Eastborough Junior Infant and Nursery School

NURSERY SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 24 - 27 February 2003

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NURSERY SCHOOL

Inspection number: 252006 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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NURSERY 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. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 3 - February 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Junior Infant and Nursery school

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Rockley Street Dewsbury Postcode: WF13 1NS

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Name of chair of governors: Catherine Mayfield

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 April 1998 Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 4 - February 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Team members Subject responsibilities Aspect responsibilities 21374 Heather Evans Registered inspector Mathematics Art and design Design and technology Religious education Foundation Stage English as an additional language What sort of school is it? School’s results and achievements How well are pupils taught? How well is the school led and managed? What should the school do to improve further?

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

9884 Maureen Roscoe Lay inspector Pupils’ attitudes, values and personal development How well does the school care for its pupils? How well does the school work in partnership with parents? 15474 John Fairclough Team inspector English Geography History Music Education inclusion Special education needs 32548 Jan Raczkowska Team inspector Science Information and communication technology Physical education How good are the curricular and other opportunities offered to pupils? Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 5 - February 2003 The inspection contractor was:

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Nord Anglia School Inspection Services Strathblane House Ashfield Road Cheadle Stockport SK8 1BB

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

The Registrar Inspection Quality Division

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM

Alexandra House 33 Kingsway London WC2B 6SE Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 6 - February 2003

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PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 7

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

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HOW HIGH ARE STANDARDS? 12

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

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AREAS OF THE CURRICULUM, SUBJECTS AND COURSES 36

Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 7 - February 2003

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

This is an average sized primary school near to the centre of Dewsbury. Most pupils live close to the school in a very densely populated area where there is higher than usual deprivation. There is high mobility and some families live in the neighbourhood for only a short time. At present there are 179 pupils on roll and 23 attend part-time in the Nursery class. The percentage of pupils learning English as an additional language is, at 81 per cent, much higher than in most schools nationally. Of these pupils more than two thirds are at an early stage of language acquisition. Although a number of community languages are spoken, the most prevalent is Pahari, from rural areas of Kashmir. There are 67 pupils with identified special educational needs that, at 37 per cent, is above the national average. Whilst 14 of these have complex and multiple needs, and four are waiting for formal assessment, at the time of the

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

inspection none had a statement of special educational need. Most of these children have communication, behavioural or emotional difficulties. The number of pupils claiming an entitlement to free school meals varies. The lowest level is around 37 per cent and in some classes it is as high as 60 per cent. Some pupils, who qualify, choose to go home at lunchtimes to eat meals that meet their religious dietary needs. There have been considerable staffing difficulties in the past two years as a result of staff sickness, teachers moving for promotion and through their recruitment to local education authority specialist support teams. There is now a stable team of skilled and hardworking teachers. For those pupils entering the school during each term to classes throughout the school, attainment is usually well below that of children of the same age nationally and for the youngest children joining the Nursery it is

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

This is a caring school that is well respected by the community. Pupils have positive attitudes and most are eager to learn. The quality of teaching is good overall and a third is very good. The curriculum of the school has been revised and developed to meet the special individual and group needs of pupils from a diverse ethnic mix. The arrangements to support pupils in lessons are good. The school has addressed all of the issues listed at the time of the previous inspection in 1998 with varied levels of success. After many disappointments, the standards in English, mathematics and science are now beginning to improve. Overall standards in these subjects remain below the national average and teachers recognise the need to be constantly vigilant as they seek ways to raise standards. Provision for information and communication technology is greatly improved. Whilst there are some unsatisfactory elements, as in

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

1998, the leadership of the school by the headteacher and the governing body, with the imaginative support of the deputy headteacher and the senior management team, is satisfactory overall. Taking all of these elements into consideration, set against the careful use of available funding, the school provides satisfactory value for money.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What the school does well • Teaching is predominantly good across the school and the work of the support staff is good. • Pupils are courteous and behave well in lessons. • Relationships between pupils and between pupils and adults are predominantly good. • Provision for, and the management of, special educational needs and for pupils learning English as an additional language are good. • The procedures for assessment and the use made of information gathered are good. • The achievements of pupils from their very low start to being confident, self-assured young people are good.

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HOW GOOD THE SCHOOL IS

What could be improved • Standards in English, mathematics and science, particularly at the end of Years 2 and 6. • The structures for establishing and maintaining an effective overview of the work of the school. • The development of the role of subject leader particularly in budget management. • The range and quantity of resources to support learning. • Strategies for improving attendance. The areas for improvement will form the basis of the governors’ action plan. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 8 - February 2003

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

Since the last inspection in 1998 the school has worked hard to address the identified issues with partial but not total success. The work of the Nursery and Reception class known as the Foundation Stage is now well organised and meets the recommendations of the national guidance for working towards the expected levels for children by the age of five. Across the school, curriculum planning has been greatly improved through the introduction of the National strategies for literacy and numeracy and through the full implementation of Curriculum 2000. Following the development of the computer suite and whole school training, provision for and standards in information and communication technology have been improved. Planning for lessons and the assessment of completed work is better and information is used well. Despite the improvements, standards in English, mathematics and science have fluctuated but

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HOW THE SCHOOL HAS IMPROVED SINCE ITS LAST INSPECTION

have remained below national expectations. New books have been bought for reading and to support mathematics in lessons but the library still needs attention. It does not fully support opportunities for personal research and independent learning. Until this year there has been underachievement by groups of pupils because some adults have had low expectations for success. Standards have been adversely affected by a number of factors. These include, well above average pupil mobility, up to 50 per cent in some classes, above average incidence of special educational needs, too many families taking extended holidays in their country of origin and, until recently, difficulties in maintaining a stable teaching staff. The drive for higher standards is now good.

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STANDARDS

The table shows the standards achieved by 11 year-olds 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

English E E E* E* well above average above average A B Mathematics E E* E* E* average below average C D Science E E* E* E* well below average E

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STANDARDS

The standardised results do not reflect the hard work being undertaken in all classes. The results shown above were affected by there being nine pupils in the class with complex special educational needs, three of them with statements. The comparison with similar schools was disappointing as the E* grade shows that standards for Year 6 in 2002 were in the bottom 5 per cent for pupils across the country. The children learning in the Foundation Stage make good progress but few attain all of the nationally recommended attainment levels. By the end of Year 2 in 2002 more pupils attained at the expected levels in reading, writing, and mathematics than in previous years but the overall scores were adversely affected by pupils from overseas joining the class in the weeks before the tests. With the results adjusted to reflect the impact of newly admitted pupils and for well above average rates of free school

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STANDARDS

meals, an entitlement of 61 per cent in the Year 2 class in 2002, the picture is of real improvement. For pupils of all ages attainment in religious education meets the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus and attainment in information and communication technology is at the expected level. Across the school attainment in most other subjects is now close to that expected for pupils nationally because much work is based on practical experiences. Attainment in music matches expectations by the end of Year 2 but is below expectations by the end of Year 6. The overall level of attainment for pupils at the age of 11 has been below the national average for the past three years and improvements in standards have been inconsistent. They have remained at a level well below that found in most schools nationally. At the time of the inspection, whilst there has been improvement overall, and expected attainment levels are reached

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STANDARDS

Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 9 - February 2003 in lessons where there is additional support, standards in tests are likely to remain below expectations in English, mathematics and science for pupils at the end of Years 2 and 6. Careful analysis of the results shows that those pupils who do not have special educational needs and who attend regularly for several years are on course to attain the expected level by the end of both Year 2 and Year 6. The school has agreed challenging targets that it expects to meet this year. Inspection evidence indicates that pupils are achieving as well as can be expected from their low start and many are on course to meet these targets.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attitudes to the school Pupils have good attitudes to school; they want to learn and they treat the building and the resources with care and respect.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Behaviour, in and out of classrooms Behaviour is good in lessons because pupils are managed well and they have a clear understanding of the system of rewards and sanctions of the structured behaviour policy. In the playground it is satisfactory but there is room for improvement.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Personal development and relationships Relationships are good, as is pupils’ understanding of the beliefs and values of others. Whilst there are examples of good practice pupils do not all take enough responsibility for managing their own work.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Attendance Attendance levels are below the expected level and are unsatisfactory. In some classes teachers make the improvement in punctuality and good attendance a priority but this is inconsistent across the school.

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PUPILS’ ATTITUDES AND VALUES

Efforts to improve attendance and encourage punctuality are beginning to work in classes where pupils are old enough to accept responsibility for their own time keeping. Those pupils who are frequently absent damage their own levels of attainment and pull down the school’s overall attainment levels. During the past year two pupils were excluded for fixed periods of time.

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teaching of pupils: Aged up to 5 years Aged 5-7 years Aged 7-11 years

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

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

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

The quality of teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection and in lessons observed was almost always at least satisfactory. It was good or better in seven out of every ten lessons. The amount of very good and excellent teaching has risen to three in ten and pupils’ needs are met well. There was just one unsatisfactory lesson. The pattern of good teaching is more consistent because planning is very thorough. As a result, learning is at least satisfactory and is most frequently good, in lessons across the curriculum. The teaching of basic skills in English and mathematics has been strengthened as a direct result of the effective training in the literacy and numeracy strategies. This shared training has also had a positive effect on teaching in other subjects. The planning of lessons is good and the support for those pupils with special educational needs and for those learning English as an additional language has been

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TEACHING AND LEARNING

strengthened. Early identification and additional support enables them to learn at a similar rate to that of other pupils in the school. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 10 - February 2003

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The quality and range of the curriculum The curriculum meets statutory requirements. The extra provision through matched work and language support is good. The provision for extra- curricular activities is satisfactory.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with special educational needs There is good provision for pupils with special educational needs that enables them to learn at the same rate as their friends.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils with English as an additional language The provision for pupils learning English as an additional language is good and pupils with a range of first languages are supported well. This work is essential to enable productive learning to be maintained.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

Provision for pupils’ personal, including spiritual, moral, social and cultural development The provision for pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. The school provides well for the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

How well the school cares for its pupils The provision for child protection is satisfactory. The aims of the school are embedded in teachers’ planning and teaching.

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OTHER ASPECTS OF THE SCHOOL

The curriculum meets statutory requirements and opportunities to enrich learning experiences are used well. Music is underdeveloped and few teachers have specific skills for teaching this subject. The information for parents is clear and informative and the presentation of the annual reports is good.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

Leadership and manage- ment by the headteacher and other key staff There are strengths and weaknesses in leadership and management. The provision by the headteacher, with the imaginative support of the deputy headteacher and the senior management team together with the co-ordinators for special educational needs and language support is satisfactory overall.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

How well the governors fulfil their responsibilities The governing body is committed to the school but leaves too much of the decision making to the headteacher. Governors provide support for the school and are working diligently to fulfil their responsibilities but, with changes in personnel, some areas are now underdeveloped.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The school’s evaluation of its performance There is a developing awareness of the school’s strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge is enabling staff and governors to address identified areas for improvement productively.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

The strategic use of resources Resources are inadequate but those available are well cared for and are used well in order to support the priorities listed in the school improvement plan.

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HOW WELL THE SCHOOL IS LED AND MANAGED

There is a suitable number of experienced and talented teachers and skilled support staff. The accommodation is satisfactory but there is a shortfall in available learning resources for some subjects. The distance from the school and the poor condition of the field inhibits opportunities for physical education. The school has begun to implement a programme of work aimed at improving communication and sharing all decision making processes. The governors have a growing understanding of looking for best value in its use of available funding, the accommodation and personnel. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 11 - February 2003

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

What pleases parents most What parents would like to see improved • Parents are very supportive of all aspects of the school and in the questionnaires and at the meeting for parents expressed very positive views about the school and the staff. • Parents would welcome more extra-curricular activities.

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PARENTS’ AND CARERS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

The team supports most of the views of the parents including the wish for more extra-curricular activities. Teachers understand this view but after school activities are difficult to arrange in many instances because of the pupils own additional religious studies every evening. Lunchtime activities, such as the computer, recorder and drama clubs, are very popular as are opportunities to welcome special visitors to the school. Provision is satisfactory overall. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 12 - February 2003

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Strengths

• the progress made and children’s overall good achievement between entry to the Nursery class and leaving the Reception Class; • the overall good achievement across the school as shown by the learning and progress made by all pupils.

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Areas for development

• the overall standards in the national statutory tests and assessments by the end of Years 2 and 6; • the quality of understanding and performing of music particularly in classes for older pupils.

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Areas for development

1. The Nursery caters for 23 children all on a part-time basis. The assessment undertaken in the Nursery class, using a recognised system, indicates that children enter with overall attainment that is very low when compared with that of children of the same age nationally. By the end of the Reception year, attainment in physical and creative development is similar to that expected of children of this age and children’s listening skills and personal, social and emotional development have improved greatly and are close to the expected level. Their skills in speaking in English remain below those expected for most children nationally and, at the end of their time in the Reception class, their vocabulary is not extensive. Children’s development in mathematics and knowledge and understanding of the world, whilst greatly improved, remains well below the level found for most children of the same age nationally.

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Areas for development

Children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language, a very high percentage of the school population make good progress as a result of the high level of skilled support provided for them. Children in the Foundation Stage achieve well and without this secure start the work of the main school would be even more difficult.

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Areas for development

2. The standardised results of the National Curriculum tests at the age of seven in 2002 show attainment to very low compared to the national average in the national average in reading and well below average in writing and mathematics. When compared with results from similar schools standards were well below average in reading, average in writing and below average in mathematics. In these subjects the numbers of pupils who were learning English as an additional language and the number of pupils with special educational needs contribute to the overall below average standards. In the group taking the test, more than six in ten qualified for free school meals. When the results were adjusted to take account of pupils from overseas joining the class in the weeks before the tests, added to the fact that the mobility within the class was more than 40 per cent over the year, the results show a much more positive picture.

