Beauclerc Infant and Nursery School

BEAUCLERC INFANT SCHOOL

Dates of inspection: 23 rd – 25 th February 2004

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BEAUCLERC INFANT SCHOOL

Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Beauclerc 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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BEAUCLERC 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. Beauclerc Infant School - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 - 7 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 160

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: 116 French Street Sunbury-on-Thames Middlesex Postcode: TW16 5LE

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 01932 780672 Fax number: 01932 784975

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: The governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr. E Culnane

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 23 rd November 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

Beauclerc is a small, community infant school for boys and girls who are 3-7 years old. It has 108 pupils organised in four classes, and 52 children who attend part-time in the nursery. The school is situated in a residential area of Sunbury-on-Thames. Most of the pupils live in the area immediately surrounding the school, but a few come from further away. The school is popular with parents and usually full. The school serves families from a wide range of social circumstances but, taken together, these are more favourable than the national picture. Overall, pupils’ attainment when they start school is close to that expected for their ages, though there is a wide range of ability within each age group that varies from year to year. Thirteen pupils, a below average proportion, have been identified as having special educational needs, for a variety of learning and behavioural difficulties, but none has a statement* to outline specific needs. The great majority of the pupils are from white

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

ethnic backgrounds, but about 15 per cent are from other ethnic backgrounds and four are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The school is working towards Investors in People status, which recognises that it has good systems to support and train its staff. The school has had two changes of headteacher since the last inspection.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

*Pupils who have quite severe special educational needs may have a statement outlining the needs and an indication of the provision that should be made to deal with them Beauclerc Infant School - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

18814 George Crowther Lead inspector Foundation Stage, mathematics, information and communication technology, art and design, design and technology, music 9053 Deborah Pepper Lay inspector 32483 Kate Chandler Team inspector English, science, geography, history, physical education, religious education, special educational needs, English as an additional language

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e-Qualitas Limited

Langshaw Pastens Road Limpsfield Chart Oxted Surrey RH8 0RE

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e-Qualitas Limited

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). Beauclerc Infant School - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS 8

Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

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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

Beauclerc is a good and effective school . When children join the nursery, their knowledge skills and understanding are about the same as those expected for their ages. Pupils achieve well and, by the end of Year 2, standards are well above average in reading and above average in mathematics. Standards in writing are average because the more-able pupils do not achieve as well as in other subjects. The quality of teaching is good. Good leadership by the recently-appointed headteacher, supported well by staff and governors, is ensuring that the school is succeeding in its aim to “Make a good school better”. A very positive environment for learning and the friendly, caring atmosphere around the school support pupils’ achievements well. The school provides good value for money. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are • Pupils achieve well overall, but the more-able pupils did not do well enough in last year’s national

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OVERALL EVALUATION

writing tests • Pupils reach high standards in reading, owing to good teaching and good support from parents • Teaching is good overall, with some very good features • Pupils have very positive attitudes to their work and they behave very well because the school pays very good attention to their personal development • Strong leadership by the headteacher, supported by the staff, focuses on further improvement of the school’s work, but recent, positive developments now need to be seen through • The curriculum has strengths in English, mathematics, science and ICT, but has weaknesses in art and music

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OVERALL EVALUATION

Since the school was inspected in 1998, improvement has been satisfactory. Standards in national tests are about the same as at the last inspection, but recent improvement is above the national trend. The points for development have been dealt with. Standards in information and communication technology (ICT) have improved significantly. Better procedures for assessing pupils’ attainment and monitoring their progress are now in place, and are supporting teachers’ planning of work. The planning of pupils’ learning takes better account of the requirements of the National Curriculum.

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

all schools Similar schools Results in National Curriculum tests at the end of Year 2, compared with: 2001 2002 2003 2003 Reading B C B A Writing A C C C Mathematics B D B B Key: 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

Pupils’ achievement is good. In the nursery and reception classes, children achieve well because the good range of well-planned activities stimulates their learning and adults provide good teaching. By the time they join Year 1, almost all of the children reach the expected standards, and about a half exceed them. In Years 1 and 2, achievement is very good in reading, good in mathematics and science, and satisfactory in writing. By the end of Year 2, standards are well above average in reading and above average mathematics and science. They are average in writing because the more-able pupils are not doing as well as they could. Achievement in ICT is good, particularly in the way teachers use computers to support work in other subjects. By the end of Year 2, standards are above average. Standards are above average in history, but there are weaknesses in pupils’ work in art and music because the curriculum has weaknesses. Pupils who have special educational needs

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED

do well because they are supported effectively and given lots of encouragement. Beauclerc Infant School - 7

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Pupils’ personal qualities, including their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,

are fostered well. As a result, pupils are keen to be involved in lessons and try their best. They are very well behaved. Relationships between pupils and with adults are very good, which supports learning very well. From the time they join the nursery, the school provides lots of opportunities that develop pupils’ social skills and there is a strong emphasis on learning about right and wrong. Attendance is currently good but last year it was below average.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

The quality of education provided by the school is good. The quality of teaching is good . Learning for children in the nursery and reception classes is generally well planned to provide a good range of experiences. In some nursery sessions, however, adults spend too much time organising the children and too little time supporting their learning. Throughout the rest of the school, teaching is good overall, with some strong features. Lively whole- class sessions capture the pupils’ interest and teachers ask challenging questions that really make the pupils think. Other strengths include meticulous planning, lots of praise and encouragement to make pupils confident learners, tasks that are usually well matched to pupils’ needs, and the good contribution made by teaching assistants. As a result, in most lessons, pupils try hard with their work and learn well. In a few lessons the work is too easy, the pace is slow and pupils do not make

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION

enough progress. The curriculum is satisfactory. It is well planned for most subjects, but lacks breadth and balance in art and music. Systems for assessing pupils’ attainment and for monitoring their progress are good. They are helping teachers to know what pupils need to learn next. The school provides very good care and support for its pupils and has created a very good partnership with its parents.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

Leadership of the school is good. The headteacher has made a positive impact during her first year at the school. She has gained the confidence and commitment of the school community, which has enabled her to initiate a number of improvements. Along with the staff team, she is firmly focused on sustaining and improving the good standards achieved by the children. The senior staff team is leading developments effectively, and improvements in most subjects are managed well. The governing body is well organised, very supportive of the school, takes a keen interest in its work, and fulfils its statutory responsibilities well. Governors have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and of the areas that need to be improved. Management of the school is good. The school runs smoothly from day to day, and managers have a good understanding of what the school does well and what needs to improve. The school

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

improvement plan contains a number of important initiatives, but the priorities are not always clear enough. The school has plans to rectify this when the plan is reviewed. A number of positive, recent developments, such as improving the monitoring of teaching and learning, and better systems for assessment, have been started effectively, but have not yet been fully implemented.

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PARENTS’ AND PUPILS’ VIEWS OF THE SCHOOL

Parents have very positive views of the school. Almost all feel that their children are making good progress and that the school does a good job. Pupils say they like school, find lessons interesting and fun, and that they have to work hard.

