Westwood Infant and Nursery School

WESTWOOD 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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WESTWOOD 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. Westwood Infant School – Page 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Palmerston Street Westwood Jacksdale Nottinghamshire Postcode: NG16 5JA

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mrs S Houseman

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 2 February 1998 Westwood Infant School – Page 4

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Team members

21552 P B McAlpine Registered inspector 9595 D Haynes Lay inspector

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Team members

PBM Inspection Services Limited PO Box 524 Cheadle Staffordshire ST10 4RN

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Team members

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

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Team members

The Complaints Manager Inspection Quality Division

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Team members

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Westwood Infant School – Page 5

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

The school is smaller than most other infant schools. It is very popular with parents. Even so, numbers have declined since 1998 because of population changes within the locality. Currently, there are 56 full- time pupils, with a further 28 part-time pupils attending a nursery class. Almost all of the pupils are from white United Kingdom families; a very small number are from mixed ethnic family backgrounds. There are no Travellers or refugees. No pupil speaks English as an additional language. The pupils are organised into three classes including a Foundation Stage class containing both Reception Year and nursery age pupils. The social and economic backgrounds of the pupils are similar to the typical school nationally. The proportion of pupils eligible for a free school meal, 12 per cent, is below the national average and has fallen since the previous inspection. The proportion of pupils with special educational

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

needs, nine per cent, is well below average; no pupil has a statement of special educational needs. Pupils with special educational needs mainly have difficulty with communication, literacy, and numeracy. The substantial majority of children enter the nursery with typical or better attainment for their age. They make good progress and one year later, by the beginning of full-time education in the Reception Year, baseline assessments show that the overall standard has risen to above average. The proportion of pupils joining or leaving the school at other than the usual time of admission to the Reception Year or transfer to the juniors varies annually and is relatively high in some years. The school is managed by an acting headteacher. The headteacher retired shortly before the inspection after a long period of illness.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a good school. Standards are high. Almost all children enter with typical attainment for their age, enjoy learning, make good progress and attain or exceed the expected national levels by the age of seven. Educational value added overall is well above average. Pupils behave very well and learn to care for and to respect each other. The teaching is better than typically found and the procedures that have been established by senior management to promote the quality of education are effective. The cost of educating each pupil is much higher than the average; nevertheless, the very good academic and personal standards achieved by the pupils represent good educational value for money.

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What the school does well

• The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current standards among seven-year-olds are well above average. • The pupils have a strong enthusiasm for school and achieve a very good standard of behaviour. • The teaching is good. • Day-to-day management is very effective, with good delegation and teamwork. • The parents’ strongly support the school and think that it is doing very well.

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What could be improved

• The procedures for assessing pupils with special educational needs lack rigour. • Many key management policies are inadequately documented and this has the potential for a loss of continuity when teachers and managers change. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan.

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

The school was previously inspected in February 1998. Improvement since then has been good. In particular, standards in the core subjects have risen from average overall to well above average. All of the major national policy initiatives that arose during this period, including the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, Curriculum 2000 and the Foundation Stage curriculum have been implemented effectively. The overall quality of teaching has risen from satisfactory to good, in part a reflection of the effective implementation of the national strategies. There have been good improvements in the procedures for monitoring and evaluating the attainment and progress of pupils. Response to the key issues from the previous inspection has been satisfactory and the school development processes are now improved. Westwood Infant School – Page 7

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

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STANDARDS

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

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STANDARDS

Standards in reading, writing, and mathematics have improved each year since the previous inspection, rising to well above average in 2001 when the results in mathematics were in the top five per cent of schools nationally. Standards rose sharply again in 2002, particularly in reading and writing, so that the results in all subjects tested were in the top five per cent of schools, this is excellent. The results were extremely high when compared to similar schools. Although some caution is necessary when interpreting annual results because the cohorts are very small, the overall improvement since 1998 is significant and reflects improvements in teaching. The pupils tested in 2002, as a group, were above average in their attainment on entry, though this is not the case in every year. Apart from one or two with special educational needs, all pupils make or exceed the expected progress over time and achievement

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STANDARDS

by the age of seven, in relation to attainment on entry, is very good.

