Manor Infant School

MANOR INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 13 - 16 January 2003

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MANOR INFANT 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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MANOR INFANT SCHOOL

Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. Manor Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Fernhill Road Cove Farnborough Hampshire Postcode: GU14 9DX

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of Chair of Governors: Rev B Bessant

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 12 January 1998 Manor Infant School - 4

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Aspect responsibilities

22223 Helen Ranger Registered inspector English Information and communication technology Educational inclusion English as an additional language What sort of school is it? How high are standards? a) The school’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further? 14012 Mamta Rathore Lay inspector How high are standards? b) Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development. The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development. How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 18935 Christopher Bolton Team inspector Mathematics Physical education Religious education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? 27219 Gwyneth Evans Team inspector Art and design Design and technology Music Special educational needs (including the specialist provision for hearing impaired

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Aspect responsibilities

pupils) Foundation stage 8781 Cristabel Lythe Team inspector Geography History Science Manor Infant School - 5 The inspection contractor was:

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Aspect responsibilities

Demeter House Station Road Cambridge CB1 2RS

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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Aspect responsibilities

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Aspect responsibilities

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

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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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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This in an average-sized school that currently has 235 full-time pupils between the ages of four and seven. Two-thirds of pupils come from outside the immediate area as a result of parental preference. There are considerably more boys than girls in some classes. The mobility of pupils is a growing factor, partly due to local school re-organisation and partly to the nature of parents’ employment patterns. The school has experienced difficulties in recruiting staff in recent years; for example, it currently does not have a permanent deputy headteacher.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Pupils come from a broad range of family backgrounds. Their attainment on admission is below the county average, due particularly to limited language skills in a significant number. While average numbers of pupils are formally identified with special educational needs, the levels of learning needs in the school are above average. This is because the number with Statements of Special Educational Need is high, several pupils have fairly severe behavioural needs and many others are monitored by the school’s arrangements for early intervention and support. Four pupils have hearing impairments and attend the specialist resource provision based in the neighbouring junior school; they are also taught in the infant school as part of the mainstream classes. Almost all the school’s pupils are from white British backgrounds but six per cent come from families with a diverse range of ethnic minority origins.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The number of pupils whose first language is not English is low.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective school, which gives good value for money. Pupils make good progress in their work as a result of skilful teaching. From a lower than average starting point, most of them reach at least the standards seen in most schools by Year 2. In some subjects, standards are above average, although in writing the pupils do not reach standards that are as high as in other areas of their work. The headteacher and other senior managers lead a dedicated team of staff and manage the school well.

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What the school does well

• Good teaching, based on effective assessment, enables pupils to achieve well. • Pupils reach above average standards in design and technology and religious education, and well above average standards in art and design. • Pupils enjoy school, behave well and are keen to learn. • A wide and interesting curriculum is provided for all age groups. • The school welcomes and caters for pupils of all backgrounds and capabilities, valuing the diversity they bring. • The headteacher and senior teachers effectively lead a hard-working and committed team of teaching and ancillary staff.

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What could be improved

• Pupils’ standards in writing, which are below average. • The provision and use of outdoor play facilities in the Reception classes. • The monitoring of teaching and learning by subject leaders and how this supports the school’s development. 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 its inspection of January 1998. Pupils’ results in the Year 2 national tests up to last year often exceeded the national average. (Last year the Year 2 group had a significant number of pupils with special learning needs, that restricted their achievements in the tests.) The last inspection identified eight areas that needed urgent improvement. The school has made good progress in almost all of these. Teaching has improved overall, including in literacy and numeracy. Standards in art, which were judged to be weak, are now a considerable strength. The quality of information for parents, the school’s written development plan, the arrangements for health and safety and the Manor Infant School - 8 procedures for staff development have all improved. Levels of learning resources are much better. While the school took appropriate action to enable governors to manage the school more effectively, there has

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

been a considerable turnover on the governing body. This is an area that, while currently satisfactory, is not yet as strong as most other aspects of the school’s management.

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STANDARDS

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

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Key

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

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Key

The school’s performance in these tests has been above average in most recent years and has been especially strong in mathematics. It fell in 2002 when the group being tested included significant numbers of pupils with particular learning needs. The school’s records indicate that these pupils did well in relation to their low attainment on admission. Over four of the past five years, the rising trend in the school’s results has generally been similar to the national improvement. While the school sets appropriately challenging targets for pupils, these are not always met.

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Key

Pupils of all ages and from all backgrounds achieve well. The group of pupils who are now in Year 2 again has a high level of special learning and behavioural needs. From their lower than average starting point in the Reception classes, pupils of all capabilities in this group have made good progress. Except in English, standards in all subjects are at least average. In English, standards in speaking, listening and reading are broadly average but writing is weaker and below average. Pupils do particularly well in art and design, reaching standards that are well above average, and in design and technology and religious education, where standards are above average. Skills in information and communication technology are average. Children in the Reception classes continue to join the school with below average standards. They settle quickly and make rapid progress. Most are likely to reach at least the

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Key

levels expected in the Early Learning Goals 1 in all areas of their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils like school and are enthusiastic about their work.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall. Often very good by most pupils in classrooms and the playground. A small number have complex behavioural difficulties and can be disruptive; they need considerable support to behave appropriately and receive this from the school.

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Aspect Comment

1 The Early Learning Goals indicate the levels of attainment expected of children at the end of the Foundation Stage of their education – the end of the Reception year. They cover six Areas of Learning: personal, social and emotional development; communication, language and literacy; mathematical development; knowledge and understanding of the world; creative development and physical development. Manor Infant School - 9 [ Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils get on well together. They often show care and respect for classmates who have special needs. They work well both independently and in groups.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Good. Above the national average. A few pupils are late arriving at school and this is detrimental to their progress.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

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

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

Teaching and learning are good in all age groups. English and mathematics, including the key skills of literacy and numeracy, are generally taught well, although there are inconsistencies in the quality of teaching in writing that lead to variations in pupils’ progress. Teachers cater well for the needs of all pupils, including the higher attainers and those with special needs. Pupils who do not speak English as their first language are supported satisfactorily. Pupils who attend the provision for hearing impairment are taught effectively, both in the specialist teaching and in their mainstream classrooms.

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Teaching of pupils in: Reception Years 1 – 2

The systems of team planning in year groups are efficient. They produce a wide range of interesting and well-organised lessons which make good use of the skills of both the teachers and support staff. Pupils respond well to this by showing interest and concentration. Almost all the teachers and support staff are skilled in managing pupils’ behaviour. They provide pupils with the patient and careful handling that some require. Teachers use the agreed assessment and target-setting arrangements well to assess pupils’ progress and plan subsequent lessons. At times, however, the comments written in pupils’ books are not expressed in language that is easily understood by the pupils. In the Reception classes, children do not have enough access to outdoor play because of the constraints of the current resources.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. A wide range of interesting activities is provided for pupils of all ages. Extra activities such as clubs and visits enhance the statutory curriculum well.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs Good for mainstream pupils and very good for those attending the specialist provision for hearing impaired. Pupils’ needs are identified early and supported well by teachers. Support staff are skilled and effective.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language Satisfactory arrangements to monitor and support the occasional pupil who needs help learning English.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. There are strengths in the moral and social guidance that the school provides. While cultural provision is sound, the school could improve aspects of how it prepares pupils to live in a diverse British society.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares There are good levels of day-to-day support and care for pupils and Manor Infant School - 10 for its pupils effective arrangements to promote their health and safety. Pupils’ academic and personal progress are assessed and supported well. The school enjoys the support of parents and works hard to encourage them to be involved in a close partnership in children’s learning. Most parents, but not all, respond to the school’s efforts in this respect.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Good. The headteacher is energetic and has an appropriate vision for the school’s future. Senior staff are skilled and hard-working. They are increasingly involved in leading and managing the school and setting the agenda for improvement.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Satisfactory. The governors are supportive and bring a wide range of expertise to the school. Several are new to their roles and are training to take a fuller and more effective part in the management of the school.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Satisfactory. Senior staff evaluate pupils’ results and provision well and take suitable action to improve further. Subject leaders do not have many opportunities to monitor teaching and learning directly in lessons. The written development plans summarise current priorities well but do not include all the longer-term considerations that take place.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The school’s resources are controlled and monitored well. They are targeted well to initiatives for improvement. The principles of best value are considered effectively in planning and spending decisions. The school questions itself critically and consults widely on its decisions.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing levels are good. The staff work well as a team and there are very good arrangements for their development and training. The accommodation is being refurbished to a good standard and will be improved further by the planned development of the computer suite and the outdoor play facilities – these areas are not as well resourced as others at present. Learning resources are mostly good, although some equipment for physical education and music needs to be replaced or supplemented.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children make good progress. • The teaching is good. • Children enjoy school. • The school has high expectations of children. • The school encourages maturity and responsibility. • Staff are approachable. • Behaviour in the school is good. • The range of activities outside lessons. • Levels of information about children’s progress.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

Almost all the parents who attended the pre-inspection meeting or returned the questionnaire felt positive about the school. Inspectors explored the areas that a few would like to see improved. They consider that the additional activities such as clubs, visits and visitors that are offered by the school are good for this age group. Information about the school and children’s progress is also good. Manor Infant School - 11

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i) Standards in the Foundation Stage (the Reception classes)

1. Children are admitted to the Reception classes at the beginning of the year in which they are five. Their attainment on entry is below average in key areas, particularly in language and social skills. This is confirmed by the school’s assessments of children on admission in the last few years. Children achieve well in their Reception year, including those with special educational needs and the small number who do not speak English as their first language. This is because the teaching is good and the classes are organised skilfully to promote all aspects of the children’s development. The school’s arrangements for teaching the youngest children in a separate class for their first year also promote their rapid early progress.