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Areas for development

Revised results show that pupils who had attended regularly from the Nursery onwards had achieved well, with 69 per cent reaching expected standards in reading, 88 per cent in writing and 92 per cent in mathematics. These percentage scores more fairly reflect the hard work of the staff and pupils. Teacher assessments in science indicate that pupils’ attainments in the school were about average. The school realises that the staff will need to be very focused and vigilant to hold on to the gains that have been made. It is evident that the strategies for literacy and numeracy, combined with the good teaching, are beginning to bring about indications of improving standards. The achievements of some children who work in attainment Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 13 - February 2003 groups that are very well matched to their individual level of prior attainment are good and, in lessons, where the support is always good, pupils work confidently with work

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Areas for development

that matches nationally expected attainment levels.

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Areas for development

3. The results of the 2002 National Curriculum tests for pupils at the end of Year 6 showed standards to be very low compared to the national average in English, mathematics and science. Compared to similar schools, the school’s results were also very low in these subjects. When compared with published standards at the time of the last inspection standards have fluctuated but have been below those of most schools nationally. This is in part caused by the fact that pupil numbers are very erratic. In some years there is as much as 50 per cent change between September and July and, in most years, about a quarter of the population of any class changes. This makes it very difficult to track progress and to ensure a continuous learning process. The school attracts pupils with special educational needs because it is considered, rightly, by parents to offer particularly good care and support. This does little to raise standards although it helps morale and supports the achievements of

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Areas for development

individuals. The most recent results were recalculated, as part of the analysis of results. After adjustments, taking account of those pupils who joined the class late in the year, had statements of special educational need or had complex and multiple special needs, attainment levels overall showed a slight improvement to those found at the time of the last inspection. The good support for pupils learning English as an additional language, the positive impact of increased mental work in mathematics and increased amounts of experimental and investigational work in science have all contributed to an improvement in standards.

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Areas for development

4. Inspection evidence indicates that the additional help provided for pupils is enabling the majority of average and above average pupils to be on course to achieve in tests the expected levels that they are attaining in lessons. A few higher attaining pupils achieve very well and are on target to meet higher levels. Unfortunately, with an above average number in the present Year 6 class having special educational needs, the attainment level overall is likely to remain below the national expectations in English, mathematics and science. Across the school standards of work in classes and sets for younger pupils are being positively influenced by the intensive and very structured approach to teaching and learning in English and mathematics. In all groups the support provided for pupils with special educational needs and for the majority who are learning English as an additional language is helping all pupils to

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Areas for development

5. In the classes for Years 1 and 2, pupils of all levels of attainment learn purposefully. The overall standards of work seen by many of the pupils in Year 2 are close to the levels expected for the National Curriculum in English, mathematics and science. When the additional support is not available, as in test situations, pupils’ confidence falters and many are unlikely to attain as well in tests as they do in lessons. Overall learning and progress are good and pupils’ attainment is improving systematically. Pupils with special educational needs are progressing at the same rate as the majority of their friends because everyone gets support matched to their needs. In literacy, by the end of Year 2, reading is satisfactory overall but there remains a large group who find reading difficult. The pattern continues in Years 3 to 6 but the limited vocabulary of many pupils and their underdeveloped skills in speaking clearly and

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Areas for development

purposefully mean that teachers have to constantly encourage, prompt and support their efforts. Written work reflects the improvements in speaking and listening and pupils are frequently beginning to develop increased confidence and believe in their own growing competence. The least confident still choose to write lists or phrases rather than risk getting work wrong. In lessons much work in subjects such as history Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 14 - February 2003 and geography is carried out orally to encourage speaking aloud and extending specific vocabulary. The quality of handwriting and the presentation of work are inconsistent; pupils need lots of encouragement and support but where teachers insist on first class presentation, then most pupils rise to the challenge. In some classes the most confident pupils have begun to develop an attractive handwriting style but, too often, poorly presented work has been accepted and pupils have then

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Areas for development

settled for the easier option. One pupil in Year 6 comparing his work with that of a pupil in another class confessed, “I have too much to think about and too much to say to take care with my writing”.

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Areas for development

6. By the age of seven almost all pupils add and subtract accurately up to 20 and some to 100 in mental mathematics. Some choose to use apparatus to check their results and when recording work in their books. In discussion, pupils use correct mathematical vocabulary and they select the correct symbols with growing understanding. In one lesson pupils learning about division worked well using known multiplication facts to help them solve problems set at first orally and then in written form. They delight in their success and work confidently at work that is in line with national expectations but is tailored to match their individual prior achievements. In science, because of the increased amount of practical and investigational work undertaken, standards in many other areas of the curriculum are improving such as in science, design and technology and history. Where pupils are fully engaged in developing their own ideas and planning their own investigations, they learn well and

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Areas for development

the rate of progress is good. In Years 3 to 6 most pupils understand the place value of numbers up to 1000. The majority adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides using both decimals and fractions with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Almost all of the pupils now select suitable methods of solving mathematical problems from a range of known options. Pupils in older classes enjoy choosing and explaining methods from a known range that might trick their friends and please their teachers.

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Areas for development

7. In information and communication technology, pupils in all classes have benefited from the development of the computer suite and their teachers’ increased knowledge and they are working at the expected level with rapid progress being made, especially in their use and understanding of control technology. The use of computers in classrooms and in areas around the school is a natural part of the work to support learning in other subjects. In religious education, pupils’ knowledge and understanding of topics meet the required elements of the locally agreed syllabus. In all other subjects, standards are close to expected levels except in music by the end of Year 6 where they are below the expected level. These attainment levels are achieved because so much of the curriculum is supported by a highly committed staff, practical experiences, visitors to the school and visits to places of interest that extend pupils’ knowledge. This is better than at the time of the last inspection when

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Areas for development

8. Taking into account the well below average prior attainment for pupils, at the end of both Years 2 and 6 most are learning well to the limit of their capacity. Pupils know what they have learned and recall experiences with pleasure and confidence. The targets set in English and mathematics for pupils in Year 6 for 2003 and 2004 are challenging but realistic and reflect the improving standards seen during the inspection. The school is committed to working together as an increasingly strong team to help the pupils to achieve the set targets and work seen during the inspection indicates that the school is making effective progress towards achieving them. The overall level of attainment for pupils at the age of 11 has been below the national average for the past five years and improvement in standards has been inconsistent. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 15 - February 2003 Overall improvement, in part because of the changing population of the school, has

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Areas for development

been at a level that is below that of most schools nationally.

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Areas for development

9. As a result of the good support, that is provided by the teachers and the classroom support assistants, for all pupils with special educational needs and for the many pupils who are learning English as an additional language, they make good progress in their education. Pupils with learning difficulties as their aspect of special educational need make good progress towards the targets in their individual education plans so that they achieve appropriately. As yet many have not yet gained the confidence to perform to the best of their ability independently in formal assessment or test situations and this has a damaging effect to the results of statutory tests.

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Areas for development

10. During the inspection and when analysing written work, no significant differences were evident in the work of boys and girls, although there are more boys who have identified special educational needs. This is because teachers now match the work set for individuals very precisely to their needs following the assessment and analysis of the past year’s test results. Those pupils learning English as an additional language are the majority group in the school and these pupils do well. This is because of the well-targeted support in lessons by classroom assistants. For some, however, poor patterns of attendance and extended visits to their country of origin mean that they do not attain the expected standard in the National Curriculum tests. The impact on the overall results of the school is that the success of those pupils who do attend regularly and on time are sometimes lost in the statistics. Discussion

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Areas for development

with parents and their overwhelmingly positive response in the written questionnaires indicates that they are very satisfied with the standards, learning and progress that their children achieve.

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Strengths

• pupils enjoy their lessons; they are happy and well settled; • behaviour in lessons is predominantly good; • as a result of the provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development most are becoming increasingly thoughtful and confident individuals; • relationships are good.

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Areas identified for further development

• a few pupils do not always obey instructions in their behaviour outside lessons; • attendance is well below the national average and is unsatisfactory; • out of lessons, pupils do not always comply with the whole-school code of conduct.

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Areas identified for further development

11. Pupils’ attitudes to work are good. Their behaviour in lessons is good and their personal development is satisfactory. These standards have been maintained since the previous inspection although pupils’ attendance is less good. This has an adverse effect on the progress and attainment of a number of pupils. Parents say that pupils’ behaviour is better during lessons than at dinner times, and inspectors agree.

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Areas identified for further development

12. Most pupils behave well in class. They enjoy their well-planned lessons and get eagerly involved in activities. The youngest pupils, for example, try to maintain eye contact with adults. This keeps them alert to the teacher’s instructions. In some lessons a few have to be reminded not to call out or to put a hand up to speak. Teachers apply the behaviour policy fairly and consistently. During assemblies pupils listen and behave well. Classroom relationships are good. A few pupils do not Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 16 - February 2003 always show as much as respect to adults as they should. Pupils are confident in lessons; they volunteer answers and are pleased to receive praise or rewards of ‘smiley faces’. Pupils who have special educational needs have good attitudes to their learning, and try hard.

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Areas identified for further development

13. The standard of behaviour outside the classroom is generally satisfactory with occasional lapses. Movement around the school, along corridors and staircases, is sometimes noisy and small groups of pupils find it hard to behave well without constant supervision or reminders about school rules. In conversations, a small number of parents and pupils expressed concerns about instances of recurring bullying especially in the playground at lunchtimes. They are confident that teachers deal with this but are concerned that new lunchtime staff do not always apply the agreed rules. Most pupils usually follow the polite example set by the adults in the school. Unfortunately the level of courtesy sometimes varies as pupils hurry to get back into school after break and dinner times when sometimes pushing occurs. At these key times a few pupils are more than ready to take advantage of any lack of supervision. During the past year there were two instances of exclusion for

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Areas identified for further development

14. Pupils’ personal development is satisfactory. Most are outgoing, but a few find it hard to socialise with others or share in their play because of language difficulties. To their credit, many pupils use their initiative to help offering translations and encouragement to others. Most are gaining confidence and work in socially acceptable ways to develop their self-esteem. This is a direct result of the school’s good provision that includes lessons in personal, social and health education and a range of educational visits.

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Areas identified for further development

15. Older pupils carry out a range of duties and members of the School Council accept additional responsibilities. On the corridor prefects do their jobs very well. Some are involved selling snacks and ensuring the money taken reaches the office. Although the oldest pupils develop effective personal skills there are not always enough opportunities for younger pupils to develop independence in their learning. Some pupils are unsure of the rules for the playground or dining hall for example, because the rules for behaviour that work so well in classes are not always applied rigorously on the corridors and in the circulation areas.

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Areas identified for further development

16. Attendance levels are unsatisfactory. The school has recently begun to contact pupils’ homes on the first day of absence. Too little is done, however, to stem the high number of long-term absences caused by extended leave during term time. The many pupils who arrive late each day are recorded and registers are mostly completed accurately. Unauthorised absence by pupils who are still in England add to the problems of staff as they try to maintain a steady progression of learning and improve pupils achievements.

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Strengths in teaching and learning

• teachers' planning is clear and effective; • day-to-day assessment is used well to evaluate progress and extend learning; • pupils are organised well and learning opportunities match their individual needs; • the quality of teaching is predominantly good; • the provision for pupils with special educational needs and for those learning English as an additional language is good.

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Areas for further development

Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 17 - February 2003 • the introduction of work sometimes takes a long time and this then prevents activities being completed; • teachers are sometimes over-directive and do not give pupils the opportunity to think for themselves and learn from their own mistakes.

p.17

Areas for further development

17. Overall the picture of teaching is good. Teaching was observed in 50 lessons or parts of lessons during the inspection. In all but one of the lessons seen in all classes across the school the quality of teaching was at least satisfactory. In one quarter of lessons the teaching was satisfactory and in more than seven in every ten lessons was judged to be at least good with three in ten lessons judged to be very good or excellent. The quality of teaching has improved since the time of the last inspection. Since that inspection there have been many changes in staffing. Following evaluation and training in the last two years teachers share improved knowledge and understanding. A direct result of the improved quality of teaching is the positive effect on the pupils' attitudes to learning. Pupils' enthusiasm for every subject and their eagerness to follow teachers' instructions is helping them to learn well.

p.17

Areas for further development

18. The National Strategies for literacy and numeracy and Curriculum 2000 have been implemented successfully. The staff’s enthusiasm and skills following their participation in national training for information and communication technology has been instrumental in raising teachers’ knowledge, understanding and confidence. The improved planning and evaluating is beginning to have a positive effect in other subjects particularly in art and design, religious education, and design and technology. In all subjects the skilled work of the support team for pupils learning English as an additional language is vital to the burgeoning success. Few weaknesses in teaching remain although there are still isolated instances when teachers take too long introducing the learning objectives or are over protective of their pupils. They then tend to be over directive and sometimes to inhibit independent learning. This is rare and was seen mostly at the start of the inspection. The

p.17

Areas for further development

challenge for pupils of all attainment levels to reach or exceed their individually agreed targets is part of all teachers' planning.

p.17

Areas for further development

19. Skills in literacy and numeracy are used well to help pupils to learn in other subjects. Pupils are taught in matched attainment groups within classes so that work planned meets their individual needs. Teachers select from a range of methods to teach whole classes and groups in an interesting and challenging way. In Years 1 and 2 and again in Years 3 to 6, basic skills are taught thoroughly and systematically.

p.17

Areas for further development

20. Teachers in the Nursery and reception classes demonstrate good understanding of how young children learn by using a wide range of practical strategies. They involve these youngest children in the work towards attaining the expected attainment levels imaginatively and effectively. Throughout the school teachers are sure of the purpose of all planned activities and explain them well to their pupils. Teachers challenge pupils well and rarely accept pupils' completed work without pointing out areas of success and suggesting how the next piece of work might be improved. These small increases are instrumental in building pupils' self-esteem and in helping them towards attaining their ultimate goal, to beat their own best effort each time. Most pupils readily accept the challenge and are beginning to learn to good purpose and to attain the expected standards.

