All Saints Bedworth C/E Primary School & Nursery

ALL SAINTS C of E INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 18 th to 20 th November 2002

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ALL SAINTS C of E INFANT SCHOOL

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

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ALL SAINTS C of E 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. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: The Priors Off Mitchell Road Bedworth Warwickshire

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The Governing Body

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Mr Richard Kelly

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 13 th October 1997 All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 4

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Team members

21277 Steve Hill Registered inspector 13746 David Russell Lay inspector 12301 Joan Boden Team inspector

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Team members

Evenlode Associates Ltd 6 Abbey Close Alcester Warwickshire B49 5QW

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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 All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 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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PART C: SCHOOL DATA AND INDICATORS 17

All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 6

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is a small, voluntary aided Church of England infant school, with an attached nursery unit, near the centre of Bedworth, a small town in north Warwickshire. It is part of the group of Nicholas Chamberlaine Foundation schools in the town. There are 83 full-time pupils in the main school aged from 4 to 7. In the Nursery, there are 42 pupils aged 3 and 4, of whom 8 attend full-time, while the rest attend either mornings or afternoons. Most pupils are of white, United Kingdom origin, and a few others (7) come from a range of other ethnic backgrounds. All but five pupils speak English as their main home language, and all pupils are comparatively fluent in English by the time they start school. Children’s attainment on entry, to both the Nursery and the main school, covers a wide range but overall is below average. The school has an above average number of pupils with special educational needs. These have a variety of needs, but most

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

have speech and language difficulties, moderate learning difficulties, or emotional and behavioural difficulties. The social circumstances of pupils vary considerably, but overall are less favourable than average. A broadly average number of pupils (20.5%) are entitled to free school meals.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is an effective, very caring school where pupils do well and enjoy school life. Parents and children are welcomed warmly into the school community by all staff. Pupils are secure and happy, and achieve well. Teaching and learning are consistently good, and are supported by very good leadership and effective management. The school gives good value for money.

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What the school does well

• Teaching is consistently good, so that pupils make good progress in their lessons and achieve well. • Children get a good start to their education in the Nursery. • Pupils behave well, form good relationships, and enjoy school. • The school is led very well, and staff work together as an effective team. • The school has very good relationships with parents. • There is an exciting curriculum that develops pupils’ understanding and enthusiasm well. • Standards in art and design are good by the end of the school.

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What could be improved

• The poor attendance of a minority of pupils means that they do not learn as well as they should. • The school needs to fully implement its plans to check up on teaching and learning in different classes. 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

Since the school was last inspected in 1997 the improvement has been good. Standards have risen in reading, writing and mathematics. The good teaching has been consolidated and is now consistently good throughout the school. The key issues have been addressed effectively. Standards in literacy and numeracy meet expectations, because pupils make good progress. Literacy and numeracy are taught every day. Reading records concentrate on pupils’ achievement. Portfolios of work have been established in English and mathematics. A scheme of work has been implemented effectively in design and technology. Suitable schemes of work have been established in all other subjects. Targets in individual education plans for pupils with special educational needs are detailed and directly relate to each pupil’s specific needs. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 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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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

2000 2001 2002 2002 reading C C C A well above average above average A B writing D B D C average below average C D mathematics C C D C well below average E

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

Results in national assessments for seven-year olds have varied from year to year, but have gone up a lot since the last inspection, and recently have been broadly in line with standards nationally. In 2002 results dipped slightly, because this group had large numbers of pupils with special educational needs, and a significant minority had a poor attendance record. In comparison with similar schools, (those with similar numbers of pupils entitled to free school meals) results were nonetheless average, and were well above average in reading. The inspection evidence confirms that standards by the end of the school are generally in line with national expectations in all subjects, except in art and design, where they are higher.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

Pupils start at the school with standards that are below average. They make good progress in the Nursery and Reception classes, but a significant number of them are still unlikely to meet the expected standards (the early learning goals) by the end of Reception, except in their physical development.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

The school sets challenging targets for success in assessments, and works effectively to ensure pupils meet the required standards.

