organised. The pupils’ work is always marked and positive praise given. However opportunities are missed to involve the pupils in their own learning by setting targets or making it clear to the pupils what they will need

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MATHEMATICS

79. The leadership and management of the subject are good. The subject co-ordinator is well organised and has a useful action plan for the future development of mathematics. She has monitored teaching and learning to help her gain an overview of the progress in the subject and consistently looks for ways to raise standards for pupils. The school has a good range, quality and quantity of resources to meet teaching and learning requirements effectively.

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SCIENCE

80. Teacher assessments in 2002 indicate that by the end of Year 2, most pupils achieve standards well above the national average and very high in comparison with similar schools. During the inspection, no lessons were taught in science, except as part of a geography lesson. Judgements therefore, are based on discussions with pupils and teachers, a scrutiny of completed work and an examination of school documentation. Inspection evidence shows that standards are above the national average and that the progress of all pupils, including those with special educational needs, is good. All pupils have equal access to the subject. Standards have improved since the previous inspection because of the thorough teaching of a good scheme of work, which refers to national guidelines, but is flexible in its application. A two-year rolling programme provides the pupils with the opportunity to undertake much practical work and provides continuity and

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SCIENCE

progression in mixed-age classes. Careful planning ensures that the pupils are taught at the appropriate level for their abilities. Planning is supported by improved assessment arrangements, especially of scientific enquiry, which the school has targeted for even further improvement. Science is well used in literacy, by sharing books with a scientific content, and in numeracy, by using measures and gathering data over time. Very good links are made with other subjects, so that the subject maintains an exciting and relevant approach.

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SCIENCE

81. Standards are good because all aspects of the National Curriculum are taught using a practical approach. The Year 1 pupils are immediately engaged in an investigation of the senses. They learn to make predictions, when devising ways of keeping water hot. By Year 2, investigations are more detailed, for instance, of the taste and smell of healthy foods. Work is presented in a variety of formats. They learn how to carry out a fair test, when checking for the best roofing material. This is developed in design and technology, when testing the distances their vehicles will travel, so that the principles are well understood. By conducting regular lines of enquiry in the school garden, the pupils acquire a very good knowledge and understanding of plants, animals, land management and environmental issues. For instance, they are able to name the plants in the aromatic garden and use the correct terminology when describing pollination and

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SCIENCE

habitats. Their knowledge of the layout and functions of parts of the garden is very good and they are fascinated by ongoing projects, such as measuring the growth of the lovage plant. They are able to name the parts of a plant, know what is essential for healthy growth and are able to outline life cycles. They also have a good knowledge of electric circuits and are able to name some reversible and irreversible changes, such as water to ice, or mud to bricks. Broomhill Infant School - 38 82. The analysis of pupils’ work shows that the quality of teaching is good overall. The quality of teaching and learning in the only lesson observed was very good. The teacher’s very good questioning engaged the pupils in the subject. They were led to consider and refine their responses, so that the correct terminology was used. The pupils are well trained, so that they exercised good self-discipline when researching in the garden. They are aware of safety

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SCIENCE

procedures, and know how to take care of the environment. They displayed great excitement as they located snails, woodlice and frogs. This was translated into a real enthusiasm for learning, and was a credit to the preparation, organisation and approach of the teaching. Overall, lessons are well planned and the links made with other subjects enable the pupils to learn science in a relevant context, which helps them to use and apply their knowledge and understanding. Because much of the work is practical, the quality of presentation sometimes suffers, of which the school is aware. Sometimes marking, and its presentation, do not reflect the quality of the teaching, and could be improved.

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SCIENCE

83. The subject co-ordinator has a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject. She understands the strengths and weaknesses in the subject and has produced an action plan to address these. She understands the importance of science in children’s lives and is engaged in achieving an holistic approach, which enables the pupils to make sense of the world in which they live. She has a very good sense of purpose and direction. The wildlife garden is an excellent resource, which is very well managed, with parental help, and equally well used. Other resources, including books, are also good.

