Oldbrook First School and Nursery

OLDBROOK FIRST SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th -23 rd January 2003

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OLDBROOK FIRST SCHOOL

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

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OLDBROOK FIRST 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. Oldbrook First School - 3 - January 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Illingworth Place Oldbrook Milton Keynes Buckinghamshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs Tracy Brudenell

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 9 February 1998 Oldbrook First School - 4 - January 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 7704 Mike Phillips Registered inspector Educational inclusion English as an additional language English History What sort of school is it? School’s results and pupils’ achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 9457 Gill Bindoff 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? 28046 Carole Goodchild Team inspector Areas of learning for children in the Foundation Stage Science Design and technology Geography Physical education Oldbrook First School - 5 - January 2003 29695 Gillian Lance Team inspector Special educational needs Mathematics Information and communicatio n technology Art and design Music Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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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:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Oldbrook First School - 6 - January 2003

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 29

Oldbrook First School - 7 - January 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Oldbrook First School is in a residential area near to the centre of Milton Keynes. It has 153 pupils aged between four and eight, which is smaller than most schools. Almost all pupils live near the school in rented or owner occupied housing. Standards on entry to the Foundation Stage are below national expectations. In 2001/2002, over 25 per cent of pupils left or joined the school other than at the usual times, which is high in comparison with other schools. The 23 per cent of pupils entitled to free school meals is in line with most schools. The 14 per cent of pupils with special educational needs, and the one per cent in receipt of a statement, match the national averages. Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. The 14 per cent of pupils in the early stages of learning in English as an additional language is high. The school enjoys a rich diversity of cultures, with almost 30 per cent of

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This good school is improving all the time and provides good value for money. Governors work well in partnership with the school to shape its future. Teachers have high expectations for pupils' achievements and plan very effectively to meet their individual learning needs so that pupils make good progress from the Foundation Stage to Year 3. The use of computers to help pupils learn is a strength of the school. The school ensures pupils from diverse ethnic backgrounds and with different learning needs are fully included in all learning opportunities. All this very good practice contributes to the school's positive and harmonious learning atmosphere. Pupils achieve well by Years 2 and 3, and those with special educational needs make very good progress. Good practice to evaluate school effectiveness ensures that by Years 2 and 3 mathematics standards are now close to national averages, science standards

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

improved to be in line with national expectations, reading skills continue to improve and high standards of writing are maintained.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • The headteacher provides a very clear sense of direction and ensures teaching and other staff work as a team committed to high standards. • Pupils' attitudes and behaviour are very good because teachers have high expectations and are very good at managing learning and behaviour. • By Years 2 and 3, reading and writing standards are above national averages and standards are above national expectations in most other subjects. • Throughout the school, computers are used very well to help pupils learn. • There is very good provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. • There is very effective provision for pupils with special educational needs. • Parents are highly appreciative of the school's efforts to help their children learn.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • There is still more to do to improve pupils' mathematical knowledge and understanding through investigations and problem solving, particularly for high attaining pupils. • The good practice of some teachers, to improve pupils' language skills and range of vocabulary so that they explain their learning to improve understanding, has yet to spread throughout the school. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school has improved well since the last inspection in February 1998 in relation to that inspection's key issues for improvement. There are good improvements to procedures to assess pupils' learning. Oldbrook First School - 8 - January 2003 There are now schemes of work for every subject to help teachers plan. There are satisfactory improvements to ensure the highest attaining pupils receive challenging work with still some more to do. There is a good improvement in pupils' attendance. The school brochure for parents now meets statutory requirements. In relation to other aspects of the school, there are good improvements in parents' views of the school, in behaviour and in provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by pupils at the end of Year 2 based on average point scores in National Curriculum tests.

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STANDARDS

Performance in: All schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Since 1998, Year 2 national test results show standards in reading, writing and mathematics steadily improving. Compared to all schools nationally, the 2002 results show that reading standards are the same as most of them, but for writing they are better. Standards in both subjects are well above those for similar schools across the country. All subjects show variations in National Curriculum test results over time, largely due to the small number of pupils in Year 2. The 2002 mathematics test results dipped well below the national average and those for similar schools. Whilst the mathematics national test results show that almost all pupils reached nationally expected standards, a few pupils did not do as well as expected and did not exceed these national standards. Mathematics standards are rising, particularly for high attaining pupils, with improvements in mental and written calculations. By Years 2

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STANDARDS

and 3, standards are now close to the national average. In reading, pupils make good progress because they use different strategies to improve. They take a pride in their written work, which is above the national average by Years 2 and 3. In science, by Years 2 and 3, standards match those expected nationally and pupils make good progress when recording and analysing findings during practical work. By Years 2 and 3, standards are above national expectations in most other subjects, with those for music and religious education being in line with those expected. In physical education by Year 2, standards are above national expectations and by Year 3 they are at the expected level.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Very good. Pupils enjoy school very much and are enthusiastic learners.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Behaviour is very good in lessons and around the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Very good. Pupils work and play very well together. They trust and respect their teachers with whom they enjoy very good relationships. Race relations are very good.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Good and above the national averages. Oldbrook First School - 9 - January 2003

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2 Year 3

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Pupils achieve well and learn enthusiastically because most teaching is good, sometimes very good and occasionally it is excellent. Out of 41 lessons seen, none were unsatisfactory, four were satisfactory, 35 were good or very good and two were excellent. Pupils know what to learn because teachers share learning objectives with them. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan well together. Well- informed teaching assistants are deployed effectively to help pupils learn. Expert use of the individual education plans of pupils with special educational needs ensures their very good progress. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very well provided for, contributing powerfully to pupils learning confidently together. Expectations are high and behaviour is very well managed. Regular homework prepares pupils well for their next lessons. Literacy and numeracy skills are taught well and

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

effectively reinforced in other lessons. Well-organised lessons use resources expertly to help pupils learn, including computers. Lessons begin promptly and pupils work hard all the time. The best teaching, that consistently requires pupils to explain their learning whilst extending their vocabulary and speaking skills, has yet to spread throughout the school.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The school effectively meets statutory requirements for the National Curriculum and those of the locally agreed syllabus for religious education well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Very good. Very effective planning and deployment of staff are constantly evaluated to ensure pupils' very good progress.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Good. Effective planning and staff deployment ensure learning is good.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Very good. Highly effective provision for pupils' personal development contributes significantly to pupils learning confidently and eagerly.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils There are good procedures to ensure pupils' welfare with some very good strategies to ensure pupils behave and learn well.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The school has plans to make its good partnership with parents even more effective.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff The very good leadership of the headteacher ensures all who work in this school share her firm commitment to high standards. Subject management is good. Oldbrook First School - 10 - January 2003 How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Governors work well in partnership with the school to help shape its future and satisfactorily fulfil their statutory responsibilities. Oldbrook First School - 11 - January 2003 The school’s evaluation of its performance Good, with plans in place to improve further procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Good. The principles of best value underpin financial planning and the use of resources.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school makes very good use of satisfactory accommodation. There is a very good match of staff to the demands of the curriculum and pupils' learning needs.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

• Parents say that their children greatly enjoy attending this well led and approachable school. • They say teaching is good, their children work hard and behave well and that the school helps them to mature. • A few parents say that they are not well informed about how their children are getting on and that the school does not work closely enough with them. • A few others say that their children do not get enough homework and that there are too few interesting activities outside lessons.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Inspectors agree with parents' positive views of the school. Inspectors disagree with those parents who say there is not enough homework and there are too few interesting activities outside lessons. Inspectors judge that parents are well informed about how their children are getting on but the inclusion of attainment levels reached in all subjects in the annual reports would make them even more helpful. Oldbrook First School - 12 - January 2003

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

The school’s Year 2 2002 National Curriculum test results.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

1. Analysis of national test results show that:

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

• the 2002 national test results for reading at the end of Year 2 are in line with the national average but well above similar schools across the country; • national test results for writing are better because the results are not only well above those for similar schools but they are also above the national average; • the test results for mathematics show standards had fallen to be well below national averages and below those for similar schools.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

National Curriculum test results. Trends over time.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

2. Year 2 National Curriculum test results show some variations over the last four years although there is an upward trend. This is largely due to the small number of pupils in Year 2, where the under- or over-performance of a few pupils significantly affects test results. This is seen in the 2002 mathematics test results.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

• There is a good upward trend in Year 2 National Curriculum test results since 1998 in reading and writing but similar improvements in the mathematics results were not maintained in 2002. • Over the last four years there has been no significant difference in performance between boys and girls, between pupils from ethnic minority backgrounds or between pupils with special educational needs. This was so at the time of inspection.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

3. Although a higher proportion of pupils reached the nationally expected level 2 for mathematics than for reading and writing, fewer pupils reached the higher level 3 in the national tests than in the other two subjects. The national average for pupils reaching level 3 is 30 per cent and only 15 per cent of pupils reached this level. This is half the national average. It represents six pupils at this school and explains why the mathematical national test results were low.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

4. Children enter the Reception class for those new to the school in the Foundation Stage with standards below those expected nationally. The lowest standards are in speaking skills. Children settle quickly into school and make good progress by the time they enter Year 1. Children with special educational needs make very good progress by Year 1 because work matches their well-identified learning needs. Consequently, most children achieve well and reach standards expected nationally in most areas of their learning by Year 1, except in communication, literacy and language skills where standards are below.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