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i) Standards in the Foundation Stage (the Reception classes)

2. Most children are on course to meet at least the levels expected in the national Early Learning Goals in all areas of learning, and some are likely to exceed these levels. The children in the Reception classes are given a good start to their schooling and are prepared well for the Key Stage 1 curriculum.

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ii) Standards in Years 1 and 2

3. In the National Curriculum tests for Year 2 in 2002, the school’s results were close to the national average and the average for similar schools in mathematics, below average in reading and well below average in writing. Performance was not as strong as it had been in the previous two years when pupils had reached above average standards in reading and mathematics and average standards in writing. The school’s performance in mathematics since its last inspection has been somewhat better than in English and has usually exceeded the national average. The drop in overall performance in 2002 was mainly due to a greater number of pupils with special educational needs in the year group and to the higher than average mobility levels of pupils joining or leaving the school. The performance of this year group represented good progress, however, in relation to their scores in tests they took on joining the school. Teachers’ Assessments of attainment in

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ii) Standards in Years 1 and 2

science in 2002 showed that an average proportion of pupils reached at least Level 2 and an above average proportion attained Level 3.

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ii) Standards in Years 1 and 2

4. Inspection findings are that, in the three ‘core’ subjects, the pupils currently in Year 2 attain average standards in mathematics and science and below average standards in English. In English, standards are broadly average in speaking, listening and reading but are weaker in the key area of writing. Pupils’ standards in numeracy support their learning well but the application of literacy skills is adversely affected by the lower attainment in writing. In science, pupils’ skills in scientific enquiry are particularly well developed. Pupils’ achievements in these subjects, apart from writing, are good compared with their attainment on admission. In writing, pupils start from a low baseline and make sound progress. The school has identified the need to improve pupils’ progress in writing, especially for those pupils who find it difficult, but the measures taken to achieve this have not yet had an impact on overall standards.

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ii) Standards in Years 1 and 2

5. Compared with the judgements of the previous inspection, standards of attainment are similar in mathematics but lower in English and science. However, when pupils’ baseline is taken into account, their achievements are at least satisfactory and often good, as they were at that time. A key issue for improvement from then was for the more capable pupils to do better in mathematics; this has been achieved by teachers assessing pupils’ progress more carefully and planning challenging work where appropriate that is matched to pupils’ capabilities.

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ii) Standards in Years 1 and 2

6. In all other subjects, pupils’ attainment is at least average. In art and design, attainment is well above average and has improved greatly since the last inspection when it was the only subject Manor Infant School - 12 judged not to meet the nationally expected level. The improvements in art and design derive from the very good progression in pupils’ skills that is evident now and the resultant high quality work in a wide range of styles and media. Attainment in design and technology is above average; pupils produce well-finished products, which they evaluate thoroughly. Attainment is also above average in religious education, where pupils cover more topics and record and remember their work more thoroughly than is seen in many schools.

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ii) Standards in Years 1 and 2

7. Pupils in both Year 1 and Year 2 achieve well for their capabilities. The progress made by those with special learning and behavioural needs is good in relation to the targets they are set, as a result of carefully planned activities and skilled support. The occasional pupil whose first language is not English is supported soundly; overall in the school, most pupils from ethnic minority families are bilingual and make progress similar to their peers. The pupils who are supported by the specialist resource provision for hearing impairment make very good progress in relation to their specific learning targets and as a result of skilled specialist teaching.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

8. Pupils’ attitudes, behaviour and overall personal development are good and maintain the standards identified at the time of the previous inspection. This has a positive effect on standards across the school.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

9. Pupils’ attitudes to school are good. They show enthusiasm for their work and most are eager to join in activities. They enjoy challenges, such as those offered in science or mathematics. In most lessons, they listen carefully to adults and other pupils, respect others’ views and confidently offer their own ideas. They work well with others in pairs and small groups.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

10. Most pupils behave very well in class, around the school and in the playground. There is a small but significant minority, however, who have considerable behavioural difficulties and find it hard to be settled and suitably mature in school. The rest of the pupils respond well to these classmates and are tolerant of their behaviour. The teaching and ancillary staff deal very well with this group and enable them to take an appropriate part in lessons – this provision is a strength of the school of which it is justifiably proud. In the playground, although pupils can be boisterous, they mostly play well with each other. The few incidents of oppressive or insulting behaviour are handled well by staff and the pupils are confident that adults will help them, should any problems arise. In the last school year, the incidence of exclusions was high for an infant school – ten in all. These involved a very small group of pupils whose behavioural problems caused the school considerable

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

concern but were dealt with in the best interests of all involved.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

11. Relationships in the school are good. Teachers and support staff have a positive manner with pupils; this makes the pupils feel confident and valued. All adults in the school show a patient and consistent attitude to managing the pupils that promotes high standards in the pupils’ response. In class the pupils are generally polite and courteous. Pupils with special educational needs take a full part in the wide range of activities within the school, including those with hearing impairment. They form constructive relationships with adults and with other pupils in the school. Most pupils are caring and tolerant of the needs of others.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

12. Pupils’ personal development is good. This reflects the success of a current school initiative to improve pupils’ independence. The youngest children in the Reception classes show good levels of maturity – for example, by carrying out independently the expected registration procedures at the start of each session and by planning the activities they wish to follow when given a choice by their teachers. The older pupils in Years 1 and 2 work well collaboratively and co-operatively when this is appropriate. For example, they get on well without immediate adult supervision in the group work in literacy and numeracy lessons. They are keen to act as classroom monitors and to help around the school, such as when they answer the telephone at lunchtimes and tidy the hall after assembly.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development

13. Attendance levels are good and above the national average. The school is vigilant in checking reasons for absence. Its levels of unauthorised absence are quite high but these relate to a Manor Infant School - 13 relatively small number of pupils. A minority of pupils do not arrive at school in time, in spite of the school’s encouragement to do so. This disrupts the start of the day for these pupils and for their classmates, whose learning is disturbed by their late arrival.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

14. The quality of teaching is good for all age groups and promotes effective learning by pupils. During the inspection, no lesson was less than satisfactory. Half were good and a further fifth very good. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when about one in every seven lessons was less than satisfactory. There has been good improvement on the key teaching issues identified at that time which related to weaknesses in teaching in Year 1 and in literacy, numeracy and art.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

15. Teaching and learning in the Foundation Stage (the Reception classes) are good. The teachers work well as a team to plan interesting and relevant activities in all areas of learning and to prepare the children for work in Key Stage 1. Time is allocated well to teaching the basic skills that many children lack when they enter the school. There is thorough planning to meet children’s diverse needs. Assessment is used very well to inform every stage of the teachers’ planning and to build up the adults’ knowledge of the children. The very good relationships and management of the children, alongside clear routines and expectations, support children’s personal and social development well. The children are happy and eager to learn. The classrooms are stimulating and well organised. A strong strand in the teaching in this age group is the priority that teachers place on children becoming independent, choosing some of their

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

activities and helping to organise their own work. This is effective in encouraging independence, confidence and initiative in the children. A relative weakness in this otherwise effective situation is the provision and use of outdoor play facilities. It is acknowledged that the school has identified this as an area for development and has plans to achieve it as part of the current refurbishment.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

16. Teaching and learning are good in Years 1 and 2 in English and mathematics and in the key skills of literacy and numeracy. They are more effective overall in mathematics than in English, where further improvement is needed in developing pupils’ writing. For example, there are inconsistencies in the effectiveness of teaching spelling and handwriting. Teaching is good in most other subjects. It is especially effective in art and design, design and technology and in religious education, where it promotes standards that are above average. While teaching is satisfactory in information and communication technology (ICT), the restrictions placed on the school by its current resources are a constraint. The school is in the process of improving this situation by the establishment of a new computer area.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

17. Teachers’ day-to-day planning is mainly good. It is now based securely on a clear programme to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills of each subject. As a result, pupils build systematically on their learning. The planning exploits cross-curricular links well; for example, pupils’ history knowledge and skills were reinforced and practised in literacy lessons in Year 2 during the inspection. Such links also make efficient use of the teaching time available and enable the teachers to offer pupils a wide range of lessons. Most plans have clear objectives for lessons, although the weaker ones identify activities to be covered rather than specifying what pupils are intended to learn. Teachers plan interesting activities, which they organise well. The practical and investigative aspects of subjects are covered well, especially in science, where pupils’ enquiry skills are strong. In practice, most lessons cater well for the full range of

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

attainment in the class but the detail in the written plans of how this will be achieved varies considerably between classes. Occasionally in the lessons seen, a weakness occurred because the teacher used a given lesson plan uncritically rather than tailoring it more carefully to the needs of her class.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

18. Teachers promote educational inclusion well. Pupils with special educational needs are taught well. There is a strong ethos of teamwork among the staff that fully includes the learning support staff. Regular meetings are held in the year teams or with senior staff to plan activities, monitor pupils’ progress and raise any concerns. Pupils are usefully withdrawn from class sessions for additional literacy and numeracy support with trained staff when this is appropriate. Of particular Manor Infant School - 14 note is the skilled behaviour management that is evident in almost all lessons. Several of the pupils have very challenging behaviour and the potential to be very disruptive. Their behaviour is managed well and staff both enable these pupils to take a full part in lessons and minimise any possible disruption to other pupils’ learning. Pupils who attend the specialist resource provision

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

for hearing impairment are taught well. The very effective provision for these pupils enables them to integrate well with their own classes in most lessons. They also have access to skilled specialist teaching as individuals and small groups. The most capable pupils in the school are generally challenged and extended well in lessons. They often have group activities identified for them separately and the school uses attainment ‘sets’ satisfactorily in writing for pupils in Year 2. No pupils in Year 1 or 2 are currently at the early stages of learning English and the small number of bilingual pupils take a full part in lessons.