p.17

Areas for further development

21. Across the school, teachers' good subject knowledge, increasingly higher expectations and challenge are now enabling pupils to learn with good purpose. There is good use of resources in lessons, including good use of support staff. Teachers use the information gathered by evaluation at the end of lessons very well Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 18 - February 2003 on a day-to-day basis to help them develop the next stage of the learning programme. This review contributes positively to revisions in the next stage of planning.

p.17

Areas for further development

22. Pupils with special educational needs are identified as soon as possible in the Nursery or when they transfer to the school from other schools. The teacher responsible for special educational needs and the class teacher assess the pupils and write an individual education plan (IEP) for each one. Teachers work towards the clear targets that are set. They know that short steps are essential to help pupils realise that progress is being made. Teachers work very hard and receive good assistance from all support staff. Pupils with special educational needs make good gains in their knowledge, skills and understanding, particularly in literacy and numeracy. Those pupils learning English an additional language benefit from a similar set of procedures that enable them to learn with the rest of the class.

p.18

Areas for further development

23. The quality of marking varies but most is careful and practical. In most books the marked work includes praise for success and pointers for improvement. The praise for even small improvements is tracked through the pupils' books and any tendency to slip back into less acceptable patterns is noted by teachers and even more encouragement to improve is provided. The agreed system is very detailed and complex, and teachers usually modify it sensibly to ensure that the correction of errors does not undermine pupils' efforts so causing them to lose confidence and self-esteem.

p.18

Areas for further development

24. The policy for setting and marking homework is satisfactory. Pupils are given tasks to perform or work to do at home. Completed work is checked and is either marked or used in following lessons. Pupils invariably take home books to read, words and multiplication tables to learn and, as they get older, additional work to help them revise, support or extend the work undertaken in school. Many pupils are supported in this work by their parents or by older brothers or sisters who read English well and have themselves had a formal education.

p.18

Strengths in curricular provision

• the overall quality and range of learning opportunities; • the breadth, balance and relevance of the curriculum based on good planning and ensuring that all pupils are fully included; • the effectiveness of strategies for teaching literacy and numeracy.

p.18

Areas for development

25. The school provides an appropriately broad and balanced curriculum that contains a good range of learning opportunities for all pupils from different backgrounds and with different abilities from the nursery onwards. All subjects of the National Curriculum, religious education and personal and social education are provided. There is an appropriate time allocation for each subject. Much of the work is undertaken orally in order to develop pupils’ vocabulary and verbal skills. As a result, in some subjects the amount of recording in pupils’ workbooks does not reflect the amount of learning that has taken place. The school has developed various initiatives to enhance areas of the curriculum such as science and information and communication technology. The creation of a curriculum map helps teachers to identify each area of learning across the curriculum for each half term. Great emphasis is placed on practical and first

p.18

Areas for development

Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 19 - February 2003 hand experiences and this is beginning to raise standards. In literacy and numeracy there is an emphasis on speaking and listening to encourage concentration and verbalising of what pupils know. This is an improvement since the last inspection and ensures that pupils receive a balanced and rigorous curriculum across the school. Since the music specialist left the school, many of the class teachers lack the skill and confidence to develop the music curriculum. This is a concern of the school but music has been a lower priority this year than English and mathematics. The support of specialist instrumental teachers is a start but this only affects a few of the pupils.

p.19

Areas for development

26. The curriculum for children in the Nursery and the Reception class is securely based on the six areas of learning, appropriate for this age group and is matched well to the children’s needs. Curriculum planning for all year groups is good. This is an improvement since the last inspection when schemes of work were judged to vary in quality. The most recent national guidance is used as a basis for planning. Teachers are beginning to modify this planning so as to provide a programme of work that ensures all pupils have every opportunity to make steady gains in their knowledge and skills as they move through the school. A whole school approach to planning ensures that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met. Teachers identify what different groups of pupils are expected to learn, understand and do in lessons.

p.19

Areas for development

27. The national strategies for literacy and numeracy are well established and standards are improving. The policy for sex education meets the needs of the pupils and is included in the school’s prospectus. Parents know when this is to be taught and have the opportunity to see the teaching materials for themselves. Health education is included in the science curriculum although the school has not adopted healthy eating procedures. Teaching about the use and misuse of drugs forms part of the science curriculum. Pupils in Year 5 usually to take part in “Danger – Rangers” where they participate in activities with a team of people who inform pupils about dangers in the home, the environment and the work of the emergency services.

p.19

Areas for development

28. The school includes all pupils in the full range of learning opportunities. Pupils with special educational needs have full access to the curriculum taught. The objectives in lessons are clearly understood by the classroom support assistants and they work well with the pupils to support their progress in lessons. Whenever pupils are withdrawn from class to provide better support for their learning their work reflects the content of the lesson for the other pupils. The special educational needs co- ordinator has no non-contact time and consultation with teachers has to be carried out after school. Identification and assessment procedures are satisfactory and IEP’s have clear targets. There are regular times for the review of these targets as they are achieved. Classroom assistants and bilingual support staff are well informed about the pupils’ individual needs and they give subtle, sensitive support to help to

p.19

Areas for development

raise standards and self-esteem. They are involved in making informative assessments of pupils’ success towards targets and work diligently alongside the teacher. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 20 - February 2003

p.19

Strengths

• the provision for pupils ’ personal education is good overall; • provision for spiritual development is good; • provision for moral development is good; • provision for social development is very good.

p.20

Strengths

29. The provision for pupils’ personal development, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. As at the time of the previous inspection this provision is well established and remains a positive feature of the school, which is held in high regard by the local community. There are good opportunities for pupils to think deeply in assemblies such as about ‘telling the truth’, and learning that appearances can be deceptive. These are joyful occasions, when pupils share ideas with one another and learn in a relaxed but purposeful way. Work in personal, social, health and citizenship lessons known as, PSHCE, contributes well. For example, pupils in Year 6 learnt during discussion that their ‘rights’ were different from their ‘needs’ and ‘wants’. There are many opportunities for discussions that are thought provoking. Teachers value pupils’ questions and give them time to comment reflectively in lessons on aspects of the natural

p.20

Strengths

world, or how people of different traditions live now and what it was like for children long ago.

p.20

Strengths

30. Many aspects of the curriculum especially lessons in religious education, literacy and history contribute well to pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. This aspect of school life is supported by visits to a regional centre where pupils have opportunities to extend their use of art and design, music and design and technology in their experiences of life in other times and cultures.

p.20

Strengths

31. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is good. Music is played in assemblies to create a reflective mood and to stimulate thoughts on a chosen theme. Teachers effectively promote school values in lessons saying, “We listen at our school to help us learn”. Pupils know that in some lessons known as circle time, where they are expected to use their listening, looking, concentrating, speaking and thinking skills, their own deepest feelings and ideas might be explored in a calm and supportive environment. Teachers work to create a climate that promotes personal growth and respect of pupils for themselves and one another very well.

p.20

Strengths

32. The provision for pupils’ moral development is good. Methods for promoting and celebrating good behaviour are consistent, and teachers are good role models for courteous behaviour. The implementation of the behaviour policy is good in classes, but sometimes guidance on behaviour outside lessons is not as structured as it might be. Most pupils have been involved in drawing up classroom rules, and pay attention to the agreed rules for most of the time. The school provides moral guidance through an agreed code of conduct, and pupils have a good awareness of right and wrong. Certificates and stickers reinforce effort and good behaviour.

p.20

Strengths

33. The provision for pupils’ social development is very good and most pupils show confidence with each other. They work very well in pairs and in groups and enjoy taking part in singing action songs. Playtimes are made more fun for younger pupils by opportunities to play with the small games equipment. Older pupils choose to play on a separate part of the playground with footballs. Some volunteer to collect the equipment in at the end of the sessions and enjoy doing this service for others. Older pupils contribute to the life of the school by taking on leadership roles as monitors or prefects, helping to manage movement on corridors at lunchtime usually, but not always, successfully. The Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 21 - February 2003 school celebrates pupils’ efforts and achievements in weekly assemblies. This demonstrates how the school is working to promote high expectations for pupils’ personal

p.20

Strengths

development. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 work in matched attainment groups in the afternoon, giving them the opportunity to work and learn with pupils from another class. Regular team building sessions are built into the timetable in some classes, especially in Year 4.

p.21

Strengths

34. Cultural development is satisfactory but could be promoted more by using the richness of the school community’s background and heritage. There are limited opportunities for the pupils to extend their knowledge and use cultural imagery and language. For example, artefacts about the celebration of Eid are displayed to give information rather than to enable pupils to recount what the event means to them personally through poetry or art. The school shows equal respect for the range of cultures and faiths in society through the curriculum and a variety of visits and visitors. National Black Month was celebrated in the autumn term through a selection of pieces of poetry and music. Some pupils celebrated harvest with pupils from a local school after a series of joint folk activities based in the school. Other pupils were used very effectively as ‘experts’ when they described aspects of their worship in the Mosque. Pupils compared this growing understanding with what

p.21

Strengths

they had learned from an earlier visit by a governor, who is a vicar, about Christian traditions about worship and prayer. Pupils study their own locality and the custom and practices of people in Ancient Greece, Victorian times and life in Ancient Egypt. Some pupils had particularly enjoyed spending a day being ‘Tudors’ at Oakwell Hall. Pupils from several cultures live and work harmoniously together and learn from the special expertise of the different groups.

p.21

Strengths

• staff provide a friendly caring environment which has been maintained since the previous inspection; • the monitoring and promoting of good behaviour lessons is effective.

p.21

Areas for further development

• the training of midday assistants in their role in the monitoring of behaviour during lunchtimes is under-developed.

p.21

Areas for further development

35. Overall, the steps taken to ensure pupils’ welfare, health and safety are now similar to those at the time of the previous inspection. Following the departure of some key staff, work to ensure statutory requirements relating to health and safety has needed to be reviewed and new personnel have accepted responsibility for this. Potential hazards have been identified and strategies to manage them have been established. Clear procedures are now in place.

p.21

Areas for further development

36. First aid cover is adequate. Mindful of child protection legislation governors decided some time ago that minor injuries would be dealt with close to the staff room from where additional assistance could be obtained rather than in an enclosed room. For more serious instances or when a child is unwell more privacy can be maintained. Procedures for child protection follow the local authority guidelines but some of the most recently appointed managers have not yet benefited from training but two members of the team are booked on courses that will have taken place by the end of the present term.

p.21

Areas for further development

37. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good attendance are satisfactory and day-to- day procedures for monitoring attendance and contacting families are carried out well. Recently, action has been taken to follow-up absences on the day they occur. Efforts to discourage parents from taking children out of school for extended visits to their country Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 22 - February 2003 of origin during the school year are not always successful although this interrupts pupils’ learning and that of the class. Many parents do not consider how such visits have an adverse effect on the overall standards achieved by the school.

p.21

Areas for further development

38. Procedures for monitoring and promoting good behaviour are satisfactory overall and are good in lessons. Teachers ensure the management of behaviour is calmly and consistently achieved in each class. When pupils are outside, the management of pupils’ behaviour is less good. Not all of the midday assistants follow the school’s strategies for laying the foundations for orderly behaviour because they are new and they sometimes permit activities that pupils know are not allowed. During the inspection there were some inconsistencies in the application of rewards and sanctions at midday. These support assistants play an important part in the supervision of pupils and some deal effectively with issues as they arise. Some new staff have not yet had full training and, as a result, are not as confident in applying the systems well. Whilst spotting poor behaviour they sometimes forget to praise and reward those pupils who behave well and

p.22

Areas for further development

who always play safely. The school has difficulty in attracting lunch-time staff and realises that training for new personnel is required to raise the standard of all to that of the best.

p.22

Areas for further development

39. Procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils’ personal development are satisfactory. Systems are in place for recording ‘smiley faces’ or ‘sad faces’ and weekly achievement awards on Fridays complement this practice well. Teachers have good relationships with pupils. They try to get the best from each child and aim to keep them all purposefully employed in lessons. Classroom assistants support pupils very well and speed their progress by providing sensitive, unobtrusive help in lessons, quietly translating information and instructions as necessary.

p.22

Areas for further development

40. The School Council is a recent development and is beginning to make a positive contribution to pupils’ self-awareness. Members of the council are learning how to organise the ideas brought from all classes and to make sensible lists of things that need to be done such as repainting designated sections of the playground to enable more games at playtimes. Pupils are beginning to think of ways that they can help their school because they are proud to belong to Eastborough.

p.22

Strengths in assessment

• good analysis of children’s attainment on entry; • tracking of children’s progress towards the early learning goals is detailed and thorough; • the analysis and use made of the results of statutory and voluntary tests is good; • the identification of special educational needs and ways of meeting pupils’ needs is good.

p.22

Strengths in assessment

41. The school has good procedures for assessing the attainment and progress of its pupils. This is a great improvement since the previous inspection. Children's abilities are evaluated on entry to the school and pupils complete annual assessment papers so that the school has an ongoing record of their progress. Assessment files for each year group track pupils’ performance, analyse the performance of different groups of pupils according to gender and ethnicity, and project their performance in the statutory National Curriculum tests at the end of Years 2 and 6.

p.22

Strengths in assessment

42. The analysis of assessment data generates good information that is used well to improve the learning of pupils. The understanding of written information and the structure of written questions have been identified as areas for development for pupils, the majority of whom have lower skills of understanding the written word than are found in the majority of schools. Information about the needs of pupils with special educational needs is used to prepare individual plans for improving their Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 23 - February 2003 education. These involve parents' views and the views of the pupils themselves when they are older.