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Performance in: all schools similar schools Key

Pupils achieve well in the light of their low attainment overall on entry to school. They consistently achieve well in lessons, although the poor attendance record of a minority mars the overall achievement of each year group. Almost all pupils achieve similarly well, including boys and girls of all abilities, bilingual pupils and those from different ethnic groups. The exception is those pupils who have poor attendance records, who do not do as well as they should. Pupils with special educational needs do well in relation to their individual targets and their initial starting points.

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Aspect Comment

Attitudes to the school Good. Pupils enjoy school, join in school life with enthusiasm, and generally try hard.

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Aspect Comment

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Good overall. Pupils often behave very well, although a minority are inclined to be a little silly at times. They have a good understanding of the school’s expectations, and show increasingly mature and sensible behaviour as they get older.

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Aspect Comment

Personal development and relationships Good. Pupils get on well with each other and with the adults in the school. They are very willing to give help and support to their classmates.

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Aspect Comment

Attendance Poor; well below the national average. A significant minority have particularly low attendance, which slows their progress and lowers overall standards. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 8

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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

Teaching is consistently good. During the inspection it was at least good in all lessons observed, and was very good in a quarter of these. The skills of literacy and numeracy are taught well in all classes. A particular strength is teachers’ good understanding of pupils’ individual needs. This ensures that the work provides pupils with the right degree of challenge, so they all make good progress in lessons. Marking of pupils’ work is of very good quality. Provision for pupils’ with special educational needs is particularly well organised, so they make great strides considering their difficulties.

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

Pupils’ learning is good in lessons as a result of the good teaching. They are enthusiastic about lessons, work hard and try their best. They take a pride in what they do. When appropriate, they show initiative and can work independently if required. They improve their skills of working collaboratively as they get older. A weakness of pupils’ learning is the lack of concentration skills of a significant minority, which sometimes means the teachers have to work harder to ensure that these pupils make progress.

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Aspect Comment

The quality and range of the curriculum This is a significant strength. All areas of the Foundation Stage and the National Curriculum are covered well by an interesting and exciting range of activities. Good links are made between different subjects, which help pupils to really understand what they are taught. Good use is made of computers and other information and communication technology (ICT) to support their learning in a wide range of subjects.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with special educational needs This is very well organised so that pupils make good progress. Classroom assistants have high levels of expertise, and provide very good support to these pupils, greatly helping their learning.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language No specific provision is made, as these pupils are generally fluent when they start school. They progress well and include some of the school’s highest attainers.

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Aspect Comment

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development Good. Social development is very good throughout the school. The strong provision for personal development greatly helps their progress and underpins their good overall achievement.

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Aspect Comment

How well the school cares for its pupils Pupils are looked after very well by all staff. Health and safety procedures, including those for child protection, are very good. Good assessment arrangements are in place and are being improved. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 9

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Aspect Comment

Leadership and management by the headteacher and other key staff Leadership is very good from the headteacher and deputy. All staff work effectively to support the work in their areas of responsibility. Good systems have been devised for developing and checking up on what happens in different classrooms. However, these are still being introduced and, in many subjects, co-ordinators have not yet had the chance to systematically observe the teaching of their subject in other classes, or to see what standards are like across the school.

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Aspect Comment

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities Good. They have a good grip on the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and provide good support to staff.

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Aspect Comment

The school’s evaluation of its performance Good. The results of national tests are monitored closely and the school works hard to achieve as well as it can. Staff are not complacent, however, and are always looking to see how improvements can be made for the benefit of their pupils.

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Aspect Comment

The strategic use of resources Good. The high spending on support staff and on computers is resulting in good progress for pupils. Principles of best value are applied well.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

• Children like school. • Behaviour is good. • Teaching is good. • The school helps children to be more mature and responsible. • They would feel comfortable about approaching the school with concerns. • The school works closely with parents. • Some parents feel the school does not provide an interesting range of activities outside lessons. • A few parents are unhappy about the amount of homework their children get.