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

19. Teachers explain activities clearly and pupils understand what to do. Adults use questioning well to assess pupils’ understanding and to encourage them to extend their thinking. Teachers mark pupils’ work regularly and give frequent oral feedback. This feedback is generally good but, in a few of the weaker lessons seen, the teacher was too effusive in her praise to the pupils; as a result, they did not receive accurate or useful feedback on their work or understand how they could improve. By contrast, good use is made of simple target-setting procedures with pupils. These identify successes in learning and help to establish the next step that pupils need to take. Teachers frequently annotate pupils’ work with indications of how successful it has been or the context in which it was completed. This is an effective use of ongoing assessment. However, it is too rarely accompanied by a written comment that the pupils can understand, which would

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HOW WELL ARE PUPILS TAUGHT?

20. Teachers generally use time efficiently. However, a few weaker lessons lacked pace and some literacy lessons spent too long on introductory activities at the expense of the group work and plenary session. Practical learning resources are much improved since the last inspection and are used well. Classrooms are attractive, well organised and interesting spaces where the resources and displays stimulate and celebrate learning.

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TO PUPILS?

21. The school is committed to providing rich and varied learning experiences for all its pupils. It does this well, starting at admission to the Reception classes. Children in the Foundation Stage experience a very well-planned, active learning day, which addresses all the recommended Early Learning Goals. There is deliberate and effective emphasis on spoken language as many children have below average language skills on admission. The curriculum also places an appropriate emphasis on children developing independence and taking initiative in their learning.

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TO PUPILS?

22. From Year 1 onwards, all pupils have full access to the National Curriculum and religious education. All statutory requirements are met. The school is socially inclusive, ensuring access and opportunity for all pupils. Pupils with special needs are included in all activities, including any extra-curricular events provided by the school. At the time of the last report, the curriculum was broadly based, but not entirely balanced because insufficient time was devoted to mathematics and English. This has now improved and an appropriate amount of time is given to these two subjects. The school's approach to the teaching of numeracy is good and satisfactory for literacy. The school has rightly identified the need to focus on the teaching of writing to enhance provision further. For pupils with special needs, it has developed good individual support systems for teaching the basic skills of literacy and numeracy as appropriate. These pupils are also

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TO PUPILS?

integrated well into various class groupings. A notable example is in the weekly writing sessions in Year 2 that are organised according to pupils’ attainment; these cater well for the full range of pupils, including those with special needs and the higher attainers.

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TO PUPILS?

23. Curriculum planning is good. All subjects have plans that clearly identify what is to be learned and how this is to be done and are linked to National Curriculum levels. A strength is the way Manor Infant School - 15 teachers plan as a team in year groups to ensure pupils have coherent and consistent learning experiences, whichever class they are in. The regular evaluation of lessons that identifies pupils who need further help has improved since the last inspection. This information is used to help plan for the next stage of learning. There are well-planned opportunities for pupils to learn from different subjects in a single lesson, for example, using ICT and numeracy skills in the

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TO PUPILS?

collection of data about the weather. Cross-curricular links are strong. They enhance pupils’ understanding of where subjects overlap and help to ensure that the curriculum is relevant to the needs of young children.

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TO PUPILS?

24. The school makes good provision for extra-curricular activities. There is a well attended 'after school club' and clubs such as football, golf and drama. The school's links with the community are good and enhance the provision for pupils. Pupils enjoy their visits to the local church, as well as places further away, such as Rotherwick, as part of their geography study. Visitors to the school include local artists, puppeteers and theatre actors. Fire and police personnel give health and safety talks to support social education. Supervised access to the Internet has been introduced to enrich pupils' links with the wider world. There are good working relationships with the main pre-school providers in the area. There are effective links with the junior school to ensure the smooth transition of pupils to the next stage of their education. The school's involvement in local projects, such as 'Rushmore in Bloom', help teach pupils the value of good

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TO PUPILS?

citizenship. The school benefits well from links with local businesses that sponsor, for example, visits outside the school and a reading programme.

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TO PUPILS?

25. Personal, social and health education and citizenship are provided for effectively in different curriculum areas, and by the ways pupils are involved in the life of the school as a community. Sex education and drugs awareness, appropriate to the age and experience of pupils, are an integral part of science topics. The lessons and other activities linked to personal education that were seen during the inspection were of good quality and handled skilfully and sensitively by teachers. A good example was seen of a lesson where pupils sensibly and knowledgably chose a range of items to send to a child to encourage a healthy lifestyle.

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TO PUPILS?

26. The overall provision for pupils’ personal development is good and has particular strengths in the arrangements to encourage pupils’ moral and social development. The standards identified by the previous inspection have broadly been maintained, although the strengths noted then in spiritual provision were not as evident this time.

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TO PUPILS?

27. The provision for spiritual development is sound. There is clear, good quality guidance to staff on this aspect of provision, although it is too rarely planned as an explicit component of lessons. A satisfactory act of worship takes place as part of the daily assembly. This is based on a broadly Christian ethos and often uses Bible stories for pupils to consider spiritual or moral issues. Short prayers and time for reflection are included but pupils do not often sing in assembly. In lessons, pupils are enabled to reflect on the lives of others; a good example of this was seen in Year 2 when pupils wrote letters as if they were a soldier in the Crimean War.

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TO PUPILS?

28. Moral provision is strong. Parents endorse the effectiveness of the school’s provision in this respect. Staff provide good role models of care and consideration and the support staff promote individual confidence in classrooms. They are especially skilled at dealing with the pupils who have significant behavioural difficulties. All adults in the school have high expectations of how pupils will behave and almost always succeed in establishing these well. As a result, the school is an orderly and pleasant environment for its pupils. Pupils are clear about the rules governing behaviour and satisfied with the way they are treated by adults. Regular activities such as assemblies and personal education lessons reinforce the school’s expectations. Pupils who behave well are frequently praised and assemblies are used to celebrate and reward this good behaviour.

p.15

TO PUPILS?

29. Provision for social development is good. A high proportion of lessons include explicit planning for pupils to work co-operatively and collaboratively. Pupils are expected to help others and to Manor Infant School - 16 organise and clear up their classroom activities. The extra-curricular programme referred to earlier promotes social skills well. The school sponsors the education of a child in Sri Lanka and shares reports of his life and progress with the pupils, thus promoting pupils’ wider social awareness.

p.15

TO PUPILS?

30. Cultural development is satisfactory. British culture and traditions are promoted well, such as the Harvest Festival, celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee, commiseration for the Queen Mother’s death and visits to the local church. Pupils benefit from teaching in subjects such as art, music, geography and history that widen their cultural knowledge. While the school gives satisfactory

p.16

TO PUPILS?

attention to a range of world faiths and some opportunities for pupils to learn about life in other countries, it does not fully exploit opportunities that arise to explore the cultural and religious diversity of modern Britain.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

31. Procedures to ensure the care and welfare of pupils are good and several aspects of provision have improved well since the last inspection. They add to the quality of education in the school and support pupils’ overall progress. Parents express confidence in this aspect of the school’s work.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

32. There is good attention to pupils’ day-to-day welfare. Adults are very caring and deal promptly and efficiently with illness or accidents. Health and safety in the premises are managed very well. Regular checks are carried out of the site and buildings. Systematic risk assessments take place in line with the local authority’s guidelines and external health and safety assessors visit to provide specialist advice. The school has taken great care to ensure pupils’ health and safety during the current refurbishment projects.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

33. Procedures for monitoring and improving attendance are good and are effective in ensuring higher than average attendance. The headteacher ensures that parents are aware of policy - for example, through the induction packs for new parents. Late arrivals and unauthorised absences are dealt with appropriately and procedures are followed diligently. Where unauthorised absences have taken place, the school is diligent in taking appropriate steps and involving the education welfare officer if necessary.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

34. Pupils’ academic progress and personal development, including their behaviour, are monitored well. The promotion of good behaviour is achieved through a range of measures such as class rules, behaviour contracts, a ‘bad news’ book, a ‘golden’ book, and reward stickers. The low levels of oppressive or racist behaviour are recorded and the school ensures that the pupils involved are counselled and monitored to prevent reoccurrence. Parents are involved if necessary. The school cares well for pupils with special educational needs. The teachers relate well to these pupils and raise their self-esteem effectively. Monitoring of the attainment and progress of special needs pupils is included in Individual Education Plans and targets are regularly reviewed. A number of pupils who have not settled in other schools feel welcome and integrate happily into this school. The arrangements for child protection are good. A key issue from the last inspection

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

was to improve these and this has been achieved. Senior staff are well briefed in good practice; they ensure that all staff are vigilant and alert to any pupil who may be at risk.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

35. The school's procedures for assessing pupils' attainment and progress are good. The last inspection report stated that assessment information was used satisfactorily in overall planning but not used sufficiently to identify lesson objectives. Assessment information is now used well in planning and good use is made of it in planning lesson objectives.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

36. There is a clear assessment policy, consistently applied throughout the school. After the Baseline Test when children enter the school, they are tracked throughout their school career. There are good and effective procedures to identify and meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs. Their progress is carefully monitored and in class they are ably supported by classroom assistants and the class teacher. Teachers and the special needs co-ordinator work Manor Infant School - 17 together closely to ensure that work planned is appropriate. More able pupils are also identified and given extra help or challenge as needed.

p.16

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

37. National test results are analysed and monitored thoroughly by the headteacher and the assessment co-ordinator, who identify the areas in the core subjects which need improvement; remedial action is then taken. Subject co-ordinators keep moderated work samples to standardise the school’s use of National Curriculum levels.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

38. The teachers and support staff keep good records of the pupils' academic development and use their findings to plan lessons. Teachers make ongoing, thorough and useful assessments in the core subjects and in most of the foundation subjects. Plans are in hand to extend this to include all foundation subjects. Good records of pupils' academic and personal development are kept by staff. They know the pupils well, and have the precise information to tell them where they need help, so that support is directed effectively to those who need it most. For example, summer-born children (the youngest in each year) are monitored and given extra help if necessary.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL CARE FOR ITS PUPILS?

