Bounds Green Infant School

Bounds Green Infants School

Dates of inspection: 13 th -15 th October 2003

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Bounds Green Infants School

Inspection number: 255564 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 Bounds Green Infants - 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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Bounds Green Infants 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. Bounds Green Infants - 3

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Type of school: Infant School category: Community Age range of pupils: 3 – 7 years Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 250

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

School address: Bounds Green Road London Postcode: N11 2QG

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Telephone number: 020 8888 8824 Fax number: 020 8365 8368

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mary Tstakli

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL

Date of previous inspection: 5 th October 1998

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The characteristics of Bounds Green Infants School have changed significantly since the last inspection. In 1998, children of all ages were taught in one class. Now there are separate Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 classes. The new building opened in January 2002. The school is the same size as many other primary schools. Children come from a very wide range of socio- economic and ethnic backgrounds. The majority groups are White European, White UK and Black African heritage. Black Caribbean, Bangladeshi, Indian, Black other and Indian are also represented. Over half the children do not have English as their mother tongue. They speak 36 different languages, but the most common are Turkish and Somali. 123 children are at an early stage of learning English. Many start in the nursery unable to speak English. Over a third of children are eligible for free school meals and this is higher than usually found. A high number of children start or

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

leave the school. In the present Year 2, over 40 per cent of children did not start at the school. A few children come from Traveller families, are asylum seekers or refugees and may have had no prior experience of school. The number of children identified as having special educational needs is typical of most schools. Three children have statements of particular need for autism, speech and communication or learning difficulties.

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CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL

The school is situated in North London in the London Borough of Haringey. It shares a site with the junior school. The headteacher has been at the school two years. Some staff are long serving but at the time of the inspection, two teachers had been in post for six weeks. The school has a strong commitment to inclusion. Bounds Green Infants - 4

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Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities

10090 Kath Beck Lead inspector Foundation Stage Mathematics Music 13481 Doug Binfield Lay inspector 33118] Angela Konarzewski Team inspector Information and communication technology Geography History 7694 Martyn Richards Team inspector English Science Physical education English as an additional language 6436 Alan Andrews Team inspector Special educational needs Art and design Design and technology Religious education

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360 Lee Valley Technopark Ashley Road London N17 9LN

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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.ofsted.gov.uk). Bounds Green Infants - 5

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

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STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PUPILS

Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 12

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

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Overall evaluation

Bounds Green Infants is a good school. Its strong caring ethos, emphasis on children’s personal development and good teaching results in most children who start at the school with low levels of attainment, achieving as well as they can. The good leadership of the headteacher and key staff means major changes have been managed effectively. The school is doing well, in challenging circumstances, to overcome the barriers in children’s learning. These barriers stem from children’s frequent movements between schools and learning English as an additional language. Standards are below those found in schools nationally in Year 2 at the present time, but in line with the average for similar schools. Weaknesses in the day to day management of children who are at an early stage of learning English mean precise needs are not always identified. There are no significant differences in the achievements of the different ethnic groups of children in the school. It provides

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Overall evaluation

The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: • Excellent provision for the appreciation of different cultures means there is a racially harmonious atmosphere. Parents are very pleased with the way all the children get on together. The school is fully inclusive. • Very good teaching and overall provision in the Foundation Stage. • Children attain very good standards in art. Standards in other subjects are lower than they should be, as some children do not attend school often enough or arrive on time for their lessons. • Children’s attitudes, behaviour and personal development are very good. • There are very good links with parents and the school takes very good care of the children. • The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is good. There is work to do in developing the skills of some curriculum leaders and the management of English as an additional language. • Teaching is good, especially in Year 2 and for children with special educational needs.

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Overall evaluation

• Governors are enthusiastic about the school, but their knowledge of procedures is not always sufficient to enable them to make decisions quickly so that the school can move forward. • Resources in music, history, geography, science and information and communication technology are inadequate.

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Overall evaluation

The school’s effectiveness is good, as is its improvement since the last inspection. Results are improving faster than in other schools. The characteristics have changed dramatically since 1998 when three age groups were taught in one class. Now each class has just one age group. The curriculum has been restructured and is checked to make sure that each year group is taught at the appropriate level. Much of the school is housed in a new building. Time management, planning and assessment have improved significantly. Despite the school’s best efforts, attendance and punctuality remain low and these impact the standards children achieve.

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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 E E* E C writing E E E C mathematics E E E C 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 Bounds Green Infants - 7 Children’s achievements are good, especially the children who attend the school for several years. Achievements are very good in the Foundation Stage and good in Years 1 and 2. Attainment on entry to the nursery is well below that normally found, especially in spoken English. Very good progress in the Foundation Stage means children reach the early learning goals in mathematical, creative and physical development and knowledge and understanding of the world at the end of the Reception year. They exceed them in personal, social and emotional development. Few children

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Standards achieved

reach the goals set for them in communication, language and literacy as many speak English as an additional language. Currently, standards are below those normally found at age seven, except in art where they are very good. Lack of resources holds back achievements in music, science, history and geography, although staff make good use of the resources they have. Children with special educational needs achieve well for their capabilities. Those with English as an additional language achieve satisfactorily and sometimes make good progress depending on the support they receive in lessons. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, attitudes, behaviour and personal qualities are very good. The progress of some children is held back as some parents do not ensure their children attend school regularly or punctually.

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Quality of education

The school provides a good quality of education. This stems from good teaching. It is very good in the Foundation Stage. Staff insist on high standards of behaviour, promote equal opportunities strongly; interest, encourage and engage children in practical activities and deploy support staff very effectively. In response, the children work productively and take a lot of pride in presenting their work attractively. The Foundation Stage curriculum is particularly rich offering many imaginative opportunities for children learn. The broad curriculum in Years 1 and 2 includes good opportunities for enrichment, especially in art. The partnerships with parents are very good. The use of interpreters means parents who do not speak English are involved in their child’s education. Children are cared for very well and receive very good support and guidance in their personal development. Their views mean a lot to the staff.

