Bagshot Infant School

BAGSHOT INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 20 th – 22 nd October 2003

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BAGSHOT INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bagshot Infant School - 2 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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BAGSHOT INFANT SCHOOL

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

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 4 – 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 161

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: School Lane Bagshot Surrey Postcode: GU19 5BP

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01276 473385 Fax number: 01276 451759

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing Body Name of chair of governors: Mr Steve Barker

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 27 th April 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

This is a small, community school situated in Bagshot in Surrey for pupils aged between 4 and 7. There are currently 161 pupils on roll organised in six classes. This includes 16 children who attend full time, and 32 who attend part time in the reception classes. The proportion of boys is 56 per cent. Children usually enter reception full-time in the autumn or spring term of the school year in which they are five. Attainment data show that the attainment of children joining the school in reception is above average, although it varies from year to year. For instance, attainment on entry was lower for children who were in Year 2 last year. The pupils live mainly in the immediate area and come from families whose social circumstances are more favourable than the national picture. The percentage of pupils claiming free school meals is below average. Across the school, twelve per cent of pupils have been identified as having special educational needs. This is below the national average. Six

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

pupils have statements and three are part of the LEA designated enhanced provision for pupils with learning difficulties. Nearly all pupils are from a white ethnic background and one pupil is at an early stage of acquiring English. Bagshot Infant School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

21334 Miss Savi Ramnath Lead inspector The Foundation Stage Science Art and design Design and technology 9454 Mrs Deborah Pepper Lay inspector 17171 Ms Mary Last Team inspector Special educational needs 27709 Mr David Major Team inspector Mathematics Information communication technology Music Physical education 28069 Mr David Mylroie Team inspector English Geography History Religious education English as an additional language

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e-Qualitas Ltd

Langshaw Pastens Road Limpsfield Chart Oxted Surrey RH8 0RE

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e-Qualitas Ltd

Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’ , which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.oftsed.gov.uk). Bagshot Infant School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 11

Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Bagshot Infants is a good school and provides good value for money. Overall pupils’ achievements are good and they reach standards that are well above national expectations in reading, mathematics and science by the end of Year 2. The quality of teaching and learning is good. The recently appointed headteacher has successfully maintained a friendly, purposeful atmosphere in which all pupils are fully integrated. Overall, leadership and management are good.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are • The school’s commitment to high standards results in pupils reaching well above the expected level in reading, mathematics and science. • The quality of teaching is good, resulting in pupils achieving well. • The headteacher, who is also the special needs co-ordinator, provides very good leadership for pupils with special educational needs. • The care, welfare and support given to pupils are good and this helps to ensure positive attitudes and behaviour. • The school’s very good partnership with parents supports pupils’ learning well. • Pupils do not fully develop skills in using their initiative and taking some responsibility for the way they learn. • The systems in place for checking and evaluating the work in some subject areas are not fully established.

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OVERALL EVALUATION

The school was previously inspected in April 1998. Overall, the school has made good progress since the last inspection , not only in dealing with the areas identified as weaknesses but in raising standards in reading, mathematics and science. Much work has been undertaken with regard to the accommodation and pupils now have access to a separate library. However, the limitation of the site means that not all children in the reception class have ready access to the outdoor play area. Staff development needs are linked closely to school development planning and the effectiveness of the school’s spending decisions is closely monitored.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 reading A A* A B writing A A A B mathematics A A A A Key: A* - highest 5 % of schools; A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average Similar schools are those with similar percentages of pupils eligible for free school meals

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

Throughout the school pupils achieve well as the consequence of good teaching. In the reception classes children achieve well because staff understand the needs of young children and provide a good, stimulating environment. Overall, most children are in line to exceed the goals children are expected to reach by the end of the reception year in all areas of learning. At the end of Year 2, pupils attain standards well above those expected nationally in reading, mathematics, and science. In writing, information and communication technology (ICT), art and design, geography, history and physical education pupils continue to achieve well and attain standards above the level expected nationally. In religious education achievement is satisfactory and pupils reach the standards expected. Boys and girls do equally well. Although, overall, standards in reading, mathematics and science have risen since the last inspection pupils are not offered enough

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

opportunities in lessons to develop their own ideas or carry out tasks independently. Bagshot Infant School - 7 Overall, pupils’ personal development is good . It is fostered well by the good provision for their moral and social development and satisfactory provision for spiritual and cultural development. Pupils enjoy school and show positive attitudes to learning. They behave well in lessons and at playtimes. Attendance is good.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The school provides a good education. Teaching throughout the school is good and this results in good learning in most lessons. Pupils learn effectively and make good progress because teachers have high expectations of work and behaviour; interesting activities are well planned and support staff make a valuable contribution to pupils’ good achievements. This could be improved even further if the monitoring of teaching and learning in some subjects is developed and more opportunities are provided for pupils to make choices about their work.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The curriculum is well planned. A good range of visits, visitors and links with the community significantly enhance the work planned in lessons. The school provides very good care and support for its pupils. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. Without exception, pupils make at least good progress and are fully included in the work of the school. In classes, pupils with learning difficulties are frequently indiscernible from others and their work and achievements are well focused upon the targets in their educational plans.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Overall the leadership and management of the school are good. The recently appointed headteacher has made a good start in establishing a clear view about what needs to be done. She encourages and supports staff well and leads a united staff team successfully. The governance of the school is very good . Governors use their expertise very well in the best interest of the school and carry out their statutory duties very effectively. Management of the school is good . Effective use is made of statistical data to target support where it is most needed. Procedures for monitoring development of teaching and learning are not well established in all subjects.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents are very satisfied with the school and what it offers. The school’s very effective links with parents make an important contribution to pupils’ academic achievement. Pupils, whose opinions were sought, were very positive in their views of the school.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are • Provide clear guidance, time and training for staff with management responsibilities, which will enable them to fulfil their role in the development, monitoring and support of the areas for which they have responsibility. • Provide more opportunities for pupils to make decisions, show initiative and to take responsibilities. Bagshot Infant School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Overall, pupils achieve well throughout the school. When they leave the school, standards are well above expectations in English, mathematics and science and are above expectations in most other subjects.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well in the Foundation Stage. • Pupils are very articulate and confident speakers. • Achievement is good in English, mathematics and science, and standards are well above expectations in reading, mathematics and science. • Standards of attainment in the core subjects have improved since the last inspection. • Pupils with special educational needs achieve very well. • In science, pupils have too few opportunities to select their own resources and to make decisions about their work and the way it is recorded. • In religious education, opportunities to learn how beliefs can influence personal behaviour and responsibility are underdeveloped.

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Foundation stage

1. In recent years, pupils’ attainment on entry to the school has tended to be average. However, the attainments of the children who have just entered the reception classes are above that of children of a similar age in social, communication and mathematical skills. The overall good quality provision ensures that reception children achieve well and virtually all children will achieve, and most exceed, the goals they are expected to reach by the end of the year in all areas of learning. Staff do the best they can to plan for children’s development in all areas of learning, despite the cramped accommodation in one of the classes and the limitations of the site.

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School’s results in national tests

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2002

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School’s results in national tests

Standards in: School results National results Reading 17.2 (18.7) 15.8 (15.7) Writing 15.8 (16.4) 14.4 (14.3) Mathematics 18.3 (17.6) 16.5 (16.2) There were 58 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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School’s results in national tests

2. In 2002, results by Year 2 showed that standards, as measured by average points score, were well above the national average in reading, writing, and mathematics. Results when compared with those of pupils in similar schools (those with a similar proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals) were well above average in mathematics and above average in writing and reading. The teachers’ assessments in science showed well above average standards when compared with all schools, as well as similar schools. National Curriculum test results for 2003 indicate that standards have dipped slightly and can be attributed to a group which included a higher proportion of pupils with special educational needs, and fewer higher-attaining pupils than is usual for the school. In the core subjects of English, mathematics and science, results over a number of years have remained well above the national averages. Results show no clear pattern of differences in achievement between

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School’s results in national tests

boys and girls, with any differences being similar to that seen nationally; no significant differences are evident now. Bagshot Infant School - 9

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Inspection findings Year 1 and 2

3. Pupils achieve well in all year groups because of the good provision made for their development. As a result, standards in speaking and listening, reading, mathematics and science are well above expectations. In writing, standards are above the expected level and improving, with much good writing evident in pupils’ books and across the curriculum. In science, pupils develop good investigative skills although there are not enough opportunities for them to plan their own experiments, select appropriate equipment or make decisions for themselves. Pupils’ work indicates good achievement in ICT, geography, history, art and design and physical education. In these subjects, standards are above expectations. In religious education pupils achieve satisfactorily and work reflects the standard expected. Although pupils’ work is at the level expected, there is little high attainment, in religious education. This is partly because not all aspects are well covered.