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ART AND DESIGN

84. By the end of Year 2 the pupils’ attainment in art is above that expected for their age and they make good progress. All of the pupils have good access to the art curriculum and the subject area makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural education. The good artistic curriculum provided and standards achieved are strengths of the school.

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ART AND DESIGN

85. The pupils enjoy art activities, work with enthusiasm, and concentrate well and try hard to achieve the effect they want. In some lessons the pupils have opportunities to evaluate their own and others’ work, they make sensible, sensitive comments showing knowledge of line, form, and colour. They can identify what they like about a picture and sometimes suggest how it could be improved. The adults in the school support this work very well by valuing the pupils’ efforts and helping them to develop confidence and self-esteem when working on artistic projects.

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ART AND DESIGN

86. The pupils produce beautifully painted landscapes using a range of techniques. They produce shades of colours and, using a range of media, they represent the texture, pattern and delicate or vivid colours of flowers and sea creatures. They impressively mix the exact colour that they want and paint with care and confidence. The pupils have mixed and painted vibrant backgrounds of sunsets and applied silhouettes of animals and buildings. An on-going project is a lovely sewn collage representation of the school garden using paper, fabric, and wool of different hues to create a very good effect. The pupils use information and technology skills well in various artistic projects. For example they make symmetrical pictures and learn to select a colour and change its tones and shade by the addition of different colours. The pupils use good skills of observation to produce high quality drawings and paintings and good use is made

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ART AND DESIGN

of sketchbooks to try different techniques and media. Broomhill Infant School - 39 87. The quality of teaching overall is good. The teachers plan and organize the work well; projects are often related to the overall topic that is being studied and good links are made between artistic representations and other subject areas. The pupils’ work is carefully displayed around the school. In the very good lesson seen during the inspection the teacher had high expectations of the pupils to try hard and use their creativity. Her explanations and demonstrations made the lesson interesting and gave the pupils very good opportunities and confidence to experience and use a good range of media and materials.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. The management of the subject is good. The organisation of art and design curriculum uses the local education authority guidelines and the school’s own medium term plans to make good links with other subjects. Overall the art and design curriculum provided is interesting and valuable and all elements are represented in the planning. The school aims to use many resources, for example the beautiful garden, to enhance the spiritual and visual quality of the learning opportunities provided for the pupils. In addition very good use is made of visitors and visits to stimulate the pupils’ interest and to teach new techniques and crafts.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

89. During the period of the inspection, it was only possible to observe a small number of lessons. However, an analysis of the pupils’ work, photographic evidence and the teachers’ planning show that by the end of Year 2, the majority of pupils attain standards that are above average for their age. This is similar to the findings of the previous inspection.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

90. The teachers’ planning documents show that the pupils experience all areas of the statutory curriculum. Throughout the school, lesson plans show that a practical approach is adopted and that due attention is given to designing and evaluating, and not just making. Tasks are usually successfully linked to work in other subjects. As a result, the pupils develop an understanding of the purpose of the activities they are undertaking. In Year 1, the pupils have designed and made a boat and house using a simple range of materials. Appropriate attention has been given to the correct use of tools, for example a bench hook and hacksaw, when cutting materials. A visit to a restaurant provided a good stimulus for the pupils to make their own ‘healthy’ pizza. The pupils in Year 2 have used the computer to design a money holder. After making their money holder they evaluated it using a zero to ten scale. Pupils in both year groups have produced

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

good playground designs and have made finished products using a range of commercial construction equipment and straws and card. They demonstrated a good understanding of how and why their ride might be improved. Work seen during the inspection show the pupils have a good understanding of the use of axles and the differing ways in which they might be attached to the body of a vehicle.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

91. This evidence shows that the pupils are being given the opportunity to use a range of simple tools and are successfully using glue, sticky tape, paper clips, and other means to join materials. However, the pupils need the opportunity to use a wider range of materials to develop their skills further. Most of the pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language, are making good progress in developing the skills necessary to design and make simple models.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. The school has adopted national guidelines to support teachers’ planning. These are being used effectively to ensure that new learning builds upon pupils’ previous knowledge and experiences. The co-ordinator gives a good lead to the subject. She monitors colleagues’ planning and the feedback from this work is promoting discussion of common issues and is leading to further Broomhill Infant School - 40 development of the curriculum. The assessment procedures for design and technology are satisfactory. The school has recognised the importance of monitoring the pupils’ skills, particularly in the mixed age classes.