p.22

Strengths in assessment

43. Ongoing teacher assessment beginning for the youngest pupils in the school together with annual formal assessments for older pupils supports the early identification of pupils with special educational needs. Information about their needs is used to prepare individual plans for improving their education that involve parents' views and the views of pupils when they are older. These plans use small step targets that are few in number and so achievable by pupils over a short period of time. They are reviewed at half term intervals and so contribute well to the progress made by the pupils.

p.23

Strengths in assessment

44. Good procedures for monitoring and supporting pupils' academic progress mean that teachers support pupils in setting individual targets for themselves that are related to their individual ability and that give pupils clear challenge for improvement in their attainment. Plans for pupils with special educational needs use small step targets that are few in number and so achievable by pupils over a short period of time. They are reviewed at half termly intervals and so contribute well to the progress made by the pupils.

p.23

Strengths

• most parents have very positive views of the school; • the links between the teachers and the parents are good; • annual reports reflect pupils learning well, information is detailed and practical targets are set; • skilled support staff help the school to maintain vital oral communication between parents and class teachers.

p.23

Areas for further development

• the process of consultation with parents and incorporating their views into future planning; • parents need to be made more aware of the need for their children to attend regularly and on time in order to improve standards for all.

p.23

Areas for further development

45. Most parents hold very positive views of the school and are pleased with the care it provides for their children. A few however feel that misbehaviour is not always handled as well at lunchtimes as it is in lessons. The inspection team supports this view. Many parents appreciate the school’s community spirit and the way that they are welcomed in at any time. Some, for example, enjoy attending the Toddler Group each Wednesday and say that they welcome the information that they gather there about how they might help their children learn. Previously this aspect was judged to be good. This area of the school’s work is still makes a valuable contribution to the quality of education that the school provides, and to the standards that pupils achieve.

p.23

Areas for further development

46. The information produced for parents is of a satisfactory quality. Parents are confident that help is always at hand for translating complicated printed information or interpreting the school’s practices. They say, ‘ You only have to ask because nothing is too much trouble for the staff.’ This was the view expressed at the meeting held for parents before the inspection began and was repeated by others during the inspection. Teachers are always available for parents at the start and end of the day. Formal times are set aside when parents can meet staff and discuss their children’s progress. These are not always well attended and the school is trying to find ways to involve more parents in the life of the school and to seek their opinions. A good Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 24 - February 2003 number enjoy the ‘drop-in’ sessions and these parents agree that staff help them to work closely with them to help their children.

p.23

Areas for further development

47. Pupils’ progress reports include a very clear detailed summary of pupils’ personal and academic development. They state what children have achieved and set out targets to for further planned work. Letters and questionnaires cover the required consultation process but too few parents are confident when reading extended text.

p.24

Areas for further development

48. Published documents such as the prospectus and annual report of governors to parents are well produced and taken together they meet requirements. In the latest report however the financial statement was incomplete. Some of the information for parents about the progress made on current issues facing the school is not clear. These facts were pointed out to the chair of governors during the inspection and work is already in hand to remedy the omissions.

p.24

Areas for further development

49. Satisfactory links are maintained between parents and the school. However, despite all of the school’s best efforts, parents who choose to take their children overseas for long periods say, “the teachers will make up for any lack of progress when the children return”. More needs to be done to persuade parents to help in raising attendance levels. Despite some difficulties over communication, solved by the willing help of the bilingual staff, most parents are confident that their children are happy in school and that they are making progress in their learning and personal development.

p.24

Leadership strengths

• the senior management team assist the headteacher well and together they have a positive vision for the future development of the school; • the leadership of provision for special educational needs is good; • the leadership of the provision for pupils learning English as an additional language is good.

p.24

Areas for further development in leadership

• the structured procedures for motivating teachers, pupils and parents to aspire to higher attainment are listed in the documentation but during the inspection were not evident in practice; • opportunities for the subject leaders to work alongside colleagues in the classroom are limited.

p.24

Management strengths

• literacy, science , mathematics, information and communication technology and the Nursery and Reception classes are managed well; • the management and use of assessment systems is clear, practical, useful and effective.

p.24

Areas for further development in management

• decisions are not always made in consultation with senior management and the governors, and important information is not shared fully with all of the relevant personnel; • subject leaders do not have sufficient opportunities to manage the budgets for their areas of responsibility.

p.24

Areas for further development in management

50. Overall the leadership and management of the school is satisfactory as at the time of the previous inspection. There are however some areas of weakness, identified by the school, that still need to be addressed. With the introduction of many new governors late in the autumn term of 2002 some strands of planning, action, and evaluation have not yet been shared sufficiently. Although most separate aspects of Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 25 - February 2003 management have been handled effectively by the relevant personnel some very useful initiatives have not been fully incorporated into the practice of the whole school. The details of some valuable outcomes have been lost in complicated written documents rather than being part of an open discussion process. Since the last inspection the headteacher and the governing body, with a changing staff, have worked hard to raise standards and have only just begun to see that their efforts are

p.24

Areas for further development in management

bearing fruit. The loss of good teachers to promoted posts has made the task of maintaining a smooth pattern of improvement difficult. To some extent the school has been damaged by its continuing success in developing the management skills of capable teachers. The school has begun to implement a range of new strategies designed to further strengthen the leadership and management of the school. These have included the very successful development of the leadership role of the subject co-ordinators and the very successful management of the development of assessment. Other steps are set out in an appropriately detailed action plan for the improvement of communication and collaboration between all of the members of the new management team that is an integral part of the most recent school improvement plan.

p.25

Areas for further development in management

51. The management of the changing population within the school has not been easy. The headteacher has produced a set of well-organised policies that set out his vision of the school over the next few years. The hard working deputy headteacher and a skilled senior management team support him very well in this endeavour. To this end the curriculum has been organised well and there has been a clear establishment of sets of planned work for every subject. The procedures for and use made of assessment is particularly good. The quality of teaching has been monitored successfully and there are no significant weaknesses remain. With the teachers and the chair of the governing body the management team shares a clear view of the future development of the school. The commitment of the headteacher, with a changing staff, has enabled the school to make this positive progress towards remedying most of the areas of weakness identified during the last inspection. The

p.25

Areas for further development in management

governors have worked with the headteacher to develop plans for the long-term future in a systematic and progressive way. This has involved undertaking a critical review of the changes that have already been put in place as well as working to improve the areas of remaining weakness. They share an understanding of the strengths of the school and are providing support and guidance where action is still required.

p.25

Areas for further development in management

52. There was expensive decision made to retain a higher level of staffing and to spend heavily on staff training. With the headteacher, governors decided to continue the provision of booster classes aimed at raising the low standards attained by pupils of all ages and prior attainment in 2002 and 2003. This is evidence of their commitment to working towards lifting standards. The downside of these decisions is that the library has had its priority place put on hold more than once and learning resources to enhance provision in lessons have been held at a mere maintenance level. With this decision the scope for imaginative subject leaders has been limited as money spent on staff is not available for resources.

p.25

Areas for further development in management

53. The governors’ committee structure provides a positive educational direction for the school but in the past has relied heavily on the professional guidance of the headteacher. They are now becoming increasingly confident and welcome the presentation of action plans and intended outcomes by the subject co-ordinators and find the shared discussions more meaningful than written reports. The school improvement plan is detailed and thorough and presents longer-term strategic management strategies, drawn up in consultation with the local education authority Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 26 - February 2003 and the staff. This is a useful document that lists priorities, tracks improvements and identifies areas for future development. The listed priorities present a clearly defined programme for ongoing improvement. The governing body provides informed support although there have been minor omissions in its statutory reporting process

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Areas for further development in management

for parents. These were identified during the inspection; some omissions were been rectified instantly and others are already in the process of being remedied. The governing body is working diligently to meet its statutory requirements.

p.26

Areas for further development in management

54. The governors demonstrate a growing understanding of the issues concerning target setting and their individual and collective responsibilities. There are named governors who play active roles in supporting pupils with special educational needs and who monitor provision for literacy and numeracy. Although every governor is linked to a subject or a class, for many their monitoring role is not fully developed. The procedures for performance management are based on well-established guidelines and governors have undertaken training to carry out their responsibilities not only for literacy and numeracy and special educational needs but also for performance management. A notable positive outcome was the implementation of an assessment programme, by the deputy headteacher, designed to identify trends in improvement in standards and to identify precise areas for intervention to remedy weaknesses in provision and performance.

p.26

Areas for further development in management

55. Since their training the increased skills of the subject co-ordinators have made them impatient to manage their own areas of responsibility better but the shortage of funds has hampered their enthusiasm. Teachers state that they could not work harder and there is ample evidence that all members of staff work very hard. An analysis of their time management patterns however indicates that the time spent in school is not matched sufficiently well to improving results and further evaluation of time management by all members of staff is required.

p.26

Areas for further development in management

56. Arrangements for financial management and control are satisfactory. The school's administrator and the headteacher collaborate with finance officers from the local authority to ensure that the budget is tightly controlled so that the requirements of the governing body are met. The finance committee seeks to ensure that the school endeavours to secure the best value that it can in its use of learning resources, the accommodation and personnel. The chair of the finance committee is well-informed and understands the financial implications of school management very well. Most governors have a growing understanding of the principles of ‘best value’ but the use of management time is not evaluated very well. The few recommendations of the most recent internal financial audit have all been implemented successfully. The use of unofficial funds is recorded carefully and the accounts are audited annually.

p.26

Areas for further development in management

57. The quality of plans for intended work, including more structured and progressive curriculum planning, have been addressed successfully and has been improved since the previous inspection. The subject co-ordinators have accurately identified the strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum and have used their findings to guide the organisation of subjects. This improvement is reflected in the use made of their analysis of pupils’ work and the resultant changes in planning and teaching. Teachers work imaginatively and support colleagues in their areas of responsibility well. They offer informal support for colleagues willingly. The small staff and the shortage of money means that the leadership and management role of subject leaders is often frustrated. Money for staff training and development is not listed within the subject headings in the financial plans so subject leaders have little scope to plan for their subjects by managing the identified funding. Some subjects have

p.26

Areas for further development in management

inadequate resources to support and enhance pupils’ learning. Opportunities for Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 27 - February 2003 subject leaders to monitor and evaluate teaching and learning in the classroom are very limited. This means that others do not share the skills demonstrated in the classroom by talented teachers. In this way some expertise is regularly lost to pupils in other classes. Subject leaders are eager to manage the budget for their own subjects, to promote and lead initiatives, and to devise different ways of raising standards across the school. The governing body has purchased a support package for finance from the local education authority to monitor spending and to ensure that all funds allocated for special educational needs, including additional funding from within the school budget, are spent as specified.

p.26

Areas for further development in management

58. The school has been seeking to appoint a teacher with the skills to manage the provision for pupils with special educational needs for some time and is experiencing difficulty in finding a candidate of suitable quality. At present a temporary teacher, who has skills in this area, is seconded from another school by the local education authority. She is managing the procedures well and has organised all the documentation into a clear structure. The new code of practice for meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs is now in place and is working well but it has not yet been ratified by the full governing body.

p.27

Areas for further development in management

59. The procedures for and management of assessment led by the deputy headteacher are good and represent a great improvement since the previous inspection. Assessment information is now being used very effectively to set targets aimed at improving future performance for groups and individuals and these are beginning to show positive results. The targets agreed for pupils’ performance in the statutory tests in the current year are challenging and depend on pupils attending regularly. With hard work and consistent attendance, teachers and pupils alike consider them to be achievable. The longer-term plans for the academic years 2003 to 2005 are totally relevant to the pupils’ needs, especially in literacy, numeracy and science. Subject co-ordinators and teachers review these regularly and prepare reports for the governors to the headteacher for the information of the relevant delegated committees. Governors appreciate verbal reports when questions raised are

p.27

Areas for further development in management

answered directly and any lack of clarity is eliminated.

p.27

Areas for further development in management

60. The planned intentions of the headteacher and the governors have been very well implemented by a talented group of teachers who have worked collaboratively and diligently but the staff turnover has been at an above average level. This has meant that the school has made progress only slowly but overall there has been satisfactory progress since the last inspection. The established and new members of the governing body are enthusiastic to undertake training and are committed to the welfare of the pupils. There is now a greater capacity for more consistent improvement. Secure and realistic systems for moving the school forward have been set out. There is strong evidence of predominantly good teaching so that despite the tremendously high mobility within the pupil population, more than 40 per cent in many years, and the exceptionally high absence level of some groups of pupils, standards are now beginning to improve. There are good attitudes to work and learning and the

p.27

Areas for further development in management

relationships between all the people involved in the school are positive. Taking these factors into consideration, with the predominantly good behaviour of pupils, set against the below average financial resources, the school provides satisfactory value for money. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 28 - February 2003

p.27

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

61. In order to raise standards and to make further improvements the headteacher, governors and staff should:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(1) work to raise standards in the core subjects of English, mathematics and science across the school, especially at the end of Years 2 and 6 as set out in the practical action plans linked to the school improvement plan; Paragraphs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 83, 84, 88, 95, 96, 102.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(2) rigorously implement the action plan for the headteacher that is part of the school’s improvement plan for leadership and management and establish ways to:

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(i) consult more fully with members of the senior management team and members of the governing body in all decision making processes in order to ensure a clarity of purpose and a shared knowledge of the financial implications of all of the agreed decisions;

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(ii) provide clear, regular reports to governors and staff about the outcomes of all initiatives and actions with staged evidence of improvement; ensure that success criteria and review dates are arrived at by a process of full consultation;

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(iii) rejoice in the achievements of pupils and teachers; raise the profile of the school and promote and celebrate its rich cultural heritage throughout the community. Paragraphs: 34, 50,53, 55, 56,57,58,59.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(3) establish a systematic process to empower all subject leaders in the development and management of their subjects especially in the responsibilities of supporting colleagues in the classroom and in understanding and managing the designated budget; Paragraphs: 57, 94,102, 109, 111, 117, 121, 123.

p.28

WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(4) plan for a structured audit and review of resources for learning in order to fully support every curriculum area; Paragraphs: 52,57, 67, 94, 109, 111, 122, 123, 131, 135, 147.