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IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED

The most important things the school should do to improve are • Continue to raise standards in writing, particularly for the more-able pupils • Improve the quality of the curriculum for art and music • See through and evaluate recent initiatives aimed at raising pupils’ achievement Beauclerc Infant School - 8

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Standards achieved in areas of learning and subjects

Pupils’ achievement is good . Over time, children in the nursery achieve well but, during the inspection, some of the sessions observed were unsettled and children’s achievements were satisfactory. Achievement is good in reception. Almost all the children are on track to meet the expected standards by the end of the reception year, and about a half will exceed them. Achievement is good in Years 1 and 2, and standards at the end of Year 2 are above average. Pupils of all abilities and from all backgrounds achieve well because the school pays good attention to individual needs.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils achieve very well in reading, and well in mathematics, science and ICT • More-able pupils do not achieve well enough in writing • Throughout the school, pupils who have special educational needs achieve well • Standards in art and design are lower than those expected for pupils of this age

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National test results and other performance data

1. The results of the 2003 national test were about the same as at the last inspection. Test results have varied from year to year. This is mainly because the number of pupils taking the tests each year is relatively small and so the results of a few pupils can have a marked effect on the overall picture. On the whole, however, results over the last four years have been rising at a rate higher than the national trend of improvement. In 2003, results for reading and mathematics were above the national average, and better than those gained by similar schools. Well over a third of the pupils reached Level 3 (the higher level) in reading and mathematics, which is much better than in most schools. In writing, almost all pupils reached Level 2 (the expected level) but very few reached Level 3, and these results were similar to those of other schools. The writing results show that some more-able pupils did not achieve well enough. Based on teachers’ assessments, standards in

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National test results and other performance data

Standards in national tests at the end of Year 2 – average point scores in 2003

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National test results and other performance data

Standards in: School results National results reading 16.9 (15.9) 15.7 (15.8) writing 14.7 (14.6) 14.6 (14.4) mathematics 16.9 (16.2) 16.3 (16.5) There were 30 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year.

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National test results and other performance data

2. Children start nursery with attainment that is about average overall, and so the test results, and the standard of work seen in Year 2 pupils’ books, represent good achievement in reading, mathematics and science, and satisfactory achievement in writing. Pupils’ attainment is assessed and their progress monitored as they move through the school. Records show that a significant proportion of pupils are making better than expected progress. The school has high expectations that all pupils can achieve well, which are reflected in the very positive encouragement that is given for each success. The good quality of teaching, a strong emphasis on seeking ways to improve provision, and the very good support provided by parents all contribute to helping pupils reach the standard of which they are capable. Beauclerc Infant School - 9

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Foundation Stage (nursery and reception)

3. Children achieve well during their time in the nursery. During the inspection, however, achievement was satisfactory in some of the sessions observed, particularly in the afternoon, because the routines for learning were not settled enough. A significant proportion of younger children joined the nursery in January, and their lack of maturity had affected the older children. As a result, the staff were having to work hard to re-establish good routines, and spending too much time organising the children and too little time enriching their learning. Evidence of the standards children reach later in the Foundation Stage suggests that this situation is not typical. The good range of well- planned activities for children in the nursery, and the effective way in which adults work with the children when the regime is settled, indicate that achievement over time should be good. Children achieve well in the reception class. The pattern of work is rather more formal, for example with

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Foundation Stage (nursery and reception)

lessons in literacy and numeracy, but this is balanced with a good range of activities to develop children’s skills in all areas of learning. Achievement in reading is very good because children read daily, at school and at home, which supports their progress very well. In both nursery and reception, the development of children’s physical skills is satisfactory, but not as good as in other areas of learning because the outdoor areas lack a range of challenging activities.

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Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2

4. Pupils’ achievement is good in Years 1 and 2 because work is well planned and the teaching is effective. Pupils achieve particularly well in reading because skills are well taught in literacy lessons and pupils read regularly both at home and at school. In writing, achievement is satisfactory, but the more-able pupils do not do as well as they could. The school has already been providing more opportunities for pupils to write at length and standards in the current Year 2 have improved. Pupils achieve well in mathematics because teachers have good expertise and make whole-class sessions, in particular, lively and fun. Good assessment of pupils’ existing skills enables teachers to plan work that is appropriately challenging. In science, a strong emphasis on practical activities helps pupils to achieve well. They learn how to carry out experiments, which builds their knowledge and understanding of science effectively. Pupils’ achievement in ICT is far better than at the previous

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Pupils in Year 1 and Year 2

inspection. Better resources, greater teaching expertise and a more coherent curriculum mean that, by Year 2, pupils reach standards that are better than those expected for their ages. In other subjects, pupils’ achievements vary. In history, where teachers have a particular interest and expertise, standards are above expectations and pupils achieve well. In art and music, however, where teachers have less expertise, the curriculum lacks breadth and depth and standards are not high enough. Art is often used well to contribute to work in other subjects, but the range of work is narrow and pupils are not developing their skills systematically. In music, although it was not possible to make an overall judgement about standards, the school is aware that teachers lack expertise and are not yet confident with the new teaching materials.

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language

5. Pupils who have special educational needs make good progress in most lessons and towards the targets set for them. Teachers ensure that work is well matched to these pupils’ needs and, in many lessons, effective classroom assistants support their learning. In lessons, teachers make sure that these pupils are fully involved. For example, in a good mathematics lesson for Year 1/2, after a lively introduction, a teaching assistant worked with a group of lower-attaining pupils to ensure they grasped the idea of odd and even numbers. A few pupils join the school speaking little English, and they make good progress because they are well supported by adults and fully involved in lessons.

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language

6. At the previous inspection, pupils’ achievements were good for English, mathematics and science, unsatisfactory for ICT and satisfactory for all other subjects. The school has maintained the pupils’ good achievements and improved them in ICT, though there are now weaknesses in art and music. This represents satisfactory improvement since the last inspection. Beauclerc Infant School - 10

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Pupils’ very good attitudes and behaviour help them to achieve well. The school’s provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good overall. Attendance is satisfactory and punctuality is good. Provision for pupils’ personal development has improved since the previous inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pupils enjoy coming to school and are very keen to learn • Pupils behave very well in lessons and in the playground • Pupils grow in maturity and confidence whilst they are at the school • Strong relationships underpin pupils’ very good social and moral development • Pupils’ spiritual development is good but art and music do not make sufficient contribution to their cultural development • The overall attendance rate has improved so far in 2003/04

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Commentary

7. Pupils are eager to learn and keen to contribute to all aspects of school life. They show very good attitudes in lessons and listen carefully to the teacher and to each other. One pupil said that ‘learning new things’ was one of the best parts of being in school. Even young pupils sustain concentration for long periods. For example, a group of reception and Year 1 pupils were enthralled by a history lesson comparing homes in the 1920s with today and looking at artefacts from both periods.

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Commentary

8. Pupils’ very good behaviour helps them to learn well. They are quiet and attentive in lessons and speak to the teacher and each other politely. In the playground, pupils are thoughtful and considerate to each other and behaviour in assembly is exemplary. Pupils know that staff expect them to behave well and responsibly and that they are regularly rewarded when they do so. Incidents of bullying are rare but parents and pupils said they are quickly resolved if they occur. There have been no exclusions. Occasionally, a few children in the nursery are not yet able to meet the high standards of behaviour expected of them.

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Commentary

9. Pupils grow in confidence because the school encourages them to think, and do things, for themselves. The use of ‘talking partners’ from reception onwards helps pupils to develop and contribute their own ideas and by Year 2, pupils are using the internet to research projects. Year 2 enjoy such responsibilities as organising the play equipment at break times.

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Commentary

10. Assemblies, circle time and personal, health and social education lessons are all used to promote the school’s values of respect, kindness and consideration for others. Relationships are very good between all groups of pupils, including those from different ethnic backgrounds. Pupils feel secure and confident at school and are keen to play their part in its life. Some Year 2 pupils, for example, choose to give up their weekly ‘golden time’ to read to partners in the nursery. Pupils have a clear sense of right and wrong and staff help them explore, and learn from, the consequences of their own behaviour.

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Commentary

11. Pupils’ spiritual development is promoted well through good assemblies and prayers before lunch and at the end of the day. Their understanding of other cultures and the multicultural nature of British society has improved since the previous inspection because the school now uses a wider range of books and initiatives to explore multicultural issues like curriculum weeks with an African drumming theme. However, work in art and music does not do enough to extend pupils cultural knowledge and understanding. This was also an issue at the previous inspection.