5. From Year 1, pupils continue to make good progress so that by the end of Years 2 and 3 their achievements are good. The very good support pupils with special educational needs receive contributes to their very good progress. The school has Oldbrook First School - 13 - January 2003 very effective strategies in place to improve reading, writing and mathematics so that pupils' achievements improve all the time. Pupils who learn in English as an additional language are well provided for and so they achieve well by Years 2 and 3.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

Achievements of pupils who leave and join the school other than at the usual times.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

6. A particular characteristic of this school is the 27 per cent of pupils who left or joined the school during 2001/2002. There is a significant increase to 12 per cent since the last inspection in the proportion of pupils entering the school in the early stages of learning in English. This proportion is increasing. Over the last year, almost one in five children in the Reception class left or joined the school. At the present time, four out of 10 pupils who join the school in Year 1 stay until they reach Year 3. Pupils who join the school throughout the year represent all levels of attainment. Pupils new to the school settle quickly and happily and make good progress.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

Standards of work seen, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

7. Since the 2002 mathematics national test results at the end of Year 2, analysis of pupils' work and lesson observations show that standards are rising, particularly for high attaining pupils. Whilst there has been an increase over the last few terms in tasks for pupils to solve problems and undertake investigations, there is still more for the school to do to increase some pupils' understanding and skills, especially for high attainers. From Year 1, pupils make good progress learning their times tables, counting on in twos and tens, knowing the properties of different shapes and by Year 3 they achieve well when doing calculations using two digit numbers mentally.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

8. Standards in English are just above national averages by Years 2 and 3. They are above these averages in writing and just above in reading. Pupils make good progress in using strategies to make sense of unfamiliar text. From the Foundation Stage, pupils take a pride in their work. Teachers value their efforts to improve, and all this has a good impact on pupils' spiritual development as well their writing, so that they make good progress in joining letters, in punctuation and in spelling. Although most pupils make good progress to improve their language and speaking skills by Years 2 and 3, these are the weakest aspects of learning for average and below average attaining pupils.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

9. In science by Years 2 and 3, pupils' achievements are good and they reach standards that match those expected nationally. Pupils' from Year 1 make good progress, for example in understanding weather and in describing the features of living things and the properties of different materials. By Years 2 and 3, they use scientific equipment well to carry out fair tests and to evaluate experimental findings that they record appropriately, for example when learning about magnetism.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

10. By Years 2 and 3, challenging work matches pupils' diverse learning needs so that standards are above national expectations in most other subjects, with those for religious education being in line with standards expected. In physical education by Year 2, standards are above national expectations and by Year 3 they are at the expected level. By Years 2 and 3, standards in information communication technology (ICT) are above national expectations. Oldbrook First School - 14 - January 2003 Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

11. Pupils' attitudes are very good, which is a good improvement since the last inspection. Inspectors agree with the many parents who say that their children enjoy school and work hard. Pupils are enthusiastic learners who know what they must do to improve. They proudly explain the school's Mission Statement of 'living and learning together'. This sense of community spirit has a strong impact on pupils' social, moral and spiritual development because they are taught to behave very well, be sensitive to the needs of others so that they feel special and want to do well. Teachers and their assistants are very good at using the open plan design of the school for pupils to see others learning well throughout the school and this encourages them to work hard all day.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

12. Children in the Reception classes learn good working habits within a calm and purposeful environment. They sustain their concentration very well when working independently and they take a pride in their work. They like taking responsibility for classroom tasks and work and play together well. Throughout the school, pupils respond very well to teachers' high expectations and pupils' positive attitudes contribute to their good achievements. Year 3 pupils were amazed to see a Victorian Bible with clasps and gold edges to the pages and wanted to learn more. In music, they enthusiastically learn to play the recorder and handle resources with respect.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

13. Pupils' behave very well due largely to the strong emphasis on pupils' personal development and a consistent approach to the Golden Rules. Pupils are taught to be an 'Oldbrook Goldie' by being kind, thoughtful and a good friend. Pupils understand that their actions have an impact on others. A reception child said, "That's not very nice", when a character in a story writes a letter to a bear telling him to go away. When Year 2 pupils learnt the story of The Prodigal Son they related feelings of greed and jealousy to their own lives. Pupils use their initiative very well to look after the school and they treat displays with great respect.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

14. Year 3 pupils care responsibly for younger children and enjoy their role as playground monitors. Pupils with different learning needs and from different ethnic backgrounds play well together. They show an interest in each other's beliefs and religious festivals and treat the symbols of faith with respect. These positive attitudes arise from the school's strong commitment to value each individual and to include all pupils in the education it provides. The relationships between the pupils and the adults in the school are very good and, as a result, pupils develop very well as confident and self- assured learners.

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS?

15. Attendance is good and is well above the national average. However, attendance of pupils in the Reception year is variable. There is also some short delay to the start of school in the morning because many parents arrive with their children a little after 8.55 a.m. when registration should begin.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

16. The very high proportion of good and better teaching has a powerful impact on the pupils' very good attitudes to learning. As a result, most achieve well and those with special educational needs make very good progress. Out of 41 lessons seen, none were unsatisfactory, four were satisfactory, 35 were good or very good and two were excellent. Oldbrook First School - 15 - January 2003 17. From Year 1, learning objectives are shared with pupils so that they know what to learn. Very good practice reviews previous learning so that pupils have an even clearer idea of the purpose of the lesson. In a Year 3 literacy lesson about adjectives, probing questions tested pupils' understanding at the start of a lesson to provide additional insights into their learning to which the teacher responded well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers' good knowledge of pupils and their very good use of assessment inform planning very well, despite the high proportion of pupils leaving and joining the school throughout the year. Work is marked very soon after pupils finish it and they quickly receive advice on how to improve. This contributes to pupils' good knowledge of their learning. In addition, tests at the end of each term and half term, as well as those they do regularly in class, provide a wealth of information that teachers use very effectively to plan lessons. As a result, challenging work meets the diverse learning needs of pupils. Special educational needs pupils make very good progress and those who need support to learn in English progress well, as seen in a Year 2 science lesson when these pupils predicted and then found out what happens when different materials are heated.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

19. A high proportion of literacy and numeracy teaching is good, with almost half these lessons being very good. Numeracy and literacy skills are constantly reinforced in other lessons so that pupils make good progress throughout the school. In a Year 3 history lesson, pupils calculated times between events and wrote about the Crimean War. Despite much good practice, sometimes opportunities are lost for pupils to explain their learning in sentences and so improve their understanding whilst learning new vocabulary.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

20. Regularly set homework prepares pupils well for their next lessons. They finish off work in class, find out information and learn spellings. Pupils take a book home every night. Parents proudly showed an inspector the amount of reading their children had completed the evening before that they recorded in record books for the teacher to see.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

21. Before school begins and throughout the day, support teachers and assistants work with individual or small groups of pupils, often using computers well to help them learn. The work pupils do reinforces learning undertaken in class. This very good practice partly explains why the numerous pupils who join the school throughout the year settle in well and why those who receive additional support achieve so well.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

22. Teachers use their good subject knowledge well when planning together to bring learning alive. This was seen in several very effective lessons for pupils who learn in English as an additional language, where a glove puppet, words on plastic sheets and actions were used with humour to set high expectations and drive learning forward.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

23. Throughout the school, teachers are very good at using praise expertly to manage pupils' behaviour and learning. This is seen throughout the school when pupils move from learning as a class, into group work in the general teaching area. This is so well managed, that one part of the lesson slides smoothly into the next with barely a delay in learning. All this very good practice contributes significantly to pupils working hard all the time and producing plenty of well-organised and often neat work.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

24. A strength of teaching is the very well planned provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development that largely explains why they are such good learners. No strand of their personal development is taught in isolation so that, for Oldbrook First School - 16 - January 2003 example, learning about the culture of people in Ghana is linked to the need to recycle materials. In a Year 1 and 2 religious education lesson the teacher shared with great respect Muslim and Jewish religious artefacts with the class who responded with great reverence. They watched in silence as a Muslim boy showed them how his father prayed. In an excellent Year 1 history lesson about Victorian life, the convincing role-play of a teacher as a washerwoman, and the use of historical artefacts such as a washing dolly, brought learning to life. In both lessons, pupils were swept along in their learning. Pupils are constantly challenged to explore values and beliefs different

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS OR STUDENTS TAUGHT?

from their own, to understand how people feel and how feelings influence actions. They are given time to reflect thoughtfully upon moral principles and there are many opportunities for them to exercise initiative and responsibility, for example during scientific experiments. In art, music and in literacy lessons, good and better teaching ensures pupils consider the work of great artists and composers from around the world. They learn a great deal about stories and poetry from different cultures and in geography they learn what it must be like to live in different parts of the world. Teaching very effectively provides moral guidance. In literacy lessons the impact characters have on each other in stories is discussed and in history in Year 3 pupils learn how the life of the Jamaican nurse in the Crimean War improved the lives of wounded soldiers.

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PUPILS?

25. The school meets its statutory responsibility to provide the full range of National Curriculum subjects and for religious education and to hold the daily act of worship. National recommendations for the Foundation Stage are also met. A significant strength of the school is the way the curriculum is planned so that provision for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good. This is a good improvement since the last inspection, with improvements to pupils' spiritual development being very good. This highly effective provision contributes powerfully to pupils learning confidently together, taking very good responsibility for their own learning whilst being sensitive to the needs of others. Consequently, pupils learn in a positive and highly productive atmosphere.