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WHAT SHOULD THE SCHOOL DO TO IMPROVE FURTHER?

(5) establish and implement practical whole school strategies for improving punctuality and for regularly informing parents of the importance of regular attendance by their children. Paragraphs: 11, 16, 37, 49. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 29 - February 2003

p.28

language

62. The work of the Ethnic Minorities Achievement Grant team, (EMAG) team is well organised and of good quality. This enables all pupils to be fully included and to have full access to the curriculum. At the time of the inspection there were 146 pupils in the school who were supported by the team. Of these pupils 96 were at an early stage of English language acquisition and many in the Nursery and Reception classes and in Years 1 to 3 were at an early stage of language acquisition in their community language. At the time of the last inspection the work of the language support team assisting the learning of pupils with English as an additional language was judged to be good. The position now is that it is at least as strong as in 1998.

p.29

language

63. The co-ordinator is not a bilingual teacher but with the support of the local education authority (LEA) co-ordinator, who used to work in the school, she manages the team of seven bilingual support assistants well. All of the designated support staff have had specialist training to work with pupils using English as an additional language. The community language of many pupils is Pahari from the Kashmir district of the Indian sub-continent. All of the support staff are able to communicate with and help most parents, pupils and teachers very effectively using their community language. Mainstream teachers regularly use their own time to discuss pupils’ needs and progress with the support team to plan how future work might best be matched to their needs. This time is given willingly and it enables the specialist support staff to be very effective in supporting work in lessons.

p.29

language

64. Overall the effect of the work of the team is good. It is especially effective with the youngest children in the Nursery and the Reception class. The value of work to other staff during the settling in process and in the establishment of routines for the youngest children is immense. Across the school the help provided to pupils during the literacy hour enables the majority to make steady progress at the same rate and attain as well as the other pupils in the class. The observations and evaluations of pupils’ needs, the preparation for new vocabulary and extended writing activities enable pupils from minority ethnic groups to be fully involved in the learning process. As this involves the majority of the school, progress is not always rapid but learning is good and is built up in stages as pupils become more confident and their skills increase.

p.29

language

65. Good use is made of limited group and withdrawal work during some lessons. The work undertaken is linked to the purpose of the main lesson and working in a quieter environment enables pupils to listen carefully and to develop their understanding of the topics through English and sometimes their community language. Most frequently there is very effective support within the classroom. Teachers set individual targets, and a structured analysis of attainments achieved in respect to ethnicity is now being carried out systematically and thoroughly.

p.29

language

66. The evaluation of the benefits of the work of teachers from the service, as reflected in the results of regular evaluations of progress towards agreed targets, is undertaken by the school following a set of procedures developed by the LEA called English Language Development Assessment (ELDA). The monitoring strategies offer a practical and manageable way of charting individual pupils’ needs and progress. Assessment and evaluative information is maintained well for all pupils and shows what attainments have been reached with individuals and groups. This evaluation of how pupils’ achievements are being increased is helping teachers and support staff to focus work where it is needed and so provides a way of raising standards and Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 30 - February 2003 working towards agreed targets. The pupil mobility that means the groups are regularly changing makes evaluation very difficult, as gains with individuals cannot be

p.29

language

followed through when pupils are on holiday or when they move to other schools.

p.30

language

67. Within the school this aspect of work is managed effectively. Through collaborative planning work is targeted to support the curriculum planned for pupils in every class. Resources are satisfactory and match the needs of teachers, individuals and groups. Time is used efficiently and the designated staff are fully integrated into the life of the school. Their work is valued highly by the school. The team has effective links with members of the community who support their work and sometimes offer specialist translation services both orally and in written form. When they remain in the school for any length of time, these pupils make gains at the same rate as others in their class. As some pupils join the school at different times, from other cultures and educational experiences often with very little English, there are always a few pupils who do not attain the same standards as those who have been three or four years in

p.30

language

the school. Pupils make good progress in relation to their prior attainment at the time of entry. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 31 - February 2003

p.30

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Number of discussions with staff, governors, other adults and pupils 36

p.31

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection

p.31

Summary of the sources of evidence for the inspection

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactor y Poor Very Poor

p.31

Summary of the sources of evidence for 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 2 percentage points.

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils on the school’s roll Nursery YR– Y6

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s roll (FTE for part-time pupils) 12 179

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of full-time pupils eligible for free school meals 0 60

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Special educational needs Nursery YR – Y6

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with statements of special educational needs 0 0

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils on the school’s special educational needs register 8 67

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

English as an additional language No of pupils

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Number of pupils with English as an additional language 146

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupil mobility in the last school year No of pupils

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who joined the school other than at the usual time of first admission 12

p.31

Information about the school’s pupils

Pupils who left the school other than at the usual time of leaving 29

p.31

Attendance

National comparative data 94.1 National comparative data 0.5 Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 32 - February 2003 Both tables give the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 33 - February 2003

p.31

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 1 for the latest reporting year 2002 18 10 28

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

National Curriculum Test/Task Results Reading Writing Mathematics

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 10 14 15 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 8 10 9

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 64 (71) 86 (74) 86 (85) at NC level 2 or above National 84 (84) 86 (86) 90 (91)

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Boys 11 17 16 Numbers of pupils at NC level 2 and above Girls 9 10 10

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentage of pupils School 71 (68) 96 (85) 93 (82) at NC level 2 or above National 85 (85]) 89 (89) 89 (89)

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 1

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year.

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Number of registered pupils in final year of Key Stage 2 for the latest reporting year 2002 14 12 26

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

National Curriculum Test/Task Results English Mathematics Science

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys - - - Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls - - -

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 27 (52) 19 (28) 31 (52) at NC level 4 or above National 75 (75) 73 (71) 86 (87)

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Teachers’ Assessments English Mathematics Science

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Boys - - - Numbers of pupils at NC level 4 and above Girls - - -

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentage of pupils School 42 (45) 31 (45) 62 (48) at NC level 4 or above National 73 (72) 74 (74) 82 (82)

p.33

Attainment at the end of Key Stage 2

Percentages in brackets refer to the year before the latest reporting year. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 34 - February 2003 The number of girls and boys as individual groups is small so their results have been omitted from the table. The results of the group as a whole (girls and boys together) have been included. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 35 - February 2003

p.33

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

White – any other White background 0 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 63 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 0 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 56 2 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

Black or Black British – Caribbean 0 0 0

p.35

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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

p.35

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. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 36 - February 2003

p.35

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 8 Financial year 2001/02

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 21.1

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Education support staff: YR – Y6 Total expenditure 441,372

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 5 Expenditure per pupil 1,979

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 107 Balance brought forward from previous year -1,249

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Balance carried forward to next year 1,418

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Qualified teachers and support staff: nursery

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of qualified teachers (FTE) 1

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Number of pupils per qualified teacher 12

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total number of education support staff 1

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

Total aggregate hours worked per week 32.5

p.36

Teachers and classes Financial information

FTE means full-time equivalent. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 37 - February 2003

p.36

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Percentage of responses in each category

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

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

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child is making good progress in school. 53 40 2 4 2

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

Behaviour in the school is good. 42 43 13 2 0

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

My child gets the right amount of work to do at home. 42 43 4 2 9

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I am kept well informed about how my child is getting on. 43 43 6 4 4

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

I would feel comfortable about approaching the school with questions or a problem. 60 30 4 4 2

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school expects my child to work hard and achieve his or her best. 66 21 9 2 2

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school works closely with parents. 57 38 2 4 0

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is well led and managed. 47 43 8 2 0

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school is helping my child become mature and responsible. 51 36 9 2 2

p.37

Results of the survey of parents and carers

The school provides an interesting range of activities outside lessons. 30 28 19 2 21 Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 38 - February 2003

p.37

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

68. Children in the Foundation Stage are taught in the Nursery and the Reception class unit. In the Nursery, the children attend part-time for either the morning or afternoon session. Most of the children in the Reception class have attended the Nursery. Children’s attainment on entry to the Nursery is very low; particularly in communication, language and literacy and in the aspects of mathematics and other areas of learning which require proficiency in English. This is confirmed by initial assessments both at home and in school. Children gradually settle into the Nursery and make good progress towards what the children are expected to learn by the end of their time in the Reception class. The children’s knowledge and understanding of the world depends almost entirely on the work undertaken by the team working in the Nursery and the Reception class. Those children who have additional difficulties in

p.38

AREAS OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

one or more aspects of learning are quickly identified and, because of well-focused support and positive attitudes by all of the teachers and support staff, they too make good progress. All of the facilities are shared through a practical and successful arrangement so that all of the children in the Foundation Stage have full access to the rich range of resources and play facilities. The management and leadership of these classes for young children is good. The staff are very clear about what the children need to learn and of how children of this age learn through play and action. The achievements made in these classes underpins the work of the entire school. The process of tracking undertaken by the school shows that, those children who join the school from overseas, who have not shared in these early learning experiences, perform less well in most subjects across the curriculum.

p.38

Personal, social and emotional development

69. As a result of well-established routines and good teaching, children learn well. They work and play alongside each other in a friendly manner. This feature is particularly good in the Reception class. In the Nursery, there are occasions when pupils choose to work silently and independently, and the teacher and nursery staff are alert to this tendency. They encourage children to interact with others so that they are able to practise speaking either in their shared community language or in English.

p.38

Personal, social and emotional development

70. Children respond and achieve well as a direct result of the responsibilities given; for example, children in the Nursery register independently and those in the Reception classes help to record numbers present and talk about the activities that they choose each session. They usually listen well and answer the teacher but at times they are happier to just listen than to try to form sentences. Almost all respond enthusiastically to the opportunities given for joining in class and group activities. Children learning English is an additional language, the majority, are supported well by all of the adults. In the Reception class children take greater responsibility for their own equipment and for managing resources. By the time they leave the Foundation Stage most children have attained the expected level in this area of learning.

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

71. Throughout the Foundation Stage, the teaching of this area of the curriculum is good; children learn well and make good progress. In the Nursery, few children express themselves clearly in English and some use single words or gestures to convey Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 39 - February 2003 meaning. Nearly all of the children are at the early stages of speaking English. The good teaching means that the children’s communication skills are being developed well and are systematically reinforced. Children become active listeners who gradually use talk purposefully. Good relationships and sensitive prompts and questions during group speaking and listening sessions are strengths in both classes. Teachers assess children’s progress carefully before planning new activities. Lessons are interesting, nearly always visual and involve the children; therefore, they are enthusiastic, ask questions and gradually begin to show emerging

p.38

Communication, language and literacy

self-confidence. For example, in the Nursery, children sequence the order of dressing a doll or counting in mathematics. Many wait without interrupting and need encouragement to speak. A few children speak fluently, expressing their own ideas clearly. They begin to use speech for an increasingly wide range of purposes. There is, however, a significant number who are reluctant to speak and need a great deal of support both individually and in small groups.

p.39

Communication, language and literacy

72. Children enjoy sharing books with adults and listening to stories. In the Nursery most children understand that print carries meaning and recognise their own names. During the inspection, most children enjoy finding their own name labels and hanging them on their bottles of milk. Mark making is planned and practised in a range of places throughout both classes. Children in both classes are encouraged to write for a range of purposes; for example, writing orders in the builder’s yard. Tracing, drawing, forming shapes and letters are part of a carefully planned progression throughout the unit. The more confident and average-attaining children in the Reception class recognise many initial sounds, some frequently used words and the names of the characters in the stories they read. Children enjoy listening to stories and they join in with stories such as ‘The Potty’s the Place’ and, ‘At the Zoo’. Most

p.39

Communication, language and literacy

children have begun to write individual letters and there are many opportunities for them to experiment with independent writing. Overall on entry to the National Curriculum in Year 1 the majority of children have not attained the expected learning goal and their attainment is well below that of most five-year-olds nationally.

p.39

Mathematical development

73. Children’s mathematical skills are very low when they enter the Nursery. Because of consistently good teaching throughout the Foundation Stage they make good progress, especially in the numeracy and shape aspects of mathematics. In the Reception classes many count to 10, the more confidant children count to 20 and all children learn and sing a range of number rhymes. Throughout the Foundation Stage teachers give children a wide variety of practical number activities which develop their understanding. In the Nursery nearly all children recognise at least four colours, match objects by colour and the majority are able to count at least to five. With adult prompts children compare size and shape when filling containers with water or sand, understanding vocabulary such as ‘full’ or ‘empty’. Many recognise ‘triangles’, ‘circles’ and ‘squares’. They use the accurate mathematical language of position,

p.39

Mathematical development

such as ‘next to’, ‘in front of’ or ‘behind’.

p.39

Mathematical development

74. Those children capable of higher attainment in the Reception class apply their numeracy skills and knowledge of money in the shop and tearoom. Other children are beginning to recognise and use a range of coins. Evidence from books and lessons indicates that although the more experienced children use their number skills confidently, most need and use the support of apparatus in all aspects of mathematics. When children leave the Reception class and move into Year 1 their attainment level, whilst much improved, is well below that expected for children of the Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 40 - February 2003 same age nationally. This is especially true for those who have spent part of the year in their country of origin or who join the class later on in the year.

p.39

Knowledge and understanding of the world

75. Teachers provide children with a rich variety of activities that enable them to learn about, appreciate and value the world in which they live. Across the Foundation Stage children investigate properties of sand, water and dough and describe their appearances. They understand that water and sand take the shape of the containers while dough and clay can be rolled and formed into many different shapes. They understand changes that take place when ingredients are mixed and then cooked to make a range of food. Preparing special food is especially important when celebrating the cultural and religious festivals. Children learn well and make good progress using investigations and observations to learn about themselves, their health, animal life and the environment. Children eat fruit during some break times to encourage healthy eating.