39. The assessment co-ordinator, a part-time teacher, carries out her role assiduously. She has a clear overview of assessment throughout the school, and, with the headteacher, monitors its use effectively.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

40. At the time of the last inspection, the school’s partnership with parents was described as ‘underdeveloped’. Since then considerable efforts have been made to involve parents more effectively in their children’s learning and these are increasingly successful. The overall partnership with parents is satisfactory. A key area for improvement from the last inspection was for the school to provide better quality information to parents about their children’s progress and to improve the quality of documents such as the prospectus. These improvements have been achieved.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

41. The vast majority of the parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire or who attended the meeting with inspectors hold positive views of the school. They feel that their children make good progress as a result of good teaching, that their children enjoy school and that children are given good support by approachable staff. A small number would like to see more activities outside lessons and to receive more information about their children’s progress; both these areas were examined by inspectors and found to be good.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

42. The quality of information provided for parents, particularly about their children’s progress is good. There is a good induction programme for new entrants and their parents, and information packs are distributed to help parents support their children’s work at home. The school provides detailed annual reports outlining progress and targets for each pupil in academic as well as personal areas. It offers a combination of informal and more structured opportunities for parents to meet teachers. There is a good monthly newsletter giving information about forthcoming events, the curriculum and particular projects, such as the refurbishment of the building. Notices are usefully displayed on the entrance doors about activities. A ‘parents’ bookshelf’ contains information on a wide range of family and educational issues. The main school documents for parents are informative and accessible; both the prospectus and the governors’ annual reports fully meet

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

requirements and are presented in a readable format. Parents are well represented on the governing body and the school is keen to gather parents’ views. It distributes a wide-ranging questionnaire but there is no regular informal forum for governors to meet parents directly or to gather their views.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

43. The school communicates well with parents of pupils with special educational needs. The Individual Education Plans for these pupils are shared with parents at consultation sessions and many parents attend reviews. Parents are invited to work with their children at home to provide further support but the response to this is variable. Procedures are in place to report concerns Manor Infant School - 18 and learning targets to parents. The school’s ‘open door’ policy encourages liaison between parents and staff.

p.17

HOW WELL DOES THE SCHOOL WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS?

44. The school is keen to involve parents of all communities in school life and is welcoming. Many parents help in classrooms and with clubs and social activities. They support their children’s work at home, especially in reading. Nevertheless, a significant minority do not respond well to the school’s efforts to work with them and this has an adverse effect on their children’s progress in school. Manor Infant School - 19

p.18

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

45. The school is led and managed well. This aspect of the school was considered to require some improvement at the time of the last inspection and this has been achieved. The headteacher is in her fourth year in the school. She provides energetic leadership and manages the school efficiently. She has an appropriate vision for the school, based on the principle of including all its pupils, whatever their circumstances or needs. Clear educational aims underpin the school’s work and there is a welcoming and purposeful ethos. Relationships are good.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

46. The headteacher is supported well by experienced senior staff, some of whom have worked in the school for a long period and know its families well. They provide continuity and stability. Since her appointment, the headteacher has had to deal with considerable difficulties as a result of staff illness and relocation and has had to manage the complex refurbishment programme. The staff have supported the school well during this period. The turbulence in staffing and the appointment of several inexperienced teachers have resulted in the senior management team carrying a heavy workload but they do this competently and in the best interests of the pupils. All staff, including the ancillary staff, work hard and are committed to the school. The school has failed to recruit a new deputy headteacher of suitable calibre but the remaining staff have pulled together well to fill this gap.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

47. The school increasingly analyses its pupils’ performance to assess its success and to identify areas for further improvement. For many teachers, these procedures were a new experience on the headteacher’s arrival. They have tackled the challenges well and are now more involved in the overall management of the school than at the time of the previous inspection. Senior staff monitor the quality of teaching and learning at first hand in the classrooms. This is an area that the school rightly wishes to extend in scope and to involve all subject leaders in observations. At present, subject leaders monitor and support their colleagues’ planning and assess pupils’ attainment through recorded work and teachers’ plans. Staff meet frequently in year teams and as a whole-school group to discuss how well they are doing and to identify the next stages for improvement. The staff are justifiably proud of their school and its achievements. However, there

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

was a tendency at times in discussions with staff during the inspection for them to be over- generous in their analysis of how well the school is doing in relation to national standards.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

48. A key issue from the previous inspection was for the governing body to be involved more effectively in management. This is an area that, while satisfactory, could still be improved. There has been a large turnover of governors recently. The new governors have brought expertise and energy to the school and are active and committed. They have a sound committee structure in place, under the experienced leadership of the Chair of Governors. Several governors are inexperienced in their role. They are urgently undertaking good quality training but are not yet in a position fully to support their colleagues and the headteacher in the management of all aspects of the school. The governors are visiting the school and have begun a programme of focused monitoring. They fulfil their statutory duties well. They increasingly consider best value in their decisions by questioning critically what the school does, considering costs, consulting widely on

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

development and comparing the school’s performance with others locally and nationally.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

49. The school’s written development plans are detailed and comprehensive. They include consideration of all areas of the school’s management and outline its current needs. Priorities and costs for the current year are clear and staff use the plan as a key tool in development. The document includes appropriate action plans from all co-ordinators and these cover both immediate priorities and the longer-term in sufficient detail. In practice, the headteacher and the more experienced governors have explored and discussed a longer-term strategic view of many other aspects of the school but a summary of this is not included in the present plan. As a result, the document does not present a full summary of planned development. Improving the quality of the development plan was a key issue from the last inspection that has been achieved for the most part.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

50. Financial planning supports the school’s work well. The budget is carefully monitored by senior staff and governors and is targeted to areas of priority. It is administered efficiently and the most Manor Infant School - 20 recent audit report was positive. The general administration of the school is also efficient and supports its smooth running for pupils and their parents. The school increasingly makes satisfactory use of new technology in its administration which contributes to efficiency. However, the records kept on individual pupils by teachers are time-consuming and complex and are not yet benefiting from the efficiencies that might be achieved by some computerisation.

p.19

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

51. The school manages educational inclusion well. The management of special educational needs is effective, both in the school and for pupils who attend the specialist resource provision for hearing impairment. All minority groups of pupils are considered and supported – for example, the higher attainers, pupils who have English as an additional language, and the specific needs of boys and girls and of summer-born pupils. It pays appropriate attention to the promotion of racial equality and has a sound range of policies and procedures in place for this aspect of its work.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

52. The headteacher has made good use of recent local and national initiatives in school improvement. This has been particularly positive in the field of ICT where the New Opportunities Fund has enabled staff training and resource development to take place. The fund has also supported out-of-school clubs which have benefited pupils and their families socially. The National Strategies for Literacy and Numeracy have had a positive impact on provision for pupils, especially in mathematics. The school has valued the contribution made by local authority advisers in the development of subjects. However, there have been some constraints attached to some initiatives, particularly in the complexity of the bidding process for grants.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

53. The school has a good match of staff to its needs. It has very thorough arrangements for staff development. These include all categories of staff. Senior managers have implemented the national arrangements for the performance management of teachers very well. There are good arrangements for the training and induction of new teachers. The school has recently worked successfully with a graduate trainee who is now a member of the teaching staff.

p.20

HOW WELL IS THE SCHOOL LED AND MANAGED?

54. The accommodation is good and continues to be improved as a result of the refurbishment programme. No space is wasted and there are plans to create additional areas, for example, for music and food technology. The refurbished classrooms and communal space have been equipped and decorated to a high standard. The outdoor site is spacious and designated for further improvement, including the play area for the Reception classes, which is currently underused. Learning resources are generally good and benefit pupils’ learning. They are much improved since the last inspection when many subjects were under-resourced. Book stocks are good. The school is aware of, and has plans to improve, the relative weaknesses in resources in the areas of outdoor play, large apparatus in the hall, the range of musical instruments and the current constraints of the computer stock.

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

55. To build on the school’s strengths, raise standards and improve the quality of provision further, the headteacher, staff and the governing body should:

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) Raise standards in writing, as planned, by: • continuing to implement the action plan that defines this as a key priority for the school; • ensuring that teachers are consistent and effective in their approach to the teaching of spelling and handwriting; • ensuring that higher attaining pupils are given sufficient time in lessons to produce writing of appropriate length for their abilities; • encouraging parents to give relevant support with writing at home. paragraphs 3,4,16,69-74 Manor Infant School - 21 (2) Improve the provision and use of outdoor play facilities for children in the Reception classes, by: • carrying out the planned programme of improvements to the designated play area; • ensuring that children in the Reception classes receive their entitlement to frequent outdoor play. paragraphs 15, 54, 57, 65

p.20

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) Improve the effectiveness of monitoring by the subject leaders and thus raise pupils’ standards, by: • enabling subject leaders to monitor at first hand the quality of teaching and learning in lessons; • reviewing the scope of subject leaders’ monitoring to consider the place of activities such as work sampling and structured interviews of pupils; • ensuring that the school’s systems of development planning take into account the results of such monitoring. paragraphs 47,74,91,97,101,108,117,121

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

Other issues that should be considered by the school:

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• the range of opportunities for educating pupils about the diversity of culture in modern Britain; paragraph 30

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that the governors, especially those who are newly appointed, play a full part in assisting in managing the school; paragraph 48

p.21

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

• ensuring that the written development plans include consideration of a longer-term view and reflect the action already taken by the school in this respect. paragraph 49 Manor Infant School - 22

p.21

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 42

p.22

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.22

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.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 235

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 31

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 7

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 42

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 6

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 21

p.22

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 18

p.22

Attendance

Authorised absence (2001/2) Unauthorised absence

p.22

Attendance

National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Manor Infant School - 23 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Manor Infant School - 24

p.22

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 43 35 78

p.24

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.24

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

Boys 27 30 43 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 30 30 35

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 73 (85) 77 (93) 100 (92) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.24