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GEOGRAPHY

93. Standards in geography by the end of Year 2 are above national expectations. The school has continued to develop the subject and improvements include the adoption of a clear scheme of work. The programme of work covers a two-year cycle and is planned successfully to meet the needs of all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs, and ensures that pupils build on their previous learning. Assessment practices have improved and are being used more effectively when teachers plan future work. The development and use of the excellent wildlife garden has also encouraged improvements, especially in mapping skills and matters related to ecology. Forging links with other subjects, especially science, has improved the pupils’ understanding of the relevance of the subject within their own lives. The skills of literacy and numeracy are satisfactorily developed in the subject, for instance in recording work, developing

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GEOGRAPHY

vocabulary and completing a range of measures. The pupils need more opportunities to write longer pieces of work to help develop their writing skills. The strong strands of environmental awareness and understanding of cultural diversity, coupled with a practical approach to learning, have helped the pupils to make sense of their own and the wider world.

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GEOGRAPHY

94. The pupils have a very good knowledge of the immediate environment of the school, especially of the wildlife garden. They talk about where they live and suggest improvements, such as tackling pollution. Knowledge and understanding of contrasting and wider localities is nurtured by visits to parks and the Mayfield Valley. The pupils acquire a good understanding of land management, as well as a view of historical buildings. Visits to the sorting office and the station, incorporating a train journey, give the pupils a very good insight into how utilities operate, as well as the enjoyment of learning in a relevant location. Links with other subjects enhance this learning, as the pupils write and post letters. The use of a digital camera allows the pupils to keep photographic records of local buildings. A study of France enables the pupils to gain a good knowledge of distant lands. Mapping skills are successfully developed as the pupils learn

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GEOGRAPHY

about directions. The acquisition of mapping skills is linked to work with programmable control devices in information and communication technology. By the end of Year 2, the pupils use grid references to locate places on a map, for instance, hidden treasure. The pupils use geographical vocabulary well.

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GEOGRAPHY

95. The quality of teaching and learning is good overall. Two lessons were observed during the inspection and the quality of teaching and learning in these was good and very good. Both lessons took place in mixed-age classes, and are testament to the successful teaching of a wide age and ability range. They were both well planned, organised and resourced to cater for the differing abilities. Management and relationships are good, so that the pupils learn in an atmosphere, which builds their self-confidence. The Year R/1 pupils learned about signs and symbols, and why they are important. Very good methods were used, for instance, brainstorming in groups, all supported by effective adult supervision. As a result, the pupils got the chance to discuss and refine their ideas, prior to a purposeful feedback. Good suggestions included signs of warning, instruction or information. A good plenary session in this lesson

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GEOGRAPHY

successfully consolidated learning, as the pupils sorted their signs into the different categories. Year 1/2 pupils enjoyed an exciting mapping lesson, using the wildlife garden. Excellent links with science were made during this lesson, as the pupils lined up their outline maps with the ground, located principal features and developed symbols and a key. Very good subsidiary Broomhill Infant School - 41 learning about the garden’s ecology took place throughout the lesson. In both these lessons, the teachers and adult helpers fostered a sense of excitement and wonder in learning. This was achieved in a well-disciplined atmosphere, within which the pupils flourish.

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GEOGRAPHY

96. The co-ordinator has a very secure knowledge and understanding of the subject. She has overseen the development of the subject and has built up the resources. Plans are monitored and lessons are observed, when possible. Aided by parents, the co-ordinator has very successfully maintained the excellent wildlife garden. The autumn fair is used to raise funds to support the development of the garden. These culminate in an International Day, when produce from the garden is sold as preserves, seeds and crafts. The event is a strong demonstration of the effectiveness of the community.