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Leadership and management

The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is good. Management and governance are satisfactory. The headteacher, along with the staff and governors, has driven forward major changes to the organisation of the school and its curriculum to enhance standards. These changes are proving really beneficial and are impacting children’s achievements really positively. National tests results in 2003 are better than those in 2002. The school uses self evaluation rigorously and is aware of its strengths and weaknesses and is taking clear action to improve the quality of teaching in some classes and the management of English as an additional language. Governors are very supportive of the school’s work, but they do not make decisions quickly enough to ensure statutory duties can be fulfilled.

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Parents’ and pupils’ views of the school

Parents hold the school in high regard. Children enjoy the interesting things to do.

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Improvements needed

The most important things the school should do to improve are: • Raise standards, especially in English, mathematics, information and communication technology and religious education. • Improve the management for English as an additional language to accelerate achievement. • Increase the resources for science, history, geography, music and information and communication technology. • Raise attendance and punctuality. • Provide training for governors to enhance their skills. and, to meet statutory requirements: • Adopt the policy for racial equality, the special educational needs disability action plan and child protection plan. • Include admission arrangements in the school prospectus. Bounds Green Infants - 8 Bounds Green Infants - 9

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

Children achieve as well as they can in relation to their capabilities and prior attainment during their time in the school. Currently, standards of attainment are below those usually found in Year 2 in English, mathematics, geography, history and music. They are very good in art and design and good in physical education. Children’s attainments are in line with the locally agreed syllabus in religious education and satisfactory in design and technology and science. They are poor in information and communication technology. The overall below average standards of the children is due, in part, to many not attending school often enough to make good progress or arriving in time to start their lessons promptly. In addition, there are weaknesses in resources, in the management of provision for children who speak English as an additional language. Many children start and leave the school between the nursery and Year 2. There are no significant differences in the

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Standards achieved in areas of learning, subjects and courses

achievements of boys and girls. At the end of the Reception year, children exceed the goals set for them in personal, social and emotional development. They attain the goals in mathematical, physical and creative development and knowledge and understanding of the world, but do not reach them in communication, language and literacy.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Results in national tests in 2003 for children aged seven show that they are achieving as well as children in similar schools, although standards are currently below those normally found except in art where they are very good. • The school sets clear targets for children from different ethnic groups to meet by the end of Year 2. • Children’s achievements are very good in the Foundation Stage. They are good in Years 1 and 2. • Children, whose mother tongue is not English, grow in confidence in speaking English as they move through the school. • The school celebrates the different community languages children bring and recognises their achievements as they become bilingual. • Children with special educational needs usually achieve well over time. Those with a statement of need benefit considerably from working with the part-time coordinator for this area of the school’s work.

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Commentary

1. Standards are not as good as they were at the time of the last inspection in 1998. Results in national tests dropped dramatically in 1999, but have risen faster than in other schools since that time. The number of children reaching the expected Level 2 has increased and the gap between the national and school results has narrowed. The school’s trend in improvement is faster than in other schools. The changes to the structure of the school and its curriculum are proving successful and the benefits can be seen in the children’s good achievements in relation to their abilities. That said, the 2003 national test results for children aged seven, were well below those found in most schools in reading, writing and mathematics. When compared to schools with children from similar backgrounds, the results were average in these areas. This is much better performance than in previous years. Bounds Green Infants - 10

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Commentary

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

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Commentary

Standards in: School results National results reading 13.8 (12.1) 15.7(15.8)

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Commentary

There were 58 pupils in the year group. Figures in brackets are for the previous year

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Commentary

2. Brighter children and those remain at the school for three years achieve well because teachers provide them with appropriate challenge. Their performance, when compared to schools in a similar context, is very good in reading and good in mathematics and science. The number of children moving in and out of the school, especially those with limited school experience, as well as low attendance and punctuality, has an impact on the standards those children reach.

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Commentary

3. A lot of work has been done to track children’s progress more accurately since the last inspection. Assessment procedures are more rigorous. Literacy, numeracy and science curriculum leaders monitor the targets set for each child in reading, writing and numeracy each term and check that teachers are using this information to plan work that meets needs in all classes. The nursery staff use a nursery profile to track children’s progress across the areas of learning. They also keep detailed notes on their observations of children’s achievements and acquisition of English language. In the Reception classes, staff use an Early Years Profile that checks children’s progress through the stepping stones towards the early learning goals.

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Commentary

4. The school sets challenging targets for the different ethnic groups of children to reach the expected Level 2 in Year 2, although it is not required to do so. It analyses national test results in detail. Some groups are very small. The analysis for 2002-2003 shows that White UK, Black African, Indian, Asian and Other groups exceeded the targets set for them in reading, writing and mathematics. Black Caribbean boys and girls met their targets. White European, including Turkish, Kosovan and Greek Cypriot children, met their targets in mathematics, exceeded them in writing, but did not meet them in reading.

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Commentary

5. A very high proportion of the children learn English as their second or additional language. About half the children on the school roll are at an early stage in this learning. This is a much higher proportion than when the school was last inspected. While the standards of speaking, reading and writing reached by most of these children are still well below average when they leave the school, the school’s records show that they have progressed in fluency term by term. Indeed, a minority reach above average levels over this time. The pace of children’s progress and the English standards they reach, are not as good as they should be because of weaknesses in the way the provision for these children is managed. This means that provision is not, currently, as good as it was in the last inspection. The precise needs of some children are not identified clearly and records are disorganised. Teachers and support staff do their best in lessons and have implemented guidance

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Commentary

6. The school is rightly proud of the bilingual and sometimes multilingual, achievements of its children. It celebrates their home languages through posters, notices and reading books in a range of community languages. This helps the children to appreciate that bilingualism is recognised and valued in school and it supports their self esteem and feelings of success. Bounds Green Infants - 11 7. The children are courteous and careful listeners in class and most can follow simple instructions, stories and songs well enough to benefit from their lessons in all subjects. They are more hesitant in speech and many are less willing to talk to people they do not know, although as they gain confidence they enjoy demonstrating their mastery of English. While most children master the essential grammar and word order of spoken English by the time they leave, many are hampered by their limited vocabularies. The school is alert to this issue and rightly tries to address it by giving

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Commentary

priority to oral work in lessons, to story and to practical experiences, in science for example, in which new sets of vocabulary can be learned. The children’s limited skills in spoken English also set a ceiling for what they can achieve in reading and writing. Many of them still read hesitantly when they leave the school, often saying words correctly, but without a full understanding of the meaning of the text. Most can write a simple sentence legibly, despite difficulties with the correct orientation and size of letters. Spelling also presents problems for them, but their work shows improvement as they go through the school. By the age of seven, most can spell common regular words accurately and make plausible attempts at more difficult words.