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.24

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

Boys 30 31 39 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 31 33 34

p.24

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

Percentage of pupils School 78 (90) 82 (93) 94 (98) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.24

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Manor Infant School - 25

p.24

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.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 1 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 2 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 2 0 0

p.25

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.25

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.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 10.6 Financial year 2001/2

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 22

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 579,333

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 14 Total expenditure 585,381

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 248 Expenditure per pupil 2,351

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent Balance brought forward from previous year 23,509

p.25

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 17,461 Manor Infant School - 26

p.25

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 6

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 8

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 3

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 3

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

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

p.26

Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Manor Infant School - 27

p.26

Percentage of responses in each category

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

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 49 51 0 0 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 30 58 2 2 8

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 32 51 4 2 11

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 32 47 15 4 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 28 8 4 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 62 34 0 0 4

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 36 53 6 6 0

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 42 43 11 2 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 53 42 4 0 2

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 21 45 19 2 13

p.27

Percentage of responses in each category

Figures may not total 100 per cent owing to rounding Manor Infant School - 28

p.27

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

56. There are three Reception classes in the Foundation Stage. Children enter Reception on a gradual basis; autumn-born children are full-time in September, spring-born children are full-time by half-term and summer-born children are full-time by the end of the autumn term. This ensures a smooth and happy start with good parental involvement, including the offer of home visits. Initial assessments of children’s attainment show that many enter the school with below average skills in all areas except mathematical development, which is average. This reflects a decline in standards on entry since the last inspection. Teaching and learning in Reception are good and standards have been broadly maintained since the last inspection. The school has developed a secure system of assessment, which shows levels of achievement throughout the year. It demonstrates that most children achieve well and are on course to attain the Early Learning

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Goals in all the recommended areas of learning. There is a good system of induction, which includes a parent information pack for home-school support. Teachers plan effectively together and share this planning with support staff, working closely as a team.

p.28

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

57. A good range of activities is provided. There is appropriate inclusion of all children, including those with special educational needs and English as an additional language. Opportunities for outdoor play are planned as part of the curriculum but the range of activities is fairly limited. The school has identified the need to extend and improve the outdoor play area and its facilities as part of the current development plan. Teachers’ planning allows children to learn through making choices and initiating their own learning. The co-ordinator, one of the Reception class teachers, has close links with a number of playgroups in the area. The quality and quantity of resources are good.

p.28

Personal and social development

58. By the time children leave the Reception classes, they are likely to achieve the standards expected in this area of learning as the result of the good teaching. Teachers are effective in encouraging children to develop confidence in their relationships with both adults and children, and there are clear expectations for behaviour. Children play and work together well in a variety of activities, such as taking turns when using the wheeled vehicles in the outdoor area and sharing helmets for their role play in the construction site. Adults are providing good role models for children, showing respect for each other and working effectively as a team. There are clear routines, which encourage children to learn what is acceptable behaviour, for example taking turns to speak and not calling out. As a result, children build sound relationships with others and they begin to understand one another’s point of view. Staff are encouraging independent choices as

p.28

Personal and social development

children select their activities. In physical education lessons, most children are beginning to change independently, receiving only occasional help from an adult. In the classroom, equipment is easily accessible and children work well together to tidy up at the end of the session.

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

59. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection. Teaching and learning are good and children are able, for example, to develop the story of ‘The Three Bears’ with support from the teacher. They join in familiar parts and, in one of the classes, children suggested a sentence to describe the teacher’s teddy as ‘old and floppy’. They have a firm understanding of the importance and relevance of print and, in their reading group, are able to make predictions and read simple sentences with support. Most children are likely to achieve the Early Learning Goals by the time they leave the Reception class. Staff are competent in using opportunities to reinforce language skills through questioning. They make effective interventions, as in a printing session when children were encouraged to describe the results of mixing colours together. Manor Infant School - 29 60. Elements of the National Literacy Strategy are used well in both older Reception classes,

p.28

Communication, language and literacy

preparing children for teaching in Year 1. There is a structured approach to learning letter sounds and names, and teachers use puppets effectively to interest children in the initial and final sounds of words. Children are beginning to demonstrate early writing skills and use recognisable letters and words in their writing, including capital letters. There is evidence of different role-play areas created to encourage speaking and writing for different purposes, such as a seaside shop, post office and estate agent’s office. The teachers show a good understanding of the children through their introduction of a role-play area specifically aimed at motivating boys’ language skills in the construction site office. Children enjoy listening to taped stories together, following the print correctly. The range of attractive reading material in each class encourages children to read as an independent activity. During the inspection, children in one group shared their information books

p.29

Communication, language and literacy

with evident enthusiasm. Parents are involved in activities at home to support learning in this area.

p.29

Mathematical development

61. The quality of teaching and learning is good and children continue to achieve well in their development of numeracy skills, as at the time of the last inspection. They are likely to reach at least the expected standard by the end of the Reception year. They are able to count up to 10 and beyond with confidence and the older children are beginning to gain confidence in counting forwards and backwards to 10. Teachers use questioning effectively to assess children’s understanding. They provide a good variety of activities for sorting long and short objects, using a range of materials such as ribbons, counting bricks and rulers. Most children are accurately matching digits to the number of objects and are changing symbols for words such as ‘and’ and ‘makes’. Games such as hopscotch and a fishing game are used well to support children’s recognition of numbers to 10.

p.29

Mathematical development

62. Good strategies are developing during ‘counting on’ activities such as ‘holding the largest number in your head’ before counting on the smallest number. There is a good range of activities to support learning in this area and children play well together with different construction equipment to develop their knowledge of shape and space. Other activities, such as printing, support children’s learning of shapes and measures.

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

63. Teaching and learning are good and teachers plan a wide variety of activities to support children’s learning so that they make good progress in their early experience of science, technology and the humanities subjects. They know that plants need water and light to grow. Teachers are skilled in using the environment effectively to stimulate learning. In one class, the teacher had used a recent snowfall to draw the children’s attention to the qualities of snow, observing the frozen snow and resulting water after melting. In a lesson about the effects of water on sand and brick, the teacher carried out a clear demonstration. The children observed carefully and well but their limited language skills at this age were underlined when they found it difficult to express their observations accurately, confusing ‘collapsing’ with ‘melting’. The children use the computers with confidence, controlling the mouse to add and move objects placing them correctly on the screen.

p.29

Knowledge and understanding of the world

They recognise some letters on the keyboard. Scrutiny of work shows children have experience of creating portraits using the computer and programming a floor robot. There is evidence to show that effective use is made of visitors to introduce children to traditions and festivals linked to other cultures, such as Shabbat.

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Physical development

64. Teaching is good and children make good progress. They are aware of the teachers’ expectations of behaviour as they move around the school. In an observed lesson in the hall, children started and stopped quickly in response to an instruction from the teacher. They show a good awareness of space and move around the hall confidently. Children also effectively extend their ball skills by practising moving the ball with different parts of their bodies. Some children Manor Infant School - 30 are at the early stages of throwing accurately to catch the ball. They show a good level of concentration and perseverance and are well supported by the teacher and classroom assistant through demonstration. 65. The outdoor play area and provision of wheeled vehicles are helping children develop their physical skills. However, the area has no opportunities for developing other physical skills such as climbing, sliding, balancing or playing chasing games. It is sometimes not used when it could be

p.29

Physical development

– for example, in wet weather. This is partly due to the limitations of the current resources and site. Children demonstrate a good range of skills on the equipment - steering, climbing and peddling, working independently and in groups. They share the wheeled vehicles effectively and co-operate well together. In the classroom, they use a range of tools and equipment, scissors and glue sticks with increasing dexterity.

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Creative development

66. Children make good progress as a result of the good teaching they receive. They create collages using a range of materials - cloth, buttons, straws and lollipop sticks. They use colour effectively in their painted portraits with a range of brushes of different sizes, and explore colour through paint, crayon, pastel and computer design. Teachers use opportunities during lessons to make informed assessments of individual progress. Scrutiny of previous work shows links with speaking and listening through observation of work by famous artists such as Seurat and Renoir.

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Creative development

67. There is evidence of performances of music using percussion instruments based on stories such as ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’. Opportunities are given for children to find out about the sounds made by certain instruments, matching them to characters in a story.

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Creative development

68. Opportunities are provided during the day for children to sing songs and one teacher uses this very effectively to bring children back into a whole class group. They sing a range of songs with increasing confidence, adding appropriate actions. Music is used in classrooms to provide a calming background atmosphere.

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ENGLISH

69. Pupils’ achievements are sound and, often, good. This includes the progress made by those with special needs, with English as an additional language and the more capable pupils. However, by Year 2, overall standards of attainment are below average. This is because, from a low baseline, while they attain broadly average levels in speaking, listening and reading, pupils’ standards in writing are lower than those seen in most schools in this age group. These findings represent a drop in standards since the last inspection. This is because the baseline attainment of the current pupils is lower than at that time. This year in Year 2, as was the case last year, a significant proportion of the pupils have special learning needs in English or have behavioural difficulties that affect their ability to concentrate. The pupils are taught well and the school has given the improvement of writing a high priority. Its efforts are appropriate and are encouraging

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ENGLISH

pupils’ progress but they have not yet succeeded in raising standards to the national average. This is shown particularly by the small proportions of higher attainers who reached Level 3 in writing last year and the similarly small proportion who are on course to attain Level 3 by the end of this year.

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ENGLISH

70. Standards in speaking and listening are average. The school is aware that its pupils are admitted with restricted language skills. In Years 1 and 2, the teachers build well on the good grounding that the pupils have been given in Reception. Opportunities to listen, speak and take part in drama and role-play are given frequently. Teachers ensure that pupils understand the vocabulary necessary to complete activities. This was a strong component of the literacy lessons seen in Year 2, where teachers in all three classes presented, explained and practised with pupils the less familiar words they needed to talk, read and write about Florence Nightingale. As a result, pupils’ discussions were productive, they used fairly complex vocabulary in their writing and their Manor Infant School - 31 role-play showed that they had understood the meanings of terms such as ‘hygiene’, ‘disease’ and ‘overcrowded’.