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Whole school matters

4. All pupils are suitably challenged including pupils with special educational needs and those from minority ethnic groups. The attainment of pupils with special educational needs is low when they enter the school. Records show that many do not have even the most basic early skills in literacy and numeracy. A significant number have difficulties with understanding and using language. However, their needs are quickly identified and interpreted into targets for learning. They settle into school quickly as a result of very good support from teachers and support staff and very soon begin to make progress and achieve very well. For example, a pupil with few identifiable skills on entry, was able to write fully punctuated sentences, calculate with numbers up to and sometimes beyond 10 and use the computer confidently after a little more than a year's teaching.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

The school nurtures pupils’ personal development effectively . Pupils enjoy school and have good attitudes to learning. They behave well in lessons and around the school. Provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Attendance levels are good. • Pupils enjoy learning and work hard. • Pupils’ behaviour is good overall and often very good. • Pupils get on well together and support pupils with special educational needs very well. • Pupils enjoy taking responsibility but the school does not offer pupils enough opportunities to learn to use their initiative. • Pupils’ personal development is good although there are limited opportunities for spiritual development.

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Commentary

5. Pupils enjoy school and are keen to take part in lessons and activities at playtime. Almost all parents agree that their children like school. In mathematics lessons in several classes, pupils worked with real application on recorded work. Reception children enjoyed enacting ‘Red Riding Hood’ by dressing up and using puppets. Pupils enjoy the wide range of playground activities organised for them at lunchtime.

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Commentary

6. Behaviour in lessons, around the school and in the playground is good and often very good. Parents agree that pupils behave well. Pupils know that all staff expect them to behave well and they are usually willing to comply. They are kind to each other and polite to adults. In the ‘café’ in the role- play area in reception, an inspector was offered a drink and invited to sit down to wait for it to be brought. There is very little bullying and any instances are dealt with quickly and effectively. There have been no exclusions. Bagshot Infant School - 10 7. Pupils get on very well together, as well as with adults. They co-operate well, for example as mixed ability pairs during a geography lesson. A particular strength is that pupils are welcoming and respectful of those with special educational needs and involve them in class and playground activities. Pupils with special educational needs understand the importance of listening carefully to

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Commentary

adults. Where pupils have been identified with behavioral problems, they are well guided by experienced adults. The support given is discreet, sometimes no more than a quiet word or gesture, but when necessary, they may be removed from the classroom temporarily in order to refocus their thoughts.

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Commentary

8. The school council has extended pupils’ opportunities for responsibility in the school and they have responded enthusiastically. School council members carefully reported the views of classmates about what they did not like about playtime and were quick to suggest solutions to problems identified. Reception pupils develop good independence skills, for example, in putting away resources and most children exceed the national goals set for them by the time they enter Year 1. However, in Years 1 and 2, pupils are not offered enough opportunities in lessons to develop their own ideas or carry out tasks for themselves. For example, in a physical education lesson, pupils did not have the opportunity to develop their own dance sequences but followed the tape. At lunchtime, pupils cannot choose whom to sit next to.

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Commentary

9. The school supports pupils’ personal development well, particularly social and moral development. Pupils are part of a caring community where everyone is involved in activities and all feel secure and valued. Parents feel that the school helps their children to become mature and self confident. One said that her children became ‘confident, content and considerate’ during their time at the school. Adults help pupils from the youngest to understand the difference between right and wrong. Initiatives introduced as part of the ‘Healthy Schools’ programme have extended opportunities for pupils to care for each other, for example, as ‘Playground Pals’. The school draws well on the cultural traditions represented within the school to extend pupils’ experiences of living in a multicultural society and uses art well to extend pupils’ understanding of other cultures. Provision for pupils’ spiritual development is limited, as it was at the time of the previous inspection. Assemblies

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Commentary

and acts of collective worship meet statutory requirements. However, pupils are not regularly offered opportunities to think more widely about ethical or spiritual issues.

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Commentary

10. Attendance levels are above the national average and there is no unauthorised absence. Pupils arrive at school promptly and lessons start on time. The school monitors attendance carefully. Parents and carers know that regular attendance and punctuality are important.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 100 0 0 White – any other White background 3 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 3 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 1 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 2 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 1 0 0 The table gives the number of exclusions, which may be different from the number of pupils excluded. Bagshot Infant School - 11 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 4.9 School data 0.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The school provides a good quality of education for its pupils based on a well-organised curriculum and good teaching. Pupils are very well cared for. Links with parents are very good, and the school provides them with very good information. Good links have been established with the community and other schools.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching is good overall and often very good in reception classes, so that pupils learn effectively. Good use is made of assessment information to help pupils learn.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers make good use of the national strategies for literacy and numeracy, and they extend pupils’ literacy skills well in all subjects. • Teachers know pupils and their needs well and plan appropriate work for them. • Support staff are very well deployed. Their input has a very positive effect on pupils’ achievement. • Good relationships are evident between staff and pupils and set a firm foundation for learning. • Pupils with special educational needs are fully included. • Homework is used very well to reinforce and extend pupils’ learning. • Good assessment in English, mathematics and science is helping pupils to achieve well and reach above average standards. • Marking is inconsistent and does provide sufficient help to pupils on how their work might be developed or improved. • Questions do not always encourage pupils to say what they know and to bring all pupils into class discussions.

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Commentary

The table indicates the quality of teaching seen across the school. Overall, the quality of teaching and learning is good. Both parents and pupils are very positive about the quality of teaching. Pupils feel that their teachers help them to learn effectively.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 30 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

The table gives the number of lessons observed in each of the seven categories used to make judgements about lessons; figures in brackets show percentages where 30 or more lessons are seen.

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Commentary

11. The good quality teaching has been well maintained since the last inspection and contributes significantly to the quality of pupils' achievement, their attitudes and the progress Bagshot Infant School - 12 that they make. Good teaching is found in all the subjects, where judgements were made and in every year group across the school. The teaching of English and mathematics is good, and both the National Literacy and Numeracy strategies are being implemented well, with some effective support for the development of language and number skills in subjects such as science, history and geography.

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Commentary

12. Teaching for the children in the Reception classes is good overall with some very good features. Teachers are sensitive to the needs of children and provide a very caring environment. Relationships and behaviour are good. Support staff play a very important part in creating a secure environment for all children and help to provide the individual support and encouragement, which typifies the teaching in the Foundation Stage. Joint planning ensures that children in both classes receive similar learning opportunities. Previous plans show that the range of activities organised is very effective in promoting learning in all areas of the curriculum. All adults know the children well, but the monitoring of individual children’s experiences is not always sufficiently rigorous to ensure that children gain fully from the range of activities on offer.

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Commentary

13. The teaching of pupils with special educational needs is good. In all lessons, all pupils are given equal opportunities to learn, whatever the nature of their needs or abilities. Teachers’ planning is good and very good attention is given to the targets in pupils' individual educational plans. Pupils' annual review, individual learning targets and the work they are undertaking in the class are clearly linked.