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HISTORY

97. There were no history lessons during the inspection. Judgements are based on discussions with the pupils and teachers, and a scrutiny of recorded work and school documents. The inspection evidence shows that standards are above the national expectations by the end of Year 2, which is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection. This is because the scheme of work has improved. It is carefully planned on a two-year cycle to meet the needs of all pupils. Historical topics are organised in relation to other subjects of the curriculum, in regular blocks of time. In order to ensure continuity and progression, cross-curricular skills have been identified, so that the teaching of these continues in a non-historical context. Historical study is pursued in a practical manner, and involves first-hand experience of artefacts, as well as visits to sites of interest and relevance, all of which motivates the pupils to learn and improve. The pupils

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HISTORY

develop their literacy and numeracy skills by reading relevant books, writing in a satisfactory range of formats, gathering data and creating time-lines. The school recognises that more opportunities could be taken to develop the pupils’ writing skills further in the subject. The pupils’ personal spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well supported within the diverse population of the school community. Hence, learning is informed by traditional stories and the similarities and differences of families and cultures.

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HISTORY

98. The pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of similarities and differences with the past. They learn this in situations, which engage their attention, such as the Victorians, or themes, such as transport and clothes. An understanding of cause and consequence is developed during a study of the Great Fire of London. The pupils have a good knowledge of the cause of the fire and its consequence, but they are also able to suggest ways in which the fire might have been prevented. They also express a good appreciation of how building practices improved following the fire. The Year 2 pupils also have a good understanding of the need to improve hygiene in hospitals and the impact of poverty on health. They know, for instance, that scarlet fever was necessarily eradicated within the United Kingdom, because of its impact on infant mortality. Knowledge of famous people, such as Grace Darling and George Stephenson,

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HISTORY

is well established. The pupils learn a good range of formats, when recording the results of their lines of enquiry, such as newspaper headlines, sequenced drawings or written accounts. The use of first hand evidence, in the form of artefacts or visits, ensures that the pupils learn to scrutinise objects and places, make observations and form opinions. This is illustrated on the trip to the Heritage Museum, when the pupils’ experiences allow them to empathise with people from the past, as they decide, for instance, that, ‘I like the washing, because I liked grating the soap.’ An understanding of chronology emerges as the pupils make time-lines of major events. Although the pupils record their work in history, they need more opportunities to write at length to help develop their writing skills. Broomhill Infant School - 42 99. The subject co-ordinator is very thorough and very knowledgeable. She has liaised with other

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HISTORY

teachers to develop a meaningful and relevant curriculum, linked to other subjects. She ensures that the school and its environment are well used as a resource. She has analysed the time allocated to the subject and monitors plans to ensure that coverage is secure. This also involves looking at the pupils’ work and displays. She has a very good knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses in the subject, and a positive sense of purpose.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

100. The pupils’ standards in information and communication technology by the end of Year 2 are above average, which is an improvement since the previous inspection. The establishment of a computer suite and the training undertaken by all of the teachers is enabling the subject to be taught regularly and systematically. However, more opportunities need to be taken to ensure information and communication technology is used to develop and enhance learning in other subjects. As a result of the regular teaching, most of the pupils are making good progress throughout the school.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

101. The school is using a scheme of work based on national guidelines to map the development of the pupils’ skills and this is effective in ensuring that what is taught builds on previous learning. The pupils have good keyboard skills and use the mouse confidently. Many of the pupils have access to computers at home and these skills are very secure by the end of Year 2. Year 1 pupils demonstrate these skills when drawing a cat and adding text. The older pupils in Year 2 demonstrate improved skills as they use painting skills to draw pictures in the style of Mondrian. The pupils make good use of computers to develop learning in English and to a lesser extent in mathematics. For example, with help they produce graphs based after carrying out a survey of traffic outside the school. Effective use is made of programmable toys to improve the pupils’ ability to estimate distance and the angles of turn. There are some good links with geography,

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

for example the pupils’ writing about Mexico, but the school recognises the need to use computers even more to develop learning in other subjects.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