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Commentary

12. Attendance is satisfactory and has improved this year compared with 2002/03, when it was below the national average because a few pupils were often absent. However, some of these pupils now attend more often following intervention by the school and the education social worker . This Beauclerc Infant School - 11 reflects the school’s good procedures for promoting and monitoring attendance. Punctuality is very good; all but a handful of pupils arrive at school on time. Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 5.7 School data 0.5 National data 5.4 National data 0.4 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 education for its pupils. Teaching is good, with a number of strong features. The curriculum is satisfactory. The school ensures that all pupils, whatever their ability or particular needs, get full value from the quality of education. Pupils are cared for very well. The school has a very good partnership with parents and good links with other schools and the community.

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Teaching and learning

The quality of teaching and learning is good . The pupils enjoy their learning and generally try hard with their work. The quality of teaching seen in the Foundation Stage was satisfactory, but evidence of children’s achievements indicates that it is normally good. Teaching is particularly strong in the Year R/1 and Year 1/2 classes, and for English, mathematics and science. The quality of teaching is similar to that found at the last inspection.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching interests and engages pupils so that they are well motivated to learn • Teachers use a good range of effective approaches to learning • In a few lessons, pupils do not work quickly enough on their individual activities • In a few lessons, the work is too challenging, or not challenging enough, so pupils do not make as much progress as they could • In most lessons, adults manage pupils’ learning and behaviour very effectively, but there are weaknesses in the nursery • Homework is used effectively to reinforce and extend learning and is well supported by parents • Assessment systems are good, and the information is used well to manage pupils’ learning

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 20 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

13. Teachers make learning interesting and enjoyable. They find good ways to engage the pupils from the very beginning of the lesson by giving explanations that generate a keen sense of anticipation for the work to follow. Lively whole-class sessions were a good feature of many of the lessons seen. For example, a Year 1/2 mathematics lesson began with a series of activities developing the pupils’ understanding of odd and even numbers. Pupils counted in 2s from 0, 1 and 2, spotting the patterns of odd and even, and being challenged to say what odd number would be next. They were then each given a ‘necklace’ with an odd or even number on it, and had to arrange themselves in order. The interesting activities, and the good pace of the session, kept all the pupils involved and ensured that they were all being challenged. Teachers are skilled at asking questions that really make the pupils think, and the pupils are keen to respond. Another key factor in motivating

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Commentary

Beauclerc Infant School - 12 pupils is that adults are very positive when pupils make an effort, and praise them when they get something right. It is not surprising that, in most lessons, pupils are confident in their learning and achieve well. 14. Teachers use a good range of methods, groupings and strategies to help pupils learn. For example, many pupils were observed working individually on computers, perhaps strengthening their mathematics skills or drawing using a graphics program. These pupils showed a high level of interest in this work. In some lessons, pairs of pupils were ‘talking partners’ and were encouraged to explain to their friend what they had learnt so far. Work in groups is usually productive, and enables teachers to match work more closely to the needs of the pupils. For example, in a good Year 2 history lesson, pupils wrote a tourist guide before their visit to Windsor Castle. Grouping the pupils

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Commentary

allowed the teacher to adapt the task so it was suitably challenging for everyone. As a result, all the pupils made good progress and there were plenty of opportunities to discuss what they had learnt.

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Commentary

15. English, mathematics and science are taught well using a good range of effective methods. Teachers have good subject knowledge, which enables them to make sure that work builds steadily on what the pupils already know. Reading is taught very well, with good emphasis on enjoyment, and understanding of how stories unfold. For example, in a Year R/1 lesson, the teacher taught the pupils how books can describe characters. A good choice of book, lots of encouragement for the pupils to join in with the reading, and very good questioning about words describing the character, helped all pupils to grasp the point. In most English lessons, the teacher’s expressive, lively reading of books caught the pupils’ interest and encouraged them to learn. By Year 2, almost all of the pupils read confidently, and standards are well above average. In mathematics, teachers are good at explaining new work, and particularly good at developing the same skill in a variety of ways so that pupils’

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Commentary

understanding is consolidated. For example, pupils in the Year R/1 class learned the order of the days of the week, and it was the variety of ways in which this was taught that kept them interested. Teachers usually use practical activities in science, which involve pupils effectively in the work and teach them to observe carefully. For example, Year 2 pupils investigated materials that are waterproof and, by carrying out experiments, learnt a lot about absorbency.

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Commentary

16. All the teaching observed was at least satisfactory, but in the satisfactory lessons there were weaknesses. In a few lessons, the good pace of the whole-class session was not sustained during the group work. Teachers were not clear enough in setting expectations that pupils should get on quickly and they did not remind the pupils about the time remaining. As a result, pupils worked at their own pace and did not complete as much work as they could. In a few mathematics lessons, the work given to some pupils was too easy, so they were not challenged to make the progress of which they were capable. In one English lesson, the work was too hard for the less-able pupils, which prevented them making sufficient progress. These weaknesses are the exception not the rule.

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Commentary

17. Teaching assistants sometimes help a pupil who has particular special needs, or sometimes provide support for a group of pupils. They make a good contribution to the quality of teaching and learning. Assistants who work with pupils who have special needs keep them focused on the lesson and provide invaluable support when these pupils are tackling activities. Teachers make sure that the assistants know what to do and value the part they play in pupils’ learning. The combined efforts of the staff ensure that the quality of teaching is good for pupils who have special needs and those learning English as an additional language.

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Commentary

18. Teachers’ very good relationships with their pupils help them to be friendly but firm in ensuring that pupils get on with their work. Almost all the lessons seen were very well ordered and organised so that pupils could concentrate on their learning. In the nursery, however, some of the sessions seen were not settled enough. Even though a good range of activities had been planned for the children, adults spent too much time dealing with incidents as they arose, and too little time enriching the children’s learning. Staff say that the nursery was much more settled before the new intake of children in January, and the school plans to review its practice of admitting so many new children on one day.

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Commentary

19. Parents are very happy with the pattern of homework, and the great majority provide very good support to help their children carry out the tasks. The development of pupils’ reading skills, in particular, benefits greatly from regular practice at home. Parents also take a keen interest in what Beauclerc Infant School - 13 their children are learning at school and often send in items of interest. This very good support from home has a positive impact on pupils’ learning. 20. Teachers make good use of their assessments of pupils’ developing skills to ensure that work is appropriately challenging. Staff in the nursery keep careful track of the children’s developing skills, which helps them to plan appropriate activities and provides valuable information when the children transfer to the reception classes. Throughout the rest of the school, regular assessments of pupils’ attainment help teachers to monitor progress, to identify pupils who are not doing as well as

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Commentary

they should, and to ensure that the work they plan meets the needs of all the pupils. Teacher’s marking of pupils’ work is thorough, positive, and the best identifies pupils’ level of attainment and what they need to do next to improve. The use of individual learning targets is just developing.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is satisfactory overall. In the Foundation Stage, the curriculum provides a good range of well-planned activities. In Years 1 and 2, although there are strengths in English, mathematics, science and ICT, the breadth and balance of the curriculum are weakened by unsatisfactory provision in art and music. The curriculum is enriched by a good range of activities outside lessons. The quality of the accommodation and resources for learning is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The curriculum for English, mathematics, science and ICT is good and enables the pupils to achieve well • Good links are made between work in different subjects so that the activities are interesting and relevant to the pupils • In art and music, the curriculum is too narrow and does not develop the pupils’ abilities well enough • Personal, social and health education are good • A good range of extra activities enriches the curriculum • Pupils who have special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language are catered for well

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Commentary

21. Through effective planning, the school ensures that pupils receive a good curriculum for English, mathematics, science and ICT. Teachers have a good deal of expertise in these subjects, which helps them plan work enabling pupils, whatever their needs, to achieve well. The ICT curriculum has improved considerably since the last inspection and pupils are now reaching standards that are better than those expected for their ages. Good management in these subjects ensures that the school has clear view of any aspects of the curriculum that need to be strengthened. For example, more opportunities have been planned to develop pupils’ writing. Before the inspection, a few parents expressed concerns about how well the mixed age classes are catered for. Inspectors found that teachers discuss their plans carefully to ensure that pupils of the same age group, in different classes, receive appropriate work.