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Commentary

14. Teachers are very aware of the pupils' range of levels of attainment and are good at carefully planning work that follows on what has gone before. The school has adopted published curricula for subjects other than English and mathematics and this has assisted the planning process and ensured an effective whole-school approach. Plans clearly show what is to be taught and learned, and tasks organised for group work are matched carefully to pupils' learning needs. Therefore, in a very good Year 2 numeracy lesson on using word problems to enhance pupil’s knowledge and understanding of time, pupils were prompted to think hard when working out calculations. In this very good lesson, effective use was made of extension activities and support materials to ensure that work was closely matched to the identified needs of the pupils and an appropriate challenge provided for all pupils. However, while tasks

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Commentary

are well planned and pupils’ achievements are frequently good, a significant number of opportunities are missed to foster their creativity and independence. Pupils are sometimes over directed as to what they should write or do, with insufficient opportunities for them to put forward their own ideas, for example, to provide more of their own ideas in stories, to select resources and plan their own experiments in science or to devise their own dance sequence. Despite this weakness, teaching methods are effective in ensuring steady steps of progress.

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Commentary

15. Homework is used effectively to support and extend the pupils' learning. The school's concentration on the development of early reading skills is successfully promoted from the reception year, where the pupils take books home to read with their family. The amount and variety of homework increases as the pupils get older and provides a good extension to the activities taking place in the classroom.

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Commentary

16. The quality of relationship between pupils and staff in the school is good and this makes an important contribution to the effective learning environment. The pupils feel confident when answering and asking questions and know that their opinions will be listened to and valued by adults and their peers. Bagshot Infant School - 13 17. Throughout the school, support staff are very well deployed to focus support on particular pupils, helping them join in all aspects of planned work. The support given to pupils helps them to complete their work successfully in lessons. Support staff are enthusiastic and skilled in supporting all pupils especially those with special educational needs. They are well trained, enjoy very good relationships with the pupils and use their own initiative effectively to stimulate pupils' thinking. All staff have a good level of knowledge of the subjects they teach and the needs and levels of attainment of targeted pupils.

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Commentary

18. The teachers’ use of questions to find out what their pupils know at the beginning, during and at the end of the lesson is generally good. Most are skilled in using well-targeted questions to check and challenge pupils’ thinking and understanding and ensure that there are equal opportunities for both boys and girls to answer questions and make contributions. However, in some instances questions do not always encourage pupils to say what they know and to bring all pupils into class discussions. Teachers give good oral feedback to pupils. The marking of work is more varied and while there are some good examples of helpful marking, these are not typical. Comments provide insufficient help to pupils on how their work might be developed or improved.

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Commentary

19. The development of assessment has a high priority. Good systems are now in use throughout the school. In all subjects, there is effective recording of what individual pupils can do and the skills they have learned from the Reception classes through to the end of Year 2. Good use is made of assessment information to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils. The assessment of pupils with special educational needs is very good. Pupils' records are exemplary with a particularly useful summary of the overall aims for each child collated from statements or other information. Test results, records of annual reviews and others useful data is readily available in an easily accessible format.

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The curriculum

Curricular provision is good with a broad range of worthwhile activities, which cater for the needs and aptitudes of the pupils. Pupils are offered a wide range of activities to supplement their learning outside the school day. The school’s accommodation is satisfactory and well cared for and provides a satisfactory environment for learning. Resources are good, well maintained and used carefully by pupils.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school fully includes all its pupils in its work. • The school makes very good provision for pupils with special educational needs. • The pupils are offered a good range of activities to take part in outside school hours. • Over-long sessions in afternoon lead to pupils becoming restless and learning being interrupted. • The limitations of the site affects regular access to outdoor provision for some children in the Foundation Stage. • The space in one of the reception classes is cramped. However, very good use is made of the space that is available.

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Commentary

20. The school offers its pupils a well-planned curriculum, which meets all statutory requirements. It is relevant to the pupils’ needs and every opportunity is taken to enrich it through educational outings and visitors invited into the school. However, the way that timetables are organised means that some sessions during the afternoon are over long and result in pupils becoming restless, which, in turn, interrupts their learning.

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Commentary

21. Good relationships exist with the neighbouring junior school. Year 2 visit each week to use the computer suite; members of each school are invited to social events at the other and good strategies are in place for ensuring that Year 2 pupils feel confident about the move to Year 3, as was confirmed by several of them during discussions over lunch. Bagshot Infant School - 14 22. The school offers a good range of activities at lunchtime and after school to further enhance the curriculum. There is a library club, Spanish club and music club. Pupils may also take part in football. Currently this is the only sport on offer. However, plans exist to increase the range in the near future.

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Commentary

23. Provision for pupils with special educational needs is very good. All pupils have full access to the range of National Curriculum learning opportunities and other activities offered by the school. Teachers work hard to ensure that pupils with special or additional needs are helped to take full part in the life and work of the school through carefully planned teaching and learning activities which are frequently provided at three or more levels to maximise pupils' success.

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Commentary

24. The school has an appropriate number of qualified teachers and support staff. Support staff are well trained and deployed effectively. They work very well together and make a valuable contribution to the progress of all pupils, but especially those with special educational needs. The school’s facilities are good overall. The building is well cared for by an enthusiastic caretaker. Improvements are planned for well by the governing body. Although classrooms are generally light and airy, some of the classrooms are cramped. Very good use is made of the space, however. The school now has a well-developed library, which is well used by pupils. Care was taken by the staff through consultation to ensure that the best use was made of the space available. In addition, an attractive outside play space has been created for children in the Foundation Stage. However, regular access to this for some of the children is limited.

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Care, guidance and support

Provision for pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety is very good . Pupils receive very good support and guidance based on the school’s monitoring of their progress. The school effectively seeks pupils’ views and so they feel valued and increasingly involved in the life of the school.

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Main strengths

• Relationships between pupils and adults are very good. • Health, safety and security issues are managed well. • Child protection arrangements are well known by all staff. • Adults support pupils very well based on the monitoring of their needs. • Pupils with special educational needs are particularly well supported. • Induction arrangements are good. • The school involves pupils well in its work.

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Commentary

25. The very good relationships between adults and pupils are the bedrock of the sensitive and supportive care that children receive. The school provides a secure, caring environment in which all pupils have a positive and trusting relationship with at least one adult. Parents particularly value the quality of care and support, which their children receive. In response to the pupil questionnaire, many pupils commented specifically that they liked their teachers.

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Commentary

26. Health, safety and security issues are managed well by the school. The school’s safety and security arrangements ensure pupils’ welfare has the highest priority. Lunchtime is very carefully supervised and the high ratios of adults to children mean that the atmosphere is orderly and calm. Pupils’ medical needs are carefully documented, staff have received first aid training and accidents are recorded carefully.

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Commentary

27. Child protection procedures are effective and well established. All staff are alert to the needs of their pupils and report any concerns to the headteacher who is the nominated child protection officer. There has been recent whole staff training on child protection. Bagshot Infant School - 15 28. Teachers monitor pupils’ academic and personal development carefully, in some cases using weekly assessment sheets. They use this information well to plan for pupils’ academic and personal development, involving support staff well in delivering the support. For example, pupils finding an aspect of learning difficult might be grouped with others for extra support. Some teachers also set group targets for pupils, using individual targets set in the pupils’ previous reports. Pupils who may be experiencing difficulties at home are supported with understanding and sensitivity.

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Commentary

29. Pupils with special educational needs receive very good support from special needs assistants as well as the class teacher. Pupils’ individual needs are well understood and staff are caring, yet set high expectations of what pupils can achieve and challenge pupils to achieve their best. Staff also understand and meet the needs of pupils from the Traveller community very well.

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Commentary

30. Induction arrangements for reception pupils are very good. Parents were very pleased with the induction process. Children visit the school on five occasions to collect pre-school activity packs, which helps them become familiar with the school environment. They also have two afternoon visits before they start school, and appeared confident and settled at the time of the inspection.