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Commentary

8. Very good standards in art and design stem from the: • subject leadership; • school’s use of visiting artists; • use of the subject to celebrate cultural diversity; • very good opportunities for children to make choices. Lower standards in history, geography, music and information and communication technology result mainly from a lack of resources that support the development of children’s knowledge, skills and understanding. The restructuring of the curriculum over the past two years and movement of children in and out of the school means that not all children have covered as much of the foundation subjects as they will in future. Very good teaching and a rich curriculum in the nursery and Reception classes are the main reasons for the very good achievements of the youngest children.

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Commentary

9. The literacy and numeracy strategies have been implemented successfully and are amended to meet the needs of different children and offer challenge to brighter children. The excellent ‘reading project’, that included using translators to involve parents, who do not speak English in their child’s learning, and writing workshops are having a significant impact on these aspects of English. In mathematics, children enjoy many practical tasks that make learning real. Written work is often in the form of worksheets of varying quality. Those in which children fill in the missing numbers do little to take learning forward.

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Commentary

10. The number of children with special educational needs, including those with a statement of special need, is below the national average. The provision for these children relies heavily on in- class support, often with the use of teaching assistants, together with some specialist help directed towards those with a statement of need. Overall, the system works well and is managed effectively by an experienced special educational needs coordinator. Relationships are good and, as a result, children are usually keen to please and to do their best. Most achieve well over time in relation to their ability. Particular care is taken over children with a statement of special need. They benefit considerably from the expertise of the special educational needs coordinator as well as individual support from teaching assistants. The children usually enjoy their work and make good progress over time.

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Pupils’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities

Attitudes, behaviour and relationships are very good throughout the school. The low level of attendance identified in the previous report still prevails. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is very good.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children are keen to learn and take pride in presenting their work neatly. Bounds Green Infants - 12 • Behaviour is consistently very good and there is a high degree of racial harmony. • Very good relationships throughout the school contribute significantly to children’s personal development. • Attendance is poor and this severely limits the learning opportunities of the children concerned.

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Commentary

11. Children like school and the very positive attitudes to learning seen at the last inspection have been maintained. In the nursery and Reception classes, children use initiative, concentrate well and cooperate readily with teachers and support staff. In Years 1 and 2, children have an enthusiastic approach, listen attentively and work hard on written and practical tasks. The very high standards of behaviour in lessons and around the school reflect an improvement on the good standards at the time of the last inspection. Very few incidents of serious misbehaviour, including bullying, arise. Any such incidents are dealt with quickly and fairly. There were no exclusions last year.

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Commentary

Ethnic background of pupils Exclusions in the last school year

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Commentary

Categories used in the Annual School Census No of pupils on roll Number of fixed period exclusions Number of permanent exclusions White – British 52 0 0 White – Irish 2 0 0 White – any other White background 28 0 0 Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 9 0 0 Mixed – White and Black African 5 0 0 Mixed – White and Asian 7 0 0 Mixed – any other mixed background 15 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Indian 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Pakistani 4 0 0 Asian or Asian British – Bangladeshi 8 0 0 Asian or Asian British – any other Asian background 8 0 0 Black or Black British – Caribbean 23 0 0 Black or Black British – African 32 0 0 Black or Black British – any other Black background 6 0 0 Chinese 2 0 0 Any other ethnic group 57 0 0 Parents preferred not to say 5 0 0

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Commentary

12. Children from all backgrounds mix very well together and this contributes to the excellent level of cultural awareness. The very good relationships within the school community have a marked impact on children’s development and self-esteem. Parents at the parents’ meeting stated that they particularly liked the rich diversity of the school population and the way in which children play happily together and help each other. Children from minority groups and those learning English as an additional language have very positive attitudes to school. They too behave very well and always do their best in lessons. Bounds Green Infants - 13 Attendance in the latest complete reporting year (%)

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Commentary

Authorised absence Unauthorised absence School data 9.8 School data 3.0 National data 5.4 National data 0.5 The table gives the percentage of half days (sessions) missed through absence for the latest complete reporting year.

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Commentary

13. The above table relates to 2001-2002 when the school’s attendance level was 87.2 per cent. This rose to 90.2% in 2002-2003 reflecting the school’s sustained and determined efforts to improve attendance. Nevertheless, attendance remains poor. This deep seated problem reflects the lack of parental appreciation of the importance of regular attendance to their child’s education. The diverse social circumstances are a contributory factor, including the school’s transient population and lengthy holidays during term time to visit relatives in home countries.

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Commentary

14. In the last year, the school has made determined and commendable efforts to improve attendance and punctuality. It conveys a strong message to parents about the importance of attendance and this is publicised in school documentation in different languages, outside classrooms and stressed in meetings with parents with translators present. Monitoring systems have been improved and absences are followed up quickly in full cooperation with the education welfare officer. Punctuality was unsatisfactory last year, but is better than the poor level at the time of the last inspection. Further measures introduced in the last few days have reduced the number of latecomers further. Time is used consistently well for learning throughout the school day. This too is an improvement since 1998.