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Commentary

22. Teachers are skilled at weaving together work in a number of subjects so that it is more meaningful and less disjointed for pupils. This also means that pupils develop their skills in one subject through work in another. A good example is the work pupils have been completing about Houses and Homes. This theme has a strong geographical basis, but pupils also made houses in design and technology; thought about house and homes from the past; and in mathematics they did work on odd and even numbers linked to house numbering. The development of pupils’ skills in literacy and ICT is particularly enhanced through work linked to other subjects.

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Commentary

23. The curriculum for art and music does not have the same breadth and quality seen in many other subjects. In art, the curriculum is too narrow and does not enable the pupils to develop their skills systematically in a wide enough range of techniques and media. Art is often used well to support other subjects, as seen in the pupils’ collages depicting The Great Fire of London but, as a subject in its own right, there are too few opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in investigating Beauclerc Infant School - 14 and making. As a result, standards are below those expected for pupils’ ages. In music, teachers do not have the same level of expertise as in other subjects and, although a new scheme of work has been introduced recently, the curriculum is not yet providing a satisfactory range of experiences.

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Commentary

24. From the moment the children join the nursery, the school considers developing their personal and social skills as very important. Much of the ‘curriculum’ for this aspect of pupils’ learning is part of the fabric of everyday life at school, such as when Year 2 pupils take on responsibilities, or when an incident prompts a discussion in class. As well as this, opportunities in assemblies, in ‘circle time’ (when pupils gather in a circle to share their thoughts) and through subjects such as religious education ensure that pupils develop the personal and social skills that are vital to support their good academic achievement. A good scheme of work provides helpful guidance for teachers on how to build personal and social education into different subjects.

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Commentary

25. Although there are only a few out of school clubs, there is a good range of special events, visits and visitors that enriches the curriculum. All the pupils have at least one visit to a place of educational interest each term. For example, Year 2 pupils will be visiting Windsor Castle, which was providing the stimulus for class work during the inspection. Children in the reception class had made good use of the local environment to find out about different types of houses. Special events such as Book Week and the imminent African Week all help to motivate the pupils and enliven the curriculum.

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Commentary

26. The school provides well for pupils who have special educational needs and ensures that these needs are fully met in all aspects of school life. Teachers devise good individual plans to address particular aspects of these pupils’ learning and, in lessons, they receive good support. As a result they ensure that these pupils are fully involved in all that the school offers. Very few pupils are learning English as an additional language but their needs are well appreciated by teachers and teaching assistants and they receive a good level of support.

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Care, guidance and support

The school cares very well for its pupils. The quality of support, advice and guidance is good . The school has good and improving arrangements for involving pupils in its work.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school provides a secure and caring environment for its pupils • The welfare, health and safety needs of pupils are dealt with very well • Pupils with special educational needs and who speak English as an additional language are well supported • Lunchtime arrangements make an important contribution to the quality of care • The school monitors academic and personal development well but target setting is not used to its full potential to guide pupils • The school is developing new ways of involving pupils in its work

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Commentary

27. Pupils thrive in the school’s caring atmosphere where all individuals are valued, whatever their needs. Very good relationships provide the basis for sensitive and supportive care for pupils. Pupils responding to the questionnaire were unanimous that they could approach an adult if they were worried and parents also consider that their children are well cared for. Child protection procedures are fully in place and there has been recent relevant staff training. Pupils’ medical needs are understood and there are good first aid and accident recording procedures. Site security is given careful attention.

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Commentary

28. Pupils with special educational needs are supported well by teaching assistants, as are the small number of pupils who speak English as an additional language. During whole-class introductions to lessons, teaching assistants often check the understanding of pupils learning English and encourage them to contribute to the discussion. Beauclerc Infant School - 15 29. The arrangements for lunchtime demonstrate the school’s commitment to pupils’ welfare, care and personal development and reinforce the strong sense of community within the school. Very good quality school lunches, popular with children, contribute to the school’s promotion of healthy eating. Pupils of different ages eat on tables together, served by Year 2 ‘top servers’. This is a good arrangement, supporting social development and a sense of responsibility. Lunch and playtime are supervised by teaching assistants who promote good table manners and expect the same

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Commentary

standards of behaviour as teachers. Year 2 pupils enjoy their responsibilities for play equipment in the playground and pupils of all ages are included in games.

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Commentary

30. A significant factor in pupils’ good progress is the very good relationship they enjoy with adults in the school. Teachers use assessment information well to monitor pupils, giving them good support and guidance both in their academic work and personal development. Although individual and group targets are set, pupils are not always fully involved in these so their understanding of them is sometimes limited. Their use as an aid to guiding pupils on what they need to do to improve is not as effective as it could be.

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Commentary

31. Pupils are offered a growing number of opportunities in which they are involved in the school’s work. The headteacher uses assemblies to hear pupils’ views and has worked closely with Year 2 on reorganising the playground, encouraging them to make suggestions and solve perceived problems. The headteacher’s aim of involving pupils more is reflected in plans to develop a school council next term.

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Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

The school has a very good partnership with parents which makes an important contribution to pupils’ achievements. There are good links with the community and effective links with other schools.

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Main strengths

• Parents are very pleased with the school and find staff accessible and helpful • The school produces very good quality information for parents • Parents actively support their children’s learning and the life of the school • Links with the community enrich pupils’ education • Effective links with the feeder junior and local pre-schools support the transfer of pupils

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Commentary

32. Parents have very positive views of the school. They say that their children enjoy coming to school, take part in interesting activities and grow in confidence and maturity. They feel that the teaching is good, find it easy to approach the staff to discuss issues and believe that their views are taken into account. The new headteacher has made the development of the partnership with parents a priority and parents value her consultative style and the initiatives she has started. The only significant concern, particularly among the parents of children in the reception classes, is that they do not receive enough information about how their children are getting on. Inspectors found that pupils’ reports were of very good quality and that there are appropriate arrangements for consultation. However, the school has recognised that the first consultation evening should be earlier and plans to bring it forward to the autumn term.

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Commentary

33. The quality of information produced for parents is very good and helps them to become actively involved in the school. Information is displayed prominently and includes introductory booklets for each year group, school policies and items of interest about the parent teacher association. The prospectus and weekly newsletters provide plenty of helpful information. Reports provide parents with extensive information about what children know and can do, particularly in English and mathematics, and include their next targets. In addition to two parents’ consultation meetings a year, there are also curriculum meetings and consultation evenings about new policies, for example, regarding behaviour. Beauclerc Infant School - 16 34. The active support which parents give their children at home, for example, in fostering positive attitudes to learning and in hearing reading, makes an important contribution to the

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Commentary

standards pupils achieve. Some parents help regularly in school. The committed and hardworking parent teacher association raises significant sums of money for the school and also organises practical support, for example, in building the very pleasant nature area in the school grounds. The quality of the partnership with parents has improved since the last inspection.

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Commentary

35. The school’s involvement with the local community enriches the curriculum and promotes pupils’ personal development. Clergy from two local churches come to lead assemblies and several members of the community read weekly with pupils. The school has taken part in several community projects, including the making of a tapestry to celebrate the Millennium. Pupils use the local area as a resource for learning, particularly for history and geography. The school welcomes residents of a local retirement home for various events.

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Commentary

36. The school’s effective links with its feeder junior school and good consultation between staff support the smooth transition of pupils. Special needs staff meet to ensure there is a good understanding of the various difficulties these pupils have. Good links with local playgroups help children to settle when they join reception. The school regularly provides placements for the local teacher training college.