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Commentary

31. The school involves pupils well in its work and responses to the pupil questionnaires showed that pupils are happy at school. The school council is the main forum in which pupils can contribute their ideas on issues of interest or concern to them and council members represented the wider views of their classmates well at the council meeting observed during the inspection. Circle time 1 enables pupils to contribute their own views and opinions. The very good care provided to pupils by adults also means they can express their views and know that they will be taken seriously.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has very good links with parents and good links with other schools and the community.

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Main strengths

• Parents are strongly supportive of the work of the school. • The school provides very good quality information for parents. • Parents make a significant contribution to school life and their children’s education. • Links with the local pre-schools and the junior school are good. • Links with the local community enrich pupils’ education.

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Commentary

32. Parents have very positive views of the school. They say their children enjoy school. They find the school welcoming and approachable and value the presence of pupils with special educational needs which they feel enriches their own children’s experiences. Inspectors agree. Parents believe that the school addresses their concerns very well and inspectors were not made aware of any cases where parents had been dissatisfied with the outcome of a complaint. The parents of pupils with special educational needs are very pleased with the school’s provision for their children. The school also has strong links with the parents of pupils from the Traveller community. The quality of the partnership with parents has improved further since the previous inspection.

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Commentary

Circle time ; during circle time pupils discuss a wide range of personal and general issues. It is agreed by all pupils that no interruptions should occur and only one person at a time will speak. Respect for other pupils’ views will occur at all times and, therefore, pupils feel confident that they can talk with ease and free from any form of interference or interruption from other pupils . Bagshot Infant School - 16 33. The school provides parents with very good quality information, which promotes their involvement with the school and their children’s learning very effectively. Written information including the prospectus, the governors’ annual report and regular newsletters are lucid and informative. Curriculum evenings and newsletters are effective in helping parents support their children’s learning at home. Notice boards are well positioned for parents and display details of homework and information about how they can be involved in the ‘Healthy Schools’ initiative. Reports are clear and

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Commentary

well written, including specific information about what pupils know and can do and targets for the next stage in their learning. Reports for pupils with special educational needs are particularly good.

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Commentary

34. The involvement of parents is central to the strong sense of community within the school. Parents make a significant contribution as governors and classroom and playground helpers. The flourishing parent teacher association, the Friends of Bagshot School, organises a programme of fundraising and social activities, which are much enjoyed and raise significant sums of money for the school. Parents are keen to support their children’s learning at home and shared reading targets help achieve this. The school is beginning to seek parents’ views through questionnaires by surveying, for example, the parents of reception children on the induction process and all parents on behaviour.

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Commentary

35. The school’s good links with the two main feeder pre-schools helps to ensure the smooth transition of children to school. Pre-school children become familiar with the school through visits to the Christmas play and their induction visits. Year 2 pupils use the feeder junior school’s ICT suite fortnightly, which develops their ICT skills and familiarises them with the school‘s buildings.

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Commentary

36. Links with the village root the school in its community and enrich pupils’ education. Pupils visit the local church, carry out a village survey and go on a ‘creation walk’. They sing carols at the local day centre and deliver harvest parcels to senior citizens. A governor, who is also chairperson of the parish council, attended the meeting of the school council and contributed to pupils’ understanding of citizenship by drawing parallels between the work of school, and parish councils.

p.16

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership and management of the school are good overall. The headteacher’s leadership and the contribution of key staff to monitoring standards and raising achievements in their subject is satisfactory. The headteacher, fully supported by staff and governors, manages the school well, creating a good learning environment for pupils. The governance of the school is very good.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The governing body influences the work of the school very effectively. • There are good arrangements for continuing professional development of all staff. • Finances are well managed and linked closely to school improvement. • The checking of the quality of teaching and learning and taking action to improve learning in some subjects does not take place.

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Commentary

37. The leadership of the school is satisfactory. The headteacher has made a good start in her new post, and is beginning to establish a clear view about what needs to be done to improve further the work of the school. The headteacher is respected and well supported by a hard working staff. She has made a significant impact in her role as special needs co-ordinator since the previous inspection. The school development plan provides a sound framework to raise standards further. This plan draws together subject action plans, monitoring schedules and staff development programmes. The document sets out aims and targets for the school to achieve. However, action plans do not all contain clear success criteria from which to judge progress, or make explicit links to finance.

p.16

Commentary

38. The management of the school is good. The school has a clear picture of what it does well and where it needs to improve. It has put in place very good systems to track pupils’ achievement, Bagshot Infant School - 17 and it makes good use of the analysis of tests and performance data to inform target setting. The monitoring of teaching and learning is good in some subjects, but in others co-ordinators need further opportunities to examine standards and give feedback to colleagues. The monitoring programme in the school development plan, identifying monthly activities on which to focus should help to address this need. The school conducts annual surveys with parents to obtain feedback on important issues such as behaviour and induction processes, and also seeks the views of pupils on some major issues. Senior staff and governors use the information gathered to help review procedures, and to inform future planning.

p.16

Commentary

39. The leadership and management of special needs provision is very good. The special educational needs co-coordinator has invested much time in ensuring that the pupils’ targets are addressed in lessons. It is possible to see pupils improving such identified skills such sharing, socialising or improving their number recognition, each of which has been identified in their individual plans. Annual reviews are well organised and supported by parents.

p.17

Commentary

40. Good systems ensure for the continuing professional development of staff. The school makes good use of in-service training organised by the local education authority, with teachers reporting back to colleagues following courses. Training is linked well to targets in the school development plan. There are also good arrangements for the performance management of all staff. Personal targets relate well to raising pupils’ achievement and to whole school priorities, for example raising standards in spelling.

p.17

Commentary

41. The governors are highly committed to supporting the school and ensuring that it continues to develop further. They have worked closely with the headteacher to put together an outline strategic plan, identifying objectives in six key areas, which is now an integral part of the school development plan. Their committees review progress made towards achieving these objectives regularly, and play an active role in shaping the priorities for the school. Governors carry out their statutory duties very effectively, with link governors taking a direct interest in important areas. There is very good provision for governor training, which enables all governors to gain a full understanding of their responsibilities and how to become most effective. Governors know the school very well, visiting regularly to meet staff, discussing current issues and policies, and spending time in lessons before reporting back to

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Commentary

colleagues. They have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and the areas in which it needs to improve. They question and challenge so that the school is always accountable for the standard of education it provides.

p.17

Commentary

42. Financial management is good and specific grants are used well. The budget is monitored monthly and the school has addressed the minor points raised in financial audits. The school seeks to get the best value when purchasing goods or services in order to make best use of the financial resources available. The school has also developed its own procedures to evaluate the effectiveness of spending decisions, effectively addressing the key issue from the previous inspection.

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Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

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Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 480,329 Balance from previous year 19,637 Total expenditure 467,423 Balance carried forward to the next 32,543 Expenditure per pupil 2,702 Bagshot Infant School - 18

p.17

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision for children in the Foundation Stage is good . Overall, children are well prepared for transfer to Year 1. Children’s achievements are good because of the well-planned curriculum and the good quality of teaching and learning. Induction procedures for children are very good and they make a happy start to school. The information provided for parents is helpful, well presented and very good. All adults set excellent role models for the children and manage them very well. The good ratio of adults to children is good, ensuring that the needs of all are well met. Staff work very well as a cohesive team, carefully monitoring all children’s progress. The accommodation indoors is satisfactory but outdoor facilities have weaknesses due to the limitation of the site and sloping nature of the surface. As a result not all children have continuous access to a separate, secure outside area. Assessment procedures are very thorough and effective in securing good rates of progress by

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

children. Leadership and management are satisfactory with some strong features. The co-ordinator is well informed and has a very good understanding of the Foundation Stage curriculum and how young children learn. However, monitoring to ensure consistency across the classes and the dissemination of good practice is not well established.