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STANDARDS

The standard of current work among the seven-year-olds is well above average in reading, writing, and mathematics. Their work is very consistent in standard with the work of previous pupils and many of them are on course to exceed the expected national level by the end of the academic year. Four of the current seven-year-olds have special educational needs, finding aspects of communication, literacy, and numeracy difficult. This is a very large proportion given the small size of the cohort. They are taught in a caring environment and most of those with special needs are on course to attain the expected national level by the end of the year. Because of the age of the pupils, the school is not required to set annual targets but does so anyway. The targets for 2002 were exceeded.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Very good. Children like school, are interested in lessons, and behave confidently. Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Very good. Behaviour in lessons and at playtime is good. Midday is an orderly affair. No bullying was seen and none was reported. Personal development and relationships Good. Children are fully involved in the daily routines. They show responsibility in managing aspects of their work, settle quickly, and are polite. Relationships are very good. Attendance Average.

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Aspect Comment

Pupils arrive early and engage in planned activities as soon as they arrive. Pupils are eager to talk about their work. No child or parent raised a concern about bullying or playtime behaviour. Pupils are confident with their teachers and get on well with other children.

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Teaching of pupils in: Nursery and 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: Nursery and Reception Years 1 – 2

The quality of teaching is better than typically found and has improved since the previous inspection. All of the teachers are well prepared, plan their work effectively, and have good knowledge of both the subjects they teach and the individual needs of their pupils. English and mathematics are well taught, reflecting the consistent use made of both the recommended methods and Frameworks for learning from the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. There is a strong emphasis on phonics and basic number skills. All pupils are well supported by the teaching and are learning at an appropriate pace. The vast majority of pupils with average and higher attainment learn quickly at the pace that is often faster than that expected nationally, with many pupils, particularly those with relatively low attainment on entry, thriving from the individual attention they receive in the small teaching groups.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum Good. The curriculum is well planned and taught. Statutory requirements are fully met. Learning experiences interest the pupils and are often very motivational. The range and quality of extra-curricular provision is excellent for a school of this size and type. Provision for pupils with special educational needs Satisfactory but with aspects for improvement. Each pupil with special educational needs receives close individual attention and care. This helps greatly with their confidence and self-esteem. The assessment procedures, however, are insufficiently analytical or rigorous. Record keeping is inadequate. Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. A full range of opportunities are provided for pupils to learn about the spiritual and moral aspects of life, to learn to live with others, and to gain insight into their own and other cultures.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Typical of the majority of schools overall. There is a good, child-centred, culture of family care, not always backed up by accurate, up-to-date written procedures and records.

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Aspect Comment

The pupils have visited a mosque and local churches as part of their religious education studies and this is helping their cultural development. A wide range of educational visits is undertaken, including a residential camp that involves all age groups. The systems for tracking individual progress are manageable and effective. Parents think very highly of the school, reflecting the hard work of teachers to establish effective links with parents.

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Very good overall, albeit with shortcomings in special educational needs and written policies. Teamwork is well developed. The corporate spirit is strong, helping to sustain the life and work of school through a period of changing leadership. The capacity for further improvement is good. How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. They are actively involved in the life and work of the school and contribute effectively to its development.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation Good. Test results and the pupils’ progress are analysed. Teaching is Westwood Infant School – Page 9 of its performance observed regularly and samples of work scrutinised. The strategic use of resources Satisfactory. The school lives within its means and plans effectively to fund improvements. Best value principles are applied satisfactorily.

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Aspect Comment

Staffing is generous, enabling small classes to be sustained and individual pupils supported. The accommodation is satisfactory except for the provision for physical education. There is no school hall and a nearby church hall has to be rented. The church hall, however, has shortcomings in that the ceiling is low, it is not equipped for apparatus work, and the storage of tables and chairs in the workspace presents a significant health and safety hazard for pupils during lessons. Learning resources for literacy and numeracy are sufficient in quantity, quality, and range, except for reading resources for the higher attaining Year 2 pupils, which lack challenge.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like the school and are eager to attend. • Standards are high. • Behaviour is good. • Parents are listened to. • The books available for the older and higher attaining pupils to read lack challenge.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The inspectors agree with all of the parents’ positive comments. The inspectors agree with parents that the reading resources for the more advanced pupils are not challenging enough but could not find any impact of this shortcoming on current standards. Test results from 1999, 2000 and 2001 show that the proportion of pupils exceeding the expected level in reading lagged behind that in mathematics. This was not the case in 2002 nor is it evident in the current Year 2. Teachers are making effective use of guided reading methods, which help increase comprehension skills. The strong support parents provide in listening to children read at home also contributes to the improved standards and help mask the impact of undemanding books in school. Inspectors recommend, as a minor issue for improvement, that senior management and governors implement a manageable spending-plan to improve the book resources and