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ENGLISH

71. Standards in reading are average. Pupils in Year 1, for example, explain the function and features of a book cover, know the terms ‘author’, ‘title’ and ‘blurb’ and explain how speech is indicated in books. They are establishing good word-building skills. By Year 2, pupils have made sound progress. Most are likely to reach a secure Level 2 by the end of the year and a sizeable minority are likely to reach Level 3 in reading. Most pupils enjoy reading and choose a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts, in addition to their main class reading book. Most are also supported at home by their parents and, in this aspect, the school has improved since the last inspection.

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ENGLISH

72. Writing is the weakest element of English and, in this aspect, pupils do not have sufficient ability in literacy to support their work in other subjects at times. By Year 2, while many pupils are becoming independent writers, a considerable minority still need adult help with their work. Pupils’ writing is interesting and expresses their own thoughts and ideas well. However, fewer than expected are writing at length and with good spelling and handwriting. Spelling, even of regular words, is often weak. Too few pupils have well-formed handwriting of an appropriate size. The school has good policies for writing but these are not always evident in practice. There is considerable variation in teachers’ approaches to elements such as how systematically handwriting is practised or the methods used to learn new spellings. The weekly writing sessions in Year 2 in which pupils are grouped by attainment are conducted well but the results of the more

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ENGLISH

capable pupils indicate that they are not given enough time to write at length. Homework activities tend to concentrate on reading and spelling. The school could explore ways to involve parents more effectively in other aspects of writing practice.

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ENGLISH

73. Teaching and learning are good. The most effective features are:

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ENGLISH

• effective behaviour management that enables pupils to settle and concentrate well; • good links with work in other subjects that increase the relevance of activities for pupils and make efficient use of the available teaching time; • close teamwork in each year group in teachers’ planning and in the organisation of resources; • activities that are tailored to the full range of attainment in the class and include all pupils well; • the very effective deployment of support staff to help individuals and groups – a considerable improvement since the last inspection; • the integration of ICT skills so that pupils use computers and cassette recorders to improve their listening, reading and writing; • clear explanations and good questioning and assessment by teachers to establish pupils’ understanding and extend their thinking.

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ENGLISH

The weaker features of the lessons seen were:

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ENGLISH

• imbalance in the timing of lessons which led to over-long introductions and too little time for group work or the final plenary session; • inconsistencies and lack of attention to the skills of handwriting and spelling, as outlined earlier; • written feedback on work that is not always expressed in accessible language for the pupils.

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ENGLISH

74. Literacy has a high priority in the school and sufficient time is allocated to it; the lack of time criticised by the last inspection has been resolved. The weaknesses in resourcing have been remedied. Book stocks and other practical resources are of good quality and plentiful. The library is a pleasant, useful space and easily accessible. The National Literacy Strategy has been implemented satisfactorily in the school and supports teachers’ planning and organisation well, although the desired improvements in writing have not been fully achieved. Procedures for assessing pupils’ progress are comprehensive and very detailed; the school could usefully review whether it might make these simpler and more succinct. The school is developing promising systems of target-setting with pupils that help them to understand how well they have done and how to improve. The subject is led well by an experienced co-ordinator. She gives valued support

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ENGLISH

to colleagues and has a good overview of standards. She has had, however, too few recent Manor Infant School - 32 opportunities to observe teaching and learning at first hand, so that this aspect of her work is not as efficient as it might be in informing planning for further improvement. Manor Infant School - 33

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MATHEMATICS

75. Standards by Year 2 are average and have been maintained since the time of the last inspection.

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MATHEMATICS

76. Pupils make good progress during their time at school. This is a direct result of the good teaching and leadership. Underlying all provision is the good analysis the school makes of all pupils and groups of pupils as part of its assessment arrangements. Teachers know, therefore, where they need to direct their efforts in each class to provide extra support for pupils needing help with basic number skills. This also enables more able pupils to be challenged well and a significant minority of pupils achieve above the levels expected nationally.

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MATHEMATICS

77. By Year 2, pupils count on and back in ones, twos and tens successfully. Most can add and subtract two-digit numbers in a variety of ways, although some less able pupils struggle to do this with simple numbers. More able pupils apply their knowledge well to solving problems and can explain how they arrived at the answer. Most pupils have a good mathematical vocabulary and use words, such as, 'halving', 'doubling', 'odd’ and ‘even' accurately and without a second thought. Pupils can assemble data and represent it on a bar chart and extract information from it. They know the properties of common shapes and more able pupils can identify and name 'spheres' and 'cylinders'. They use their mathematical knowledge well in other subjects - for example, in recording weather patterns in science.

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MATHEMATICS

78. Teaching and learning are good throughout the school. This is a significant improvement since the last inspection when it was found to be unsatisfactory. The most notable features of lessons are:

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MATHEMATICS

• a lively mental and oral session to start lessons; • the brisk pace of most lessons that makes good use of time - such as pupils in Year 2 concentrating hard on counting backwards from a hundred; • teachers’ good planning that sets out clear learning intentions and usually shares these with the pupils; • regular checks during the lessons to gauge whether or not pupils are making progress towards achieving the objectives; • careful questioning and interventions to pupils to consolidate and extend learning – such as in Year 2 when the teacher led the pupils to find an economical way of counting a large number of items; • good use of practical apparatus to help pupils understand ideas; for example, in Year 1 where beads, toys, cubes and rulers were compared to understand ‘longer than’ and ‘shorter than’; • teachers who are well organised and manage pupils well, including those with significant behavioural difficulties; pupils settle quickly to tasks and concentrate well.

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MATHEMATICS

79. Teachers’ grouping of pupils in lessons is effective and has supported improvements in the subject since the last inspection. The groups are often made up of pupils of similar levels of ability, enabling teachers and assistants to work with pupils at a common level of understanding. Pupils with special educational needs and those with impaired hearing make good progress, in part because of the good support given by classroom assistants. The opportunities for pupils to extend their learning through the use of ICT are limited at the moment, although pupils consolidate their learning through the use of simple computer programs as part of their work, for example, in collecting and representing data.

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MATHEMATICS

80. The subject is very well managed and the co-ordinator has a clear idea of what needs to be done. Assessment procedures have improved since the last inspection and are effective. There are good resources to back up the teaching of the National Numeracy Strategy. Manor Infant School - 34

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SCIENCE

81. Standards by Year 2 in most aspects of the subject are average and are good in scientific enquiry. In the last report, standards were judged to be good overall, but, at present, a significant number of pupils have special needs which lead to fewer achieving the higher levels, in spite of the effective teaching they receive. The progress of all pupils, including those with special needs, is good.

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SCIENCE

82. Scientific enquiry is a significantly strong feature of pupils’ work. Pupils think carefully about what might happen in their work before making decisions. This was seen in Year 2, where pupils created a fair test to investigate the waterproof qualities of various materials. Most could ask questions, make suggestions and use correct, simple scientific vocabulary. They could understand the concept of a fair test and predict the likely outcome. Pupils with special educational needs achieved these goals with skilful help from an adult and the more able could, in addition, successfully use the planning format provided by their teacher. Pupils’ previous written work shows that they use their own methods for communicating information - for example, when recording the different characteristics of living animals brought in by a visitor. Apart from encouraging independence of thought, this type of recording makes a significant contribution to

p.34

SCIENCE

pupils’ numeracy, literacy and computer skills.

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SCIENCE

83. The Year 1 pupils interviewed remembered the findings of an experiment on sinking and floating and described the conditions needed by cress seeds to germinate. Year 2 pupils stated that a ‘candle goes out when it has no oxygen’ and could sort items suggested by the inspector into natural and man-made categories. Their answers showed evidence of very thorough coverage of the National Curriculum and an enjoyment of the experiments and practical work done. Pupils behaved well in the lessons observed, because the teachers provided stimulating activities and used good strategies to promote an atmosphere that was conducive to learning.

p.34

SCIENCE

84. Teaching and learning are good and, at times in the lessons seen, were very good. This is an improvement from the last inspection. The main features of this effective teaching were:

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SCIENCE

• teachers had good subject knowledge and asked probing questions to make children think; • teachers used the correct scientific terminology, which extended pupils’ literacy skills as well as their knowledge of the subject; • pupils with special needs were well supported by adults and enabled to take a full part in lessons; • teachers had high expectations of pupils; • resources were used imaginatively so that pupils’ interest was maintained – for example, different kinds of material were provided for pupils to handle; • work was planned to cater for the full range of ability, so that all pupils progressed at their own level; • teachers had good relationships with pupils, whose ideas were valued, thus encouraging them to offer suggestions; • cross-curricular links were planned for so that pupils understood how subjects interlink.

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SCIENCE

85. The subject promotes pupils’ personal development well. The individual recording of experiments encourages independence and pupils develop social skills by working in groups. This also has a positive effect on speaking and listening skills. The use of graphs, such as when recording an experiment with fruit, enhances mathematical development. Pupils’ skills in ICT are used satisfactorily to record and analyse data.

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SCIENCE

86. Pupils are thoroughly assessed and good records are kept, including the development of investigative skills. The subject co-ordinator was appointed last term. She already has a good grasp of her role and a clear overview of the subject, which she manages very well, in addition to her other considerable responsibilities in the school. Resources have improved since the last inspection. They are now easily accessible and of good quality. Individual research is an area which now could be developed, using simple reference books and ICT, when systems are available in the school. The co-ordinator is aware of this and plans to improve this area. Manor Infant School - 35

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ART AND DESIGN

87. By Year 2, standards are well above average. This is a very good improvement since the previous inspection when standards were below the national average. Current levels of attainment now show that most pupils, including those with special educational needs, do very well in relation to their prior attainment as they move through the school. Discussions with pupils show that they have a positive attitude towards the subject and are confident in their approaches to the work.