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LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the school is good . Management is good and governance is good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The headteacher provides good leadership • New, positive management initiatives have been introduced but it is too early to evaluate their effectiveness • The leadership and management of key staff are good • The governing body is well organised and has a clear focus on improving the quality of provision • Priorities within the school improvement plan are not defined clearly enough

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Commentary

37. Since her appointment in September, the headteacher has played a crucial role in creating a constructive climate for development by motivating staff, gaining the confidence of parents and securing the commitment of everyone to school improvement. All who are associated with the school share the vision that they are ‘making a good school even better’. She has introduced a number of initiatives based on raising standards and developing pupils as enthusiastic learners. For example, a rigorous approach to the monitoring of teaching and learning in several subjects has been introduced. The new systems are well thought out but have not been in place long enough to judge how they will have an impact on learning and achievement.

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Commentary

38. The senior staff team is developing its role well under the strong leadership of the headteacher and is becoming effective in the drive for improvement. Leadership in the core subjects and special educational needs is good. Leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses in provision and a strong sense of what needs to be done.

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Commentary

39. The governing body is very supportive of the school and has a good grasp of its strengths and areas for improvement. Governors know and fully carry out their statutory responsibilities. The headteacher keeps them well informed about the work of the school through regular reports. Governors all take a lead on an area of school life and work closely with the school, for example through links with staff and the Governor of the Month programme. In addition, regular focused visits to the school help to inform their view of learning and pupils’ achievements. They understand the challenges the school faces, and are prepared to make difficult decisions where necessary. Beauclerc Infant School - 17 40. The arrangements for the financial management of the school are good. The school has effective financial routines that are understood and followed. Day-to-day management of financial matters are efficient.

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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 375,005 Balance from previous year 18,642 Total expenditure 371,278 Balance carried forward to the next 22,369 Expenditure per pupil 2994 Beauclerc Infant School - 18

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

41. Provision for children in the Foundation Stage (nursery and reception) is good and similar to that reported at the last inspection. In the lessons observed, the quality of teaching was satisfactory overall, but evidence of pupils’ achievement indicates that teaching is normally good. The children join the nursery with varying levels of knowledge, skills and understanding, but overall, these are close to the expectations for their age. By the end of the reception year, standards are above average, well above average in reading, and children have achieved well in almost all aspects of their learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

42. The discrepancy between what was seen during the inspection and children’s good achievement over time is partly owing to the timing of the inspection. Procedures for introducing children and their parents to the nursery are satisfactory, but the practice of all the younger children starting nursery on the same day in January had unsettled the routines. This is particularly evident in the afternoon session where the staff were having to work hard to re-establish the best environment for learning. As a result, the children were not getting full value from the good range of activities that had been planned and adults were spending too much time organising the children and too little time enriching their learning. In the reception class, where routines are well established, the work and the support provided by adults were enabling the children to make good progress. For example, in a good mathematics session, the children developed their understanding of ‘more than’ and ‘less than’

p.18

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

through a wide range of activities which met the differing needs of all pupils well. Throughout the Foundation Stage, adults have a good understanding of how young children learn best, they provide a good range of well-planned activities, and they have good relationships with the children. In both nursery and reception, the whole-class sessions are usually lively and fully engage the children’s interest. Children learn well when supported by adults, including teaching assistants who make a good contribution to children’s learning.

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AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

43. Leadership and management of the Foundation Stage are satisfactory. The staff work well as a team to plan the curriculum so that activities provide appropriate challenge for children. They assess children’s developing skills carefully, which helps them to know what each child needs to do to improve. There is no co-ordinator, however, and, though the headteacher monitors the quality of teaching in these classes, weaknesses are not identified and tackled systematically. The nursery classroom has too many small spaces, which does not help the free flow of activity or the management of the pupils.

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Personal, social and emotional development

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

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children achieve well because adults create and capitalise upon opportunities to develop children’s curiosity, confidence and concentration • Relationships between children and with adults are good • In some nursery sessions there are is not enough focus on developing children’s independence

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Commentary

44. Although most children start nursery with good social skills, a few have weaknesses. This was evident amongst the younger children in the afternoon session. Their concentration span can be short and they find it difficult to work independently or share equipment. Much is done to develop their attentiveness and ability to work together but there is not always enough attention paid to developing independence. Activities designed to help children be independent are not always effective as they sometimes lack purpose and sufficient challenge. Nonetheless, a strong emphasis is placed on developing children’s personal and social skills. For example, during a ‘bug hunt’ the children were Beauclerc Infant School - 19 fascinated by the things they found, particularly when they used a magnifying glass to look at them closely. The task caught their interest, and so they concentrated for a good period of time and later

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Commentary

shared their findings with others. Adults give children the confidence to tackle activities and are very positive when children are successful. Group sessions help the children to develop social skills, as when children shared books about insects, in pairs, and then had their turn to say what they had found. Adults constantly reinforce messages about good relationships, what is right and what is wrong, and thinking about other children’s feelings. Work in the reception class builds well on the foundation laid in the nursery. A good range of activities and effective adult support ensure that the children are interested and well motivated to learn. For example, the children have completed some good work looking at houses and homes and they were keen to talk about what they had done. In whole-class sessions, the children concentrate well and listen to others’ contributions. In the Three Bears’ cottage, they took turns at playing the characters and shared the equipment sensibly. The

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Commentary

children’s confidence and independence develop well, as seen in a music and movement lesson where they changed their own clothes and responded enthusiastically to music, working in pairs and groups. The children also learn to express their feelings, for example in a lesson where they explored what makes them happy or sad. Almost all of the children are on course to meet the expected standard in this area of learning by the end of the reception year, and many will exceed it.

p.19

Communication, language and literacy

Provision in communication, language and literacy is good .

p.19

Main strengths

• Children achieve well because skills are developed during all tasks • Basic skills in reading and writing are taught well throughout the Foundation Stage

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Commentary

45. Activities in the nursery have a constant emphasis on developing children’s language skills, such as when children find their names to register each morning. In whole-class sessions, children are expected to make a contribution, such as saying something about what they did during the holidays. Others are expected to listen carefully. When working with an adult, good questioning encourages the children to explain what they are doing, for example when they made hedgehogs from lumps of clay and leaves and talked a lot about the materials and the process. Adults are always interested listeners. Focused sessions introduce children to the initial sounds of letters, such as ‘d’ for drum, and the children identify things whose name begins with that sound. Adults share books with the children and encourage them to begin ‘reading’ books for themselves. Children begin to learn that writing is important, adding their names to their paintings, or writing notes in the role play

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Commentary

areas. In reception, children’s language skills continue to develop well. They speak confidently in most situations, as when children, after looking at the resources available, explained what activities they thought they would be doing during a lesson. Children know most letter sounds and they use these to support their reading and writing. Almost all of the children in reception read short, repetitive stories confidently and fluently. Children are making good progress in developing their writing. All write their name and many are beginning to write a few words for a caption or a short story. As a result of good teaching, almost all of the children are on course to meet the standards expected at the end of the reception year, and many will exceed them.

p.19

Mathematical development

Provision in mathematical development is good .

p.19

Main strengths

• Mathematical skills are developed through a good range of activities • Adults place great emphasis on children using the correct mathematical language Beauclerc Infant School - 20

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Commentary

46. Good teaching and imaginative activities enable children in the nursery to develop a wide range of mathematical understanding and skills. Counting is part and parcel of many activities, such as counting the number of children in a group, or matching a musical instrument to each child. Activities, such as ‘fruit time’, are used well to spot shapes or to count the items being given out. In one session, an adult used a throwing game effectively, encouraging the children to count and record their scores. As a result, most of the older children are confident counting to 10 and beyond and they recognise the numerals. Children learn the language of mathematics, often through their play or when carrying out practical tasks, such as comparing whether items are ‘longer’ or ‘shorter’. Numeracy lessons in the reception class develop the children’s understanding successfully, such as a lively session where a good variety of resources was used to show the children what ‘more than’

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Commentary

and ‘less than’ means. Well-planned activities for small groups of children, effectively supported by adults, helped them to compare sets of objects and record their findings. Around the classroom, good displays consolidate the children’s understanding of numbers and shapes. Almost all of the children are on course to meet the standards expected at the end of the reception year, and many will exceed them.