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Commentary

15. Children’s personal development is at a very good level, as it was at the previous inspection. They are culturally very well informed, as a result of the school’s excellent programmes of literature, visual art and multicultural activity. They also develop very good levels of social responsibility. They are polite and well-mannered, helpful to each other and supportive of local and national charities. They understand and abide by their class rules. Spiritual and moral development are good. Children understand fairness and honesty and about the value due to every individual. They distinguish right from wrong. In some lessons, in science for example, they are moved by the beauty and complexity of the natural world. In some assemblies children reflect on their own and others’ values of kindness and generosity in a calm and reverent way. Other assemblies however lack the sense of occasion necessary for such reflection.

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QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL

The quality of education is very good in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory in the infants. The very good and rich curriculum in the Foundation Stage is supported by very good teaching, assessment of children’s progress and satisfactory resources. The curriculum is satisfactory in the infants. Good teaching in Years 1 and 2 makes learning interesting, practical and relevant to children’s experiences. In some subjects there are not enough resources to aid learning. The new accommodation is good, but the older parts of the building and outside area for the Foundation Stage are in need of renovation and so accommodation is satisfactory overall.

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Teaching and learning

Teaching and learning are good. They are very good in the Foundation Stage and good in the infants. Teaching is much stronger in Year 2 than in Year 1. The assessment of children’s work is good. Bounds Green Infants - 14

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teaching in the Foundation Stage is very good. • Insistence on high standards of behaviour. • Encourages children to be involved in interesting work resulting in very good levels of concentration. • Teaching assistants make very good contributions to children’s learning. • Teachers make sure that unfamiliarity with English does not hold children back in lessons in other subjects. • The assessment of individual children’s strengths and weaknesses in English language acquisition, lacks precision. • The teaching of children with special educational needs is good and sometimes very good. • Targets for improvement for children with special educational needs are constructed and used well.

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Commentary

Summary of teaching observed during the inspection in 32 lessons

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Commentary

Excellent Very good Good Satisfactory Unsatisfactory Poor Very Poor

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Commentary

0 (0%) 9 (28%) 13 (41%) 9 (28%) 1 (3%) 0 (0%) 0 (0%)

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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

16. In the Foundation Stage, teachers work together very closely as a team. This means all children receive a rich and practical curriculum that promotes high levels of achievement and their personal qualities. All teachers have very good knowledge about how children of this age learn. They plan effectively, with clear learning objectives and suitable teaching strategies. This means that children are often involved in activities that develop skills in several areas of learning. For example, role play in a food shop, allowed skills in creative and mathematical development, communication, language and literacy, knowledge and understanding of the world and personal and social development to be promoted. Children acquire many different skills in teacher led and child initiated activities. They apply themselves, working confidently on their own or happily in collaboration with others.

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Commentary

17. At the time of the inspection, almost 80 per cent of the children in the nursery spoke very little English. Staff have undergone training so that their provision meets the broad range of needs.

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Commentary

18. Bi-lingual staff and nursery nurses also offer very good support. Staff use visual clues, such as gestures, pictures, toys and writing in children’s own languages to enable them to understand what they have to do. Children, who speak more English, also help by translating for their friends. In the nursery, strong emphasis is placed on developing spoken English through practical activities so that children make links between words and their meanings. Classrooms are organised very well so that children can make choices about the materials they need for their work. This allows them to become engrossed in what they are doing, express their ideas and concentrate for extended periods of time.

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Commentary

19. The children’s very good attitudes and behaviour enables teachers to work with small groups, playing mathematical or literacy games without interruption. Support staff add much to children’s learning when they enter into discussions with them, describe what they are doing and model spoken English well. These factors contribute significantly to children’s very good achievements and understanding. In the nursery and Reception classes, children’s progress is assessed frequently and tasks adapted to meet needs.

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Commentary

20. In Years 1 and 2, teachers’ build on the foundation set at the end of the Reception year so that those staying at the school do well. Teaching in Year 2 is stronger than in Year 1 as more of the Bounds Green Infants - 15 good and very good teaching was observed in that year group. In literacy, numeracy and science, teachers have good command of the subjects and provide work that enables all children to acquire skills, knowledge and understanding. Support staff are deployed very effectively to help particular groups that work on different activities according to their stage of learning. The practical and interesting tasks, children are asked to do, encourage and engage them in their learning. However, in some classes, the capacity of children to work independently or collaboratively is not as high as in the Foundation Stage.

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Commentary

21. Teachers use a range of strategies to capture children’s interests, including the use of a multimedia projector. For example in one mathematics lesson, a teacher showed children how to do addition and subtraction by moving different brightly coloured buttons around the screen. At the same time, she was able to show the children how to write down the number sentence accurately. This made learning purposeful and real to all children.

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Commentary

22. In all classes, teachers insist on high standards of behaviour so that children can learn in a happy and respectful atmosphere. Parents at the meeting commented on the high level of respect teachers demonstrated towards the children and the children responded with respect too. All staff share the strong commitment to inclusion. Teachers represent the ethnic groups in the school and this provides very good role models to all the children. They take very good account of the needs of brighter children and ensure that all those from minority groups take a full part in lessons. They do not have sufficiently detailed information about the individual needs of children learning English as an additional language to match work precisely to their needs. Additional classroom support and use of effective strategies to capture children’s interest means the limitations in fluency in English do not impede learning in other subjects. Children who are learning to speak English are given time to

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Commentary

formulate questions and answers in good English and are rightly praised when they do so. Whenever possible children are encouraged to discuss issues in pairs or small groups and this provides added opportunities to practise their language skills.

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Commentary

23. Assessment procedures are much better than they were at the time of the last inspection. They are thorough, constructive and used to respond to most individual needs. Teachers meet together to agree the levels of attainment children are reaching in their work. The children also know how well they are doing and what they can do to improve. However, this is not the case for children at the early stages of learning English where their precise needs are not tracked closely enough.

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Commentary

24. The teaching of children with special educational needs is good. There is a small group room available if required. Support staff make a really valuable contribution to children’s learning. The teaching of children with a statement of special educational need is sometimes very good, as is the teaching in the Foundation Stage. Care is taken over the setting of children’s individual targets for improvement. They show precise identification of children’s needs and are used effectively to help plan and deliver lessons. As a result, tasks are successfully linked to the content of lessons, but are pitched at a level that enables children to progress well.