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PUPILS?

26. There is good improvement since the last inspection in curriculum policies and schemes of work that provides good planning guidance. They are constantly reviewed and evaluated by staff and governors to ensure their effectiveness and this good practice contributes to the very good provision for pupils with special educational needs and the effective provision for those who learn in English as an additional language.

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PUPILS?

27. The very good provision for pupils' social development begins from the first day they enter the school so that by Year 3 they are confident learners. Teachers and their assistants are good role models, teaching the importance of good relationships based on valuing each other, co-operation, kindness and responsibility. School assemblies emphasise these values. Pupils learn to be proud of their school and to take care of it and the local community. They make good progress in knowing what being a good citizen means. This is achieved, for example when entertaining senior citizens at Harvest and Christmas times, acting a nativity play for parents and relatives, helping organise fund raising activities for 'Red Nose Day' and by raising money for charities such as the NSPCC and the Marie Curie cancer appeal. They are taught to respect the property of others and so they use school resources with great care, including

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PUPILS?

computers, books and musical instruments. The playground is Oldbrook First School - 17 - January 2003 completely litter free. From Year 1, pupils are expected to accept responsibilities, for example the youngest pupils look after pencils, rubbers and return attendance registers to the office. In Year 3, they proudly assist in closing down computers, managing the library and helping teachers prepare for lessons. Teachers emphasise the importance of co-operation during scientific experiments. They are taught the importance of waiting their turn for food at lunch times, contributing to this pleasant social time when pupils chat happily together. Some very good teaching results in pupils not expecting to be reminded to tidy up at the end of lessons and they make sure materials are safely put away. It takes little more than three minutes for the entire school to finish work in the general teaching area and return to their bases with

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PUPILS?

no more than a paper clip left on the floor.

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PUPILS?

28. Planning and provision for pupils' moral development is very good. Teachers use behaviour management strategies very effectively, with very good use of praise, to ensure pupils behave very well. As soon as pupils join the school they learn the importance of the school's 'Golden Rules'. In assemblies, pupils are taught that good learners behave well. In religious education lessons, pupils learn about the importance of rules that govern behaviour that are so similar in many faiths. In physical education lessons and during games, they learn the importance of fair play. Staff provide very good examples of integrity, honesty, fairness and keeping promises. Teachers and their assistants spend time talking to pupils about the effects that different types of behaviour have on others. Pupils know they will be fairly treated and they know the difference between right and wrong.

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PUPILS?

29. There is very good provision for spiritual development. For example, high quality teaching of literacy, art and music leads to pupils wondering at the ways poets, artists, musicians and authors touch our emotions. There are numerous times in the year when pupils work with artists and authors and all pupils contributed to a mosaic in the playground. By examples provided by teachers and their assistants, through teaching, and in the many written notices, pupils are reminded of the school's values and aims of respect for others and compassion for those less fortunate than themselves. Pupils learn to handle religious artefacts with reverence and in a Year 3 lesson, they gasped with delight when looking at a large Victorian family Bible. In literacy, history and geography lessons, pupils learn to respect beliefs different from their own. Teachers value pupils' thoughts and efforts and provide times for pupils to

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PUPILS?

do the same. In a Year 3 literacy lesson, a pupil sat with furrowed brow struggling to answer a question, and the class sat in silence, willing her to answer and appreciated her efforts when she did so. All this very good provision ensures pupils learn within a school atmosphere that respects them as individuals, their feelings and their thoughts, so that they all feel special and want to do well.

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PUPILS?

30. Provision for cultural development is very good. Highly effective planning ensures that pupils learn how people in different parts of the world live and they learn about music from different parts of the globe in assemblies and in lessons. In literacy lessons, pupils read stories and poems from different cultures and in religious education lessons pupils learn how different faiths and customs influence the ways people dress and behave. As pupils grow older there are numerous opportunities to work alongside artists, authors and theatre groups, and pupils in Year 1 work with a visiting weaver. Parents spoke to an inspector about how impressed they are with ways their children learn about different faiths and how the cultures and traditions of ethnic minorities are taught and respected. They say that this very good practice helps their children learn happily. For example, a father visited a Year 2 geography lesson to tell

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PUPILS?

them about life in Ghana and this generated a lot of work comparing life Oldbrook First School - 18 - January 2003 in this country and in Ghana. In the library and in classes, texts and a Bible are available in various minority ethnic languages. All this very good practice is achieved with deceptive ease, enabling pupils to respect and learn from the rich diversity of cultures that surround them.

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PUPILS?

31. Numeracy and literacy skills are reinforced well in other lessons and when pupils undertake research using books and computers. For example, pupils are expected to spell words correctly in accurately punctuated sentences when writing about scientific experiments. Throughout the school they calculate distances in geography and time between events in history. In Year 2 design and technology lessons, pupils write good explanations of their designs.

p.18

PUPILS?

32. Good planning for ICT ensures the new ICT suite is used well and that skills and knowledge learnt there are reinforced in other lessons. Planning makes sure pupils use computers to consolidate learning, for example to improve spelling and to learn their times tables and to count on in twos and 10s in Years 1 and 2. One of the reasons why pupils with special educational needs make such good progress is because teaching assistants use computers very well to help these pupils learn with enjoyment.

p.18

PUPILS?

33. Inspectors agree with parents at their meeting who said that pupils with special educational needs make very good progress. Teachers know pupils' individual learning needs well and prepare and deploy teaching assistants very successfully to help pupils learn. As they grow older pupils become increasingly involved in reviewing their progress and in understanding what they have to do to improve. Parents are fully involved in reviewing their children's progress, working in good partnership with the school to help them learn. The school works effectively with outside agencies. All this high quality provision explains why many pupils move off the school's special educational needs register over the course of one year.

p.18

PUPILS?

34. Provision for pupils who learn in English as an additional language is good, with effective use of outside agencies to help these pupils learn. Pupils progress well in well-taught small groups where expectations are high. Teachers understand how to reinforce in class the learning achieved in these groups. There are plans for improvement that include increasing teachers' skills in anticipation of an increase in these pupils joining the school in the early stages of learning in English.

p.18

PUPILS?

35. The school makes good use of the community to improve and support pupils' learning. Local artists and storytellers work with pupils to inspire them and improve their learning. Visits to a local museum fire pupils' interest and imaginations. Good planning results in visitors' contributions to school assemblies being followed up to improve learning in religious education lessons. The school uses a local sculpture park to increase their awareness of art in the community. When 'Friends of the School' involve pupils in Bingo sessions, the school seizes opportunities to improve pupils' numeracy skills.

p.18

PUPILS?

36. Inspectors disagree with those few parents who say the school provides too few enough interesting activities outside lessons. For example, there is a traditional Indian dance club and Wimbledon Football Club provides football training for girls and boys. There is a breakfast club before school along with opportunities for pupils to receive additional help with learning. All these activities are well attended. Oldbrook First School - 19 - January 2003 37. There are effective partnerships with the local nursery provision and the middle school to ensure children settle swiftly and happily into Reception classes and to make sure Year 3 pupils are well prepared for their next school.

p.18

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The caring approach to pupils and their families was a strength of the school in the last inspection and continues to be so. The emphasis on providing a caring, family atmosphere, where children learn confidently and happily, continues to be strong. Adults provide very good role models and successfully encourage pupils to care and value each other. The culturally diverse school community is celebrated and pupils and their families feel valued. Parents are very appreciative of the support and guidance their children receive and feel that the school is very sensitive to individual needs and quick to respond to them. The school has very good strategies for the inclusion of all pupils in the education it provides. The very effective support for pupils with special educational needs ensures their very good progress. Pupils who learn in English as an additional language are well supported and their achievements are

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. This close attention to children's needs ensures that, as soon as they enter the Reception year, they settle quickly and make a good start to their learning. A high proportion of pupils join the school other than at the usual times, many of whom have experienced considerable upheaval before they arrive. Close attention to, and analysis of, these pupils' individual learning needs contributes significantly to them settling down swiftly and happily. They soon make good progress and feel an important part of the school community.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

40. Provision for pupils' health and safety is good but the closer involvement of governors in this provision is an area for improvement. Arrangements for managing the safety of pupils on visits outside school are good. Procedures for child protection are satisfactory and in line with local arrangements. The headteacher is aware of the need to provide further training for staff in the recognition of the signs and symptoms of abuse and the strategies for responding to any disclosures children may make. Provision for basic first aid treatment is good but there is no fully trained first aid person.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

41. Strategies to promote good behaviour are very good. Golden Rules are consistently reinforced and high expectations for their adherence are made very clear.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

42. Since the last inspection there has been a good improvement in school attendance. It is now good. However, there is variable attendance and punctuality in the morning among the younger children in the Reception year that needs to improve. Attendance is monitored carefully and the school works closely with the Education Welfare Service.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

43. The school's good knowledge of pupils, including those new to the school, is used effectively to report on pupils' personal development to parents. However, there are no systematic procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of this provision through the recording of pupils' personal progress or their responses over time to provision for their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