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

At the time of the last inspection, this aspect of the school was inspected according to the areas of learning for children under five. The provision was judged to be good, providing a secure, caring and calm environment and, as a result, children made good progress. Since then, the Foundation Stage for children's learning has been introduced. This means that in the present inspection, provision for the youngest children was inspected according to the nationally recommended Early Learning Goals for the Foundation Stage. As a result valid comparisons cannot be made.

p.18

Personal, social and emotional development

Provision for children’s personal, social and emotional development is very good .

p.18

Main strengths

• Children achieve well and exceed the goals because of the good teaching and the high expectations set by staff. • Children settle quickly into school and routines are well established. • All adults work hard to give children the confidence to tackle new and unfamiliar activities and to develop good relationships with adults and other children. • Children’s attitudes and behaviour are very good.

p.18

Commentary

43. Children achieve well and by the end of the Foundation Stage most exceed the goals they are expected to reach. All adults demonstrate very good care of them, ensuring that they feel safe and secure and work hard to give children the confidence to tackle new and unfamiliar activities. The calm and friendly manner of the teacher and other adults has a positive impact on the very good behaviour and attitudes children have to learning. They respond well when following instructions, try hard with the activities offered and are developing good levels of concentration, as demonstrated when working independently on a sequencing task. Clear routines have been established in which the children thrive. For example, when getting ready for physical education lessons they understand that they must fold and arrange their clothes in neat ‘piles’ before finding a space in the hall.

p.18

Commentary

44. Teaching is good overall, with notable examples of very good features, all reflected in the quality of children’s learning. Staff are skilled in encouraging the less confident children to join in, and children quickly learn to work and play with others. The teachers’ high expectations regarding behaviour and co-operation quickly develop children’s awareness of how to behave in school and with others. Relationships are good. All adults encourage independence by offering a wide range of Bagshot Infant School - 19 daily activities from which to choose. Adults provide good role models, particularly when they talk to and question the children. All value each child’s contribution.

p.18

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths

• Teachers and support staff take every opportunity to develop the children’s language skills, and teaching is good. • Communication, language and literacy are used very well across the curriculum. • Good opportunities are provided to develop children’s early reading and writing skills. • Children are on target to exceed the expected goals by the end of the reception year.

p.19

Commentary

45. The majority of children are on target to exceed the goals expected by the end of the Foundation Stage. Overall, most children speak confidently and very few have limited speaking skills. They readily share experiences and talk at length in well-formed sentences using a growing vocabulary to express their ideas, for example when discussing magnetic and non-magnetic materials. Listening skills are very good and many listen well for extended periods and like to join in when they can, for example, with the familiar words of ‘More Boxes for Bertha’ in the story ‘Bertha - The Big Machine’. Children enjoy looking at books and understand how books are organised. They understand that print conveys meaning and look carefully at words, for example when joining in with the reading of ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bears’. Very good opportunities for mark-making are provided in the writing area. Here the children ‘write’ a letter to the Three Bears apologising for the

p.19

Commentary

damage Goldilocks caused to their home and practise writing their names. Letters were usually neat, although not always accurately formed from the correct starting point. Overall, children are beginning to show a good awareness of early writing skills and a few more able children accurately write simple sentences using capital letters and full stops.

p.19

Commentary

46. The quality of teaching and learning is good and, as a result, children achieve well. Staff across the Reception classes have a good understanding of the value of developing children’s spoken language. All adults use praise well to build confidence and have very good questioning skills that enable children to share what they know and what they want to find out. This was seen to good effect in the language sessions in both classes. The teaching of basic skills is good and good teaching methods are employed, adapted from the National Literacy Strategy for this age group. Teachers carefully plan regular opportunities for children to communicate in writing in the ‘Think and Write’ adult-focused sessions.

p.19

Mathematical development

Provision for children’s mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths

• Teachers plan a wide range of activities to support learning, which ensures children achieve well. • Every opportunity is grasped in all activities to promote children’s mathematical development.

p.19

Commentary

47. Children achieve well and by the end of the Reception year many are on target to exceed the goals expected, particularly in early number work. At this early stage in the academic year many children confidently count backwards and forwards to 20 and accurately match pictures and numbers up 10. Number games are thoughtfully planned and these help children to develop their mathematical understanding of addition. A good example is when children rolled a dice and recorded one more than the number identified. Children know and accurately describe flat shapes such as triangles, circles and rectangles and are developing the correct use of mathematical language, such as ‘longer than’ and ‘shorter than’. Bagshot Infant School - 20 48. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Group activities are well planned and effectively supported by adults through systematic teaching based on a thorough knowledge of what children

p.19

Commentary

know and can do. In both classes there is a good balance between practical activities and work that is recorded. Teachers and support staff make good use of incidental opportunities to reinforce learning in mathematics and when working outside on large apparatus, staff emphasise vocabulary such as ‘through’, ‘under’, ‘bigger’ and ‘smaller’ which extends children's use of mathematical language.

p.20

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Provision for children’s knowledge and understanding of the world is good with some very good features.

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• A range of interesting activities is planned to promote learning in this area. • Staff use questioning very effectively to enhance the children’s knowledge and understanding of the world about them. • Children’s skills when using computers are progressing well. • The monitoring of children’s experiences is not sufficiently rigorous.

p.20

Commentary

49. Children exceed the expected level required by the end of the Foundation Stage. On entry to the Reception classes children are curious and interested in their surroundings and enjoy exploring the new experiences offered. They begin to understand the needs of living things when planting winter bulbs and plants and understand that plants need water to make them grow. They are becoming observant and talk with interest about the seasonal changes they notice in the local environment. In both classes children use construction equipment competently to construct recognisable models and have good opportunities to practise skills in cutting and joining materials as seen in their Sukkar decorations. Many use the computer well to support their learning and most know the function of the buttons on the keyboard, and operate the mouse skilfully to move objects on the screen.

p.20

Commentary

50. Teaching is good and imaginative and involves the children very effectively and enthusiastically in their own learning as they learn to explore the world about them. In both classes adults support children very well in investigating their surroundings and good use is made of skilful questions to probe children’s understanding. Their sensitive use of praise and encouragement raises the children’s confidence and self-esteem and results in them having a positive attitude and response to learning. However, monitoring to ensure that all children gain fully from the range of activities on offer is not always sufficiently rigorous.

p.20

Physical and creative development

Provision for physical and creative development is good .

p.20

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are given a wide variety of creative opportunities. • Teachers make very good use of outdoor space. • Lessons are well planned and children are very well managed. • One of the reception classes does not have continuous access to an outside play area. Bagshot Infant School - 21

p.20

Commentary

51. Despite the limitations of the site, the school has made very good efforts to develop the outdoor play area for the Foundation Stage. Although there is still no direct access from one of the classroom, both classes make very good use of the outdoor facilities. There is a good range of wheeled toys and children have regular access to the playground and the hall for physical education lessons. Many children show good control and co-ordination when propelling wheeled vehicles around the playground. When indoor, they balance with good levels of expertise, and travel with enthusiasm and enjoyment in a variety of ways on the benches. In classes, they use pencils, brushes, scissors and other small tools with increasing confidence and skill. The majority draw and colour pictures with varying degrees of accuracy and detail as demonstrated in their self-portraits and chose colours sensibly to represent their ideas in the big pictures used in classroom displays.

p.21

Commentary

Children enjoy singing and know a good number of songs and rhymes by heart, many of which provide additional practice for their number work. Imaginative play is very successfully fostered through activities in the play area where children undertake different roles with confidence in ‘Red Riding Hood’s House’ and the ‘Sycamore Puppet Theatre’.

p.21

Commentary

52. The quality of teaching and the quality of learning in the aspects of creative and physical development seen were good with some strong features. All staff have a very good awareness of the children’s safety and take every opportunity to support and extend their physical skills and development. Clear routines have been established in which the children’s confidence is developed and praise is well used to encourage good behaviour and good techniques. In creative development, teachers plan a wide range of appropriate activities for the children and good links are made with other areas of learning. High expectations lead children to produce work of good quality. This is valued and displayed attractively around the school.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement in English is good throughout the school. • Standards by the end of Year 2 are above national expectations in writing and are improving. In reading and speaking and listening standards are well above national expectations. • The quality of teaching is good, which results in pupils learning well. • Literacy skills are well taught in other subjects. • The subject is well led and managed. • Very good assessment procedures help to track pupils’ learning. • Questions do not always encourage pupils to say what they know and to bring all pupils into the discussions. • Marking is inconsistent and does not always guide pupils on how to improve.