p.40

Knowledge and understanding of the world

76. Children learn about the physical world around them and know the routes from their class to the play area. This knowledge is developed further in the Reception class where they describe journeys from home to school and know the differences between town and country or seaside areas. They develop a greater understanding of the different types of shops and the market and of patterns of behaviour that are important to family life. Children progress well from the Nursery where they name the different members of their family to the Reception class where they plot a timeline to show a sequence of toys used from babyhood to children who are 5 years old.

p.40

Knowledge and understanding of the world

77. Children use information and communication technology (ICT) for a satisfactory range of purposes. They know that switches control machines such as video recorders, CD players and computers. Those children observed, demonstrated good mouse control when using art packages to create pictures. In the Reception class children use ICT for language activities when using listening centres or the computers. A range of visits in the neighbourhood of the school enhance children’s understanding of the area where they live and different environments. Although children in the these classes learn a great deal during their time in the unit, only a few learn everything that they are expected to by the time they move into the main school.

p.40

Physical development

78. Children benefit greatly from the opportunities provided for them in this area of learning and, because the teaching is good, they learn well and make good progress. The majority achieve most of the required steps apart from those associated with writing. In the Nursery for example, children show good co-ordination when throwing balls, aiming at different objects and climbing on the fixed apparatus. Children use a wide range of wheeled vehicles, confidently following the outlines of the area and avoiding collisions. In the Reception class, children’s movements are refined as they acquire a wider range of skills. Children handle construction equipment and paints with care. They make good progress throughout both classes in drawing and early writing skills. Some children use pencils to draw shapes, lines and circles; most children attempt to write some letters of the alphabet sometimes in the sand, with

p.40

Physical development

79. The range of planned activities in the Foundation Stage allows the children to use tools, materials and equipment safely and with increasingly fine control in all aspects of physical development. They enjoy wearing goggles and helmets when hammering Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 41 - February 2003 and making items with wood from the ‘builder’s yard’. They show good co-ordination when using pencils, scissors and fabrics; for example, when making peg dolls or puppets with moving parts using paper fasteners.

p.40

Creative development

80. Children achieve well in this area of learning because of the many rich opportunities provided for them. They all make good progress throughout the Foundation Stage in painting, collage and use of texture; for example, children in the Nursery use colour and large brushes boldly when painting and they recognise most colours. Children in the Reception class learn well and achieve well when painting pictures. They use texture effectively in their pictures of spring flowers and carefully designed collages, using a good collection of materials. When using dough, children spoke of the feel and texture of the material using words such as ‘squeezy’, ‘soft’, ‘smooth’ and ‘squidgey’.

p.41

Creative development

81. Children delight in making music and listening to tapes. They listen to and join in singing and using instruments. Children in the Reception class sing many songs and number rhymes and can recite a lot of nursery rhymes. They sing with good articulation, and most have a good feel for rhythm. Throughout the Foundation Stage children have many opportunities for role-play. By the time they leave for Year 1 most have attained the levels expected in this area.

p.41

ENGLISH

82. Overall the quality of provision in English is good and improvement since the previous inspection is also judged to be good.

p.41

Strengths

• good teaching is helping pupils of all ages and abilities to make good progress; • effective assessment procedures and the use of the information gained from assessment to influence teaching and learning; • better speaking opportunities have been developed for pupils in all class groups; • the range of writing opportunities has been improved for all pupils and is now good; • the use of research skills by older pupils.

p.41

Areas for improvement

• standards at the end of Years 2 and 6 by developing a greater understanding of written information and the structure of written questions; • opportunities for writing so pupils can develop writing skills that use more complex sentence structures and more accurate use of punctuation; • handwriting throughout the school and the frequency and quality of display of pupils’ writing.

p.41

Areas for improvement

83. Standards for pupils in Year 6 in the national tests of English in 2002 were very low when compared with national averages and those for pupils in similar schools. At the end of Year 2 pupils ’ attainment in the standardised national tests of English in 2002 was very low when compared with national averages for reading and well below for writing. When compared with similar schools, however, writing was in line with national averages although reading was well below. When adjusted to allow for pupils who joined the class from overseas in the term before the tests, the results were much nearer to the expected levels. These are the best ever percentage results for this school by pupils in Year 2. Although there has been slow improvement in results over recent years the progress for Year 6 pupils over the last four years is well below the national average. The attainment of the pupils is spread over a wide range with

p.41

Areas for improvement

Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 42 - February 2003 very few pupils achieving the higher levels of attainment. The composition of year groups is constantly changing and many pupils miss a significant amount of school due to extended holidays to their parents’ country of origin. Approximately half of the pupils taking the statutory tests have not received the whole of their education within the school. This means that the learning of many pupils is not consistently developed and teachers have had insufficient time to help them attain expected or higher standards. Added to this, in Year 6 in 2002 nine pupils, one third of the group, had multiple and complex special educational needs and three of these had statements.

p.42

Areas for improvement

84. Inspection evidence shows that by the end of Year 2, standards overall are still likely to fall below those expected for pupils of this age although in lessons, where there is good support, pupils regularly work successfully at the expected level. Learning and progress, however, are judged to be good for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those for whom English is not the language of the home.

p.42

Areas for improvement

85. The skills of speaking and listening are below expectations. The majority of pupils in Years 1 and 2 listen well but too often they answer questions with one-word answers and teachers have to work hard to get them to support their answer by reasoning. When hearing pupils read pupils in Year 2 became very involved in discussion with the inspector about the situation in a simple story. This indicates that although pupils are often diffident when speaking to a large group they are much more confident in one-to-one situations where they know that they are being well supported.

p.42

Areas for improvement

86. Reading skills are below expectations overall with most pupils reading the words accurately but being unable fully to interpret the meaning. Pupils like reading; they have favourite books and read at home, mainly on their own or with a brother or sister. Lower attaining pupils have a good sight vocabulary, and use letter sounds and picture clues to work out simple words. Average attaining pupils read with more expression and fluency but often 'guess' more difficult words as using letter sounds slows them down and interrupts the story. Pupils capable of higher attainment use punctuation and a good sight vocabulary to read with expression and they understand the structure of the story. They use the index to find information quickly and they easily read complex words such as 'Gigantosaurus'. They do not readily look forward in the story and anticipate events.

p.42

Areas for improvement

87. Attainment in writing is below expectations. The majority of pupils still print words and their sentences are simple and under developed. Spellings are learnt regularly and tested so that pupils spell words such as 'photograph' or 'stomach' correctly. Pupils capable of higher attainment achieve the basic sentence structure with accurate punctuation in simple sentences. Many attempt to develop an interesting structure through the use of speech marks, but accurate punctuation is not yet well established. They write simple sentences with an accurate use of capital letters and full stops. Some are beginning to use imaginative words in writing descriptive accounts such as 'sneaking into darkness'. In the lower attaining groups, pupils have very poor letter formation and have only a basi c understanding of sentence structure. As yet, these pupils do not have a firm grasp of punctuation or spelling.

p.42

Areas for improvement

88. By the end of Year 6 standards are below expectations. The good teaching seen during inspection has not been the norm for many of these pupils, at least half of whom have had varied learning experiences before arriving in this school. ‘Analysis of work in pupils’ books and observation in lessons show that the learning and progress of all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language is good. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 43 - February 2003 89. Most pupils readily speak clearly in support of their answers to questions that require thought and explanation. The school has worked well at developing pupils' skills in this aspect of English since the previous inspection and teaching ensures that all pupils are involved in answering questions. There is, however, some reluctance to offer answers by some pupils for whom English is not their first language but skilled

p.42

Areas for improvement

language support staff encourage and prompt their efforts. Pupils in Year 6 are involved in daily discussions about current affairs using the television programme ‘Newsround’. They express their personal points of view and readily debate the ideas and opinions of others. A discussion about whether parents should be fined for taking their children on holiday during term time became heated with very different positions being taken by groups of pupils. These skills are developed less well in classes for younger pupils but the pattern is improving.

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Areas for improvement

90. The reading skills of the pupils in Year 6 remain below expectations. Pupils like reading, and read at home both for pleasure and as part of their homework however, only a few could describe their favourite writers or story topics. They are confident when explaining how the reference system works and have interests in war, space and science. They use the contents page and the index purposefully when finding information. Pupils capable of higher attainment use the skills of 'skimming' and 'scanning' well to find information. They use punctuation well to help themselves to read with good expression. Secure sight vocabulary and understanding mean that they understand the story line well and are beginning to use the skills of inference and deduction to interpret the finer points of the story. They read words such as 'occasional' and 'adoration' easily and explain the meaning of words such as 'revolting' and 'twaddle' very well. Although the higher attaining pupils are at the

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Areas for improvement

expected level of average attainment too few are working towards the higher levels. Pupils with average attainment read with fluency and expression but do not use punctuation well to aid their understanding. Pupils in the lower attaining groups, who have often missed weeks of schooling, are hesitant and do not use sounds well to interpret unfamiliar words.

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Areas for improvement

91. Despite work in 'Booster' groups aimed at improving their descriptive writing, for many pupils attainment in writing is below the expected level. Handwriting is not well developed with too many pupils still printing and only a few using a joined script consistently. Higher and average attaining pupils write lengthy stories with paragraphs and dialogue. Although a variety of openings are used to create interest, sentences are mainly simple in style and accurate punctuation is not reliable. There has been too much reliance on prepared worksheets practising the use of verbs, vocabulary and punctuation.

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Areas for improvement

92. Throughout the school, teaching and pupils’ learning is at least good and sometimes it is very good. This good and very good teaching is based on clear planning, a good understanding of the pupils' abilities and the delivery of lessons at a brisk pace that keeps all pupils involved in the learning process. The writing opportunities are often structured to prepare for work in other subjects. Literacy skills are used very effectively in other subject areas such as science, design technology, geography and personal, social and health education. Learning targets are agreed with pupils to provide a clear focus for improvement.

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Areas for improvement

93. Very good use is made of classroom support staff to increase the involvement of pupils for whom English is an additional language. Challenging learning activities are matched well to the needs of all pupils including those with special educational needs. As a result pupils follow the lessons with interest and are able to demonstrate their learning well when answering questions. For example, in a very good lesson for Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 44 - February 2003 pupils in Year 4 the majority of pupils were able to offer ideas about the use of words in poems to develop images for the reader. They spoke about adjectives and developed imaginative similes to work with 'White like…' and 'Dark like…' Ideas developed by the pupils were linked well to other areas of learning so that the pupils' understanding was extended beyond the basic objectives of the lesson.

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Areas for improvement

94. Good assessment procedures ensure that the school knows how well individuals and groups of pupils are progressing. This information is used well to project targets and identify areas of learning that need improvement and to challenge pupils with special educational needs at an appropriate level. The management of the subject is satisfactory overall with leadership providing determined guidance for the development of the subject. This means that the work of the school reflects its aims and that the teachers have a strong commitment to improvement. There is very little time for regular monitoring of the work of the school and this aspect of provision is unsatisfactory. The lack of clearly allocated funding for administration by the subject leader means that resources are not well developed although new books to support the development of literacy have been purchased. The development of library stocks,

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Areas for improvement

that were stated to be a priority at the time of the previous inspection, has not yet been fully addressed.

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MATHEMATICS

95. In the results of the 2002 national tests, standards in Year 2 were very low when compared with those in all schools nationally and with schools with a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. When adjustments are made for those pupils who joined the class from overseas in the weeks before the tests, the percentage achieving the expected levels is improved. In Year 6, overall standards were very low in comparison to schools nationally and to those in schools with a similar proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals. This low result was due in part to very few pupils reaching the higher Level 5 and a much higher percentage of pupils in that class having special educational needs, 3 of 9 identified pupils having statements of special need.

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MATHEMATICS

96. There is no marked difference between the attainment of boys and girls who do not have special educational needs. Inspection evidence indicates that standards of attainment overall are likely to remain below the national expectations by the end of Years 2 and Year 6. There is evidence to show that work in other years indicates that pupils across the school are now learning well and are making good progress. In lessons where there is a good level of classroom support pupils are working at expected levels but do not retain this standard when working independently. These positive signs are as a result of the changes made to the curriculum and to the pattern of teaching.

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MATHEMATICS

The reasons for standards remaining below average overall are because: • there was an above average number of pupils in Year 6 in 2002, with special educational needs; • most pupils enter the school with very low levels of mathematical understanding; • a significant number of pupils enter the school into the older classes, after the normal starting time, who have little or no knowledge of the English language; • there is an above average level of pupil mobility, up to 52 per cent in some years; • little time is available for the subject leader to monitor and support work of colleagues in the classroom. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 45 - February 2003 97. In response to the identified difficulties there has been a review of the curriculum and style of teaching and as a result: • teachers are now more confident when matching work carefully to prior levels of attainment in groups; • expectations for work to be completed in the lesson to a good standard are found

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MATHEMATICS

in all classes; • there is skilled well-informed support for those pupils who find learning and sustained effort to be difficult.

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MATHEMATICS

98. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teaching is never less than satisfactory and is predominantly good. Teachers follow the recommendations of the National Numeracy Strategy very well. They identify what pupils will be taught in each lesson and how they will be helped to learn. In most lessons these objectives are shared with pupils so that they know what is expected of them. At the end of lessons, time is spent reviewing what has been learned so that teachers have useful information from which to plan the next part of the teaching and learning programme.