102. The pupils’ progress over time has been good. All of the pupils, including those with special educational needs, and those who are learning English as an additional language, are developing a good range of skills enabling them to access information using computers.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

103. The teaching and learning of information and communication technology seen during the inspection was satisfactory. Discussions with staff show that most have a good personal understanding of computers, although planning does not always identify how they might make the best use of computers across the curriculum. The co-ordinator has a good awareness of where the strengths and weakness are and the implementation of the scheme of work is having a positive impact on the teachers’ confidence. Regular and good use is being made of the computer suite and teaching assistants are being used effectively to work with small groups of pupils. This is particularly effective in ensuring the less able pupils and those who are learning English as an additional language make good progress.

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MUSIC

104. Music and singing are positive features of the school and are enjoyed by all of the pupils. The standards of attainment by the end of Year 2 are in line those expected nationally and they Broomhill Infant School - 43 make satisfactory progress. This is a similar picture to that found at the last inspection. The subject makes a good contribution to the pupils’ spiritual, social and cultural development. There are a number of features that support the pupils’ learning. The teachers’ planning shows that the pupils cover all the areas of musical experience required by national curriculum. The pupils have access to a range of musical activities. In assemblies and lessons they have good opportunities to listen to music from different traditions and in a variety of styles. The school makes good use of visitors to the school to enhance the musical experiences of the pupils. For example, the Japanese and German students taught the pupils songs and dances from their

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MUSIC

countries and parents often share their cultural backgrounds with all of the children as during the ‘International Week’ held annually. The local education authority music service provides concerts and workshops for the pupils. Recorder lessons, which parents pay for, are available to the pupils.

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MUSIC

105. The pupils respond well to music. They often sing together and singing is a feature of the school. The pupils sing enthusiastically and tunefully and know a good number of songs. Throughout school, the pupils have opportunities to play percussion instruments and to listen to a good variety of pieces of music. The pupils know, understand and correctly use a good range of musical vocabulary, for example they understand pulse, rhythm and tempo. They are exploring ways of recording with symbols so that they can perform the music together as a class.

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MUSIC

106. The teaching of music is satisfactory. In the lesson seen the teacher displayed a good subject knowledge and enthusiasm for teaching music. Her good management of the pupils ensured that they made progress in learning to follow musical symbols to modify their performance. The teachers’ medium term plans are based on the local education authority scheme of work supported by the national guidelines for what is to be taught in music. Learning in music is often linked to other areas of the curriculum through the topics being taught and includes opportunities for the pupils to create and develop musical ideas for themselves. The school has made good progress in implementing an assessment and record-keeping system to monitor the pupils’ progress in music.

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MUSIC

107. The subject is well led and managed. When she arrived at the school the co-ordinator carried out an evaluation of the learning opportunities in music. She has put in place the new scheme of work, which has been supported by in-service training for the teachers in its use. The co- ordinator has continued to evaluate its effectiveness and has made changes so that the guidelines better fit the needs of the school. Resources have been improved by the provision of another trolley with instruments appropriate to the needs of the younger children. Further improvements to the music curriculum are planned such as the development of music from a wider range of cultures and the monitoring and evaluation of the teaching of composition.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

108. By the end of Year 2, the majority of pupils achieve standards that are expected for their age. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well and this enables them to make satisfactory progress in line with their peers. Whilst these findings are not as high as those of the previous inspection, the pupils are making at least satisfactory progress as they move through the school.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

109. The pupils in Year 1 explore gesture and investigate different ways of moving. They work enthusiastically and try hard to follow the teacher’s instructions fully. The pupils in Year 1 demonstrate an appropriate understanding of the reasons for warming up prior to physical Broomhill Infant School - 44 activity. Most pupils in this year group have good control of their body as they move in response to a musical stimulus. Older pupils in Year 2 demonstrate the ability to balance on different parts of their body and to link a number of balances. A small number of the pupils are over exuberant but they are generally well-managed by the teachers and support staff. All of the pupils are making good progress in controlling body movements and extending the range and complexity of movements they can perform.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