44. The continuous assessment of pupils' learning is used well to plan. There are very systematic procedures to monitor and assess progress in English, mathematics and Oldbrook First School - 20 - January 2003 science every half term. Information is gathered through assessments on entry to the Reception class for new entrants and there are regular assessments of pupils’ progress as they grow older. The school analyses information from National Curriculum test results, and other tests pupils do, to plan for the year and then for each term, including the Year 3 optional national tests. Information about standards and achievements are used to set challenging literacy and numeracy targets to be met by Year 2 that contribute to rising standards. These targets are shared with parents at consultation evenings. An additional individual learning target, to be achieved in partnership with parents through work at home, is also discussed and this

p.19

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

too improves learning. The individual targets written in pupils’ books that are reviewed regularly and adjusted to meet emerging learning needs, contributes to good progress.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

45. The school's analysis of the 2002 national test results led to effective and decisive action to improve standards in mathematics by Years 2 and 3, particularly for high attaining pupils.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

46. There is some very good practice in marking pupils' work to assess learning and pupils' progress against their individual learning targets. Information gathered is used very well when planning lessons and deploying teaching assistants. This good practice is seen in the teaching of pupils new to the school, those who need additional help to improve literacy and numeracy skills and those pupils who need support to learn in English.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

47. Although there is much good practice, an area to improve is the recording and analysis of pupils' progress and attainment as they grow older to ensure the maintenance of their good and sometimes very good achievements. This is particularly important in the light of an increasing proportion of pupils joining the school throughout the year, especially those in the early stages of learning in English.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

48. Parents have very positive views of the school and value the care and support their children receive highly. They feel valued by the school and find it easy to talk to someone if they have any concerns. They like the school's family atmosphere and the way that families with different faiths and cultures are recognised and valued. They are impressed by the school's commitment to including everyone in its life and work.

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

49. Parents at the meeting held before the inspection said that there are very good opportunities to see teachers at the end of the day and that, "they've always got time for you". They say that their children are happy at school, that they behave well and are expected to work hard. They think that the school is well led and the teaching is good. The inspection confirms these positive views. A small number of parents expressed concerns about homework and the range of activities provided outside lessons. Some feel that they are not very well informed about how their child is getting on and do not think that the school works closely with them. Evidence was not found to support these concerns, although further information for parents about the work the school expects pupils to do at home would be helpful. The range of activities outside lessons is good. Oldbrook First School - 21 - January 2003

p.20

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

50. Very good information is provided for parents about the day to day life of the school and about what their children will learn. This provides very good opportunities for parents to be actively involved in their children's learning and contributes to the pupils' good achievements. Parents of children entering the Reception year have very good support, resulting in children settling quickly and making good progress. Parents of children with special educational needs also have very good opportunities to work closely with the school, which contribute to these pupils' very good achievements.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

51. Parents receive good information about how their children are getting on and what needs to be done to improve, and this helps to raise standards. End of year written reports do not included the National Curriculum levels their children achieve in all subjects. Very effective strategies encourage parents to read with their children at home and many parents use reading record books to communicate with class teachers. These strategies contribute to improving reading standards.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

52. There are no formal arrangements to seek parents' views regularly, or to assess the effectiveness of the links between home and school. These are areas for further improvement.

p.21

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

53. The school makes good use of a small number of parent volunteers and visitors. They enrich pupils' learning, as did the parent who came to talk to Year 2 pupils about life in Ghana. The active 'Friends' group also contributes very well to the life of the school.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. Very good leadership by the headteacher ensures a very clear educational direction for the school. The deputy and the senior teacher support the headteacher very well and governors work effectively in partnership with the school to shape its future.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

55. The very good features of leadership are:

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

• a commitment to high standards that is shared by all staff; • a commitment to team work that uses team building skills very well to support and value staff and pupils so that everyone gives of their best; • working with staff, pupils, parents and others so that the aims and values of the school are reflected in all it strives to achieve; • the ways the headteacher and her senior management team induct and then provide for the professional development of new staff; • the careful match of teachers and the curriculum to the diverse learning needs of pupils and to their different cultural and religious backgrounds.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

56. It is these strong features that contribute to the very good spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils. The importance of teamwork to continuous improvement pervades the entire school. The headteacher and senior colleagues work as strong team within the larger staff team to support and improve teaching and learning. Pupils respond positively to the very good role models of all adults to mirror their behaviour and attitudes. All who work and learn in the school welcome opportunities to improve, monitor the success of what is provided, accommodate differences and enjoy opportunities to explore their own cultural assumptions and values. The leadership of this school is very good at creating a sense of community with common, inclusive practices and values. Oldbrook First School - 22 - January 2003 Improvements to leadership and management.

p.21

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

57. The headteacher delegates leadership and management responsibilities very well. However, some subject managers have too few opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching, learning and the curriculum.

p.22

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

58. There is no system to monitor and evaluate pupils' progress from the time they join the school to the time they leave, although there are plans to do so.

p.22

How good is the governing body?

59. This good governing body is committed to continuous improvement and works closely in partnership with the school. The governing body effectively helps shape the future of the school because it:

p.22

How good is the governing body?

• it is ably led by an experienced chairperson; • is well organised into committees whose work is good at reflecting the priorities in the school's improvement plan as well as the school's aims and values; • knows the school's strengths and areas to improve well; • makes good use of governors’ own knowledge, skills and talents to improve the school, for example in its financial management, in extending and improving the building and in improving resources, in particular computers; • understands the principles of best value well so that decisions are sharply focussed on standards and achievements; • understands the importance of evaluating their own and the school's effectiveness; • continuously reviews and updates curriculum and other policies, for example to ensure the school complies with the required race relations policy and guidance for best practice; • ensures specific grants are correctly spent, for example on ICT, special

p.22

How good is the governing body?

educational needs and provision for pupils who learn in English as an additional language.

p.22

How good is the governing body?

60. It is clear from their plans, minutes of meetings and their achievements that this governing body is increasingly effective and confident in all it sets out to achieve. However, their evaluations of the effectiveness of some policies, including risk assessments, are in need of improvement.

p.22

How good is the governing body?

The school improvement plan. Strengths and an improvement area.

p.22

How good is the governing body?

61. The strengths of the school improvement plan are:

p.22

How good is the governing body?

• its priorities for improvement that are securely based on the evaluation of pupils' standards and achievements, and other evidence about school effectiveness; • the ways the plan is used as a working document and management tool that is evaluated for effectiveness, that staff know well and are fully consulted about when amendments or reviews are necessary; • its reflection of the school's values and aims in all it sets out to do.

p.22

How good is the governing body?

Financial planning is not linked closely enough to school priorities to ensure the continuing effective financial management of the school. Oldbrook First School - 23 - January 2003 Staffing and the curriculum.

p.22

How good is the governing body?

62. The evaluation by the headteacher and senior colleagues of the effectiveness of teaching, learning and the curriculum, alongside the good performance management of teachers, contributes greatly to the school having skilful staff who support the different learning needs of pupils well. The well-managed curriculum also meets the different learning needs of pupils effectively. The school's good resources are used well to help pupils learn, with some very good use of computers to improve literacy and numeracy skills, especially for pupils with special educational needs and, at times, others who learn in English as an additional language.

p.23

How good is the governing body?

63. The Foundation Stage is well led by the manager who also evaluates teaching, learning and the curriculum and, as a result, plans are securely in place for improvements to the building and to the curriculum.

p.23

How good is the governing body?

64. Accommodation is satisfactory and used well. The school uses its inside accommodation very well. Teachers work well in partnership with their assistants to make very good use of the cramped space in classrooms, called home bases. Staff use the large general teaching area very well, managing resources and pupils with deceptive ease. The attractive outdoor areas are well provided for. They are colourful, stimulating and safe areas for pupils to learn and play in. The hall is used well for physical education, school assemblies, and for other occasions, for example, theatre groups, artists and authors who all work with the pupils. The good, new ICT suite is used very effectively. Satisfactory use is made of the library and the school has plans for its improvement.

p.23

How good is the governing body?

65. This is a good school that provides good value for money and has the capacity to be even better because:

p.23

How good is the governing body?

• it enjoys a challenging and trusting partnership with governors who are increasingly effective at holding the school to account for the quality of education provided; • it is good at evaluating school improvements; • it swiftly assesses the learning of the high proportion of pupils who join the school throughout the year so that that they make the same good progress as other pupils; • most pupils achieve well and some achieve very well; • most standards are high and improving where necessary; • parents are highly appreciative of the school and want to work even more closely with it to help their children learn. Oldbrook First School - 24 - January 2003

p.23

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

66. The headteacher, her senior management team, governors and teachers need to:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) *improve standards in mathematics, especially for high attaining pupils, by continuing to improve pupils' skills and understanding through investigations and problem solving; (Paragraphs 7, 90, 91,93)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) *ensure by Year 2 and Year 3 average and lower attaining pupils increase their language skills and range of vocabulary so that they more effectively explain what they are learning to improve their understanding. (Paragraphs 8, 19, 73, 84, 96, 106)

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

67. The headteacher, her senior management team, governors and teachers need to improve the minor areas for improvement below. They are:

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1) to build upon the effective partnership with parents so that they work even more closely with the school to help their children learn;

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2) *to build upon good assessment practice by improving procedures to monitor and analyse pupils' progress and attainment as they grow older.

p.24

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

The use of an asterisk (*) denotes that this area for improvement has been identified in the school's improvement plan. Oldbrook First School - 25 - January 2003

p.24

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 22

p.25

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y 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 more than two percentage points.