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What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved

The parents’ views of the school are overwhelmingly positive, and inspection evidence strongly supports their positive opinions listed above. For an infant school, the range of activities outside lessons, including an interesting range of visits, is good. Homework is satisfactory, although parents need clearer and more specific information about what is provided in each class, and how they can contribute to their children’s learning. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 10

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well

1. The consistently good teaching is a major strength. During this inspection, all the teaching seen at least good, and a quarter was very good. This is an unusually high degree of consistency, and strongly supports the good progress that pupils make in lessons. As a result, pupils achieve well in every subject area, moving from an initial position of below-average attainment when they start, to one of being broadly in line with national expectations by the time they leave. In art they do better than this, because of the particularly well-planned curriculum and good teaching, and attain good standards.

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well

2. Teachers all have a similar positive approach to their pupils, from when they start in nursery, to when they leave for their junior schools. The very good relationships, between pupils and all the staff, are the bedrock of the good management of pupils in class. This ensures good standards of discipline because pupils like their teachers and are keen to please them. Even those pupils who have very limited concentration like to do their best, and are quickly brought back on task by the teachers when their attention wanders. This is often hard work! Generally, tasks are tackled with enthusiasm, for example, when children in Reception undertook a range of different activities in a numeracy session. Skilled interventions by the teacher and classroom assistant, asking relevant questions and praising children for their achievement, ensured that even those who had weak concentration skills maintained their interest and learned a lot in the lesson.

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well

3. Teachers are very good at assessing how well pupils are doing in any particular aspect of their work, and in giving them tasks that challenge them and take their learning forward well. For example, in a literacy lesson with Year 1, a group of good readers were encouraged to read with increased expression when sharing a story, and made good progress in their skills. Pupils who struggled more with reading played a game where they practised reading some common words “on sight.” The fun nature of this activity, and the positive encouragement they received, ensured that they concentrated well, and got better at recognising the words quickly.

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well

4. The quality of marking is high. Teachers write comments on pupils’ work which evaluate and praise their progress and give them clear pointers for improvement. These are discussed with the individual pupils, and are followed up in future work and marking. This gives pupils a clear idea of how they are doing, as well as providing a useful on-going record of individual progress, which teachers use effectively in their planning.

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well

5. The teachers make very good use of the skilled support staff to help with pupils’ learning. This is a particular strength in helping pupils who struggle with aspects of their work to keep up with their classmates. For example, in a very good numeracy lesson with Year 2, the well-targeted help from the classroom assistant helped the group who find mathematics difficult to make very good progress in their understanding of an array of objects, and the relationship of this to multiplication. Careful questioning, praise for success, and shrewd use of practical materials all helped the pupils to consolidate their learning. Throughout the school, teachers and other adults work as a very effective team.

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well

6. Teachers make good use of resources. For example, using real sweets in a counting task for children in Reception focused the attention of those with weak concentration. Teachers use computers and other ICT (information and communication technology) equipment well to support pupils’ learning throughout the curriculum. This is always done in a way that closely supports the main purposes of the lessons. For example, in the numeracy lesson with Year 2 mentioned above, several pupils did their work with arrays on the computer, learning the same mathematical All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 11 concepts as their classmates, but also improving their ICT skills. Lessons are supported by the use of interesting practical tasks, such as when Reception children played out the story of “Mr Big” with models in the sand tray. This helped bring the story to life for them, and good questioning from adults helped develop and extend their mathematical vocabulary.

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well

7. Above all, teachers succeed in helping pupils to learn effectively because they make learning interesting and fun. They are enthusiastic themselves, and this gains pupils’ enthusiasm, so they try hard and take a pride in what they achieve.

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Children get a good start to their education in the Nursery

8. Children settle happily into the nursery because the atmosphere is lively and exciting, with a very broad range of interesting and purposeful activities. They leave their parents and carers willingly because they are so eager to get on with “playing”. They have a “free choice” of what they will do, although staff keep a careful check on each child to make sure that they all experience each of the well-thought-out activities at some time. The nursery teacher and the support staff work as a very efficient team. They work very hard at planning and preparing exciting and relevant things for children to do and, through careful observation and questioning during activities, they check what children have learnt. This information is used well to plan the next stage of learning for individual children.