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ART AND DESIGN

88. Evidence in lessons shows that teachers are developing skills very effectively throughout the school. The school is using the nationally recommended scheme of work to ensure that pupils acquire the appropriate skills. Examples of work on display show well-developed observation skills. In a class in Year 2, pupils used close observation well to record pattern and shape when drawing a tailor’s dummy dressed in Victorian clothes. They used line and shading effectively to show folds and texture in their work. Pupils use a good range of materials throughout the school. Displays show that teachers are aware of the importance of developing skills in observation. There are examples in Year 1 of pupils using drawing skills when looking closely at bicycles and painting skills in Year 2 when looking at the local church. The displays also show that the school is aware of the importance of providing the pupils with good quality resources to support the wide

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

89. Two lessons were observed during the inspection and the standard of teaching and learning was good. This is a good improvement on the findings of the last inspection when teaching was unsatisfactory. When the teaching is most successful, teachers are involved in close observations with pupils, demonstrating the required skills and suggesting how work can be improved. Where teaching is less effective, teachers do not prepare the pupils with the necessary techniques to support their learning. Teachers do not always use the opportunity to intervene and evaluate standards of work during the lesson. There are effective links with other subjects, such as in observational paintings of houses as part of a geography project and the visit of a helicopter to the school. Displays do not, however, reflect the importance of the influence of art from other cultures.

p.35

ART AND DESIGN

90. There is a genuine sense of enthusiasm and involvement in lessons and pupils are gaining confidence to share their observations and make changes to their work. Sketchbooks are established in both year groups. Work is labelled according to learning aims and this effectively shows how pupils’ abilities progress. During the inspection, there was little evidence of pupils evaluating their own work to develop their use of language linked to art. ICT is used increasingly effectively to enrich learning and there are examples in displays of pupils generating design through a variety of software. At the time of the inspection, there was no evidence of visits to local galleries. There are examples of artists working with pupils in school to enrich their learning as part of an Arts Week.

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ART AND DESIGN

91. The co-ordinator is knowledgeable and monitors planning every term. She provides good support for colleagues, but has not carried out direct monitoring of teaching and learning in lessons. Portfolios of artwork collected from both year groups show that teachers assess pupils’ work against the intended learning objective. This is having a positive impact on teaching skills over time and on pupils’ progress. The range and quality of resources in the school are good and there is some satisfactory evidence of work in three dimensions.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

92. By the end of Year 2 standards are above average. This is an improvement on the findings of the previous inspection when standards were satisfactory. Pupils achieve well, including those with special educational needs who are well supported by adults in the classroom. The school uses the national guidelines effectively and the programme of learning covers all areas of the subject. Manor Infant School - 36 The planning demonstrates the increased emphasis on the systematic development of skills, knowledge and understanding. The scheme supports teachers, ensuring that pupils are building on previous skills. As a result, the pupils are given appropriate strategies – for example, for planning their project, labelling materials and listing resources. 93. In a Year 2 class, there was evidence in display that pupils have tested and evaluated their final designs, matching their results to the projected design and identifying strengths and weaknesses.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

The school has usefully included staff in the Foundation Stage in its planning for the early development of skills and this promotes continuity across all age groups. Year 2 pupils observe and describe simple slide mechanisms and are able to make their own, based on their own design. In a Year 1 class, pupils choose simple joining methods to make a pair of matching slippers using card. Pupils show well-developed confidence when selecting materials and using new skills. The subject makes a good contribution to spiritual development; this is reflected in the strong sense of achievement when pupils succeed.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

94. Teaching and learning are good, an improvement since the last inspection. In the two lessons seen there were several effective features:

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

• effective use of pupils to demonstrate their work and share their ideas with the rest of the class; • well-prepared resources that pupils were expected to organise for themselves - this encouraged their independence; • good adult intervention to pupils needing extra help; • well-planned opportunities for pupils to experiment with materials and skills at first hand.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

95. Teaching was less effective when the teacher did not take opportunities to intervene to show good practice or suggest improvements.

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

96. The co-ordinator has recently been appointed to the school and is new to the post. At the time of the inspection she has had little impact on the subject. The previous co-ordinator has developed the current planning, recording procedures and resources. Food technology is planned as part of the design technology curriculum but the limits of the accommodation restrict the spontaneous opportunities for cooking and preparation of food. The school is fully aware of this area for development and plans to construct a purpose-built area for food preparation.

p.36

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

97. Resources for the subject are satisfactory. The school has rightly identified the need to increase the number of construction resources. There is currently no direct monitoring of teaching and learning and systems of assessment have not yet been developed. There has been a sound start in using ICT to enhance the pupils’ understanding of the subject. From an early age they use software to design patterns and drawings and pupils in Year 2 have used computers to design postvans as part of their project work.

p.36

GEOGRAPHY

98. Owing to the school’s timetabling arrangements, it was possible to observe only one lesson in geography. Further evidence, drawn from analysis of pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils in Years 1 and 2, indicates that pupils’ skills and knowledge are broadly average, as they were at the time of the last inspection. Pupils, including those with special needs, make satisfactory progress and all pupils are included in the planned activities.

p.36

GEOGRAPHY

99. Pupils in both Years 1 and 2 use a satisfactory range of geographical vocabulary. In Year 1 they are learning about maps and developing mapping skills by producing a pictorial route of a journey made by a fairy-tale character. Year 2 pupils described a walk they had taken and could respond accurately to questions about the features of their local environment, such as the brook and the motorway. Written work shows they could observe and record their work – when, for instance, they had kept a daily record of the weather for two weeks. They express their views on the environment and comment in their writing on the pleasant and unpleasant features seen on their walk. Manor Infant School - 37 100. Opportunities for cross-curricular links are planned well. The subject effectively contributes to pupils’ numeracy skills, for example in the mathematical recording in graphs, of information analysed during the weather study. It also promotes and makes good use of ICT skills by the use

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GEOGRAPHY

of data handling in the weather study. Literacy skills are applied and practised – for

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GEOGRAPHY

example, by the written accounts undertaken during topics. Cultural and social education is also promoted soundly, especially by the good use of fieldwork in which environmental awareness is highlighted.

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GEOGRAPHY

101. Because only one lesson was seen, there was insufficient evidence during the inspection to make overall judgments about teaching or learning. The co-ordinator is newly in post and has not yet begun to monitor the subject.

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HISTORY

102. As at the time of the last inspection, the standards achieved by pupils are average. Pupils with special educational needs achieve well in relation to their previous attainment and are fully included in all activities. Pupils make good progress.

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HISTORY

103. In Year 1, during inspection week, pupils were learning about Louis Braille. They could talk about him and what he invented and describe a Braille book. They remember an earlier topic on transport, and can compare nineteenth-century modes of transport with modern ones. Year 2 pupils have been studying Florence Nightingale. They have a clear understanding of her role and how she improved conditions for soldiers. They recognise that conditions in the Victorian era were very different from those in modern times and are beginning to understand the many ways in which the past is recorded and represented, for example in pictures and letters.

p.37

HISTORY

104. Pupils enjoy history because of the teachers’ enthusiasm and good knowledge. This was endorsed by the views of parents at the pre-inspection meeting who commented on their children’s attitudes to the subject and how these are encouraged. For example, a Victorian Day was held in school, when adults and pupils were able to role-play life in Victorian times and this made an excellent contribution to their interest and learning. The fact that teachers and support staff dressed in the costume of the period for the lessons about Florence Nightingale interested the pupils and helped to sustain their attention.

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HISTORY

105. In both the lessons observed during the inspection, teaching was good and maintained the standard of the previous inspection. Significant factors were:

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HISTORY

• good behaviour management; • high expectations; • a stimulating curriculum, well matched to all pupils’ interest and ability levels; • very good use of practical resources; • awareness of the special needs of some pupils and the unobtrusive but effective help given to them during lessons, particularly with writing; • clear lesson objectives, conveyed effectively to the pupils in a way which excited their interest; • good use of questioning to consolidate and assess pupils’ prior knowledge, an aspect criticised in the last inspection which is now very good.

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HISTORY

106. The subject makes a very good contribution to the pupils’ literacy skills. One English lesson observed was based on Florence Nightingale’s life, and, in another, pupils had written letters as if from soldiers in Scutari hospital. Mathematical understanding is developed in Year 1 by sequencing modes of transport in chronological order. History makes a valuable contribution to pupils’ cultural awareness and some activities support pupils’ moral and spiritual development, as, for example, when they empathised with soldiers and nurses in the Crimean War. Manor Infant School - 38 107. Resources and artefacts have improved since the last inspection; they are now good, and are used very effectively to raise standards. To extend the curriculum, good use is made of visitors to share their expertise and of visits outside the school, for example to see the old buildings at Rotherwick.