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y3

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 0 153

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 35

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y3

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 2

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 21

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 33

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 17

p.25

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 28

p.25

Attendance

School data 4.4 School data 0 Oldbrook First School - 26 - January 2003 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. Oldbrook First School - 27 - January 2003

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 24 16 40

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 19 21 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 15 16

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 90 (86) 85 (91) 93 (98) 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 20 22 20 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 15 16 13

p.27

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

Percentage of pupils School 88 (84) 95 (95) 83 (91) 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. Oldbrook First School - 28 - January 2003

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 1 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 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 3 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 4 0 0

p.28

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – any other Black background 3 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) 8 Financial year 2001-2002

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 19.12

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y3 Total income 410,833

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Total expenditure 416,322

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 117 Expenditure per pupil 2,832

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year 28,665

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) N/A Balance carried forward to next year 23,176

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher N/A

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff N/A

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week N/A Oldbrook First School - 29 - January 2003 Number of pupils per FTE adult N/A

p.28

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Oldbrook First School - 30 - January 2003

p.29

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1.2

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 2.6

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 1

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.30

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Oldbrook First School - 31 - January 2003

p.30

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 60 33 5 1 1

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 57 38 1 0 3

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 41 44 9 2 3

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 54 34 10 1 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 64 31 3 1 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 56 39 0 0 5

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 54 33 9 1 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 59 38 2 2 0

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 62 34 0 1 2

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 57 28 9 0 6

p.31

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentages are rounded to the nearest integer and may not total 100. Oldbrook First School - 32 - January 2003

p.31

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. Children are admitted to the two Reception classes in September after their fourth birthday. Most children join these classes with skills below average for their age, with speaking skills for some being poor.

p.32

How good is teaching?

69. Teaching is good and occasionally very good. Meticulous planning meets national recommendations well to provide a well-balanced curriculum that meets the individual learning needs of the children. Work is interesting and challenging. Children with special educational needs make very good progress and others who learn in English as an additional language progress well. Children with diverse learning needs and from different ethnic backgrounds are included very well in all areas of learning. As a result of all this good and better practice, improvements in provision since the last inspection are good.

p.32

How good is teaching?

70. The strong team of knowledgeable teachers and adults plan and teach well together. They provide good role models for the children so that successful working relationships and very good management of children's behaviour contributes to the children’s good progress. This good and sometimes very good practice has a great impact on children’s moral development. Teachers value children’s efforts and listen to them carefully whilst teaching them to be confident learners. They learn to appreciate the efforts of others and be helpful. Expectations for behaviour and learning are high and plentiful resources are used expertly to help children learn and play happily together. All this often very effective practice has very good effects on the children’s spiritual development.

p.32

How high are standards?

71. High quality teaching explains why children, including those who join the Foundation Stage throughout the year, make good progress towards their early learning goals in the six areas of learning. By the time they enter Year 1, most children reach the standards expected in five out of the six learning goals. Most do not reach the expected standard in speaking in the communication, language and literacy learning goal and by Year 1 standards in this area of learning are below what is expected.

p.32

How high are standards?

Personal, social and emotional development.

p.32

How high are standards?

72. Personal, social and emotional development is good. Some very good teaching results in children's very good progress. Work matches their needs so that they learn and play happily together. Teachers remind them frequently of how well they are learning and what they need to do to improve. Children are comfortable and secure in their surroundings and are familiar with the routines of the classrooms. They organise themselves well and tidy materials away quickly. They progress well in understanding and following school and class rules and in understanding right Oldbrook First School - 33 - January 2003 from wrong. They are taught to be independent learners well when choosing activities. They select outdoor equipment and readily change from bikes or scooters to allow other children to have a turn. They sustain concentration when engaged in their tasks.

p.32

How high are standards?

73. Many children begin school with standards in this area of learning below that expected for their age nationally and, for a few, standards are poor. They make good progress and enter Year 1 reaching standards expected in language and literacy but they do not reach the standards expected in speaking.

p.33

How high are standards?

74. Good planning introduces the children to ways of working in the literacy hour in preparation for Year 1. They enjoy listening to stories and join in with key phrases, rhymes and songs. When listening to the story, ‘Polar Bear, Polar Bear’, most children predicted what would happen on the next page. They like talking about books. They know what an author and a title page are. Children read aloud the writing that they did when they took a doll home called ‘Felicity Wishes’. Parents work well with the school by reading with their children every day the books that they take home. This improves reading skills. Children make good progress learning the sounds of letters. Classrooms are full of words and sentences that successfully reinforce the idea of learning that print has meaning. Children are taught how to use crayons and pencils well so that they make good progress when writing. When writing about ice,

p.33

How high are standards?

children choose the appropriate word to go into their sentence, for example, ' cold ' in ' ice is cold '. Planning provides time to improve writing during role-play. For example, children write letters to Mrs. Polar Bear in the ice cave and write shopping lists in the home corner. By the time they enter Year 1, most children achieve well and write their name legibly. Their listening skills improve all the time because they sit and concentrate when listening to an adult.

p.33

How high are standards?

75. Good teaching and well-planned activities contribute to children's good progress. They are prepared well for the numeracy hour in Year 1 and most reach this early learning goal by the time they leave the Reception Year. Numbers that are clearly displayed in classrooms and the outdoor area are used well with other resources to teach counting, sorting, matching numbers, adding and subtracting. A teaching strength is the daily counting routines, often aided by a puppet that amuses children and pushes their learning forward. As a result, they make good progress in counting up to 20. By the time they enter Year 1, most know some properties of three- dimensional shapes and they compare and order objects by size.

p.33

How high are standards?

Knowledge and understanding of the world.

p.33

How high are standards?

76. Consistently good teaching of this learning goal, that uses a wide variety of materials and resources, inspires children to learn more about the world around them. Consequently, they achieve well to reach this early learning goal by Year 1. A good teaching feature is the use of resources linked to the topic of ‘The Winter Bear’. Imaginative teaching provides well-structured, stimulating, practical activities and first- hand experiences that teach children to observe, carry out simple experiments and answer probing questions. The children were fascinated by an ‘ice glove’ and knew that ice would melt and that it was cold and slippery. They select resources well with a good understanding of how to join things together. For example, they use Oldbrook First School - 34 - January 2003 both small and large construction materials to build polar bear caves. There is a good range of books in ethnic minority languages that help them appreciate and value

p.33

How high are standards?

cultures different to their own. Children learn traditional Indian dancing. All this good provision contributes to their very good social and cultural development. They look after animals and insects, such as butterflies and African land snails. They talk to visitors about the past and show them photographs of when they were younger. They use the computer keyboard and mouse with increasing skills in the ICT suite and know how to log onto a program.

p.34

How high are standards?

77. Good teaching ensures children make good progress so that by Year 1 they reach standards expected. Planning and teaching pays good attention to the children's health and safety so that they progress well when learning to use tools safely. Children learn the importance of healthy, physical movement. They move with increasing confidence, with good balance and control and an awareness of space and of each other in the hall and in the playground. In physical education lessons, the children balance on a low beam well and their skills are good when climbing up and jumping off apparatus. They hold and use pencils and brushes properly and roll out play dough.

p.34

How high are standards?

78. Teaching is good and children make good progress in this area of learning so that they enter Year 1 reaching the standards expected. Good planning ensures children have a wide range of opportunities to improve their creative skills. There are regular music lessons and times when they draw, paint and make models. They select their own suitable junk materials to make a polar bear. The children use their imagination in role-play and stories. Their creativity is improved well because the teachers plan time for the children to explore and experiment with ideas, materials and activities that take careful account of their creative and language development. Children use fruit to print patterns, looking at and painting their own faces and singing songs and using instruments.

p.34

How high are standards?

Leadership and management and an area to improve.

p.34

How high are standards?

79. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are very good. The effectiveness of provision is evaluated for improvements. Consequently, the school has identified the need to improve children's speaking skills and range of vocabulary. There are good plans to improve further the good outdoor provision.

p.34

ENGLISH

80. The Year 2 2002 national test results show that the proportion of pupils reaching and exceeding national expectations was:

p.34

ENGLISH

• in line with the national average for reading and • well above that of similar schools nationally; • above the national average for writing and • well above that of similar schools across the country. Oldbrook First School - 35 - January 2003 81. Improvements in writing standards since the last inspection represent a good improvement, and for reading, improvements are satisfactory. Computers are used well to improve writing, with their very good use to help pupils with special educational needs learn. Throughout the school, good use of computers improves spelling.

p.34

ENGLISH

• reading standards continue to rise and good writing standards are maintained; • pupils listen well but speaking skills and the range of vocabulary of average and low attaining pupils are not as high; • the high proportion of pupils who join the school other than at the usual times make the same good progress as most other pupils; • pupils with special educational needs make very good progress; • pupils who learn in English as an additional language make good progress; • there are no significant differences in learning between boys and girls, between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds, or between pupils with different learning needs.