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Children get a good start to their education in the Nursery

9. The consistent and caring approach by all the adults makes the children feel secure. They understand the daily routines and learn quickly to play together and share equipment. The main strength of the teaching is that all the activities are fun. For example, playing mathematical games, or hunting for hidden teddies outside, helps them to count and match numbers. Outdoor play is not constrained by the bad weather. In fact, the staff build it into their planning. On a wet day during the inspection, for example, the children went outside to explore the rain. They had great fun splashing in puddles, listening to the patter of raindrops on their umbrellas and looking at the ripples in the pond. Throughout these sessions, the adults developed the children’s language well by asking relevant questions. In the course of their play the children learnt something about waterproof materials and how the rain makes the garden soggy. The work was linked effectively

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Children get a good start to their education in the Nursery

to a classroom activity when the children painted their rainy day pictures by spattering paint to represent the drops.

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Children get a good start to their education in the Nursery

10. All the areas of learning for young children are catered for well. Children learn a lot about the world around them, for example, through using construction toys on a particular theme, such as Noah’s ark. Playing with torches in the curtained-off area under the stairs gives them an understanding of light and dark and sources of electricity. The constant interaction with adults supports children’s learning well. They are confident and well prepared for full-time attendance in the Reception class.

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Pupils behave well, form good relationships, and enjoy school

11. Pupils behave well because they enjoy school and like and respect their teachers. They come in happily to lessons, join in all activities with enthusiasm, and try hard with their work. They get on well with each other and with the adults in the school, because of the good attention given to promoting good relationships by the staff. All staff are good role models and pupils successfully take their cue from the adults, showing politeness and consideration for others. Good use is made of every opportunity, particularly in personal, social and health education lessons, to discuss appropriate behaviour, and to foster good relationships.

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Pupils behave well, form good relationships, and enjoy school

12. During a lesson observed, pupils in Year 2 were very positive in saying how they could make “Ollie the Owl” feel less lonely in the class. They offered sensible suggestions, which drew thoughtfully on the high expectations and values that the school promotes. This enabled them to express empathy with someone who is unhappy, and suggest appropriate ways of helping, without All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 12 putting any actual children into an embarrassing situation. Pupils took this lesson very seriously, to the extent that the next day one of them brought in another owl, made at home, to be a “friend” for Ollie.

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Pupils behave well, form good relationships, and enjoy school

13. Many pupils show weak concentration at the start of the school, but this improves steadily as they get older. They are helped in this successfully by the careful attention and support given by all staff, and by the interesting things they are given to do. Their behaviour is good overall, both in class and in the playground, and many pupils behave very well. Although a few pupils are occasionally silly in their behaviour, this is always quickly dealt with by the teachers. Pupils understand what is expected of them and, even when they fall short of expectations, know what they should have done and how they can improve. They are kind and thoughtful towards each other, and show increasing maturity as they move up the school. Even the children who lack maturity, and are inclined to be silly or lose concentration at times, show care and consideration for each other.

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The school is led very well, and staff work together as an effective team

14. Leadership is very good from the headteacher and deputy, who provide a clear sense of direction in the school’s work. This has been particularly successful in promoting a common approach to teaching and learning, resulting in the good standards of behaviour and positive relationships, which underpin pupils’ good achievement. The headteacher is very well respected by staff, pupils and parents, and his leadership strongly supports the very good teamwork from all staff, a major factor in the school’s good provision. He has a very good understanding of the school’s strengths and weaknesses, and staff work enthusiastically with him to provide further improvements in what the pupils receive. The focus on standards and on pupils’ personal development is a common theme of work by the governors, the headteacher and all the staff.

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The school is led very well, and staff work together as an effective team

15. Governors give good support to the school and help the headteacher to provide clear strategic leadership. Their spending decisions, such as the high level of spending on support staff, are based on raising standards, and are well judged. For example, the support staff contribute significantly to pupils’ good achievement. The high contingency in last year’s overall figures was being saved for a new range of computers. These have now been bought, and the contingency at the end of this year will be small. These computers are being used well to support pupils’ learning throughout the curriculum, another example of good financial planning supporting improved standards.