p.21

Commentary

53. Achievement and progress in English is good throughout the school. Test results in reading and writing for pupils at the end of Year 2 have fluctuated over recent years. They fell slightly in 2002; but rose again in 2003. In the 2002 National Curriculum tests, pupils achieved standards above the national average in writing and well above the national average in reading and speaking and listening. Standards in the current Year 2 in reading and speaking and listening remain well above national expectations. As a result of the Early Literacy Support (ELS), the good use of the National Literacy Strategy, good teaching and other initiatives put in place by the school, standards in writing are rising. Part of the school’s success in this area is due to the review they have carried out on the ELS programme and the developments they have identified to make it match their pupils’ needs more specifically.

p.21

Commentary

Bagshot Infant School - 22 54. The quality of teaching and learning is good, with many opportunities for pupils to practise their literacy skills in other subjects. Pupils learn to speak to a variety of audiences and are confident when talking about their work in class both with adults and with each other. The annual speaking events in each class are particularly good at promoting progress in this area of learning. Reading skills are particularly well promoted during lessons, giving pupils the opportunity to reinforce their learning and build upon it. Pupils with special educational needs are fully included in all lessons. They are very well aided by well-trained support staff and as a result they make very good progress and achieve very well taking into consideration their prior attainment. Where teaching is good or better relationships between adults and children are very good, learning intentions are specific and

p.22

Commentary

communicated well to the pupils and activities are interesting and capture pupils’ imagination. Teachers use good questioning skills to lead the pupils to a greater understanding of what is being taught. In some classes, teachers were too quick to provide an answer to questions. This resulted in pupils not having enough time to think about their answers and to create their own language. Most pupils spoke confidently about what they need to do to improve their work and work is regularly marked. However, written comments are limited and do not always provide pupils with guidance as to how their work might be improved.

p.22

Commentary

55. The subject is well led and managed. There is a good action plan, which identifies well areas for development, who is responsible for implementation and how success will be judged. Good support and advice is also given to colleagues. Very good procedures exist for assessing pupils’ work. The ‘My Work book’ provides a very good record of pupils’ progress in all areas of English. These are all factors leading to the high standards and good progress being made by the pupils.

p.22

Commentary

56. Overall, standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

p.22

Language and literacy across the curriculum

57. Pupils’ literacy skills are promoted well in other subjects and a great deal of care and thought is put into how this may be achieved. In mathematics, for example, pupils were learning about time and were given problems in words to solve. They were able to answer in their own sentences using the correct mathematical vocabulary. In history, pupils have written accounts of the lives of several famous people including Louis Braille and Florence Nightingale. They are encouraged to read in most subjects and good opportunities are provided for accessing information via the library or the Internet.

p.22

Main strengths

• Pupils achieve well and reach standards well above national expectations. • Teachers plan well and tasks match the needs of all levels of attainment. • Very effective use is made of support staff. • Pupils enjoy mathematics and apply themselves very well in lessons. • A good curriculum is well supported by consistently good use of homework.

p.22

Commentary

58. Results in the national tests at the end of Year 2 rose steadily between 1999 and 2003, and have been consistently well above the national average. Standards in the current Year 2 are similar to test results and are well above national expectations. Pupils begin Year 1 with above average numerical skills. They make good progress and achieve well in all areas of mathematics, leaving Year 2 attaining standards well above the level expected nationally. Pupils of all levels of attainment achieve well in the subject. Bagshot Infant School - 23 59. Pupils in Year 2 discuss their work confidently, using the correct mathematical terminology. They have a very secure understanding of number, accurately identifying number bonds to 20, counting forwards and backwards in multiples of 20, 50 and 100 and working securely with larger numbers. Pupils learn different methods of addition and subtraction, and have a very good

p.22

Commentary

understanding of money and place value. They correctly recognise a good range of flat and solid shapes, accurately sort them using Venn diagrams, and have a good understanding of lines of symmetry. Pupils skilfully construct and interpret graphs well, for example, on favourite colours or seasons in the class. They regularly apply their knowledge of number to solve correctly problems relating to money and time.

p.23

Commentary

60. Overall the quality of teaching is good. In two of the lessons observed it was very good. In the best lessons teachers challenge all pupils to think and respond quickly during the mental starter session, asking them to explain different methods to calculate correct answers. Teachers engage pupils well in discussions, making very good use of practical equipment such as individual wipe boards and clock faces to involve all children practically in their learning. They set different tasks to match the needs of pupils of different levels of attainment, and provide good support to focus groups during each lesson. For example, in a Year 2 lesson, the teacher worked closely with two pupils with special educational needs, using questions skilfully to help them understand and show basic clock times with new confidence. In another Year 2 lesson, a classroom assistant taught a group of more able pupils who answered a series of challenging word problems relating to the time of the day. The

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Commentary

pupils underlined key words in each question, solved the problems accurately, and used clock faces to check each answer. In some lessons teachers used the end of session discussion to develop pupils’ understanding of a concept. In a Year 1 lesson on sorting flat shapes, the teacher successfully extended the learning into a decision-making game with the class. Pupils of all abilities achieve well in the subject.

p.23

Commentary

61. Pupils enjoy mental mathematics, listening well and responding quickly in lessons. They also apply themselves very well when recording, staying on task, taking care with answers and pride in the presentation of their work. When working co-operatively, pupils share ideas freely and help each other effectively. Teachers make very good use of classroom assistants to support learning, helping pupils to achieve their targets. They make consistently good use of homework, particularly in Year 2, to consolidate and extend learning in class. Good quality displays in each classroom reinforce pupils’ learning in mathematics.

p.23

Commentary

62. The subject is well led and managed. The results of tests and assessments have been analysed to identify relative strengths and weaknesses in teaching and learning. As a result, more emphasis has been placed on problem solving activities throughout the school, and on teaching aspects of data handling. These changes have improved the balance of the curriculum, which is now good. Very good assessment procedures help teachers to track the achievement of individuals and groups of pupils, and this information is used well to inform target setting. Teachers have received useful feedback on lessons following monitoring by the co-ordinator. Staff training has included good support for classroom assistants on the use of resources during lessons. Since the last inspection the school has maintained the good standards in the subject.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

63. Mathematics is satisfactorily used in other subjects. Pupils use their numeracy skills to read scales and record results in simple graphs and tables in science. Opportunities to use mathematical skills in geography are not identified or planned for in sufficient detail. Overall, the use and development of pupils’ mathematical skills in other subjects is not yet planned systematically and does not make a sufficiently strong contribution to extending pupils’ knowledge. Bagshot Infant School - 24

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve well as a result of the generally good teaching. • There is good emphasis on the use of specific technical language and on investigative work. • Pupils are keen, behave well and enjoy the practical activities. • Good use is made of pupils’ mathematical skills. • Pupils do not have enough opportunities to plan their own investigations. • Marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and generally inadequate in giving guidance on how to improve their work.

p.24

Commentary

64. Standards in science are well above the level expected nationally at the end Year 2 and have improved since the last inspection. Inspection findings are similar to the 2002 and 2003 teachers’ assessments for pupils at the end of Year 2. Overall, achievement is good because of a well- organised curriculum with a good emphasis on practical activities and generally good teaching. There is no significant variation in attainment between pupils of different gender, ethnicity or background. All pupils achieve well throughout the school.