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MATHEMATICS

99. In a lesson in Year 2, pupils showed how to solve problems using skills learned in multiplication and division. They understood the concept of ‘sharing’ and ‘times’ and enjoyed using the words ‘multiplied by’ or ‘divided by’. They explained confidently that, “when you multiply the answer is bigger and, when you divide the answer should be smaller”. Pupils understand how to tell the time using digital and analogue clocks. They read information using their knowledge of tables but need to practise these. Pupils in Year 6 work well using multiplication of decimals. At the beginning of the lessons, pupils rapidly calculate simple sums using the four rules of mathematics mentally. The teachers use good systems to improve the pupils’ speed of thought and understanding of number bonds. This is further developed when pupils work on more complicated examples in their books. An analysis of work in Year 6 books

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MATHEMATICS

shows that pupils cover a reasonable amount of work in length, weight and capacity as well as producing graphs, often supported by information and communication technology to help solve problems. Pupils are learning alternative ways of managing computation to provide them with strategies to check their own work.

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MATHEMATICS

100. As part of the school’s initiative to raise standards the school is using a commercial scheme that enables teachers to match work very carefully to pupil s ’ prior attainment. This is useful when pupils need extra attention to compensate for an area that has been missed either when they have been on a visit to family or through changing schools. Teachers and classroom assistants are able to teach these pupils as individual units within the class if they have missed essential steps so that they will then succeed alongside the rest of the class. Learning support assistants and staff responsible for assisting pupils with English as an additional language help these pupils to become more familiar with mathematical language and they , too, are now making good progress.

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MATHEMATICS

101. The school is beginning to use ICT very well to support learning. Pupils in Year 6 used computers to write formulae to reinforce and consolidate work in mathematics undertaken in class, to plan a festive event and to celebrate a family birthday. Computers in the classrooms are being been used very effectively and most pupils’ skills in using ICT to support learning in mathematics are secure. Pupils enjoy mathematics and try hard to complete the tasks set. Pupils co-operate with each other well, offering to help if a friend is in difficulty. Most listen well and are keen to answer questions. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 46 - February 2003 102. The subject leader is developing the subject well. Improving standards of planning, teaching and learning in the subject has been a high priority. The monitoring of teaching and learning in the subject does not taken place on a regular basis and

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MATHEMATICS

teachers have to use their own time to seek help when trying to improve their performance. This informal help is given readily but does not make the best use of teachers’ time. Assessment is now well organised and the results gathered are used very well. Some classes have set individual targets for pupils to aim for and pupils are aware of what they must do in order to improve and to reach higher performance levels. Current action plans show that the subject leader is accurately targeting what still needs to be done. The school is now well set for teachers to work together to improve pupils’ standards further in mathematics.

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SCIENCE

103. Standards in science for average attaining and higher attaining pupils are on course to be in line with national expectations at the end of Year 2, showing improvement since the last inspection. Pupils’ knowledge of experimental and investigative science is still weaker than their knowledge in other areas; this has only improved slightly since the last inspection report. In the National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 6 in 2002 standards were very low when compared with the national average. Evidence from the inspection, however, shows that current standards in lessons are judged to be satisfactory but it is likely that without the support available in lessons, that the test results will not reflect these improved standards. Formal test conditions do not reflect what pupils are able to achieve.

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SCIENCE

104. Improvements in curriculum planning and delivery are beginning to make a positive impact on pupils’ learning, progress and attainment for all pupils because: • teachers are more aware of the standards to be reached by each year group if better results in statutory national testing are to be achieved; • teachers have a sound understanding of the scientific concepts and ideas to be taught and explain these carefully, building up the learning step by careful step; • the adoption of the nationally-approved scheme of work enables teachers to set the work at the right level and to plan lessons that interest pupils; • bilingual and support assistants give effective help to pupils with English as an additional language and those with special educational needs.

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SCIENCE

105. Those learning English as an additional language find learning difficult without the encouragement and prompting of the language support assistants. Other pupils who have joined the school from other areas of the country often have a poor background for learning. In Years 1 and 2 the effective support by a skilled nursery nurse enables science to be taught in smaller groups matched to pupils’ prior attainment and this works well. In the group for lower attaining pupils teachers are helping them to develop their observation skills and specific scientific vocabulary. They know that a skirt is made from cloth and can sort other materials according to simple attributes. For many pupils, understanding of vocabulary depends on the support of an interpreter. This is well managed, and all pupils are enabled to attain the learning objective. Through practical activities pupils learn the properties of materials and the

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SCIENCE

things around them. All pupils, including those with specific needs, are involved and share in the group discussion utilising good adult support. Independent investigation is being developing but most pupils still check with an adult to reassure them that they are right. Pupils capable of higher attainment successfully classify objects with confidence, using a wider vocabulary of specific scientific terms. They know which materials are natural and which are manufactured and how some things are changed by heating or pulling. They use simple reference books to search for more Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 47 - February 2003 information. Pupils prepare lists to help them record their findings and to organise their ideas.

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SCIENCE

106. In Year 3 pupils know the purpose of food to promote growth, protection and energy. They identify different food categories, such as cereals and fruit, with increasing confidence. They record which foods make a healthy meal and recognise that their favourite meal may not be best at promoting good health. In Year 4, pupils work together to locate bones in the body. They work co-operatively and discuss their ideas. They know that bones are hard and readily locate the skull and ribs giving some description of their role in protection. Some pupils can make a good guess at placing bones on a drawn body but are not sure of the common names for them. Pupils work sensibly and show a keenness to find out more. They record an investigation, returning enthusiastically to share the session at the end of the lesson to explain their findings to others in the class.

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SCIENCE

107. Year 5 pupils instinctively use reference books as a resource to increase their knowledge about food. They successfully transfer information to help them devise a healthy menu and name proteins, carbohydrates and other types of food groups with growing confidence. They know what is meant by, and easily describe, a balanced diet. In Year 6 pupils make sensible contributions when gathering evidence or decision-making. Most know that certain food products contain elements of more than one food group, for example, fruit yoghurt has protein and carbohydrate because it contains sugar. Pupils are keen to describe their investigations about reversible and irreversible change, seen when a variety of powders are mixed with water or vinegar. Some are eager to follow the investigation up at home and they know that preparation is needed for an investigation and that observation skills are important. Pupils use

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SCIENCE

correct terminology during discussions and their ideas are good but these are not clearly presented on paper. When recording their discoveries the presentation is often untidy and the quantity does not reflect what they know.

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SCIENCE

108. The quality of teaching is mostly good, with some being very good. Teachers share secure knowledge and understanding of the subject. Lesson objectives are shared with pupils from an early age. Teaching is often brisk and lively to encourage pupils’ practical involvement. Teachers promote the skills of ‘being a scientist’ through well- planned activities that help pupils extend their scientific knowledge and develop skills of observation, questioning, predicting and communicating ideas. Purposeful discussions at the end of lessons help pupils to review what they have learned. Work in science is displayed effectively around school. There are good examples of how investigational skills progress from Years 1 to 6. Some displays are interactive and pose suitable questions to highlight teaching points or vocabulary. The use of information and communication technology for research and recording science is

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SCIENCE

increasing, through the use of the computer suite.

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SCIENCE

109. Focused lesson planning, a reviewed scheme of work and recently purchased commercial scheme have improved the curricular provision since the last inspection. Work in attainment groups in Years 1 and 2 is very effective in meeting the needs of pupils and targets support to those pupils who need it most. Pupils with English as an additional language or with special educational needs gain from high quality individual support. Teachers need more learning resources to meet the demands of developing scientific enquiry and investigation skills. There are limited resources for practical activities that are kept centrally. The subject leader has no easy way of tracking where they are being used and has no time allocated to monitor how well they are being used. Too much depends on the goodwill of teachers and of informal Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 48 - February 2003 support. Teachers are eager to share in whole-school training in scientific enquiry

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SCIENCE

110. Assessment of pupils’ understanding and skills works best where additional adult support is available in lessons. Staff then work together noting important information about pupils’ learning and achievements. This was seen to good effect in a Year 4 class where the classroom assistant noted detailed assessments of targeted pupils’ skills in a study of the skeleton. She discussed her notes with the teacher who then used the information to target questioning in order to extend learning. The introduction of writing frames to record investigations is helping teachers to focus on assessing specific aspects of pupils’ knowledge and skills. Recording in this way helps teachers to evaluate what pupils know. For instance, can pupils identify household objects that use electricity? In this example the recording boxes are labelled, “What we are going to do“, “What we did”, “What we found out”. More formal assessments

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SCIENCE

are carried out at the end of each half term or at the end of a unit of work and a portfolio of evidence is being developed to show good examples scientific enquiry and investigation.

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SCIENCE

111. Science has not been the listed priority subject for the school this year and the subject leader has few regular opportunities for formal monitoring, evaluation and ensuring the development of teaching and learning in classes. She has a clear sense of direction for the subject and has helped to carry out several of the detailed actions included in the school improvement plan. There is too little shared discussion in planned staff meeting time. The school has reviewed science within its curriculum long-term map but planning and evaluation of teaching is shared informally and often only at the end of a unit of work. The subject leader is eager to support staff with planning and to check that they have the necessary resources before each strand of the curriculum, to ensure that the agreed provision and development of skills and knowledge is being maintained for all pupils.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

112. These subjects are taught as separate elements within a combined programme. An analysis of work, displays and policy documents, lesson observations and discussion with pupils and teachers indicates that standards of attainment match the expected levels at the end of Years 2 and 6. These subjects were used to support topics at the time of the last inspection and the planning, completion and evaluation of work is better now than in 1998. Across the school pupils of all attainment levels achieve well. The standard of design is enhanced by pupils maintaining portfolios of earlier work and using evaluations of previously completed activities to inform their thinking and planning. The achievements made in these subjects are because: • the school plans carefully to ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met; • pupils’ acquisition of skills knowledge and understanding are tracked carefully and

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

built on systematically; • teachers share planning and their enthusiasm captures and maintains pupils’ interest; • imaginative tasks challenge pupils’ thinking; skills learned in lessons are transferred to other projects; • information and communication technology is used instinctively to support learning.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

113. Teachers’ planning for these subjects promotes the skills and techniques required to develop pupils’ progress. There is a sensible selection of suggested topics that Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 49 - February 2003 ensure that pupils have good experiences over time. The quality of teaching seen was never less than good because planning is thorough and draws on known skills. Teachers make sensitive use of the skilled classroom support staff and endeavour to link areas of learning with other subjects, such as making links with science during lessons in food technology. The teachers are enthusiastic and well organised and their knowledge captivates pupils’ imagination and makes them eager to work and learn. Information and communication technology used to support learning includes videos and CD-ROMS.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

114. Teachers challenge pupils’ thinking and question them about their ideas. When working in small groups, pupils then question and check their own decisions and those of their friends as they work. Skills learned in English are used well to record their first discussions and to present their final conclusions, such as about ways of creating healthy snacks.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

115. Pupils have experimented with collage and have made symmetrical portraits using pictures from magazines. They have worked to create repeated patterns in a range of styles often linked to patterns from Islam. This detailed work helps pupils to reinforce their skills of observation, increase their powers of concentration and often to make links with their work in mathematics. Work in small groups in Years 1 and 2 enables teachers and support assistants to develop pupils’ techniques carefully and to help them to extend their vocabulary as they discuss minute details in a quiet calm environment.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

116. Over time pupils use and understand available media, colour, pencil control and the use of light and shadow is developed. In Years 3 and 4 pupils’ studies from nature and still life support this work. Other pupils have benefited from visits to support their studies in history about ancient Egypt and the time of the Romans and have painted in the styles seen on pots and objects of interest in the museums visited. In classes for older pupils, work in the style of Van Gogh and Monet has been used as a stimulus for pupils’ own work. Well-used sketchbooks are useful tools to plan new work building on past experiences.

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ART AND DESIGN and DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

117. The subject leaders for these subjects give freely of their time to support colleagues. Expertise is shared readily and good records of successful projects are kept. The school improvement plan acknowledges that the subject leaders should work with other teachers in the classrooms but as yet these subjects have not had sufficiently high priority. This is limiting the potential for future development. The nature of the building makes display difficult and opportunities to follow through art and design from Year 1 to Year 6 showing how pupils have developed is not easy. This limits the way that younger pupils can learn through a visual presentation of the work of older pupils.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

118. These subjects are taught as a combined humanities programme with each subject being the focus of teaching and learning in turn in all classes. There was only limited opportunity to observe lessons in either subject. Judgements are supported by discussion with pupils and teachers and, since much of the work is conducted in an oral and practical way , through the very limited evidence available in pupils’ books. Overall attainment levels match national expectations. This is better than in 1998 when all of this work was linked to a topic approach. The standards are in line with expectations because: • the school has adapted the latest national guidance to ensure that all requirements of the National Curriculum are met; Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 50 - February 2003 • teachers provide as many practical experiences as funding permits; • information and communication technology is used to support learning.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

119. There are some pupils who have joined the school only recently for whom no secure judgement can be made. Pupils in Year 6 investigating and comparing life in Sparta with the culture and traditions of Athens demonstrated a good understanding of suitable methods of questioning resources and of the differences between firsthand and secondary evidence. In Year 5 pupils studying education in Victorian England had a good knowledge of the features of their own ‘Victorian Board School’ and compared it with some of the different educational experiences that some pupils had had, often in relatively new modern schools. In the one lesson seen in geography pupils in Year 4 used aerial photographs sensibly to establish the location of features on a small- scale map of the community. They discussed what they saw on the map with what they knew of the identified locations.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

120. Whilst there is too little evidence to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching the few lessons seen were at least satisfactory and the teaching in the history lessons was good. Planning was thorough and skills of comparison and explanation were used in discussion. Pupils compiled lists of questions and recorded answers in simple charts in list form or through factual reports. Pupils recall with pleasure visits to the National Armoury in Leeds. They are pleased to explain how they constructed lists of questions and collected responses and information from the people of Leeds in response to the prepared questionnaire.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

121. The policy documents and the agreed plans for what pupils are expected to learn are based on the recognised national guidelines for the delivery of the curriculum. This is satisfactory but the subject leaders are ready to adapt the standard guidance to extend and enhance the school’s provision for these subjects that have been much lower in the school’s listed priorities than English and mathematics. Practical systems of assessment for end of topic evaluation have been developed. These are working well and have helped to identify areas for curricular improvement.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

122. The subject leaders work well together and share a commitment to enabling pupils to learn by seeing and doing rather than by filling in worksheets or just learning facts. The limited resources hamper learning opportunities. All visits to places of interest are planned to enable pupils to use public transport to keep costs to the minimum. This has not prevented teachers providing pupils with experiences that have real interest and excitement. These include visits to Oakwell Hall, where pupils have experienced a day copying life in Tudor England. Other opportunities have been provided to be 'Egyptians’ using a loan facility from the local education authority. Another highlight in the pupils’ experiences has been what is called ‘Apple seeds and Sheaves’. This is an historical activity day when pupils spend time living as people in times past. During the day they work with art and design, music and design and

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

technology to record their activities with pupils from other schools. This is completed by a presentation of work and some acting out of their experiences for members of the public.