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The school is led very well, and staff work together as an effective team

16. Under the leadership of the deputy head, a very effective system for the development of all subjects has recently been set up, and this is already starting to show a positive impact. Curriculum leaders provide a clear sense of direction. Those who are well established in their subjects, such as the literacy co-ordinator, have a very good understanding of the needs of the subject in the school, and of how they can bring about improvements.

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The school is led very well, and staff work together as an effective team

17. Even those who are new to leading a particular subject, such as the science co-ordinator, have established a clear view of provision from the analysis of assessments, and consideration of pupils’ work. The science co-ordinator is overseeing the introduction of a new scheme of work in response to a need, identified by the staff discussing issues as a team, for more attention to be paid to practical work. The success of this can be seen in pupils’ work in science, where pupils in Year 2 are already undertaking ambitious work on the fair testing of different kinds of paper.

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The school is led very well, and staff work together as an effective team

18. The school has clear plans for providing good support for the further development of the curriculum by providing release time for co-ordinators to check up on teaching and work on a systematic basis. Teachers have already had training in helping them observe their colleagues effectively. This shows a good understanding of what is needed to take the school’s work forward, and is backed up well by both financial planning and by the school improvement plan.

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The school has very good relationships with parents

All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 13 19. Parents have very positive views of the school. There are very good, long-standing relationships with parents. This is as a result of the school’s genuine openness and willingness to communicate with parents about the progress of their children, and its efforts to involve them in the life of the school and in their children’s learning.

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The school has very good relationships with parents

20. Newsletters and reports on children’s progress are of a good quality. The parents’ notice-board contains useful information if parents are in need of advice or to simply catch up with the school’s news. The open door policy, and the eagerness in which parental involvement is sought, are very strong features of the school. The prayer/quiet room is available each Friday morning for parents to participate in a time of quiet reflection.

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The school has very good relationships with parents

21. Parents feel welcome and valued at the school. The recently formed parent teacher association, Dovetail, is proactive in raising funds for the school. Teachers are greatly appreciative of contributions to enable them to provide the children with a greater range of high quality resources. Several parents help in the nursery, and this contributes to the high levels of adult support and children’s good progress.

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There is an exciting curriculum that develops pupils’ understanding and enthusiasm well

22. The rich curriculum provided in the Nursery is built on well in the Reception and infant classes. It has improved significantly in Key Stage 1 since the last inspection. There is a firm commitment to the development of literacy and numeracy, and the school has adapted the national strategies well to meet the particular needs of its pupils. Teachers recognise, for example, that many pupils find it difficult to concentrate for long periods, so they break lessons down into a good variety of useful learning activities. The commitment to literacy and numeracy does not mean that other subjects are neglected. The strength of the curriculum lies in the teachers’ imaginative linking of subjects to make them relevant and meaningful to the pupils. In geography, for example, the pupils learn about their immediate environment. This includes careful observation of buildings with the pupils refining their art skills by producing detailed drawings. Their literacy skills are developed appropriately as

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There is an exciting curriculum that develops pupils’ understanding and enthusiasm well

they learn to give and write directions to specific places, and use keys to give information. The teachers use ICT well to support learning in other subjects. For example, in literacy, it is used well to re-emphasise letter formation.

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There is an exciting curriculum that develops pupils’ understanding and enthusiasm well

23. The curriculum is enhanced and brought to life by a good range of educational visits. Children in the Reception classes visit a park as part of their work in design and technology. This enables them to see how a wide variety of playground equipment works. As a result, they produce an unusual variety of models using a wide range of materials. Older children visited the Warwickshire Business Partnership Technology Training Centre, where they were introduced to the wonders of electricity. Back in the classroom, they produced their own good-quality working models.