p.35

ENGLISH

83. Teaching is never less than good and occasionally it is very good. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan lessons. From Year 1, well-planned lessons interest and sometimes inspire pupils so that by Year 3, pupils achieve well. The consistent reinforcement of literacy skills in other lessons ensure pupils' good progress as they grow older. In Year 1, pupils improve their reading when looking up history and geography information in books. Year 2 pupils improve their punctuation and spelling when writing about their science experiments. Year 3 pupils improve their writing in history by using well-punctuated sentences in paragraphs and higher attaining pupils produce moving accounts, for example about the life of Mary Seacole, the Jamaican nurse during the Crimean War. Pupils are taught to take a pride in their work and to do their best to improve. They know how to improve because learning objectives are

p.35

ENGLISH

shared with them and Year 2 and 3 pupils write their individual learning objectives on their exercise books. Teachers' very good behaviour management skills enable pupils to sustain concentration and work hard all the time. They are taught why behaviour is important with good use of texts to discuss how the actions of characters affect the feelings and influence the behaviour of other characters. This very effective feature of literacy teaching throughout the school contributes greatly to pupils' moral and spiritual development.

p.35

ENGLISH

84. By the end of Years 2 and 3, writing standards are above the national average. Highly effective teaching contributes significantly to pupils' eagerness to learn and their good achievements. Time is set aside each week for pupils to improve their handwriting and teachers make sure that they apply their skills when writing in other lessons. As a result, from Year 1 pupils make good progress so that by Years 2 and 3 they join letters well and their work is neat and well organised. Spelling is also taught well and pupils' frequently marked work in literacy and other lessons is swiftly followed by advice on how to improve. Pupils learn spellings for homework and this contributes to their good progress. By Years 2 and 3, high and average attaining pupils spell common three syllable words well with low attaining pupils making good progress. Punctuation is also taught well, and reinforced in other lessons, for example when

p.35

ENGLISH

writing about the Crimean War in Year 3. Good teaching of language means that by Years 2 and 3 pupils know and use adjectives, adverbs, synonyms and antonyms. In Year 1, high attaining pupils easily recognise rhyming words and Oldbrook First School - 36 - January 2003 sentences and in Year 2 they all enjoy talking about and writing poems. By Year 3, pupils write colourful descriptions, with high attaining pupils writing moving accounts, as seen in the descriptions of the work of Mary Seacole in a history lesson. However, by Years 2 and 3 some average and lower attaining pupils lack the range and confident use of vocabulary to engage fully the attention of the reader.

p.35

ENGLISH

85. By Years 2 and 3, reading is just above the national average and improving gradually all the time. From Year 1, pupils with different levels of attainment make at least good progress. In Year 1, pupils' standards are below those expected nationally. However, very good planning and teaching, including the deployment of very effective teaching assistants, result in pupils swiftly improving their skills to sound out parts of unfamiliar words to make sense of them. They soon learn to explain what they have read, so that in Year 2 many are proficient readers and offer opinions about plot and character with reference to the text. The good teaching of small groups of pupils throughout the school extends these pupils' literacy and social skills. Teachers and other staff read with and to pupils, talking about and explaining text as a whole class and in small groups. Pupils help each other improve, guided by teachers and assistants, so that

p.36

ENGLISH

they receive good, sensitive advice that contributes greatly to their social and spiritual development. Pupils take books home to read every day and within the good range of books their learning needs are met well. By Year 3, almost all pupils use factual books and computers to gather information that they use well, and they all look forward to using the library to choose new books. Teachers’ enthusiasm for reading, and their skilful reading aloud, brings characters, events and feelings alive when using 'Big Books' in Year 1 and studying challenging texts in Years 2 and 3. It is the teachers' passion to improve reading, and their planning that systematically improves reading skills as pupils grow older, that contributes to good and improving standards by Years 2 and 3.

p.36

ENGLISH

86. By Years 2 and 3, pupils’ listening skills are good and better than their satisfactory speaking skills. One of the reasons why pupils' social and spiritual development is very good is because in every lesson pupils understand the importance of listening to improve and in valuing what is said, no matter who is speaking. Teachers allow time for pupils to think quietly, as seen in a Year 3 lesson when studying how adjectives and adverbs can be used to improve text. In response to a challenging question, a girl sat still, her face a picture of concentration. The class waited in silence, willing her to answer correctly, and when she did they were as pleased as she was. Whilst high attaining pupils respond to questions in sentences and are good at using words and phrases to build upon the ideas of others and to explain their learning, other pupils are not as good. Where the teaching is at its best, teachers spend time ensuring new

p.36

ENGLISH

vocabulary is fully understood and that pupils extend their use of vocabulary in spoken sentences. This was seen in a Year 3 lesson, when pupils studied ways to improve a text by using new vocabulary in sentences. They took great delight in using new words. New vocabulary was enthusiastically used to explain learning during an excellent Year 2 drama lesson.

p.36

ENGLISH

87. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress because the highly effective support they receive is based upon teachers' very full knowledge of their individual learning needs and teaching assistants are well deployed. A strong feature of teaching is planning that ensures these pupils, and others who need support to learn in English, are fully included in lessons. The school makes good use of stories and text from different cultures to help pupils learn, and this greatly benefits their cultural development. An area for improvement is for teachers to Oldbrook First School - 37 - January 2003 understand more fully the learning needs of pupils in the early stages of learning in English, and to increase the range of strategies they use to ensure that, as this proportion of the pupils increases, these pupils' good progress is maintained.

p.36

ENGLISH

88. Subject leadership and management are good. The subject manager analyses national test results, and other tests pupils do, to identify improvements. Resources are well managed and evaluated for their effectiveness.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

89. By the end of Years 2 and 3, standards are close to national averages. This is a satisfactory improvement since the 2002 national test results at the end of Year 2. Those results dipped well below the national average and so the steady improvement over the last four years was not maintained. Although there is still some way to go, there is an increase in the number of pupils likely to exceed national averages by the time of the 2003 tests. Since the last inspection, there have been good improvements in teaching, in the use of assessment to plan lessons and in standards. Most pupils make good progress, including those who join the school throughout the year. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and those who learn in English as an additional language progress well. There are no significant differences in performance between boys and girls or between pupils from different ethnic

p.37

MATHEMATICS

90. Standards are rising because of the more effective use of problem solving and investigations, particularly for high attaining pupils by Years 2 and 3, although there is still more to do. There are improvements also in pupils' skills throughout the school to calculate mentally and in writing that are driving up standards. In history throughout the school pupils calculate how long ago events occurred. In design and technology in Year 2, learning about shapes is reinforced, as are strategies to calculate mentally and to measure accurately. In Years 2 and 3, pupils calculate temperatures mentally and on paper and weighing skills are reinforced. Standards are rising swiftly in Year 3 due to good teaching of pupils grouped into two classes according to their prior attainment.

p.37

MATHEMATICS

91. Most teaching is good and sometimes it is very good. Teachers have good subject knowledge that they use well to plan, often in teams. The impact of this planning was seen when Year 2 pupils counted to 100 well and wrote the sequence of consecutive numbers to make good progress. Teachers use assessment information about pupils' learning well most of the time to set challenging, interesting work that meets their individual learning needs. When it is not used well pupils' usual progress slows down, as seen when high attaining Year 2 pupils worked well improving their skills when using 100’s, but could not do so as accurately when working with 1000’s. Expectations are very often high, evident when low attaining Year 1 pupils worked accurately with numbers up to 99. Without exception, pupils' learning and behaviour are expertly managed so that they are eager to learn and work hard all the time. This

p.37

MATHEMATICS

was seen when pupils in a Year 1 and 2 class made good progress as they counted up and down a number square in tens. Pupils with special educational needs in Year 1 made very good progress applying the same skills to a horizontal line to add or subtract. Increasingly effective management of pupils' investigative and problem solving work has a very good effect on their social and moral development because they are taught to work co-operatively and sensitively. Teachers and their assistants are very good at talking to pupils about Oldbrook First School - 38 - January 2003 their learning, valuing the contributions they make and they expect pupils to do the same. This highly effective practice has a very good impact on pupils' spiritual development because they are not only very aware of the feelings and needs of others but feel special about themselves as learners. This was seen in a Year 3 lesson about counting on in numbers between two and ten that drove pupils' learning

p.37

MATHEMATICS

on at a challenging pace through the use of a frog on a stick that jumped along a number line. When working in groups later on, average attaining pupils received very good support to complete work they found challenging. Discussions, questions, and moments of silence so that pupils can think carefully about their responses ensure that pupils with diverse learning needs are fully included in lessons. There are numerous examples seen in lessons and in the analysis of work where literacy skills are reinforced well when pupils explain their learning in writing paying good attention to handwriting, spelling and punctuation. Where teaching is very good, high attaining pupils are consistently challenged, especially when improving their skills of calculation through investigations and problem solving in ways that makes learning even more meaningful to them. The most successful teaching also improves learning through

p.38

MATHEMATICS

challenging discussions and questioning that require pupils to explain their learning in sentences that use subject vocabulary accurately.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

92. One of the reasons why standards are improving is the good use of assessment information to plan. Teachers often use questions at the start of lessons to assess prior learning before sharing learning objectives with the class. This continues during lessons when talking to pupils about their progress. Work is very often marked to analyse learning as soon as it is completed so that emerging needs are swiftly met and pupils receive advice on how to improve. Weekly homework prepares pupils well for their next lessons.

p.38

MATHEMATICS

93. Good subject management advises and supports colleagues well and effective use is made of a good policy and scheme of work to help teachers plan. The good analysis of national and other tests pupils do is improving standards, for example, through a fortnightly focus on the use and application of number. Improvements are needed in skills to analyse the effectiveness of planned improvements so that standards by Years 2 and 3 continue to improve, for example through problem solving and investigations. Good resources, including computers, are used well to help pupils learn.