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Commentary

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world, creative and physical development have not been judged as not all aspects of these areas of learning were seen during the inspection.

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Commentary

47. Work seen during the inspection indicates that teaching and learning of knowledge and understanding of the world are good. For example, both nursery and reception children have been following the theme ‘Houses and Homes’, which has included a good range of work. In the nursery, this has been combined imaginatively with creative activities and children have made houses from different countries, learning a lot about other places in the process. In reception, some very good geography has stemmed from children going out into the locality, looking at houses in the area and locating them on a map. Good links with literature led the children to think about the materials from which the houses of the Three Little Pigs were made. A good range of work is planned to develop children’s science skills. During the inspection, nursery children learnt about animals’ homes, whilst reception children examined different types of paper and considered ideas such as absorbency. In

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Commentary

both cases, children’s ability to look closely and discuss what they find out were developed well. Children have good opportunities to learn skills for making things, including cookery and building using construction kits. Children worked on the computer, showing good early skills using a mouse. For example, reception children explored the imaginary world of the Rainbow Fish or made ‘pictures’ using a range of geometric shapes. By the end of the reception year, almost all the children reach, and many exceed, the expected standard in this area of learning.

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Commentary

48. Children’s good achievement in their creative development results in most of them reaching the standards expected for their ages. The nursery has lots of opportunities for children to be creative, whether painting, working with the puppet theatre, or making music. For example, when the Music Man comes, all the children play their instruments showing that they are listening carefully to the singing. In the role-play area, however, children’s play lacks structure because they are not always given appropriate tasks to do. The children’s art work is good, and most displays have some element that has been drawn, painted or made by the children. In reception, children painted pictures of things that made them happy or sad and showed good skills in mixing colours. In a spontaneous piece of role play, three children ‘took the register’, which involved much discussion and noting of names. Children were clear about their roles in the Three Bears’ house, so their play was purposeful

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Commentary

and creative and they shared the equipment sensibly. Children join in enthusiastically with a range of well-known songs, often linked to other work, such as counting.

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Commentary

49. Children make satisfactory progress in their physical development , which matches the standards expected of similar aged children. The school recognises that the outdoor areas for both nursery and reception need developing to provide more challenge for children’s physical development. For example, the nursery outdoor area has few opportunities for children to climb and swing. Play with wheeled toys is restricted until the weather is good enough for the children to venture on the grass. Nonetheless, in both nursery and reception, children have opportunities for Beauclerc Infant School - 21 physical play that develops a range of skills. In reception, a music and movement lesson developed physical skills, but the range of activity was constrained by the tape used, which meant that the children had little opportunity for imaginative work. The children’s ability to control tools such as scissors and pencils develops well through drawing, making and constructing. In reception, the way

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Commentary

in which the children’s handwriting is developing shows that they have good finer control of pencils and other tools.

p.21

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Opportunities for pupils to develop their speaking and listening skills are very good • Standards in reading are well above average • Standards in writing are not as good as those in reading, speaking and listening • The subject is well led and managed

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Commentary

50. Results of the 2003 Year 2 national tests showed that standards in reading were above average when compared with all schools and well above when compared with similar schools. Standards in writing, however, were average, both when compared with all schools and schools in similar circumstances, because not enough pupils reached the higher level in the test. Standards of speaking and listening are well above average throughout the school. Overall, pupils’ achievement in English is good.

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Commentary

51. Pupils’ achievement in speaking and listening is very good. This is because teachers plan a wide range of opportunities for pupils to listen actively and speak for a purpose. Listening and role play areas are used to develop pupils’ learning. For example, in a Year R/1 literacy lesson, a less- able group worked independently, concentrating hard on following the book from the lesson while listening to the story on a tape. In a number of lessons, teachers use ‘talking partners’ so that pupils listen to each other and share ideas and experiences. In a Year R/1 literacy lesson, pupils discussed what the characters in the pictures could be saying. This gave them the opportunity to focus their ideas so that contributions to the shared writing were appropriate and the pace of the lesson did not flag. Both Year 1 and Year 2 pupils are given the opportunity to talk to larger groups through regular sessions during lessons and many pupils confidently reply to questions in school assemblies.

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Commentary

52. Standards in reading are well above average. Pupils in Year 2 read very well. They read a wide variety of books and higher-attainers read and enjoy non-fiction books and simple novels. Those of average attainment read with fluency and expression and lower-attaining pupils use their knowledge of letter sounds well to tackle their books with confidence. The emphasis on reading within literacy lessons reinforces skills. For example, in Year R/1, pupils read their character descriptions to the class who then tried to imagine what the character looked like. Pupils are generally enthusiastic about their reading and enjoy books and stories. Year 1 pupils can be heard to ask ‘What story are we having today?’ before the literacy lesson. Story time is a regular, popular feature at the end of the school day. Very good support from parents at home and reading to adults in school, are helping pupils’ to achieve very well.

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Commentary

53. Overall, pupils’ achievements in writing are satisfactory. Pupils of all abilities are given many opportunities to write. Year 1 pupils contribute confidently to shared writing activities, showing a good grasp of letter sounds and developing an understanding of full stops and capital letters. Writing is planned for a range of purposes and pupils in Year 2 are developing an awareness of the reader. For example, some pupils know that when they write the instructions for a snakes and ladders game, their writing will use simple words and sentences because they are for the youngest children in the Beauclerc Infant School - 22 school. Pupils’ writing is celebrated and encouraged in several attractive displays around the school. Pupils’ achievement in writing has not been as good as in other aspects of English because, in the past, pupils have had too few opportunities to write at length, and so more able pupils have not made

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Commentary

54. Teaching and learning are good overall. Teachers plan their lessons well and have high expectations of all pupils. For example, in a very good Year 1 lesson, the teacher used two ‘super spellers’ to write some of the words for the shared writing. Teaching assistants are deployed well to support pupils’ learning, particularly when they work with small groups so lower-attaining pupils, pupils with special educational needs, and the few who have English as an additional language make good progress. Teachers mark work regularly but do not always ensure pupils know how they can improve.

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Commentary

55. The subject is well led and managed. Strengths and weaknesses have been clearly identified and a range of strategies put in place to improve writing. These include ‘Writing Week’ and the ‘First day of the month book’ but it is too soon to say what impact these are having on pupils’ achievements. Overall, improvement since the last inspection is satisfactory.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

56. Language and literacy are well used across the curriculum. Speaking and listening are planned carefully in all subjects. Teachers and teaching assistants use good questioning and other techniques, such as modelling good speech, to develop pupils’ speaking. An emphasis on reading within all lessons reinforces skills. For example, a good selection of ‘big books’ supports learning in all subjects. Pupils are also encouraged to read instructions and lesson learning objectives with the teacher. Key words for subjects are often displayed on boards and pupils encouraged to widen their vocabulary by using them in writing and speech.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Results in the 2003 national tests were above average; more-able pupils did particularly well • Pupils achieve well because the quality of teaching is good • Pupils’ attitudes to work are very good and they enjoy their mathematics lessons • Pupils are given too few tasks that encourage them to use and apply their skills • Management successfully identifies and tackles aspects of the subject that need to be improved

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Commentary

57. Standards are about the same as at the last inspection, but results in national tests are now improving at a better rate than the national trend. In 2003, the results were above average, and well above average for the proportion of pupils reaching the higher Level 3. They were better than results gained by similar schools. Pupils’ work in the current Year 2 confirms this picture of above average attainment. Good teaching, and high expectations of the amount and quality of work that pupils should complete, ensure that pupils achieve well in both Year 1 and Year 2.