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There is an exciting curriculum that develops pupils’ understanding and enthusiasm well

24. The curriculum provides well for pupils’ personal development. They have many good opportunities to reflect on life. For example, in common with the local community, they commemorate Armistice Day. Their writing about the lives and deaths of soldiers in the First World War shows a good insight into the feelings of the soldiers and their families. Through the rich curriculum, the pupils make good progress academically and socially and they are prepared well for the next stage of their education. The school works hard to ensure that all pupils, regardless of gender, ethnic origin or ability, receive a curriculum that is interesting, exciting, and matched well to their needs. As a result, all pupils make good progress in lessons.

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Standards in art and design are good by the end of the school

25. Pupils have the chance to experience a wide range of materials in art, and attain high standards by the time they are in Year 2. Good examples of quality artwork were on display throughout the school during the inspection. Children in Reception make a good start in developing their All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 14 observational skills, as shown in their models of different items of playground equipment, following a visit to the park. In Year 1, a strength of provision is the opportunity for pupils to explore ideas using different media. For example, they have used paint, pencil and collage to produce three different versions of their self-portraits, experimenting with different effects. Their collages, in particular, are expressive, showing imaginative exploration of different textures and colours using a good variety of materials. Their firework pictures also used collage, and these were set against

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Standards in art and design are good by the end of the school

good quality firework pictures done on the computer, showing an impressive command of the graphics program’s different possibilities.

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Standards in art and design are good by the end of the school

26. Pupils in Year 2 have produced a similar range of good quality work. A particular feature of artwork in this class is the meaningful links made with other subjects. For example, the careful work in painting poppies was connected to their writing about Armistice Day and the Great War. Careful exploration of tone and pattern was shown in their work in black and white, using different media. Their pictures of houses for a display of numbers showed very careful colour matching, based on careful observation of real building materials.

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Standards in art and design are good by the end of the school

27. The high quality teaching, which leads to these good standards, was illustrated by a lesson with pupils in Year 2. They made very good progress in their understanding of Van Gogh’s work, as well as a range of other artists. After carefully studying Van Gogh’s Starry Night, they attempted their own patterns based on a night sky, and learned a new technique of blending and blurring thick paint. Many of their finished paintings showed originality, as well as a sense of movement, which mirrored that of the original. The teacher’s careful explanation of techniques, and her high expectations of what pupils could achieve, all contributed to the very good learning. Good use was made of the internet, so pupils could look at the very different pictures produced by a class of American pupils, based on the same Van Gogh painting. The ensuing discussion showed a good understanding of different effects, and how they were achieved. The teacher’s enthusiasm proved

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Standards in art and design are good by the end of the school

infectious, as they looked at other pictures on the theme of light, with one pupil exclaiming “That is wicked!” on seeing Dufy’s “Festival of Electricity”. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 15

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The poor attendance of a minority of pupils means that they do not learn as well as they should

28. The attendance rate at the school is poor, being well below the national average. Over the last three years, the attendance rates have been variable, but have always been below the national average. Last year there was a significant improvement, brought about by the school’s “chasing up” absentees by telephone early on the first morning of absence. Even so, the figures last year were still in the lowest ten per cent nationally.

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The poor attendance of a minority of pupils means that they do not learn as well as they should

29. These weak overall attendance figures hide an even more serious issue. Attendance overall is well below average despite the fact that some pupils have exemplary, very high attendance. Other pupils, whose attendance is extremely low, bring down the average. The low attendance of this latter group seriously slows their learning, resulting in lower standards. For example, of the pupils in Year 2 who took national curriculum tests in 2002, ten had an attendance rate of less than 90 per cent. This group of pupils performed significantly worse in the national assessments than their classmates, obtaining many of the lowest scores, and almost no high scores. This is despite the fact that, when they started in Reception, assessment at that time showed that the attainment of this group was broadly average.

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The poor attendance of a minority of pupils means that they do not learn as well as they should

30. The high levels of absence are for a variety of reasons, including considerable amounts of minor illness, and high levels of family holidays in term-time. The school needs to build on its current good monitoring procedures, to identify and minimise the impact of weak attendance on pupils’ achievements.