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The curriculum

The curriculum is very good in the Foundation Stage and satisfactory in Years 1 and 2. There are good opportunities for enriching the curriculum, although there are no after school clubs at the present time. The accommodation supports the teaching of the curriculum satisfactorily, but resources are unsatisfactory, especially in information and communication technology, science, music, history and geography.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good improvement since the last inspection. • Very good provision in the Foundation Stage. • The celebration of cultural diversity represented in the school in the curriculum and opportunities for enrichment are good. • Good provision for children with special educational needs. Bounds Green Infants - 16 • Effective use is made of external resources, including outside specialists, to contribute to children’s learning. • Resources throughout Years 1 and 2 are unsatisfactory in all subjects, except English and mathematics where they are satisfactory. • Provision in information and communication technology is poor.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

25. At the time of the last inspection, there was no structured system for the presentation of the curriculum or for checking what was taught in the mixed age classes. This meant that the school could not ensure that all children had similar opportunities to learn. Since then, the school has been restructured into single year group classes and a detailed programme of work has been produced to ensure coverage of each subject, continuity in learning and year on year progress. All children have equal access to the curriculum and this represents good improvement. Nationally recognised schemes of work have been adapted to meet the needs of the school and its children so that the curriculum now meets statutory requirements, including provision for religious education and collective worship. Curriculum leader roles have been developed effectively in assessment, English, mathematics, science and the Foundation Stage. They are having a significant influence over what

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Main strengths and weaknesses

is taught, when and how in their areas of responsibility.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

26. The school takes full account of the national Foundation Stage guidance in planning the curriculum for children in the nursery and Reception classes. Planning reflects the six areas of learning very well. The curriculum is particularly rich in practical, interesting and motivating activities.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

27. The school’s arrangements for the many different groups of children it serves are very good. It reflects and celebrates, in displays and in lessons, the cultural diversity and richness of children’s communities. The varied languages spoken in the home are appreciated and shared in school. Teaching and support staff also reflect the cultural range of the local area. Children from refugee or Traveller backgrounds are helped to play a full part in lessons and particularly able children are challenged by work matched to their abilities. Lessons are taught in ways which take full account of children learning English as an additional language and teachers make every effort to ensure that unfamiliarity with English does not impede their learning. Care is taken to check the progress of children from each ethnic group and there is no evidence to suggest that any groups are disadvantaged. The inclusiveness of the school is a real strength.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

28. Appropriate emphasis is placed on the early identification of children with special educational needs and on the construction of specific targets for them to achieve. The experienced special educational needs coordinator plays a significant and successful role in this regard. The targets are precise, realistic and reviewed regularly. Children’s self-esteem is maintained well and they take part fully in class activities and school life generally. Recent changes in the national Code of Practice for special educational needs have been implemented effectively. The special educational needs coordinator liaises with outside agencies and the children benefit from this.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

29. The very good provision of trained support staff enhances the children’s opportunities to access the curriculum fully, regardless of their disability or special need. Three children with statements are in one class, each with his or her own full time adult support. Where possible, children’s needs are met within their class, but sometimes they spend time in other classes to work at an appropriate level for their ability.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

30. Personal, social and health education permeates the whole curriculum in an informal way. Although there is no formal policy or scheme of work, classes do hold ‘Circle Times’. One good ‘Circle Time’ lesson was observed in Year 1 about sharing and taking turns. Rules based on respect are shared with the children and they are regularly reminded of them. The school is part of the Healthy Food Scheme and lunches have a healthy option. Children are encouraged to eat fruit and there are posters around the school advertising fruit from all over the world. The sex and relationships education policy is adhered to and is conveyed to parents in the school prospectus.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

31. The school’s ethos and practice in inclusion is very good. There is a large cultural diversity in the school population and everyone treats each other with respect. The calm, happy atmosphere Bounds Green Infants - 17 in the school enables children to feel safe and respected regardless of their special need, disability, race or religion. Provision for children who do not have English as their first language is satisfactory in classes, but there are weaknesses in the overall management that inhibit children’s achievements.

p.16

Main strengths and weaknesses

32. Children are prepared very well for their transition from the Foundation Stage into Year 1. This is because most children reach the goals set for them at the end of the Reception year. They exceed them in personal and social development and this allows them to take the changes in their stride. Transition arrangements for children in Year 2 moving to the junior school on the same site are satisfactory. Children spend time in the neighbouring school and arrangements to move up are sound. However, the mobility of the children in and out of the school means that not all children have reached the expected levels of attainment when they move to the junior school.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

33. In the last two years, the school has undergone significant changes. The structure of year groups has been changed and new classrooms have been built. The school now provides for three classes in the Reception year. At the moment class sizes are small, as not all the 90 places in each year group have been taken up because the population in the area is mobile. This does give the school the chance to explore different approaches to the curriculum. At the present time, children learn a lot through play activities that make learning real. Parents like this approach and select the school for this reason. It has identified further developments to the curriculum in the school development plan to enhance achievement in subjects, such as history and geography.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

34. There are good opportunities to enrich the curriculum. Visits are organised to places of interest in the locality and further away. Visitors are also brought in from outside to enrich children’s experiences. For example, a child’s great grandfather came to talk about seaside holidays when he was a child. Representatives of different cultures also visit to share their faiths and ways of life with the children. Currently, there are no after-school clubs, but the school has won funding to establish some in sports, art and creative and performance arts.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

35. The deployment of teaching staff in the school is good. They are suitably qualified to meet the needs of the curriculum. The allocation of support staff is also very good and they complement the work of teachers and children very effectively. All staff understand one another’s roles, as well as their own. Support for children with special educational needs and disabilities by both teachers and support staff is very good.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