p.24

Commentary

65. Pupils in Years 1 and 2 are developing well the skills of scientific enquiry, observing carefully and recording their results. For example, in Year 1, they successfully used their sense of smell when making predictions about unknown substances. In Year 2, they learned about the different parts of the ear and how sound travels. Earlier work shows that by Year 2, there is well above expected standards in many strands of science as well as good examples of experimental and investigative science tasks. This has a positive effect on pupils’ achievement. However, work is sometimes too teacher directed and pupils have few opportunities in planning and organising their own experiments and devising their own ways of recording. The use of ICT as a tool to support work and to improve presentation is satisfactory. Literacy skills are used well to communicate findings in well-written reports, particularly for higher attaining pupils in Year 2, and work in science makes a good

p.24

Commentary

contribution to numeracy through the use of tables and charts to present findings.

p.24

Commentary

66. Teaching and learning are good, contributing directly to pupils’ good achievement. Teachers make their expectations clear and create a positive climate for learning. Good emphasis is placed on developing key vocabulary, and clear scientific language and question are well used to check pupils’ understanding and advance their thinking. Overall, teachers have very good relationships with the pupils. Their support and praise for pupils’ achievement in lessons provide additional motivation, and pupils respond by working hard. Support staff are very effective in supporting pupils in their learning because they keep them on task and talk to them about their work. Although pupils’ books are looked at by teachers and work marked right or wrong, there are few instances of teachers telling pupils what they have learned or giving direction as to how to improve. This is a missed opportunity to direct, reinforce and extend learning.

p.24

Commentary

67. The leadership and management of the subject are satisfactory. Although there has been some informal monitoring of teaching and learning this has not been sufficiently rigorous in order to identify what needs improving. Assessment procedures are good and the information gained is well used to plan work to meet the needs of all pupils. Bagshot Infant School - 25

p.24

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology (ICT) is good .

p.25

Main strengths

• Pupils achieve well and standards are above national expectations. • All pupils use computers regularly to learn and develop new skills. • Thorough assessment procedures monitor pupils’ achievement.

p.25

Commentary

68. Standards at the end of Year 2 are similar to the findings of the last inspection and are above national expectations. Pupils’ achievements are good, particularly in Year 2, where regular lessons at the partner junior school enable whole class teaching to take place. The school has addressed the weaknesses identified since the last inspection.

p.25

Commentary

69. In Year 1, pupils begin to learn word- processing skills using the basic ‘Talking First Word’ program. They learn to construct simple, short sentences from a word bank with an audio check to help guide them, and confidently use laptops to follow stories in picture and print from CD-ROM’s. Teachers insist on using correct terms for parts of the computer and new applications, and pupils steadily gain confidence in developing their mouse and keyboard skills. Teachers employ good systems to ensure that all pupils use computers regularly and complete each planned activity. In the one lesson observed, the teacher clearly demonstrated a new skill to the class. This was followed by pupils working in pairs with their computer partner to practise its application. By the end of Year 1, many pupils are confident when writing and printing short pieces of writing, using pictograms to plot simple survey results in mathematics, and using basic graphic programs to ‘paint’ or draw pictures

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Commentary

70. By the end of Year 2, pupils have used a good range of programs in ICT and have achieved well when acquiring and developing new skills. They confidently word process and edit poems and other pieces of writing, and skilfully combine clip art images to illustrate their text. Good use is made of data handling programs to display information in different graphic forms in mathematics. Pupils learn to control the movement of a floor robot using increasingly complex sequences of commands. They also achieve well when producing pictures in the style of different artists, such as Mondrian and David Hockney, using a graphics program. Each Year 2 class makes a fortnightly visit to the partner junior school for a lesson using the ICT suite. The skills learned during these lessons are often consolidated and extended using computers in their own classrooms.

p.25

Commentary

71. Teaching and learning in ICT is good. Teachers and support staff are confident and knowledgeable about basic skills, and provide clear explanations to pupils during lessons. Good quality displays help to highlight instructions, promote systems for pupils to use computers frequently in class, and maintain a high profile for the subject. Since the last inspection the school has implemented a new curriculum, which closely follows nationally agreed guidelines. This ensures that ICT skills are taught progressively throughout the school, and that aspects of control work are now covered adequately. Pupils show very positive attitudes towards learning new skills in ICT. They listen to teachers and classroom assistants well, support each other very effectively and look after all equipment.

p.25

Commentary

72. The subject is well led and managed. Staff have all attended in-service training and developed their competence since the last inspection. The school has good very assessment procedures in place. This includes one piece of assessed work from each pupil per term kept on file and checklists of skills for each pupil being regularly updated. Resources for the subject are satisfactory. Bagshot Infant School - 26

p.25

Information and communication technology across the curriculum

73. Some good evidence of teachers using ICT to promote learning in other subjects was evident. Good links to learning in art and design, literacy and numeracy have been extended since the last inspection. Many planned links to other subjects are now in place, for example, in history and religious education. Year 2 pupils experience a ‘virtual tour’ of a mosque and design their own prayer mats using a graphics programme as part of their topic on Islam. Year 2 pupils make increasing use of the Internet to research topics in history, geography and science. The school’s digital camera is used frequently to record pupils’ finished products in design and technology; for example, making fruit salads in Year 2.

p.26

HUMANITIES

The provision for the humanities is good overall, being satisfactory in religious education and good in history and geography.

p.26

HUMANITIES

Only one geography lesson was observed during the inspection. No lessons in history were seen because the subject is taught in rotation with geography. In religious education, no lessons were observed. However, in all three subjects, a scrutiny of pupils’ books and teachers’ planning, together with discussions with pupils were undertaken.

p.26

Geography

The overall provision in geography is good .

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Achievement and progress in geography is good. • Standards of attainment in geography are above national expectations. • Marking of pupils’ work is inconsistent and generally inadequate in giving guidance on how they should improve their work. • The monitoring of teaching and learning in order to identify what needs improving does not take place.

p.26

Commentary

74. Pupils’ achievement and progress in geography are good. The work seen in their books shows that their attainment is above national expectations for the subject. Pupils progress well through the National Curriculum. As a result, by the end of Year 2 they are beginning to cover some of the work set for the juniors for example, in learning about climate and its effect on how life is lived. Many of the pupils are also beginning to work at the higher level 3 by comparing characteristics of different locations such as Bagshot and a town in Spain.

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Commentary

75. Only one lesson was seen during the inspection so it is not possible to make an overall judgement about the quality of teaching and learning in the subject. In the lesson seen, a particularly good aspect of the teaching was that pupils were given time to think about their answers before having to talk. This encouraged the pupils to think carefully about their work and gave them the confidence to have a go at the answer. Teachers regularly mark pupils' work. Praise and encouragement are given, but little written advice is provided to let pupils know how they could improve their work.

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Commentary

76. The leadership and management of geography are satisfactory. However, there are no opportunities for the co-ordinator to monitor teaching to identify what needs improving.

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Commentary

77. Overall improvements have been good since the last inspection. Bagshot Infant School - 27

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History

The overall provision for history is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The subject is used well to teach all aspects of English, but particularly writing skills. • Marking does not support learning. • The monitoring of teaching and learning in order to identify what needs improving does not take place.

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Commentary

78. Pupils’ achievement and progress in history are good. The work seen in their books shows that standards are above those found normally by the end or Year 2, and are similar to the findings of the last inspection. Earlier work indicates that pupils learn about famous people from the past and how to compare life in different periods with life today through looking at a Victorian kitchen and a modern one. They learn about events from British history such as the Great Fire of London and the life of Queen Elizabeth II. Many confidently carry out individual research on a topic of their choice, for example toys in the past, and accurately use a time line to note major changes in popular toys between 1920 and 1990. Good use is made of the Internet to provide additional material on topics of interest. History is used well by the school to develop pupils’ literacy skills. For example, pupils write their own accounts of the history of Bagshot and of famous people from history such as Louis

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Commentary

79. It was not possible to see any history lessons during the inspection so it is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of teaching and learning. Work in pupils’ books is marked but few comments are made to inform them what they need to do to improve further.

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Commentary

80. The leadership and management of history are satisfactory. Monitoring is done through involvement with planning across year groups but there is, as yet, a lack of opportunities for the co- ordinator to monitor teaching to ensure consistency across the subject and the dissemination of good practice.