p.38

SCIENCE

94. By Years 2 and 3, standards match national expectations. This is better than the 2002 Year 2 teacher assessments and they are similar to standards at the time of the last inspection. Since the last inspection, there have been good improvements to the policy and scheme of work that now emphasise improving pupils’ skills of scientific enquiry. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and those who need support to learn in English progress well. There are no significant differences in learning between boys and girls or between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.

p.38

SCIENCE

95. Teaching is good and sometimes very good and contributes to pupils' positive attitudes and their very good social, moral and spiritual development. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan together and ensure pupils make good progress. Challenging work meets pupils' individual learning needs. Work often interests them and is imaginatively taught at a demanding pace in ways that build upon the pupils’ natural curiosity to investigate the world around them. They make Oldbrook First School - 39 - January 2003 good progress to predict, record and classify what they discover. For example, in Year 1 pupils predicted whether objects that they tested were magnetic and then placed them in correct categories. Teachers have high expectations for learning and behaviour, which they manage well. Whole class teaching is good and teachers deploy well-informed assistants effectively. These good features were evident when

p.38

SCIENCE

Year 3 pupils learnt how to use scientific equipment to improve their investigation and recording skills. They worked collaboratively on practical activities, paying very good attention to the feelings and needs of others that had a significant impact on their spiritual and social development. In a very good Year 2 lesson, the teacher skilfully challenged pupils’ knowledge of how and if materials change, and group activities captured the pupils’ interest so that they completed plenty of work. This lesson was typical of the ways pupils reinforced literacy skills in their investigative reports and when labelling diagrams. Numeracy skills are reinforced well, as was evident when Year 3 pupils measured the amount of water required in order to make a fair test during an experiment. Pupils sometimes use their computer skills well to improve learning. For example, from Year 2 they use the Internet for research and interpret

p.39

SCIENCE

results through graphs that reinforces their numeracy skills. Year 2 pupils make good progress learning to handle simple scientific equipment carefully and safely and to discuss scientific ideas. Progress is good when making predictions before carrying out tests and to analyse findings. They plan a fair test well and record their findings in a graph.

p.39

SCIENCE

96. Science is led and managed well, with good use of resources to help pupils learn. Teachers’ planning, the curriculum and pupils’ work are reviewed to identify improvements. At the moment the manager has too few opportunities provided to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching, learning and the curriculum to ensure high standards are maintained. The best practice that ensures pupils use scientific language more effectively to explain learning has not yet spread throughout the school.

p.39

ART AND DESIGN

97. Standards are above national expectations by Years 2 and 3 and pupils make very good progress. These judgements are the same as at the last inspection. Pupils who learn in English as an additional language progress well. Highly effective support for pupils with special educational needs contributes to their very good progress. There are no differences in performance between boys and girls or between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.

p.39

ART AND DESIGN

98. Teaching and learning are good. Expectations are high and teachers have good subject knowledge that they use well when asking probing questions and planning challenging work that meets pupils' individual learning needs. This was seen when Year 2 pupils learnt colours that suggested heat or cold to make cool paper collage pictures. Well-managed behaviour leads to good relationships between pupils and teachers that contribute well to pupils' social development and their good attitudes to learning. They keenly learn new techniques, work together sensitively and share their success with others, all of which is very good for their social and spiritual development. This was seen in a Year 1 and 2 lesson when a pupil new to the school and in the early stages of learning in English received help from pupils to make a paper bird for a collage. Literacy skills are reinforced well when labelling, using books

p.39

ART AND DESIGN

and computers and when using specialised vocabulary when writing or contributing to high quality displays. Numeracy skills are satisfactorily reinforced. Computers are used satisfactorily to improve learning through the use of a ‘Painter’ program. Oldbrook First School - 40 - January 2003 99. Good planning that uses educational visits and visiting artists to work with pupils contributes significantly to high standards by Years 2 and 3. The school worked well with another first school to share their artist in residence. In Year 1, pupils learn about weaving from a visiting artist. Through visits locally they study sculpture in the community and made sketches to support their ideas. Year 3 pupils learn to design a sculpture for the playground. Pupils regularly work on school projects, for example, to make large mosaic pictures for the playground. The materials used are wide and various to ensure pupils learn through a good balance of three-dimensional materials,

p.39

ART AND DESIGN

100. The temporary subject manager leads the subject well. The school's scheme of work helps teachers plan well, with good guidance on the use of the locality as starting points for learning. Portfolios of pupils' work are used to monitor standards and achievements when planning, with some improvements needed to assess individual pupil's standards and progress. Good resources are used well to help pupils learn.

p.40

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

101. By the end of Years 2 and 3, standards exceed those expected nationally. This is a good improvement since the last inspection when standards matched national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs make good progress and it is satisfactory for those who learn in English as an additional language. There are no differences in performance between boys and girls and between pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.

p.40

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

102. The little teaching seen was very good. Good planning improves pupils' design skills well as they grow older. It is based on teachers' good subject knowledge and their imaginative use of materials. Pupils’ learn enthusiastically, taking pride in their well- presented work. Year 2 pupils were very well taught to use their previous learning to make a cat with a moving body and tail, with a good range of well-managed high quality materials to help them learn. Good links to literacy lessons about a cat that had fallen down a well led to pupils designing and building a well that had a winch to rescue the cat. Very good teaching provides times for pupils to solve problems and review their learning to improve. Very good guidance, probing questions and times for pupils to explain their learning to improve their speaking skills, drove pupils along in their learning. This high quality teaching managed behaviour with great expertise,

p.40

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

providing very well for pupils' social and moral development. Their spiritual development was very well provided for through ways the teacher and pupils valued the efforts of others so that they all felt special, learnt confidently and were fully included in the lesson. Year 1 pupils make good progress when designing a healthy eating poster and lunchbox. Year 2 pupils made good progress when they made model vehicles with axles attached to wheels that spun freely. They designed and made traditional Indian sweets from a design brief that improved their cultural development. Year 3 pupils reach high standards when they make games for younger children that use magnets and that reinforced their learning in science well.

p.40

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

103. The subject manager provides good advice and support for colleagues and monitors standards and pupils' progress to identify improvements. The policy and scheme of work provides good guidance to help teachers plan. Good resources are used well, as is planning to use the food technology area. Although there is good practice in the evaluation of weekly planning based on pupils' learning, some more improvements in the evaluation of subject improvements, including teaching and the curriculum, are needed to ensure high standards are maintained. Oldbrook First School - 41 - January 2003

p.40

GEOGRAPHY

104. Standards by Years 2 and 3 exceed national expectations and pupils with special educational needs make the same good progress as other pupils. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils who need support to learn in English make satisfactory progress. There is no difference in performance between different groups of pupils.

p.41

GEOGRAPHY

105. Good teaching and planning ensure pupils learn well through challenging work. They also learn well through the effective use of fieldwork in the locality, visits to a nearby lake and the local re-cycling factory. They behave very well because teachers work well in partnership with their assistants to manage behaviour and provide interesting and challenging work that matches pupils individual learning needs. Pupils know what to learn and how to do so well. This was seen when a Year 2 teacher shared learning objectives with pupils whilst reviewing their previous learning about Ghana that used demanding questions and well-managed discussions. Pupils identify Africa as a continent and locate Ghana well. Good use of resources, such as photographs and computers that pupils use well in groups, contribute to the very good provision for their social development. By Year 3, pupils make good progress in identifying the

p.41

GEOGRAPHY

differences and similarities between life in different locations in the world, as seen in the work of Year 2 pupils when identifying differences and similarities between life in Milton Keynes and in Ghana. By Years 2 and 3, pupils achieve well in understanding and using different types of maps to identify geographical features. Through the imaginative use of the travels of Barnaby Bear in Year 1, pupils quickly learn about the main features of their locality, and this good progress is maintained throughout the school. This was evident in a display about Milton Keynes made by Year 3 pupils. Pupils progress well learning about the effects of weather on the environment and people, and about life in this and other countries. They understand that land is used for different purposes. Teachers are good at listening to and valuing pupils' contributions and they are very successful at teaching them to help and advise each

p.41

GEOGRAPHY

other sensitively so that their spiritual development is very good and they all feel special. Their well-formed writing, that pays good attention to punctuation and spelling, reinforces learning in literacy lessons well. They calculate distances mentally, with good reinforcement of numeracy skills.

p.41

GEOGRAPHY

106. This well-managed subject reviews policies, schemes of work and resources regularly. The subject manager identifies the need to evaluate the effectiveness of subject provision even more thoroughly in order to ensure that good standards and achievements are maintained and improved where necessary. An area for improvement is planning to improve pupils' language skills and range of vocabulary so that average and low attaining pupils are better at explaining their learning.

p.41

HISTORY

107. Standards the end of Years 2 and 3 have improved since the last inspection because they are now above those expected nationally, and pupils make very good progress. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and those who learn in English as an additional language progress well. There is no difference in performance between boys and girls and pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.