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Commentary

58. In Year 2, almost all the pupils have a good grasp of calculations with numbers to 100, adding and subtracting accurately and beginning simple multiplication and division. They can use these skills in work with money and measuring. Their understanding of fractions is developing, for example in finding ¼ of 16 or ½ of 40. They have a good knowledge of shapes and identify features such as right angles and symmetry. They use tally charts to collect information and draw block graphs, for example for a traffic survey. Pupils’ past work shows that they are experiencing a broad curriculum but, overall, there are too few activities that challenge them to use and apply their skills in new situations. In the Year R/1 class, work sheets are dated carefully but, in other classes, too many of the work sheets are undated, making it difficult to track the pupils’ progress. Work is untidily presented in the Year 2 books.

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Commentary

Beauclerc Infant School - 23 59. When pupils join Year 1, standards are above average because pupils have made good progress through the Foundation Stage. During Years 1 and 2, pupils continue to achieve well. More- able pupils achieve particularly well because they are set challenging work. For example, from data they had already collected, more-able Year 2 pupils drew block graphs and were set the demanding task of positioning the axes and calculating the scale. Average and lower-attaining pupils also achieve well and work is well matched to their level of understanding. An adult often works with the lower-attaining pupils, including those who have special educational needs, which gives them the confidence to be successful. Teachers’ good assessment of pupils’ skills helps them to set appropriately challenging work for all groups.

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Commentary

60. The quality of teaching was good in each of the three lessons observed. Lively whole-class sessions review what pupils have already learnt and sharpen mental mathematics skills. For example, in the Year 1/2 class, pupils thought about odd and even numbers, counting in twos from 0, then from 1, and gradually understanding that they could spot an odd or even number from the final digit. Challenging questions such as, “What’s the next even number after 26?” really made the pupils think. Teachers’ good subject knowledge and detailed planning ensure that these sessions move at a good pace and enable them to ask searching questions that keep all the pupils on their toes. The pupils enjoy these sessions, concentrate well and are very keen to offer their ideas. Teachers are good at consolidating learning by teaching the same skill in a variety of ways. Activities for groups of pupils are generally well matched to their ability, but the pace of this part of the lesson sometimes

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Commentary

slackens because teachers do not ensure that pupils concentrate fully on their work. The quality of teachers’ marking is generally good, and very good in the Year R/1 and Year 1/2. It includes praise, an indication of the level at which the pupil is working and whether support was needed. This helps pupils to understand how well they are doing.

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Commentary

61. The curriculum is very well planned, and teachers work closely together to ensure that pupils of the same year group, in different classes, have work that is well matched to their ability. Management of the subject is good because there is a clear evaluation of what is done well and what needs to improve, based on considerable analysis of pupils’ work and the quality of teaching. As a result, the school has identified, and is tackling, the need to provide more activities that help pupils to use and apply their skills. Pupils’ ICT skills are used and developed very well to support work in mathematics. A computer program, individually matched to pupils’ needs, supports the development of basic skills. ICT is also used to extend work, such as when Year 2 pupils fed information into a simple data base and produced graphs. Improvement since the last inspection has been satisfactory, although the use of assessment to match work to pupils’ needs is much better. The

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Commentary

school is far from complacent about the current achievement of the pupils.

p.23

Mathematics across the curriculum

62. Pupils use and develop their mathematics skills effectively in other subjects, such as recording results in graphs and tables in science, and measuring when making products in design and technology. Through topic work such as “Houses and Homes”, teachers look for opportunities to include mathematical activities, for example, learning that street numbers are odds and evens.

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Main strengths

• Standards are above average and pupils achieve well • The opportunities for the development of investigative skills are good • The subject is well led and managed

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Commentary

63. In 2003, the teachers’ assessments at the end of Year 2 showed that almost all pupils reached the expected Level 2 and just under a third gained the higher Level 3. This represented Beauclerc Infant School - 24 above average standards both compared with all schools and with similar schools. These standards are reflected in the inspection findings. Pupils’ achievements are good in Years 1 and 2. A well- planned curriculum with lots of practical work helps pupils make good progress. The school has maintained the good standards found at the last inspection.

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Commentary

64. Pupils make predictions and successfully conduct experiments, for example to find out which materials could be used to keep the teacher’s head dry when it rains. They understand that living things need food, air, water, and light to live and know the role of the main organs in the human body. They understand that pushes and pulls are examples of forces and draw on their own experiences to explain how they use forces everyday. Teachers’ questioning encourages pupils to make predictions and think about what happens and why it is not as they expected. All pupils, including the more able, are challenged, for example, when asked to consider ways of making a test fair.

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Commentary

65. The quality of teaching and learning is good. Teachers make the learning intentions clear to their classes which helps pupils to understand what they are learning and why. Good opportunities for ‘first hand’ discoveries make learning exciting and develop pupils’ experimental skills well. In the best lessons, there is a strong emphasis on the correct use of scientific vocabulary. For example, in a Year 1/2 lesson, pupils were making predictions as to which materials conducted electricity. Key words were displayed and lively teaching with good questioning enabled the pupils to hear, understand and practise words such as bulb, circuit, flow, conductor and insulator before the experiment. This gave pupils the language needed to explain their scientific discoveries. Teaching assistants make a significant contribution to learning, particularly where some groups need more focused support during investigative activities. Lessons are carefully planned so that all pupils are

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Commentary

learning at the right level and achieve well.

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Commentary

66. The subject is well led and managed. Planning is monitored, pupils’ progress is assessed frequently and a staff survey about the subject has been undertaken. This has helped the co- ordinator to identify and plan improvements. These are incorporated in a well thought out science action plan which provides clear strategies for raising achievement.

p.24

Main strengths

• The school has improved standards considerably since the last inspection • Teachers have good knowledge and expertise • Pupils enjoy working on computers and use their initiative well • ICT skills are used and developed very well as part of work in other subjects

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Commentary

67. By Year 2, standards are above average and all groups of pupils achieve well. This represents a substantial improvement since the previous inspection when pupils were judged to be making unsatisfactory progress and the school was not covering all aspects of the National Curriculum. Although only one ICT lesson was observed, pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and discussions with pupils working on computers indicate that teaching is good.

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Commentary

68. Basic skills taught in the Foundation Stage are built upon well in Years 1 and 2. Pupils are quickly familiar with the mouse and keyboard and confidently carry out tasks such as accessing programs and saving their work. By Year 2, pupils enter text on a word-processing program accurately and show very competent skills using a graphics program. For example, pupils drew the school badge using a range of tools, saved their work, and then imported it into a word-processing program to add text such as, “The B means Beauclerc and the sun means Sunbury”. Past work includes programming floor ‘robots’ and learning how the accuracy of the commands affects the movements of the machines. Pupils also use ICT to explore imaginary worlds such as The Magic Forest . To support their work in history, pupils have searched the internet for information about the Beauclerc Infant School - 25 Victorians and they understand how key words can be used through a search engine. The school

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Commentary

has suitable measures in place to protect pupils when they are using the internet. 69. Standards are much higher than at the previous inspection because of the good leadership and management of the subject. The headteacher provides a strong lead to ensure improvement is sustained. Pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and the quality of lessons are all monitored well so that management has a clear view of standards and areas that need improvement. The organisation of an ICT corner in each classroom, with examples of the pupils’ current work, has assisted monitoring. The building up of good resources has been treated as a high priority, and governors spoke of their support for this initiative. Good training has developed teachers’ knowledge well and this is evident in the confident way staff use ICT. The curriculum is planned very well to ensure that pupils build their skills systematically and that they use ICT very effectively in other subjects. Useful

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Commentary

individual records of pupils’ progress, based on regular assessment, provide teachers with a clear understanding of pupils’ strengths and weaknesses.

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Commentary

70. In the one ICT lesson observed, the quality of teaching was good. The learning objective was crystal clear so the pupils knew exactly what was expected of them. The introductory demonstration was not helped by all pupils being gathered around a small screen, but the teacher used individuals well to show how to carry out the task, which kept everyone focused on the work. A teaching assistant supported small groups of pupils well and they completed the task successfully.