36. The accommodation is satisfactory overall. The new building, which has good provision for disabled access, enhances the effective delivery of the curriculum. However, the older part of the building is in need of renovation and repair. The school makes satisfactory use of the accommodation to maximise the children’s opportunities to learn. The new playground is especially effective in meeting the needs of the children and has a range of stimulating equipment installed for their use. Children in the Foundation Stage do not have immediate access to the outside areas from their classrooms. Teachers overcome this by planning activities that enhance learning both indoors and outdoors.

p.17

Main strengths and weaknesses

37. Learning resources throughout the school, except in English, mathematics and special educational needs, are inadequate. Insufficient funds have been allocated and there is a shortage of resources, particularly in science, music, geography and history. This holds back progress in these subjects. Music does not have a high enough profile. The lack of resources in information and communication technology means that children do not have enough opportunities to learn or practise their skills. In addition, information and communication technology is not used often enough to enhance achievement across the curriculum. Bounds Green Infants - 18

p.17

Care, guidance and support

The very good arrangements made for children’s welfare and guidance provide a secure and happy learning environment. The school seeks the views of the children and acts upon them well.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Pastoral support and guidance is of a high quality. • Effective health and safety arrangements are in place. • Children’s learning and personal needs are closely monitored and supported well.

p.18

Commentary

38. Children from all backgrounds benefit from the careful guidance provided by the teachers and support staff. This involves a continuous review of their learning and personal development, taking into account the diverse cultural backgrounds of the children. Parents and staff are able to take up any concerns that arise and these are usually readily resolved by informal discussion. Children’s views about the school are valued, for example in the formulation of class rules and making suggestions as to suitable facilities and equipment for the new playground area. Good arrangements are made for the induction of children into the nursery and Reception classes in September and also for those joining the school during the year. Each Wednesday a parents and toddler group meets in the school, so that young children become familiar with the building and parents from diverse groups can meet socially.

p.18

Commentary

39. A strong emphasis is placed on health and safety procedures that have improved since the last inspection. Concerns raised in the previous report were dealt with in a competent manner. The arrangements for dealing with accidents and illness work well. The classrooms in the new block provide much improved facilities including ready access and a lift for use by persons unable to use the stairs. Careful procedures are in place for child protection including regular staff training. However, recent legislative changes mean that the governing body needs to approve an updated child protection policy and a plan covering future proposals to provide access to all school facilities for users with disabilities. The school supports the healthy eating initiative whereby children are given fruit during the morning break and are offered the healthy diet alternative each day on the dinner menu.

p.18

Partnership with parents, other schools and the community

Very good links with parents and good links with the local community and other schools have a significant impact on the learning and well being of children from diverse cultural backgrounds.

p.18

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Parents are provided with very good information about school activities and their child’s progress. • Strong interest and extensive support is provided by the vast majority of parents. • A small proportion of parents fail to ensure regular attendance. • Good links with the local community help to enrich the life and work of the school.

p.18

Commentary

40. The school establishes very good links with the parents of its ethnic minority children. It makes translation facilities available and wherever possible, publishes its documents in a range of community languages. With the junior school, it hosts a daytime class for adults learning English and works to maximise parental involvement with the school, as classroom volunteers for example. Bounds Green Infants - 19 41. Extensive information is provided to parents including a recently produced welcoming booklet about the school that has been written in seven languages. The school also does well in providing translators to help parents who do not speak English. Brochures relating to induction to the nursery and Reception classes provide clear guidance for parents. There is also more detailed information in the helpful school prospectus although this does not include the required information relating to admission arrangements. During the year, discussions with the class teacher and

p.18

Commentary

specialist staff enable parents to be well informed about their child’s progress. The annual written reports give a clear picture about achievement and personal development. Parents are very supportive of activities organized by the school and their input to guided reading at home is a particularly commendable feature. The Parents Association organises a full programme of events and raises over £3,000 a year that is used to help pay for school trips and to improve amenities. The school welcomes parents’ views including consultations about the change to same age classes, the provision of school clubs and proposals for improvements to playground facilities.

p.19

Commentary

42. The school enables local residents to use the building for an afternoon mother and toddler club. The opening of the new school premises was celebrated by a full programme of cultural activities. Well established links with an elderly person’s home include children taking harvest gifts and singing carols. Visiting speakers and artists help extend children’s knowledge especially during special curriculum weeks. Children have recently established a tap-dancing record that is to be recorded in a national publication. Funding has been secured for specialist advisors to provide after school clubs to promote children’s interest in sport and the arts.

p.19

Commentary

43. The school works closely with the junior school on the joint running of the site. The arrangements for the transfer of children at age seven to the junior and other schools work smoothly. There is effective liaison with the local education authority especially in relation to raising standards and the provision of specialist services such as that for financial work. The school also provides facilities for secondary children to undertake work experience and to help with initial training of teachers.

p.19

Commentary

44. The school values its very good relationships with parents. Parents rightly appreciate the support they and their children receive from the school

p.19

LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The leadership of the headteacher and key staff is good. Management and governance are satisfactory. The school is making determined efforts to overcome children’s barriers to learning by seeking advice and deploying staff to use their skills to best advantage. There are weaknesses in the management of children who are learning English as an additional language.

p.19

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The leadership of the headteacher and key staff and their strong commitment to inclusion, promotion of equal opportunities and concern for the needs of the individuals. • Clear vision, sense of purpose by the headteacher and other key staff. • The school’s self evaluation and its use to bring about improvements. • Commitment to the professional development of staff to enhance skills. • The special educational needs coordinator provides good leadership and management in this area of the school’s work. • Weaknesses in the management of English as an additional language result in the headteacher having to lead the subject to an unreasonable degree. • Governors are enthusiastic about the school’s work, but need training to enhance their skills to so that decisions are made effectively and help the school to move forward and meet all their statutory duties. • Financial resources are used well to support the school’s key priorities.