p.41

HISTORY

108. Teaching is never less than very good and it is sometimes excellent. Highly effective planning, good use of resources and excellent use of drama all fire pupils' imaginations so that history comes alive for them and they always want to do well. Oldbrook First School - 42 - January 2003 Work is varied, challenging, and it matches pupils' individual needs so that they make very good progress, including those who have recently joined the school. Planning makes good use of pupils' ethnic backgrounds to interest them and teaching is very good at ensuring pupils with different learning needs and from diverse ethnic minority backgrounds are fully included in all learning. High quality teaching has a great effect on pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

p.41

HISTORY

109. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan very well together. Numeracy skills are effectively reinforced in Year 1 so that by Year 2, pupils calculate how long ago events took place and so have a very good understanding of time. In Year 3, they mentally calculate distances that soldiers travelled in the Crimean War. Probing questions, clear explanations and good use of resources make pupils feel like historians when using books and they use computers very well to do research. From Year 1, progress is very good in understanding what life was like in the past and by Year 2 pupils compare well lives in Victorian times with those lived today. Effectively organised written work reinforces literacy skills well because pupils are required to write well-punctuated work with accurate spellings. Some pupils vividly describe how children crawled on aching limbs in damp and dirty coal mines, and how girls pulled

p.42

HISTORY

wagons loads of coal. Through visits to a local museum and imaginative teaching, they gain sharp insights into how Victorian teachers strictly controlled large classes of pupils when comparing this with their own school experiences. Year 2 pupils used good research skills to find out about the Fire of London in the seventeenth century, enthusiastically sharing information as they work in groups, with very good effects on their social development. They swiftly learnt about buildings, living conditions and the emergency services of the time. In Year 3, they discussed how the life of Mary Seacole improved the lives of wounded soldiers in the Crimean War and were greatly impressed by the ways she overcame racial prejudice. This led to moving written accounts of her life that had a great impact on the spiritual development of pupils.

p.42

HISTORY

110. Where teaching is excellent, pupils are swept along in their learning, with great beneficial effects on their personal development. This was seen in a drama lesson for Year 2 pupils following a visit to a museum to learn about Victorian life. Very good planning, highly effective use of resources, such as a washing dolly, and the convincing role play of a teacher as a washer woman, all made pupils feel as if it really was wash day, so engrossed were they in the lesson. The lesson was rich in the use of language and teachers insisted pupils spoke clearly and in sentences using historical words they had just learnt.

p.42

HISTORY

111. History is well led and managed. Some improvements are needed in the evaluation of the effectiveness of teaching, learning and the curriculum to ensure teachers' skills of analysis match their enthusiasm to ensure standards and achievements remain high. Computers are used very well to help pupils learn.

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

112. By the end of Years 2 and 3, standards are above national expectations. Very good use of the school's ICT suite is improving standards all the time. Teachers and their assistants use computers with confidence and skill, improving learning in many subjects and ensuring pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and that others who need support to learn in English achieve well. All this represents a very good improvement since the last inspection so that ICT is now a strength of the school. Oldbrook First School - 43 - January 2003 113. Teaching is good throughout the school and pupils learn well. This is a very good improvement since the last inspection, due in part to the training that teachers and their assistants have received. Teachers have high expectations for behaviour and learning that contribute to the pupils' very good social and moral development. Pupils sustain concentration well and are good at working independently and in groups

p.42

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

where they share computers well. Pupils work enthusiastically to make good progress, including those who learn in English as an additional language. Teachers make very good use of the new ICT suite to teach skills that are reinforced in class. Well-planned lessons ensure pupils use their newly acquired skills well to reinforce learning in other subjects, especially in mathematics and English, that improves their numeracy and literacy skills. From Year 1, pupils make good progress in using computers to sort numbers in mathematics. Year 1 pupils improve their learning when using the computer to make graphs to record their favourite food. Year 2 pupils progress well when word processing, to improve their literacy skills. In a good Year 3 lesson, pupils learnt to add the school’s e-mail address to the computer’s address book, send an e-mail and they checked to see if it had arrived. By the end of Years 2

p.43

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

and 3, pupils select and use with increasing skill different fonts. They know how to save their work and how to turn on and close down computers. Average attaining Year 2 pupils change colour and size of print on the screen and high attaining pupils make good progress and reach high standards by Year 3 in their use of graphics.

p.43

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

114. The management of ICT is very good. The policy and scheme of work provide good planning guidance. There is a good portfolio of pupils' work showing how well they progress and achieve. A system to track and measure individual pupil's progress as they grow older, and so improve further the school's capacity to evaluate school improvements, is about to be put in place. Very good resources are used with great skill to help pupils learn.

p.43

MUSIC

115. By Years 2 and 3, standards in music are marginally above those expected nationally with singing being the strongest skill. These standards are better than those at the last inspection and represent a good improvement. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and those who learn in English as an additional language make the same good progress as most other pupils. There is no difference in performance between different groups of pupils.

p.43

MUSIC

116. Teaching is good and well-planned lessons ensure that pupils with different learning needs and from diverse ethnic backgrounds are fully included in all learning. Work interests and challenges pupils with different levels of attainment so that they achieve well by Years 2 and their achievements are very good by Year 3. Pupils are enthusiastic learners. In Year 1, they are good at taking turns to play chime bars, triangles and tambourines and one high attaining pupil knew that metal instruments made 'cold' sounds. By Years 2 and 3, teachers' high expectations contribute to pupils' good use of musical vocabulary to describe their musical skills, although some Year 3 pupils find it hard to remember the names of instruments. Throughout the school, pupils progress well learning about the good range of music they hear, play and sing from around the world, all of which contributes to their very good cultural

p.43

MUSIC

development. From Year 1, they progress well learning how music touches emotions, for example, how words and music combine to create tension and feelings of happiness. This highly effective practice contributes greatly to the very good provision for pupils' spiritual development. Expertly managed behaviour and ways Oldbrook First School - 44 - January 2003 pupils work together, responding sensitively to each other when singing and playing instruments, also contribute to the school's very good provision for their social and moral development.

p.43

MUSIC

117. Very good weekly singing assemblies contribute to rising standards. Pupils sing tunefully and with feelings as a whole school. In an assembly, pupils thought about how Beethoven overcame his deafness to compose music when considering what they could do to improve their singing. From Year 1, pupils identify the mood of a song, for example whether it is gentle or calm. When learning to sing a new song, Year 1 pupils clap the rhythms well and by Year 3 most of them skilfully clap and identify different rhythms in songs they learn.

p.44

MUSIC

118. The subject manager advises colleagues effectively and is increasing the range of musical resources that are used and managed well. The scheme of work provides good planning guidance. The manager identifies the need to improve ways pupils' attainment is measured and to evaluate more effectively subject improvements in order to maintain high standards and to raise them where necessary.

p.44

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. Standards by Year 2 are above national expectations and pupils in Year 3 reach national expectations. This represents a good improvement since the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs and those who learn in English as an additional language, make the same good progress as all other pupils. There are no differences in performance between different groups of pupils.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Teachers use their good subject knowledge to plan well. Behaviour and learning are managed well with good regard to health and safety. From Year 1, pupils increase their understanding of the importance of warming up the body before exercise and cooling down at the end, with good reinforcement of learning in science lessons. Pupils with different learning needs and from diverse cultural backgrounds are included in all learning and they respond as eager learners. Good teaching ensures pupils review their own learning to improve and by Year 3, they sensitively and helpfully suggest how others can improve. This was seen in a Year 3 country dance lesson, where pupils improved their balance and rhythm all the time when dancing in sets. Year 2 pupils move around the floor well using different movements and parts of their body, for example when using rolling or bouncing movements to move between apparatus.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. Well-attended school activities for boys and girls contribute to their good attitudes and skills, for example when working with members of Wimbledon Football Club and learning to dance in traditional Indian style. Skills and interests are also reinforced when line and country dancing during Golden Time.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

122. Good subject management supports and advises colleagues well. A scheme of work provides good subject guidance. A good range of resources is used well to help pupils learn. The manager has too few opportunities provided to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching, learning and the curriculum to ensure standards continue to improve. There is no procedure to measure pupils' progress or attainment. Oldbrook First School - 45 - January 2003

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. By Years 2 and 3, pupils reach standards expected in the locally agreed syllabus. This is similar to the last inspection. Pupils with special educational needs make very good progress and those who need support to learn in English make the same good, and occasionally very good, progress as most other pupils. All pupils are fully included in lessons and there is no difference in performance between different groups of pupils.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. Teaching and learning are good. Teachers' good subject knowledge ensures resources and artefacts are used very well to help pupils learn. This was seen in a Year 1 and 2 lesson, when a Muslim boy put on his special hat, unrolled a prayer mat and showed others how his father prays. Teachers and their assistants provide very well for pupils' social, moral, cultural and spiritual development. This was seen in numerous lessons throughout the school when, for example, Year 3 pupils sat wide- eyed learning about a large Victorian family Bible, its edges coloured gold. In a Year 1 and 2 class, the teacher and pupils reverently handled the Jewish Menorah candle and the class worked together well and watched in rapt attention a video about a Jewish family at worship. They gasped in awe when the menorah candles were lit. There are texts in different ethnic languages, including Bibles. This high quality

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

teaching, that manages learning and behaviour very well, results in pupils curious to learn more about beliefs and customs different from their own.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. Subject management is satisfactory. There are strengths in the ways colleagues are supported when planning but improvements are needed in opportunities to evaluate the effectiveness of subject improvements. Different places of worship locally are used satisfactorily to help pupils learn. There is good use of computers for pupils to improve literacy skills when writing on the screen and doing research. There is satisfactory reinforcement of numeracy skills. A scheme of work will soon be in place, with effective arrangements to make good use of the new approved syllabus when it is published.

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