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

increase the challenge for the more able pupils. Westwood Infant School – Page 10

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

standards among seven-year-olds are well above average.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

1. In 2001 and 2002, every pupil attained or exceeded the expected level for their age; this is much better than most other schools. In 2002, two-thirds of the pupils in reading and mathematics, and one-third in writing, exceed the expected level. Overall, the 2002 results are among the best in the country. The proportions of pupils attaining or exceeding the expected national level in reading, writing, and mathematics have increased each year since the previous inspection, reaching 100 per cent in 2001. The proportions exceeding expectations have also increased annually since the previous inspection, having more than doubled in reading and writing. The improvements are statistically significant and reflect improvements in the teaching.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

2. The results in all subjects tested were better than similar schools in 2001 and much better in 2002. In 2002, the results are in the top 5 per cent of similar schools in all subjects. The teachers are carefully targeting pupils and providing extra and individual support, making good use of the small teaching groups. The typical pupil in 2002 is more than a year ahead of national expectations in reading, writing, and mathematics, showing the very good educational value added by the school.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

3. Girls did slightly better in reading and writing in 2001 and in 2002, though the gap is negligible between them and the boys in reading. Contrary to the national picture, boys are doing much better in mathematics and the difference is more significant than occurs nationally. The relative differences have been a feature of the results for at least three years. The pupils’ work shows that the boys and the girls are equally well supported and achieve their potential.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

4. The standard of current work in reading, writing, and mathematics is consistent with the test results attained by pupils in 2001 and 2002. All but a very small number of pupils with significant special educational needs are on course to attain or exceed the expected national level in all of the core subjects by the end of the year. Nearly all of the pupils in Year 2 are well launched into reading. They read familiar texts confidently and are beginning to tackle unfamiliar words by identifying initial and final sounds and by blending sounds together. In writing they can compose short stories; spell straightforward words phonically; and use full stops, capitals, and a joined handwriting style. Nearly all of the pupils in Year 2 are confident when manipulating numbers mentally. They can recall and use quickly the number facts to 10, are beginning to count multiples of 2, 5 and 10. They are developing an awareness of tens and units. The higher attaining pupils can

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

already handle larger numbers, for example, 50+50=100, and write money using decimal notation. Current skills in reading, writing and mathematics are more typical of those found at the end rather than the beginning of the school year, showing that current pupils, like their predecessors, are about a year ahead of national expectations.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

5. Almost all pupils enter the nursery with typical attainment for their age, with about a third having higher than expected attainment. Overall, the proportion with typical or higher attainment on entry is above average. Very few pupils have very low attainment. The proportion entering the Reception Year with typical or better attainment is also larger than the average school. This means that above average standards at the age of seven should be achieved in most years.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

6. Records for pupils now in Year 1 show that all but one made the expected or greater progress in literacy and mathematics during their time in the nursery and the Reception Year. Overall, progress in the Foundation Stage is good.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

7. Baselines for 1999, the year of entry for those seven-year-olds tested in 2002, show that all of the pupils had typical or higher attainment at the age of four, when they entered the Reception Year. All of them went on to attain at least the average level in the 2002 tests in reading, writing, and Westwood Infant School – Page 11 mathematics. In reading, 81 per cent were above average in their test scores, with 69 per cent attaining the next national level; the attainment of these latter pupils is well above average and two years ahead of expectations. In writing, 75 per cent had above average scores and 31 per cent attained the next level. In mathematics, the proportions were 88 per cent and 63 per cent respectively. This excellent picture indicates a level of achievement when compared to attainment at the age of four that is far greater than is typically found.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

8. The well above average educational value added found in the 2002 results is also found in other year groups, showing that the current level of teacher and curricular effectiveness have been sustained over several years. Although there is some movement of pupils away from the school because of movement out of the district and because others join the school after the age of four, this mobility is not affecting results. Records show that all of those who joined after the age of four did equally well compared to those who joined before the age of four, indicating balanced and effective support for pupils.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

The pupils have a strong enthusiasm for school and achieve a very good standard of behaviour.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