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HISTORY

108. There is a clear policy and programme of work. The enthusiastic co-ordinator, recently in post, has devised an effective action plan with clear priorities. No formal monitoring yet takes place but this is planned for the summer term.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

109. By Year 2, pupils’ standards are average but are not as strong as they were at the time of the last inspection when they were judged to exceed national expectations. The school is in the process of setting up a computer room to ensure that it keeps pace with the rapid developments in this subject. Until this is complete, the school’s computer resources are not as extensive or as up-to- date as those seen in many schools. The school has a range of different machines and some are out-of-date and unreliable. However, teachers and support staff work together effectively to develop pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills to a satisfactory level.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

110. Pupils’ achievements are satisfactory in both Year 1 and Year 2, including those with special educational needs. They organise their work and present it in a variety of formats. Year 2 pupils were seen typing factual accounts of the work of Florence Nightingale as part of their history project. While their keyboard recognition is rather slow, they know how to edit and punctuate their work. Pupils in both year groups design and illustrate work, such as their own ideas for a Christmas card or for a car. They have created simple databases in their work on animals and weather. The older pupils displayed their weather findings in a variety of forms, including bar charts, pie charts and line graphs. Pupils make good use of a range of suitable Internet sites, finding out about famous artists such as Constable and Van Gogh and using a ‘virtual museum’ to explore a Victorian shop.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

111. Teaching and learning are satisfactory. Most teachers ensure that pupils have regular access to computers in the classroom in work that is linked well to topics under study. A good example was seen in Year 1 of pupils designing a book cover in a literacy lesson. The current deployment of the computers means that teachers need to be well organised in using a combination of the small number of machines in each classroom and the additional ones that are housed in a central area of the school. Effective use is made of skilled learning support assistants in the afternoons; these staff take pupils in small groups in turn to work outside the classroom on basic skills. Pupils are interested in the activities and maintain concentration well. Almost all have sufficient mouse skills and knowledge of basic routines to enable them to work without direct adult supervision for much of the time. Pupils’ work is based well on a detailed programme of work that

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

ensures coverage of the National Curriculum.

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

112. The school does not have a permanent co-ordinator at present. The headteacher and a new member of the teaching staff are ensuring that the subject continues to be managed soundly. They have inherited good guidance documents from the previous co-ordinator. Good quality assessment documents enable staff to check pupils’ individual short-term and longer-term progress. Effective use has been made of advisory support from the local authority and of staff training under the national scheme from the New Opportunities Fund. An appropriate action plan is in place and the school has benefited from the interest and advice of one of its governors. Plans for the new central computer area are good. It will enable the school to combine the strengths of its current provision with the benefits of a considerable number of up-to-date machines that will enable larger numbers of pupils to be taught together.

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MUSIC

113. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection when they were in line with the national average and pupils, including those with special educational needs, make satisfactory progress. Manor Infant School - 39 The school uses a programme of work developed by the previous music co-ordinator and this provides opportunities for consistency and progression in all areas of learning.

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MUSIC

114. Two lessons were observed during the inspection and there is evidence of a satisfactory standard in singing. In one lesson the pupils could repeat four phrases, creating a rhythm and responding to a signal from the teacher when increasing and decreasing the volume. In both lessons, pupils maintained the tune well and had a satisfactory sense of timing. They are beginning to gain in confidence in their performances and show an enjoyment of singing. Manor Infant School - 40 115. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. In a Year 1 lesson, the teacher encouraged pupils to adopt the correct posture for singing and demonstrated unaccompanied singing effectively. Pupils were able to echo the lines of the song accurately. In a Year 2 class the teacher was effective in varying the tempo of the accompaniment composed by pupils on a variety of instruments. In a good example of teaching observed during the inspection, the teacher had

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MUSIC

confident musical knowledge, demonstrating good practice for pupils. She encouraged the quality of performance skills and built on previous learning effectively. When teaching was not so effective, the teacher missed opportunities to improve performance skills through difference in tempo, pitch and dynamics.

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MUSIC

116. The quality of singing in the assembly seen was satisfactory and demonstrated enjoyment. However, pupils do not have the opportunity to sing in assembly as often as is seen in many schools, so the keyboard skills of two members of staff are not used to maximum effect in accompanying the pupils. Opportunities are missed to share the qualities of the recorded music played in assembly to increase pupils’ knowledge of the composer and style.

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MUSIC

117. The co-ordination of the subject is shared and both teachers are new to the role. They have already supported their colleagues effectively, particularly those teachers who have limited musical skills. They monitor the quality of teachers’ planning. Music is linked effectively with other subjects throughout the school as appropriate. At the time of the inspection, there was no evidence of the direct monitoring of teaching and learning in the subject or of assessment procedures being used systematically. However, these areas have been identified for development. The school does not currently have a choir; there has been one in the past and the current building work has placed constraints on the use of the hall for such opportunities. There is a satisfactory range of music resources in the school but the range of instruments from other cultures and traditions is limited.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

118. Standards in physical education are at the level expected for pupils by Year 2. Standards might have been higher but pupils have been unable to practise their skills for a term because of building works in the school which have meant the hall has not been used for physical education. Standards have declined since the last inspection when they were judged to be good. Pupils with special needs make good progress, often with skilled support from learning assistants.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

119. In a well-planned Year 2 games lesson, pupils showed they are able to throw and catch different kinds of balls with some accuracy and to work with a partner sensibly. They apply these skills to small team games. In a dance lesson in Year 1, pupils responded with sound co-ordination and control. They matched the speed and style of their movements effectively to the pulse of the music. They interpreted music imaginatively, capturing the movements of the characters in 'The Elves and the Shoemaker' well in their actions. They showed a good awareness of space around them. In gymnastics, Year 1 pupils were able to explore the large apparatus in the hall, balance confidently and jump off it safely.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

120. Teaching is good. Teachers are confident because the lesson plans are clear and they know exactly what to do. Teachers and pupils approach lessons in the right way; most teachers dress suitably; activities begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down session. Lessons are well controlled, so pupils use space and apparatus safely. Teachers take opportunities to encourage pupils to refine their performances and use pupils to demonstrate to each other what is done well. The quality of teaching has been maintained since the last inspection.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

121. Although the co-ordinator has no time to work alongside colleagues in lessons, she manages the subject well. Planning is good and ensures that skills build up as pupils move through the school. There is a straightforward system of assessing pupils' progress. Resources of small apparatus for physical education have improved since the last inspection and the school is aware that large apparatus still needs to be replaced. Manor Infant School - 41 Manor Infant School - 42

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

122. Pupils' standards in religious education by Year 2 exceed the expectations of the locally agreed syllabus and are above those seen in most infant schools. High standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

123. Pupils in Year 2 learn about special occasions, special places and relationships. They have a good ability to express their thoughts, for example about God. One wrote 'God is a loving person because he loves everyone the same'. They write to a good standard when recalling some of the differences between St. Matthew and St. Luke's version of the Nativity. Pupils can relate the Ten Commandments to their own rules in the classroom and explain simply why rules are necessary. Workbooks show pupils forming their own views. Pupils, including those with special educational needs achieve well as they move through the school. The youngest pupils, for example, know why their birthday is celebrated and know that Jesus' birthday is celebrated at Christmas. Examples of pupils' work in Year 1 show that they learn about stories in both the New and the Old Testaments. They explore human values, for example, friendship, and appreciate in simple terms

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

that these are special qualities in their lives. Pupils know about some Christian and other religious traditions, such as the celebration of harvest and the significance of Sukkot to Jewish people.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

124. The quality of teaching is good. Work in pupils' books and teachers' planning confirm a well- organised approach to religious education based upon a good knowledge of the subject and of the locally agreed syllabus. Questions challenge pupils to think and put forward their own ideas, as happened in a Year 2 lesson when pupils examined a 'Seder' plate for the first time and came up with a range of interesting ideas as to its use. Pupils are sensitive to one another's suggestions. Artefacts are used well at the beginning of lessons to engage pupils' interest and pupils are encouraged to reflect quietly on their special qualities whilst examining them. Pupils engage in role play to deepen their understanding of characters of stories and special times.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

125. The co-ordinator manages the subject very well and has a strong interest and enthusiasm for religious education. She has drawn up a whole school plan for religious education carefully from the agreed syllabus so that there is the general pattern for each year group. Resources are very good and continue to be supplemented. These include a wide range of religious artefacts, books, posters and videos. There are good assessment procedures in place. These show pupils' progress in the topics studied at one of three levels of achievement for each pupil, together with the local authority’s agreed levels of attainment. Thus there is a coherent structure for the subject that enables pupils to build their understanding year by year effectively. As in the last inspection, the quality of religious education remains a strength of the school.

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THE SPECIALIST RESOURCE PROVISION FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT

126. The inspection looked at the quality of provision for pupils with hearing impairment and the standards they achieve. The specialist provision is based on the site of the neighbouring junior school and four pupils from the infant school attend on a daily basis. They spend the rest of their time in mainstream classes. They receive specialist teaching in pairs or small groups with occasional classroom support from a trained assistant when necessary.

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THE SPECIALIST RESOURCE PROVISION FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT

127. The provision caters very effectively for this group of pupils and enables them to make very good progress. During the inspection, for example, two trainee teachers of the deaf used a range of techniques to stimulate and develop pupils’ skills in speaking and listening, linked closely to current topics in the classrooms. Staff demonstrate positive relationships with the pupils; lesson planning is comprehensive and linked very closely to individual needs. Staff are experienced in using every opportunity to encourage speech, correct pronunciation and knowledge of vocabulary. In one lesson observed during the inspection it was evident that a child was developing her confidence to initiate conversations. She involved all adults and another child in her role play Manor Infant School - 43 based on the story of ‘The Three Bears’. In a lesson with older pupils in Year 2, the teacher used a practical task effectively to stimulate speaking and listening skills.

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THE SPECIALIST RESOURCE PROVISION FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT

128. The aims of the provision are to achieve good clear speech and language using a natural aural approach, preparing the pupils for their role in society. Standards, overall, are good relative to pupils’ previous attainment. They achieve well in relation to their special needs. Support from staff both in the base in the junior school and in the infant classrooms is very good. Staff continuously assess pupils and use the information to set the next small step or target for learning.

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THE SPECIALIST RESOURCE PROVISION FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT

129. The links provided by the home-school notebook are mostly effective and discussions with a parent illustrated the high quality of provision. Displays are used effectively to support pupils’ learning and resources are of a high quality.

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THE SPECIALIST RESOURCE PROVISION FOR HEARING IMPAIRMENT

(A fuller inspection of the overall work of this specialist resource provision was part of Manor Junior School’s inspection and is included in that school’s most recent inspection report).

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