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Religious education

The overall provision for religious education is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school has a good range of artefacts for teaching the subject. • Religious education is used well as a tool for teaching literacy skills. • Opportunities to learn from the knowledge they have gained are less well developed. • Marking provides insufficient help to pupils on how their work might be developed or improved. • Monitoring of the subject is not sufficiently rigorous to improve standards.

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Commentary

81. Pupils’ achievement and progress in religious education are satisfactory. The work seen in their books shows that standards meet the expectations of the Local Agreed Syllabus. By the end of Year 2 pupils have studied Christianity, Judaism and Islam and good use is made of the wide range of artefacts to support learning in religious education. The computer is also used well to enhance pupils’ learning through a virtual tour of a mosque and Guildford Cathedral. Literacy skills are also well developed through activities such as pupils retelling the stories of Jesus in their own words. The pupils’ learning is also enhanced appropriately by visits to the local church and by visitors from different faith communities coming into school to talk about the way they live and their beliefs. Opportunities to learn how beliefs can influence personal behaviour and responsibility are, however, underdeveloped.

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Commentary

Bagshot Infant School - 28 82. It was not possible to see any lessons during the inspection so it is not possible to make a judgement about the quality of teaching and learning. Work in pupils’ books is marked but few comments are made to inform them what they need to do to improve further.

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Commentary

83. The leadership and management of are satisfactory. However, monitoring to ensure that learning develops systematically from year-to-year is underdeveloped. Assessment procedures are underdeveloped and there are no records kept of pupils’ ongoing attainment and progress. The subject makes a satisfactory contribution to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils.

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Commentary

84. Standards have been maintained since the last inspection.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Provision for art and design and physical education is good overall.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

Two lessons were observed in art and design and two in physical education. Only one lesson was seen in design and technology and no lessons were observed in music . During assembly, pupils throughout the school sing with enthusiasm and maintain a melody in line with expectations for their ages. Older pupils have the opportunity to sing in the school choir and to learn to play the recorder during extra-curricular activities. In both music and design and technology not enough evidence was available to make overall judgements on provision, standards, teaching and achievement. As a result, no report is written on music and design and technology.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching is good, enabling pupils to learn well. • Pupils complete a good range of work. • There are good links with other subjects. • Art contributes well to the development of pupils’ cultural understanding. • The subject leader has insufficient opportunities to monitor provision.

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Commentary

85. The last inspection reported that standards met national expectations by Year 2. Standards have improved and are now above the expected level. All pupils achieve well.

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Commentary

86. Art and design is well established in the school’s curriculum. A comprehensive scheme of work is in place, which includes textiles and three-dimensional work. The displays throughout the school and samples of work provided indicate particular strengths in observational drawing and the use of a rage of media to create tone and texture. In Year 1, pupils study still life through the work of famous artists such as Monet. They draw and paint fruit and vegetables, developing skills and understanding of shape, line and colour. In Year 2, pupils create striking autumn collages using natural materials found in the environment, such as leaves, flowers, pine cones and pieces of wood, which they combine for effect. Opportunities to work with other artists and an annual art exhibition have enriched the curriculum for pupils. Overall, art contributes well to pupils' cultural development.

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Commentary

87. Across the school, the subject is enhanced by the use of an artist in residence and an annual art exhibition. Good links are established with other subjects and illustrations show careful attention to detail, are interesting, colourful and neat. As pupils study the work of others, their knowledge of the vocabulary associated with art improves their literacy skills, and their use of numeracy includes satisfactory understanding of how perspective works. Good use is made of ICT to support learning. Bagshot Infant School - 29 88. The good quality teaching results in pupils achieving well and developing techniques confidently. Teachers make their expectations clear and create a positive climate for learning. Their secure subject knowledge and management of pupils have a positive impact on pupils’ attitudes and their achievement. A good variety of stimuli and a wide range of resources are well used to excite

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Commentary

pupils' curiosity and encourage their imaginative use of materials. However, at times work is over directed and pupils are not encouraged to demonstrate creativity or to ‘ take risks’ in art.

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Commentary

89. Leadership and management are satisfactory. The co-ordinator has an informal overview of standards across the school, but has had little opportunity to gather information about strengths and weaknesses in the quality of teaching and learning, Overall improvement since the last inspection has been good.

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Design and technology

During the inspection, no lessons were seen. Overall there was insufficient evidence to make a secure judgement about standards.

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Physical education

Provision in physical education is good .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Lessons are well planned and well structured with a clear focus on teaching skills. • Pupils respond well in lessons, support each other and enjoy their learning. • Assessment procedures are very good. • Subject co-ordinators do not have sufficient time to monitor work in classrooms.

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Commentary

90. Standards for pupils in Year 2 are above national expectations and are similar to those found at the time of the last inspection. Pupils achieve well. Although not all aspects of the curriculum were seen during the inspection, over the year the full range is taught. The curriculum has a good balance between dance, games and gymnastics. Three dance lessons and one games lesson were seen during the inspection. In a dance lesson, Year 1 pupils learned to develop sequences of movements to interpret the mood and rhythm of music and stories in dance. They listened well to instructions and achieved well when devising and connecting short sequences, both individually and in small groups. In Year 2, pupils learned to develop their control and co-ordination skills during games lessons. In one lesson, pupils were kept busy on a carousel of activities involving skipping, hoop rolling, and small-sided games of football and rounders. They remained focused throughout the

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Commentary

lesson on improving different skills and worked very well co-operatively. Most pupils showed good control and co-ordination for their age.

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Commentary

91. The quality of teaching is good. All lessons observed were well structured with warm-up activities followed by a main focus on teaching skills and techniques, with a calm cool-down session at the end. Teachers used praise well to reward and encourage good quality work. In the best lessons, good use was made of demonstrations to teach specific skills. Teachers assessed pupils’ achievements very well during lessons, making good use of their observations when planning subsequent activities. Pupils listened carefully, following instructions promptly and safely, and enjoyed participating in all activities. Pupils with special educational needs received good support and achieved well in lessons.

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Commentary

92. The management of the subject is satisfactory. However, the subject co-ordinator has not had the opportunity to check on the quality of teaching and learning to identify what needs improving. The school makes good use of its accommodation. All teaching staff have received training in coaching games. Learning is linked well to pupils’ understanding of the body and healthy living. Many pupils continue to develop their skipping skills, taught to them during a special event linked to the Healthy Schools initiative, during supervised play at break and lunchtimes. An after school football Bagshot Infant School - 30 skills club is well attended. The school has maintained its good standards in this subject since the last inspection.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

Provision in personal, social and health education is good .

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Main strengths

• Good planning for aspects of personal, social and health education (PHSE) in the science curriculum. • Regular opportunities to discuss personal and social issues in ‘circle time’. • Policy and approach are good, and achievement in the classroom is good.

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Commentary

93. Pupils make good progress in developing their PSHE skills and achieve well. As a result, attitudes, behaviour and relationships are good within the school. The school teaches PSHE through the science curriculum. It also has individual lessons and ‘circle time’ takes place regularly. There is also a school council, which provide good opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship. Pupils care for each other through a system of ‘Playground Pals’ and the school is working towards a ‘Healthy School Award’. The school takes this aspect of its life very seriously and has made good progress since the last inspection. Bagshot Infant School - 31

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Overall standards achieved 3 Pupils’ achievement 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities 3 Attendance 3 Attitudes 3 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 3 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The quality of education provided by the school 3 The quality of teaching 3 How well pupils learn 3 The quality of assessment 3 How well the curriculum meets pupils needs 3 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 3 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 3 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The leadership and management of the school 3 The governance of the school 2 The leadership of the headteacher 4 The leadership of other key staff 4 The effectiveness of management 3

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

Inspectors make judgements on a scale: excellent (grade 1); very good (2); good (3); satisfactory (4); unsatisfactory (5); poor (6); very poor (7).

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