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classes

31. The school, led by the deputy headteacher, has recently introduced a very thorough and well- organised cycle of development for the different areas of the curriculum. This includes opportunities to work alongside colleagues, before more formally observing them teach. It also includes well-structured plans for the systematic observation of pupils’ work. The scheme has been designed effectively so that each curriculum area will get its “turn” for a particular phase of the cycle at different times, so that it is manageable. Staff have already had training in how to observe colleagues, and time has been built into the planning to “free up” co-ordinators to observe teaching in different classes.

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classes

32. The majority of co-ordinators, however, have not yet had a chance to observe teaching in other classes, although some have made a start on collecting samples of work. A number of staff have just taken up the responsibility for particular areas, and as yet they do not have a clear view of standards in other classes, or the strengths and weaknesses in their colleagues’ teaching. The implementation of the current proposals in the School Improvement Plan has the capability of addressing this well, so that co-ordinators will be able to identify strengths and weaknesses accurately, and target their help and advice more effectively. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 16

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

In order to build on the current good provision, and raise achievement further, the school should

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

1. Improve attendance, particularly for the group of pupils whose attendance is very low by:-

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

a. Introducing a range of systems to highlight the importance of attendance to pupils, including systems to commend, encourage or reward good attendance.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

b. Continuing to raise the profile of attendance with parents, and communicating with them regularly about this, making clear the importance of attendance to pupils’ attainment.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

c. Tracking the attainment of weaker attenders, chasing up any issues with parents, using the available support from the Local Authority, and putting extra help in place for those pupils who fall behind. (Paragraph Nos. 28. 29. 30)

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

2. Improve the opportunities for subject leaders to check up on standards and teaching in their subjects in classes throughout the school, by implementing the detailed arrangements for this in the school improvement plan. (Paragraph Nos. 31. 32) All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 17

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Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of lessons observed 16 Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 12

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Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor Number 0 4 12 0 0 0 0 Percentage 0 25 75 0 0 0 0 The table gives the number and percentage of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about teaching. Care should be taken when interpreting these percentages as each lesson represents more than six percentage points.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR – Y2 Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 25 83 Number of full-time pupils known to be eligible for free school meals 17 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y2 Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0 Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 15 19

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Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils Number of pupils with English as an additional language 5

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Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 6 Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 9

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Authorised absence Unauthorised absence

% % School data 6.9 School data 0 National comparative data 5.4 National comparative data 0.5 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 18

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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 21 16 37

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

Percentage of pupils School 84 (88) 84 (85) 89 (85)

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National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentage of pupils School 84 (88) 92 (85) 95 (81)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85) 89 (89) 89 (89)

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Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 19

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exclusions

White – any other White background 0 0 0

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exclusions

Mixed – any other mixed background 0 0 0

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exclusions

Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 0 0 0

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exclusions

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

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exclusions

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

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exclusions

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

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exclusions

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

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exclusions

The table refers to pupils of compulsory school age only. It gives the nu8mber of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 20

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 5.25 Financial year 2001-2002

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 15.81

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Education support staff: YR – Y2 Total income 365967

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total number of education support staff 4 Total expenditure 362778

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total aggregate hours worked per week 102 Expenditure per pupil 2949

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

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

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

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

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 25

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total number of education support staff 3

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Total aggregate hours worked per week 58.5

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Qualified teachers and classes: YR – Y2

Number of pupils per FTE adult 8.33 FTE means full-time equivalent.

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

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

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Recruitment of teachers

Total number of vacant teaching posts (FTE) 0.5

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Recruitment of teachers

Number of vacancies filled by teachers on temporary contract of a term or more (FTE) 0.5

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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) FTE means full-time equivalent. All Saints C of E Infant School, Bedworth - 21

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Percentage of responses in each category

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

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child is making good progress in school. 71 27 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

Behaviour in the school is good. 62 38 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 36 29 7 2 27

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Percentage of responses in each category

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 67 27 2 2 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 89 9 2 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 69 22 2 2 4

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school works closely with parents. 60 38 0 2 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is well led and managed. 73 24 0 0 2

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 69 31 0 0 0

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Percentage of responses in each category

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 44 29 7 7 13

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