9. The pupils are very keen to come to school, reflecting the dedication of the teachers. They are very eager to talk about their work and about playtime, demonstrating pride and confidence in their achievements and that they have no concerns about the behaviour of other pupils. Children arrive early and the school makes good provision for this through a breakfast club. In addition, teachers are in their classrooms long before the start of lessons, setting out various activities so that the pupils can come inside and immediately engage with challenging tasks. Pupils are able to make choices during this arrival period, which helps them develop initiative and get the day off to a constructive, thoughtful, fulfilling start.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

10. A broad range of extra-curricular activities is provided, including an after-school club. Within the past year, pupils have visited an environmental centre, an orienteering centre, a theatre, and participated in a two-night camp. The latter involved Foundation Stage pupils, Years 1 and 2, and the pupils’ parents. After-school clubs include music, art, and computers. Through these means, the links between home and school are successfully cemented.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

11. Lessons, and the curriculum in general, are interesting and taught well. The good teaching holds the attention of the pupils and creates a strong feeling of success and progress. Individual attention and sensitive handling by teachers of pupils’ misconceptions make the children responsive and willing to risk making mistakes. This helps the children to learn from mistakes, and not be inhibited, and to grow in confidence and self-esteem.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

12. Behaviour is very good in lessons, at midday, and at playtime. Teachers are very clear about what they expect of children in terms of their behaviour. They frequently praise those who conform, explaining why the praise is given, and quickly check potential misbehaviour before it goes too far. In this way, good behaviour is regularly demonstrated to pupils and rewarded. Teachers, learning support assistants and midday supervisors know the children very well and have firm and friendly relationships with them, which leads to the pupils having a sense of belonging and knowing right from wrong.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

13. There have been no exclusions during the reporting period. No oppressive behaviour of any sort was seen. Teachers and the other adults are very quick to respond to loud and potentially oppressive behaviour before it frightens or intimidates others and consequently relationships between children are harmonious. Pupils play together well, have the expected social skills for their age, and can generally resolve amicably any minor day-to-day disputes. Neither parents nor pupils report any bullying and children know what to do if any arises. Westwood Infant School – Page 12 The teaching is good.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

14. The teaching is good. Of the lessons seen, one was very good, five good, and one satisfactory. Proportionally, the overall quality is considerably better than the national picture and a good improvement on the previous inspection. Although some caution is necessary when interpreting the percentages because the sample is small, other indicators such as the quality of previous and present pupils’ work, marking, and particularly the attitudes and behaviour of the pupils are consistent with the sample and fully support the overall judgement.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

15. The skills of literacy and numeracy are well taught. The National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies have been effectively implemented and this is one of the main reasons why the teaching has improved since the previous inspection. The teaching is responsive to the needs of individual pupils, partly reflecting the small size of classes and the relatively generous provision of classroom support staff. Proper account is taken of age, gender, ethnicity, and capability. The teachers know the pupils well and are developing good quality pupil tracking systems in the core subjects. Pupils with potential for high attainment are supported and all of them achieve well. The same is true of pupils with low attainment, who are helped to master basic skills of literacy and numeracy and to attain the expected national level by the age of seven. In all lessons, the pace of learning for almost all pupils is consistent with, or better than, national expectations and this is enabling all but a small

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

minority with significant special educational needs to make the progress that they should. Pupils with significant special educational needs are closely supported and helped to participate in all activities.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

16. Lessons are well planned and prepared, the teachers are knowledgeable of the subjects they teach and use effective methods. In a very good mathematics lesson in Year 1, the purpose was made very clear at the beginning; this gave the pupils confidence and helped them understand where different elements of the lesson were leading. The mental warm up was brisk, incorporated work at different levels of difficulty and included everyone. The questioning helped the pupils to understand that numbers such as 23 are made of tens and units. Asking pupils to count backwards as well as forwards, count in tens and to find numbers that were missing from various sequences progressively raised the challenge. The main part of the lesson was made fun and intellectually stimulating. The teacher constantly offered the questions, answers, and the misconceptions of individuals to the class as a whole to check and resolve, calling the pupils her ‘problem solvers’ and

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

getting them to explain their answers and so help others. This method was very effective and handled sensitively, so that all pupils were willing to contribute as part of a team and none were inhibited by the prospect of wrong answers. Throughout the lesson, resources were used effectively to cement understanding and to make new ideas comprehensible.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

17. In a good lesson in the Foundation Stage, four-year-old pupils increased their vocabulary and their knowledge of phonics because the direct teaching was well organised and started from what the children already knew. The teaching was based around the theme of estate agents. Illustrations were cleverly used to stimulate discussion and introduce a few well-chosen new words. Initial sounds of words were explored, leading to writing words and letter formation. Pupils at all levels were included, with good challenge for the higher attaining pupils, for example, by asking them to spell specific words.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