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GEOGRAPHY and HISTORY

123. The subject managers are eager to develop their shared role more fully. They have listed necessary resources and know what they have, where they can borrow some items from and what must be purchased. These subject leaders have very limited opportunities to monitor the effectiveness of the subjects and the school’s documentation shows very limited funds with which to develop resources and so increase their effectiveness. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 51 - February 2003

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

124. Attainment levels are in line with expectations by the end of Years 2 and 6. This is a marked improvement since the last inspection when they were well below throughout the school. This improvement is the result of: • teachers being more skilled at using computers and encouraging pupils to make good use of them in lessons across the curriculum; • the willingness of pupils to share their skills and achievements with others as partners and tutors; • teachers’ commitment to providing as many ways as possible for pupils to access hardware and software in all subjects; • improved resources supported by good quality teaching and a purposeful action plan by the subject leader.

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

125. The newly enhanced computer suite is allowing pupils to increase their independent thinking skills and self-esteem as they achieve better skills, and it encourages beneficial co-operation and socialising in lessons. Pupils usually make good progress in the lessons and are on course to meet national expectations. Pupils with special educational needs and whose first language is other than English, make similar progress to other pupils as a result of effective support. The rate of learning by pupils in Years 3 to 6 is better than in Years 1 and 2 where language barriers sometimes inhibit pupils’ initial involvement and understanding. As yet older pupils have more access to the facilities of the computer suite because it is closer to their classrooms. Younger pupils are allocated a day for computer activities each week. The stand-alone computers closer to Years 1 and 2 are not new, they are sometimes

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

‘temperamental’ when working and are often out of action.

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

126. Pupils are encouraged to use the computers in the Nursery and Reception class and some show that they are developing confidence when using skills of mouse control and ability to scroll and change pictures. No direct teaching of information and communication technology in Years 1 and 2 was seen during the inspection but displays show that pupils have been involved in practical activities with control technology to move an object backwards and forwards. An analysis of recorded evidence shows how pupils in Year 2 have confidently used the enter key successfully to create line breaks, as seen when editing a poem about the life of Solomon Grundy.

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

127. In Year 3, the ability range between pupils who have computers at home and those who do not is evident, as they follow basic instructions to log on and off and to save their print. On occasions, machines in the computer suite are unpredictable ), disrupt the flow of the lesson and cause additional difficulties for those pupils who are tying hard to grasp new skills. When the system in the computer suite is working well, pupils in Year 3 are careful when selecting from a range of large and small fonts to present a diary of their holiday events. Pupils in Year 4 type out a published African poem correctly then return to the text to replace selected adjectives with some of their own words. In groups pupils direct a turtle, predicting where it will move after a series of instructions. They readily evaluate their findings. Recorded evidence of work shows that pupils have the opportunity to assess their own development of skills,

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

appraising what they can do, need help with or can do independently.

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

128. Pupils in Year 5 know that some devices can be controlled through direct instructions when they plug leads into a control panel to enable different actions. They then develop this to writing a programme of instructions to control a robot. Pupils work well together, take turns on computers and behave well. In Year 6 pupils use Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 52 - February 2003 information and communication technology with growing confidence in their mathematical lessons. Most pupils confidently write a formula to answer their mathematical problem, with a good level of accuracy. Too few benefit from going with their friends to use the non-fiction resources in the nearby library to seek information, alongside using Internet facilities. Those pupils without computers at home often miss valuable experience in learning to recognise how they too could develop their information and research skills through an alternative and perhaps more accessible

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

129. The quality of teaching is good. Teachers have benefited from a planned programme of training on delivering the curriculum and this is having a positive effect on school policy and practice. Detailed planning helps teachers identify learning objectives and how available support is to be used in the lesson. Teachers manage pupils well in the computer suite. Behaviour is good, with activities appropriately planned to meet the needs of pupils with different levels of prior attainment. Classroom assistants ably support pupils with specific learning difficulties, including those with English as an additional language. Tasks usually include challenges for all pupils and successfully move learning forward. Good explanations are always given at the beginning of sessions to ensure that instructions are understood correctly. Cross-curricular links to incorporate the use of computers into all other subjects, are being developed.

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

130. The computer suite together with additional software and hardware, including a digital camera, gives pupils’ increasing quality learning opportunities. The school does not yet make sufficient use of display using examples of pupils’ good work to model good practice and to celebrate pupils’ achievements. The use of computers by teaching staff to generate planning and teaching aids has increased since the last inspection. This has resulted in more vibrant curriculum displays, information notices and learning prompts around the school.

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INFORMATION and COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

131. The leadership of the subject is good. The subject leader manages a sound policy and scheme well. There is a clear action plan for development and resources are well deployed to have the most significant impact on raising standards. Assessment of skills has recently been enhanced through the introduction of a system that identifies the attainment of specific groups and aids the tracking of pupils’ progress. The school benefits from the support of a technician for half a day a week to support the subject leader by assisting the staff with any technical problems .

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MUSIC

132. Overall the quality of provision in music is satisfactory. The teacher with specialist skills has left and teachers are in the early stages of developing the teaching of music without this specialist support. As a result provision for music has not improved since the previous inspection.

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Strengths

• the commitment of teachers to the delivery of the music curriculum according to government guidelines; • particularly good teaching in a lesson for pupils in Year 4.

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Areas for improvement

• the development of teaching skills in music across the school; • resources to provide pupils with a source of pleasure and enjoyment in learning about music. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 53 - February 2003 133. Limited observations of lessons across the school show that standards are in line with expectations by the end of Year 2 but are below expectations by the end of Year 6. In Year 1 pupils keep together when singing action songs and respond to the rhythm of music in a song about clocks. In Year 6 pupils recognise the features of lyrics in music and respond to the different style and mood of performances. Pupils have only limited knowledge of the work of famous musicians or composers from any culture and, have very limited experiences in composing or performing their own music. The headteacher plays the piano and assists with the teaching of singing but during the inspection pupils in Years 3 to 6 only demonstrated their singing and

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Areas for improvement

134. Teaching and learning is satisfactory overall in Years 3 to 6 but there was too little evidence in Years 1 and 2 to form a secure judgement on teaching quality for these groups. Although some very good teaching was observed some was no more than satisfactory and there was one instance of unsatisfactory teaching. The very good teaching and learning was in a lesson for Year 4 pupils that developed ideas of rhythm ‘ostinato’ from playground songs. Several songs were used and the pupils sang and clapped the rhythms. They then identified phrases in the songs from the clapping patterns and moved on to explore the patterns of increasingly complex rhythms. Demonstrations were performed with confidence as pupils clapped or sang phrases from the songs. In the one unsuccessful lesson the teacher’s own lack of confidence did not create enough opportunities for pupils to develop their musical ability sufficiently.

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Areas for improvement

135. This subject is led and managed by a group of willing teachers who have no specialist knowledge but work well together to provide for pupils as well as they are able. Whilst the policy and the plan about what is to be taught is derived from nationally approved guidelines the skills of most teachers are not well matched to the requirements of the subject. There are only limited funds allocated with which to seek training or to develop resources.

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Areas for improvement

136. Resources are limited and are far from new. Whilst there is a small collection of recorded music there are too few opportunities for pupils to record their own performances so that they can review, evaluate and improve their own work. The development of music is not listed as a high priority and no single person is sufficiently confident to undertake this difficult task. As a result music across the school has been neglected in the recent past and is crying out for development.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

137. By the end of Years 2 and 6, standards are at expected levels and have improved since the last inspection. The school meets the requirements of the National Curriculum. Pupils learn to play games, participate in gymnastics activities and respond to music through dance. Pupils in Years 4, 5 and 6 also have the opportunity to visit the local sports centre for swimming lessons. These attainment levels are achieved because: • teachers are knowledgeable and manage pupils well; • pupils listen carefully to instructions and comply with requests quickly without wasting time; • skills are taught well, the co-ordinators support colleagues well and are ready to offer advice when required.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

138. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 demonstrate an appropriate awareness and use of space. They follow instructions sensibly and show that they know how to put out equipment Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 54 - February 2003 with support. They wait quietly for instructions and make suitable responses to teachers’ requests . Pupil s’ balancing skills are good , they use space well and are active throughout each lesson. Most pupils are skilled at identifying high and low balancing positions. They readily assess the performance of others and offer suggestions on ways to travel or how to hold a position. Pupils are increasingly conscious of the benefit of exercise and the importance of warming up for physical activity.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

139. In Years 3 to 6 skills are further developed and pupils perform with increasing competence and independence. The opportunities provided for teamwork and a sense of fair play support the development of pupils’ social skills. Pupils work energetically, working independently without disruption. They are imaginative and show good control when challenged to find a variety of ways to bounce a ball. Good concentration helps pupils to combine other movements with their bouncing action as they develop a sequence.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

140. By the end of Year 6, in dance, pupils work co-operatively, share ideas and they respond well to music. They are very motivated and are responsive to the teacher’s suggestions. Space is used well as pupils dance independently, then with partners, refining their actions. There is good co-operation as they work to develop a dance sequence. They work to improve their performance and appreciate the efforts of others. In dance they make effective links with earlier science work on healthy eating and know that energy is used up during activity. The percentage of pupils who attain the 25 metre swimming target is high although religious laws inhibit some girls. The school works hard with some success to help to overcome this difficulty.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

141. The quality of teaching in all classes is good. Teachers plan appropriate activities offering plenty of praise, encouragement and immediate feedback to the pupils. Safety awareness is promoted repeatedly and good explanations help pupils know what they are doing and why. Teachers have high expectations of good behaviour, concentration and movement, and lessons flow at a good pace. Teachers often model skills in lessons to provide starting points for pupils who then develop their own ideas. Teachers’ challenges encourage pupils to achieve higher standards. The teachers’ enthusiasm is reflected in the pupils’ response.

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

142. Resources for physical education are adequate but far from generous. There is a suitable range of small equipment available, which is stored near to the hall. Access is not easy and younger pupils have to rely on the teachers to access equipment from a cluttered room. Additional sporting activities depend on the other commitments and the personal expertise of staff. Popular and successful clubs for football and rounders have been organised in the past. The school supplements these activities by organising various events and visits to sporting groups and organisations throughout the year. These help to increase pupils’ awareness of the range of sports available. 143. For many pupils the school is the only place available for physical activity although their commitment to religious education after school limits the time available for such enterprises. The school is considering ways to increase outdoor facilities perhaps by

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION

marking out areas in the lower yard to encourage team games. The grassed facility located some distance away from the school is unsatisfactory and presents health and safety hazards that are unacceptable to teachers. This area is not a safe place to play and it limits the school’s provision for more active team games such as football or rugby. Eastborough Junior Infant & Nursery School - 55 - February 2003

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

144. Religious education is taught in accordance with the Locally Agreed Syllabus. Pupils attain satisfactory standards of attainment by the end of Year 2 and 6. This is similar to the findings of the previous report. This is achieved because: • teachers are knowledgeable about the subject and promote a strong interest in the faiths and traditions of others; • the school is alert to the opportunities to learn from experts in their own faith and to use the skills available to increase the knowledge of pupils; • pupils’ personal knowledge and understanding of their own religious customs and traditions are shared sensitively with others in lessons.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

145. During the inspection pupils developed their knowledge and understanding of the Muslim and Christian traditions about prayer and described their experiences of visits by a governor who is a vicar, and a leader from one of the local mosques. All pupils in the classes showed great respect and genuine interest in learning about the importance of prayer and the associated traditions in the religions of their friends. It was very interesting to hear in discussion with pupils that they all liked religious education lessons because they learned about each others’ religions and it helped them to “get on better” with one another. This is a strength of the school.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

146. The teaching seen was always at least satisfactory but in two lessons teaching was judged to be excellent. Lessons are well planned and teachers are careful to avoid dogma and give respect to artefacts and beliefs, even when not from their own personal faith. Pupils in Year 4 were amused to be considered ‘experts’ in Islam but rose to the occasion by explaining what they knew and understood very well. The additional input, by one classroom assistant, lifted a very good lesson to being excellent, because of her specialist knowledge and demonstration. Teachers tell faith stories well with regard to spiritual content. They encourage pupils to consider all the main features of the story, especially the feelings and emotions of the key characters. They use pupils’ first hand experience of different faiths to make cross- faith links, particularly between Islam and Christianity, their sacred texts and

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

prophets. Generally, teachers maintain a good pace and have high expectations that lessons will contribute to pupils’ personal as well as academic development.

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RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

147. The co-ordinator manages the subject well. Steps have been taken to ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and those who have English as an additional language, are taught the appropriate areas of the syllabus. Assessment opportunities are simple and practical but meet the needs of the subject and the pupils. Resources have been improved but are not extensive and teachers rely too heavily on their personal collections and on borrowing from friends. Religious education makes a significant contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of pupils of all ages.

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