p.19

Commentary

45. Leadership of the headteacher and key staff is good and this is an improvement since the last inspection. They share a clear long term strategic plan for the development of the school. When the headteacher was appointed, each class contained children aged from five to seven. Some parents chose the school because they supported this kind of organisation. However, staff who were long serving, together with the new headteacher, knew from their evaluation of the school that the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies could not be implemented effectively with this organisation. Also the needs of individual children were not being met as well as they could be. Following consultation with parents and staff, the school was reorganised into single age classes and year groups in September 2001. Parents at the pre-inspection meeting with inspectors praised the headteacher and staff for this change, the way it was managed and its successful

p.20

Commentary

implementation. As a result, the school’s commitment to inclusion, promotion of equal opportunities and concerns for the individual is carried through into practice very successfully.

p.20

Commentary

46. At the same time, the curriculum for each year group was reorganised so that each was taught in accordance with National Curriculum guidelines. Teachers now have a clear focus on what is to be taught and when. Their very effective deployment of support staff enables children to have full access to the curriculum according to their needs. The assessment coordinator, Foundation Stage, literacy, numeracy and science curriculum leaders are having a significant impact on children’s achievements in their areas. The restructuring of the curriculum and reorganisation of the children occurred at the same time as the new school was being built. These initiatives have taken up a substantial amount of time and are proving beneficial to children’s learning and their achievements.

p.20

Commentary

47. The school uses self-evaluation effectively to identify areas for improvement. Strengths and weaknesses in teaching, as well as management, have been clearly identified and determined action taken. This also illustrates the school’s commitment to the professional development of all staff. Low standards and the school’s drive to improve them, has brought about a close partnership with the local authority. A major priority has been to raise the achievement of ethnic minority children by developing skills of teachers, nursery nurses and teaching assistants to work effectively with these children in class. This has been successful in the provision of appropriate activities in the different age groups for children from different ethnic backgrounds and for those who speak English as an additional language.

p.20

Commentary

48. As a result, the school is rightly proud of the bilingual and sometimes multilingual achievements of its children. It celebrates their home languages through posters, notices and reading books in a range of community languages. This helps the children to appreciate that bilingualism is recognised and valued in school and it supports their self-esteem and feelings of success. However, the management of English as an additional language is unsatisfactory. Checks on children’s capabilities and weaknesses are not precise enough to enable teachers to set detailed individual targets, especially for those at an early stage in English. The school does not analyse the year-on-year progress children make with sufficient rigour to ensure their headway is as good as it could be. Leadership in the subject is disorganised and because of this the headteacher has to oversee the area in detail. The funds the school receives for supporting the learning of

p.20

Commentary

children with English as an additional language are not applied to best effect at the present time.

p.20

Commentary

49. The leadership and management provided by the part time coordinator for special educational needs is good and a major factor in the success of this area of the school’s work. She helps to drive it forward in an enthusiastic and knowledgeable way, meeting with support staff regularly and giving them an opportunity to become even more effective in their role. Classroom work is monitored on an informal basis and the coordinator is available to offer advice and guidance to teachers. However, she does not see teachers’ planning and the monitoring element of her work would benefit from doing so.

p.20

Commentary

50. The governing body is small, but enthusiastic. There are a number of vacancies that governors are seeking to fill. Some governors are new, others longer serving. They have a clear Bounds Green Infants - 21 idea about the strengths and weaknesses of the school, but are not fully aware of the correct procedures to follow in order to make decisions quickly and allow the school to move forward. As a result, the school’s special educational needs disability action plan and racial awareness policies, that are statutory requirements, have not been approved.

p.20

Commentary

51. Governors’ decisions on the budget are carefully considered and have full regard to the educational priorities identified in the school improvement plan. Successful arrangements are in place to maximise financial resources, especially by securing specific grants, such as those for after school clubs. Recent changes to accounting and computer systems have enhanced financial procedures and management information. A draft audit report has identified some detailed areas for attention including the recording of finance committee decisions. Fund balances at March 2003 were higher than the usually recommended level. This was due to the late notification of additional resources that are to be spent in the current year. Concerns about the overall budget led to the school holding back spending on resources in some subjects in recent years.

p.21

Commentary

Financial information for the year April 2002 to March 2003

p.21

Commentary

Income and expenditure (£) Balances (£) Total income 895,359 Balance from previous year 48,200 Total expenditure 884,326 Balance carried forward to the next 59,233 Expenditure per pupil 3,287 Bounds Green Infants - 22

p.21

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Provision in the nursery and Reception classes is very good .

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Children enter the nursery in the term after which they become three. Teaching and learning promote high levels of achievement, especially in children who start school with limited literacy and numeracy skills or unable to speak English. At the time of the inspection 80 per cent of children in the nursery spoke very little English. Accommodation and resources are satisfactory, with some classes housed in the old building and some in the new. They are used very effectively by staff to help children to become independent, make important choices about their work and learn through a wide variety of challenging and exciting play activities. As a result, many children at the end of their Reception year exceed the early learning goals set for them in personal, social and emotional development. They meet them in mathematical, creative and physical development and knowledge and understanding of the world, but do not reach them in communication, language and literacy.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Common features of the very good teaching and learning include: • Very good knowledge of the Foundation Stage curriculum and the ways children of this age learn so that children learn a lot from one activity. • Planning for exciting activities at different levels of the stepping stones that engage children, encouraging them to talk and learn a lot. • Very effective teaching methods, use of resources and deployment of adult support so that children achieve as well as they can. • The development of children’s skills, knowledge and understanding, especially their capacity to work on their own or with others. • thorough assessment of what children know and can do so that activities are planned to meet individual needs. • the children’s very good attitudes and enthusiasm for learning. • The promotion of high standards of behaviour.