18. In a good mathematics lesson in Year 2, after an efficient start and clear, well-organised main teaching session, the pupils divided into three groups and engaged in practical activities. These activities were very well selected and matched to learning needs. The high attaining pupils were given the task of counting mixed coinage and recording the amounts in decimal form, which was relatively advanced for the age of the pupils. Other groups also worked with coins and with addition. Small teaching groups and close support from the class teacher and the learning support assistant enabled a good momentum to learning to be maintained and individual attention provided where this was necessary.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

19. In all lessons seen, the teachers asked relevant questions, following these with further questions, so that the pupils were required to think logically and constructively and to extend their answers. All Westwood Infant School – Page 13 of the teachers gave clear explanations, made new knowledge and ideas comprehensible and used effective methods. Relationships between pupils and teachers are positive throughout the school and this enables pupils to learn in an atmosphere free from oppressive behaviour. All of the teachers are skilled managers of the pupils and insist on high standards of behaviour.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

Day-to-day management is very effective with good delegation and teamwork.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

20. The leadership and the management of the acting headteacher are very good overall. Other than the issues noted elsewhere for improving aspects of the provision for special educational needs and the writing of key policies, the management of the school has been very successful over recent years and remains so under the temporary charge of the acting headteacher. The school is an orderly community with a well-developed corporate spirit and a desire to put the children and their parents first. The capacity for improvement remains strong. The acting headteacher has the confidence of her staff and is leading the school very effectively through the current period of uncertainty.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

21. The educational direction to the school is clear. Methods and preferred practices are well established and consistent throughout the school. The curriculum, for example, is well documented, consistent teaching methods are used, and day-to-day organisational practices are common to all classes. This helps the pupils to feel confident and at home. The leadership is promoting high standards and effective teaching, goals that are fully shared by the staff. The teaching is regularly monitored. This, together with the small size of the staff and relatively open nature of much of the teaching spaces enables good practice to be developed and shared with considerable efficiency and informality. Test results and other assessments in core subjects are used to track the progress of pupils and to provide broad indicators of how well the school is doing. Samples of work are evaluated regularly by senior management, leading to moderated standards

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

and general agreement among the teachers about the quality of children’s work. Overall, good procedures are in place to monitor the performance of the school and identify aspects for improvement.

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The most recent test results are excellent in reading, writing, and mathematics and current

22. Governors have established an appropriate range of committees and have clear lines of delegation. Minutes show that they are appropriately involved in the life and work of the school. Governors are involved in training and see this as important to their development. They have a good understanding of the school and the challenges it faces and are fully involved in its strategic development.

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The parents’ strongly support the school and think that it is doing very well

23. Parents hold the school in very high regard. The responses to the parents’ questionnaire are extremely positive and show extensive support. Of the 12 questions asked, nine had 100 per cent positive response and, with the remaining three questions, no parent expressed a strongly negative response. All of the parents spoken to during the inspection praised the school highly.

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The parents’ strongly support the school and think that it is doing very well

24. The school actively seeks to meet the needs of parents as well as pupils. This aspiration has led over the years to the creation of a nursery, to a breakfast club, and to an after-school club. Parents can accompany their children into school in the morning before the start of sessions, referred to by the teachers as “open time with children”. This enables parents to talk to the teachers and to watch and work with their children when engaged in pre-session activities. Home-time arrangements are similarly flexible. The parent-teacher association is very effective, with the committee having equal representation of teachers and parents. Fund raising is extensive and the parents have a major say in how the money raised is spent.

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The parents’ strongly support the school and think that it is doing very well

25. Parents think that the level of information provided by the school is good. They are consulted through questionnaires and can have their say in the formation of key policies. Annual pupil reports are clear and informative. There are regular opportunities for parents to talk to teachers about the progress of their children and the provision of such opportunities is greater than is usually found. Parents at the meeting said that they like the end-of-year reports on pupils’ attainment and progress and the targets for improvement. They think that communications about homework are Westwood Infant School – Page 14 informative. The school has an effective open-door policy. Suggestions and complaints are dealt with quickly. The school listens to parents and takes their concerns seriously.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

The procedures for assessing pupils with special educational needs lack rigour.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

26. Although pupils with special educational needs receive close individual attention, the particular difficulties that they face are not systematically or adequately explored through precise, small-step learning targets linked to clearly specified provision and monitored through the careful measurement of progress over short periods of time. Because of this lack of precision, the school cannot be certain that it has identified the most significant needs or is providing the most effective support. In practice, those pupils with relatively short-term needs in literacy and numeracy, which is the bulk of pupils with special needs, are appropriately helped and they catch up quickly. Those pupils whose needs are more complex, however, are not moving through the assessment process with sufficient alacrity or having their needs efficiently met. This has the potential to slow the process of providing this very small number of children with very significant difficulties the

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

protection of a statement of special educational needs, should this be necessary.