110. In the Year 2 classes, the pupils are expected to sustain periods of vigorous physical activity during the warm up sessions for their lessons. They use space reasonably effectively and take care to avoid other pupils when moving position. Most listen carefully to their teacher whilst being given instructions for the movements and then try hard to perform correctly. They demonstrate the ability to balance on different parts of their body and to link a number of balances. Physical education makes a good contribution to the pupils’ personal development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

111. In the lessons seen, the quality of teaching and learning was good. Lessons are well-planned with clear identification of the learning objectives. This ensures that pupils are building upon previous experiences and being faced by appropriate challenges. Teachers have a good rapport with their pupils and this leads to productive working during lessons. Occasionally the teachers spend too long explaining the tasks and they tend to ‘talk over’ the pupils when giving instructions and this results in not all pupils understanding what they are supposed to do.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

112. Teachers’ plans show that the curriculum programme includes all of the elements required for Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum. The pupils have the opportunity to undertake a small number of out of school sporting activities at various times during the year.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

113. The co-ordinator gives a sound lead to the subject. She monitors teachers’ planning to ensure that the agreed curriculum programme is being followed and gives help and advice to her colleagues. The clear focus upon learning objectives is improving the quality of teaching and increasing the pupils’ rates of progress in developing physical skills. Assessment although at a relatively early stage of development, is satisfactory.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

114. By end of Year 2, the pupils attain standards that are above average and the curriculum meets the requirements of the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Progress is good throughout the school, including that of pupils with special educational needs and those who are learning English as an additional language. This is an improvement on the previous inspection and results from an improved policy and the further development of the school’s ethos. This successfully interweaves the qualities of spiritual, moral, social and cultural harmony throughout the whole curriculum, supported by a good knowledge and understanding of a range of faiths. The wide range of ethnic origins in the school results in a sharing of experiences and enhanced learning opportunities. By the age of seven, the pupils have a good knowledge and understanding of Christianity, Islam and Judaism. The pupils have an awareness of similarities and differences,

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

such as places of worship, religious books, symbols, festivals and clothes. Stories and their underlying meanings are well expressed, for example, the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The pupils apply this knowledge when considering issues relevant to their own lives. Hence, when discussing issues, such as how to deal with friendship problems, the pupils are able to employ a notion of fairness and consideration. Broomhill Infant School - 45 115. The pupils are given good opportunities to reflect on their own lives and to explore their own ideas. This results in the pupils who are developing self-awareness and an understanding of their role in society. This is particularly fostered in ‘Circle Time’, but also permeates all other subjects, as the pupils are encouraged to think more deeply. As a result, the pupils learn about arts and science subjects in a climate, which encourages respect, tolerance and understanding.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

This, in turn, improves the quality of relationships, which is very good. For instance, the pupils often work in pairs or groups when conducting their practical work, which means they learn to co-operate and compromise. The atmosphere in the school encourages the pupils to express their feelings confidently.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

116. Only one lesson in religious education was taught. The quality of teaching and learning in this lesson was good. The lesson was well planned as part of the preparation for a performance in assembly. The class teacher revised the story of ‘Jonah and the Whale’, giving the pupils the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the story. The pupils listened well and considered things that make them sad or happy. They practised moments of reflection and their place in assemblies. This was well supported by using suitable ‘mood’ music to inspire and motivate the pupils successfully. Links with literacy were well developed as the pupils devised sentences, which described their feelings. These they shared confidently with their peers, who responded with respect. As the lesson developed, the pupils considered major events in their lives, such as the death of a person, or the disappearance of a pet. A scrutiny of

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

recorded work shows that the subject is thoroughly taught and continuity and progression is secure.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

117. The co-ordinator has a very good knowledge and understanding of the subject. She has overseen the improvement in the scheme of work and the teachers’ planning. Plans are monitored regularly, which ensures the quality of the curriculum. Assemblies are organised on a thematic basis and are instrumental in the school achieving its aim of creating a society, which lives in harmony. Resources are good and many books and artefacts have been purchased to support teaching and learning. Visits are made to places of worship, but currently only to those of a Christian nature.

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