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

71. Pupils use and develop their ICT skills in other subjects exceptionally well. In almost every lesson observed pupils were using ICT. Reception children explored the imaginary world of The Rainbow Fish , Year 1 pupils ordered days of the week in mathematics and investigated materials in science, and Year 2 used ICT to support their mathematics and word processing to write about their visit to Windsor Castle. The school has targeted lower and higher-attaining pupils to follow an individualised mathematics program, which is strengthening their skills. The pupils really enjoy this work and concentrate so hard that they are often oblivious of a nearby adult. Study of the local area has been supported well by photographs taken with the digital camera.

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HUMANITIES

72. No lessons were seen in geography or religious education so it was not possible to make judgements about overall provision in these subjects. Pupils’ work, teachers’ planning and the views of subject leaders were taken into account.

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HUMANITIES

73. Only a limited amount of evidence was available for religious education and no lessons were observed. As a result, it is not possible to make judgements about standards or teaching. The curriculum follows the locally agreed syllabus and the well-planned programme of assemblies offers good support to the subject. There are visits from members of local churches and pupils are developing an understanding of the important festivals within different faiths. For example, at Diwali, a parent visited a Year 1/2 class and to talk about the festival. Evidence from the small amount of pupils’ work available and from the pupils’ involvement in assemblies shows that they know some of the important stories within the Christian faith.

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HUMANITIES

74. In geography little past work was completed that could be used to evaluate teaching or the standards achieved. Teachers’ planning shows that pupils experience a sound curriculum that is well linked to other subjects.

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Main strengths

• Standards are above average and higher than at the last inspection • The quality of teaching is good, so that all pupils achieve well • Pupils have very good attitudes to the subject and enjoy their lessons Beauclerc Infant School - 26 • The subject is well led and managed

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Commentary

75. Work seen in Years 1 and 2 shows that all pupils have a good knowledge of history for their age and are developing skills which help them to learn about the past. By the end of Year 2, pupils have a good understanding of life in the past and know about some of the main events and people that they have studied.

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Commentary

76. Pupils show a keen interest in historical topics and participate enthusiastically in discussions. In a very good Year R/1 lesson, the teacher encouraged pupils to use all their senses to examine a selection of real objects from the past and to work out what they were used for. The teaching assistant made a significant contribution to the learning by talking about her own childhood. This encouraged the pupils to contribute from their own experiences. The pupils were fascinated and learnt a lot because the teacher had planned and managed the lesson very skilfully. Visits to a Toy Museum and Windsor Castle are also effectively used to give pupils good experiences which help them understand the past.

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Commentary

77. Links with literacy are very good. Speaking and listening are planned for and the use of talking partners is particularly effective during discussions. There are also good opportunities to write for a purpose. For example, Year 2 pupils used their knowledge and understanding to write a tourist guide for Windsor Castle.

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Commentary

78. The subject is well led and managed. Management has a clear view of the main priorities for improvement based on the careful monitoring of planning and teaching.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

79. No lessons were observed in design and technology, music and physical education. Only one art and design lesson was seen, in the Year R/1 class. As a result, it is not possible to make judgements about overall provision in any of these subjects. In art and design, a reasonable selection of pupils’ work was available from which to make a judgement about standards. In design and technology very few examples of pupils’ work had been retained from previous projects. Teachers’ planning and the views of subject leaders were taken into account.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

80. Standards in art and design are below those expected for pupils’ ages, largely because the curriculum is too narrow and does not enable the pupils to develop their skills systematically in a wide enough range of techniques and media. Examples were seen of drawing, painting and collage, but there was little evidence that pupils have experienced printing, work with fabrics, clay work, or any art in three dimensions. Pupils in the Year R/1 class have completed a greater range of work than others. Where the work is of the expected quality, most of the finished pieces are very similar, indicating that there are too few opportunities for pupils to explore and develop their own ideas. In both Year 1 and Year 2, pupils have made pictures of The Great Fire of London, showing that they can mix colours effectively to create a fiery sky, cut black paper to make a silhouette of the buildings, and add tissue to represent the flames. These pictures are striking, but there is little variety. Year 1

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

pupils’ pencil drawings of fruit are of the quality expected for their ages, but there are few other examples of pupils’ drawing, either in pencil or in other media such as pastel or charcoal. Planning shows that Year 2 pupils have looked at the work of Rembrandt mixed colours to paint in a similar style, but there are few other examples of pupils’ learning about and emulating the work of artists from different times and cultures. Sketch books have been introduced recently, but not in Year 2, and these contain only a few pieces of work.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

81. Art is supporting other subjects satisfactorily. Pupils have used ICT well for art work, and the Year 2 pupils are quite skilled in using a simple art program. Opportunities for pupils to develop their skills in investigating and making within art, however, and chances for them to evaluate and develop their work are unsatisfactory. In contrast, good teaching in a Year R/1 lesson included many of the features associated with a richer art curriculum. The pupils were introduced to the work of Andy Goldsworthy and the way in which he uses natural materials for his art work. After looking at examples of his pieces, the pupils worked in groups to create their own art, using a range of natural Beauclerc Infant School - 27 materials, and there was much discussion about the choices the pupils made. Leadership and management of the subject are unsatisfactory because weaknesses in the art curriculum have not

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

been identified and tackled. Standards are not as good as reported at the last inspection. 82. In design and technology , teachers’ planning shows that the pupils receive an appropriate curriculum with opportunities to design, make and evaluate a range of products. The most recent work in both Year 1 and Year 2 was linked to the topic Houses and Homes. Although none of the pupils’ models was seen, other evidence shows that the Year 2 pupils drew designs for their houses, including a list of the materials and instructions needed to build them. In a good link with science, the pupils incorporated an electric circuit to light the interior of their houses. The scheme of work is detailed, provides helpful support for teachers, and shows that pupils experience work in a good range of materials. It includes the development of pupils’ skills in practical tasks such as cutting and joining. The quality of work has been evaluated across the school and a helpful collection of work

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

samples has been started to assess standards and guide teachers.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

83. In music , very little evidence was gathered. Pupils sang tunefully in one of the assemblies seen, but there was no singing in the other two. Pupils listened with interest to the music that was played at the beginning of each assembly. Many pupils knew the music was classical, a few that it was opera, and they learnt that the language was German. In the past, the school employed a music specialist to take all classes, but this proved too costly. An appropriate scheme of work has been introduced recently to support class teachers in taking music lessons. However, senior staff recognise that because the teachers lack expertise in music, and are unfamiliar with the new scheme, the pupils are not yet receiving a satisfactory curriculum. Training for all teachers is planned. Music corners in some classrooms encourage pupils’ interest, but these were not much used during the inspection and the quality and variety of the available instruments are a weakness.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

The school has no music clubs that would stimulate interest in the subject and provide challenge for talented pupils. The imminent visit of African drummers is a good development that will add to the music curriculum. Pupils’ social skills are developed well through concerts and performances in school, which are much enjoyed by parents.

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CREATIVE, AESTHETIC, PRACTICAL AND PHYSICAL SUBJECTS

84. In physical education no lessons were observed, but teachers’ planning indicates that pupils experience a sound range of activities. After school on two days during the inspection, groups of pupils enjoyed football coaching sessions organised by visitors from Brentford Football Club.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

85. No lessons were seen in this subject and there was no past work completed by the pupils that could be used to evaluate the standards achieved. As a result, it was not possible to make judgements about pupils’ achievements or the quality of teaching and learning. The curriculum section of this report evaluates provision for pupils’ personal, social and health education as good . Beauclerc Infant School - 28

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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 4 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 2 Attendance 4 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 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 4 Enrichment of the curriculum, including out-of-school activities 3 Accommodation and resources 4 Pupils’ care, welfare, health and safety 2 Support, advice and guidance for pupils 3 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 3 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 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). Beauclerc Infant School - 29

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