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WHAT COULD BE IMPROVED

27. Individual education plans vary in quality and precision and currently do not add up to a sufficiently clear, detailed picture of progress or what should be tackled next. The school does not have an adequate written policy for special educational needs. Staff turnover has led to a recent change in the management of this aspect, with the limited documentation leading to a lapse in continuity while new people find their bearings. The acting coordinators for special educational needs are introducing improvements to the individual education plans and endeavouring to act in the best interests of the pupils but more needs to be done. Records of meetings with parents lack detail. Although teachers and learning support assistants, and parents spoken to, have good recollections of meetings and can explain what is being done and why, this does not help when the child transfers to another school or moves to a different local authority; this should be remedied quickly.

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Many key management policies are inadequately documented, which has potential for loss of

continuity when teachers and managers change.

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Many key management policies are inadequately documented, which has potential for loss of

28. The teachers, learning assistants, and other adults have, in the main, a good collective understanding of basic day-to-day practices and procedures. A number of important long-term policies, however, are not recorded in detail or updated when changes occur. The policy for special educational needs and the behaviour policy are out of date and do not reflect practices that have been developed since they were written. Important policy areas connected with child protection, health and safety, and the monitoring of attendance and absence are all inadequately documented. This lack of formalised policy making means that governors cannot be kept as fully informed as they need to be. There is also a danger that important information is only partly communicated. In addition, when teachers or managers leave the school they take their knowledge and experience with them, which makes it difficult for newcomers to pick up the reins.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

29. The acting headteacher and her staff, with the support of the governing body, should:

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

q improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the provision for pupils with special educational needs by: • improving the quality of individual education plans so that they show relevant short-term targets, the nature and extent of the extra provision necessary to achieve those targets, the time allowed, the resources to be used and how success is to be measured; • measuring regularly the extent of progress towards the specified targets; • establishing a manageable decision-making process that has clear criteria for moving to the next stage of assessment and involves all relevant parties; • maintaining accurate, appropriate records; (Discussed in paragraphs 26 and 27)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

q over time, and in a manner that is manageable, document all of the main management policies of the school and introduce systems for reviewing, updating and improving their effectiveness regularly. (Discussed in paragraph 28)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

30. In addition, the following minor issue for improvement should be considered for inclusion in the governors’ action plan: q the implementation of a manageable spending-plan to improve the book resources and increase the challenge for the more able pupils in reading (discussed under the heading of Parents’ and Carers’ Views of the School on Page 9); q improve safety and the resources for apparatus work when using the rented church hall for indoor physical education lessons (Discussed under the heading of How Well the School is Led and Managed on Page 9). Westwood Infant School – Page 16

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 4

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

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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 14 percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR-Y2

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 14 56

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 0 7

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 0 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 0

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 0

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Attendance

National comparative data 5.6 National comparative data 0.5

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Attendance

Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Westwood Infant School – Page 17

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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 9 7 16

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

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

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

Boys 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

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

Boys 9 9 9 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 7 7 7

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

Percentage of pupils School 100 (100) 100 (100) 100 (100) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Westwood Infant School – Page 18

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British - Pakistani 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

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Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Westwood Infant School – Page 19

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 4 Financial year 2001-2002

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR-Y2 Total income 267643

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 2 Total expenditure 263406

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30 Expenditure per pupil (based on 64 pupils) 4116

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery Balance brought forward from previous year -1843

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1 Balance carried forward to next year 2394

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 14

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

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Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 30

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers who left the school during the last two years 1.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of teachers appointed to the school during the last two years 1.0

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

FTE means full-time equivalent. Westwood Infant School – Page 20

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 81 19 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 78 22 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 78 18 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 70 19 11 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 85 15 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 96 4 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 78 18 4 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 85 15 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 89 11 0 0 0

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Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 74 26 0 0 0

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