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

Leadership of the Foundation Stage is very good. All the staff in the nursery and Reception classes work very closely together evaluating their work to bring about improvements and ensure children receive equal access to high quality provision. The classrooms have been designed to meet the needs of the children and the curriculum. All the equipment, work surfaces, tables, resources and displays are at the right height for the children. They are colourful and provide very attractive areas in which to learn. The leadership is determined to bring about the highest possible standards and achievement in all areas of the Foundation Stage. Recent consultations and work with the local authority on the teaching of children at the very early stages of learning English are proving fruitful. Teachers have changed their practice, making much more of pictures, gestures, examples of print in the children’s own languages and clearly modelled spoken English to help the children settle into

p.22

AREAS OF LEARNING IN THE FOUNDATION STAGE

school very quickly. The curriculum is innovative, taking into account the many different ways in which children learn. It is very practical and relevant to children of this age. This allows all children, including those with English as an additional language, special educational needs and the higher attaining children, to achieve as well as they can.

p.22

PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in personal, social and emotional development is very good.

p.22

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The nursery children are eager for new experiences. • The development of independence skills is very good. Bounds Green Infants - 23 • Reception children are confident to try new activities and to talk in groups. • All children form good relationships with adults and their classmates, working together harmoniously.

p.22

Commentary

52. Many children were new to the nursery at the time of the inspection. Staff set up a range of interesting activities, such as water play with many toy sea creatures, tracks with trains, role play and model making areas and quiet corners to browse through books. They have set them up in such a way as to help children exhibit curiosity, capture interest and invite creative play. This helps children to leave their carer happily and quickly. Many other activities in the classroom satisfy their eagerness for new experiences as they are enabled to move freely from one activity to another. All staff offer exemplary role models to the children in their discussions with them, inviting the children to play together or spend time on activities on their own. Sometimes children choose to play with friends who share their language and this gives them the chance to enjoy the freedom to express their thoughts fully. At other times, they choose or are organised to work in mixed groups and help

p.23

Commentary

each other, sometimes translating for one another.

p.23

Commentary

53. Reception children are very confident and work happily on a task on their own or together leaving the teacher free to work with a particular group without interruption. For example, children spent time in the ‘workshop’ area making models or pictures with a variety of materials. Others were engrossed in their role play, browsed through books or tried to write in the ‘writing’ corner. They were very confident to try out what they knew, knowing that their teacher would value their efforts and praise them.

p.23

Commentary

54. In all the lessons observed in the nursery and Reception classes, children worked together harmoniously, helping each other, sharing their ideas or playing happily together. They are confident and their work shows a lot of pride in its presentation. They completed jigsaw puzzles together, shared books, helped each other with computer programmes and talked to their teachers and nursery nurses about their tasks.

p.23

COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE AND LITERACY

Provision in communication, language and literacy is very good.

p.23

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many opportunities to develop children’s speaking and listening skills. • Children are encouraged to try out their knowledge in writing at a very early stage.

p.23

Commentary

55. In the nursery and Reception classes, staff place strong emphasis on developing children’s speaking and listening skills. Classroom displays and work areas reflect the importance of the printed word in different languages. Teacher led activities, such as counting games in mathematics or the sounds letters make in literacy, promote the correct vocabulary. Teachers’ encouragement and understanding gives children the confidence to respond to questions in English. In the nursery, cooking activities, such as making gingerbread men also do much to promote speaking and listening skills and acquisition of English as staff model the language very well for the children. A role play area where children could take on the roles of the characters in the story helped them to act it out in their own way and learn by the repetitious phrases.

p.23

Commentary

56. Writing areas in each room give children the chance to try out their developing writing skills. Examples of words they may need are available for them to copy in different languages. Teachers encourage the children to write for many purposes, such as birthday cards and shopping lists. They Bounds Green Infants - 24 do this from a very early stage so that children recognise that writing is an important way to communicate.

p.23

Commentary

57. Stories from a range of cultures, as well as traditional Western European stories that are familiar to the children, are used to gain children’s interest in the printed word. Often work in other areas of learning is centred on such stories as The Lighthouse Keepers Lunch. In the nursery and Reception classes, children are encouraged to browse through books and tell each other stories from the pictures. Staff share imaginative stories with the children, who also listen to taped stories, following them in books. To learn about the sounds letters make teachers select a letter of the week and children bring things to school starting with that letter, talk about them, paint and print the shape of the letter so that it becomes familiar. One child trying out his developing skills said, ‘ k’ is a hard letter to write. Children start school with low level of literacy skills and despite their very good

p.24

Commentary

achievements, many do not reach the goals set for them in communication, language and literacy at the end of the Reception year.

p.24

MATHEMATICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in mathematical development is very good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• There are many practical activities that help children to enjoy learning.

p.24

Commentary

58. In the nursery and Reception classes, children hardly know that they are learning about mathematics. There are many practical activities that involve them in addition and subtraction. In one Reception class, children played in a shop, counting money. In another, they played in a café and this meant counting out the correct number of plates, sups and saucers, as well as dealing with money. Handprints led to counting fingers and thumbs and comparing the number ten with the number of letters in children’s names. Stories, such as The Three Bears are used to help children to count and learn vocabulary linked to size. In some adult led activities, children play games that involve recognising numbers to six on dice and selecting colour buttons to the correct number. In the nursery, cooking activities help children to learn about the importance of weighing ingredients carefully and recognising numbers. Staff, in all their interactions with the children make the most of

p.24

Commentary

counting activities within the games children are playing. This is so that children understand the purpose of their learning and also provides them with the correct vocabulary. By the end of the Reception year, they meet the goals set for them in this area of learning.

p.24

KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD

Provision in knowledge and understanding of the world is very good.

p.24

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Children have many opportunities to learn about the world around them so they meet the early learning goals set for them at the end of the Reception year.

p.24

Commentary

59. At the time of the inspection, there was a focus on food as the children had recently celebrated harvest festival. The story of the Very Hungry Caterpillar taught the children much about the life cycle of the butterfly, as well as counting and the names of different fruits. In the nursery, children learned about foods from different cultures represented in the classroom and how they were grown. In another class, the story of The lighthouse Keeper’s Lunch was used to help children to understand about healthy foods, likes and dislikes and what life may be like beside the sea. Bounds Green Infants - 25 60. In the nursery, children know how to give the computer simple instructions to play matching and sequencing games. This caused much amusement among a group of Indian boys who shared the fun they were having in learning in their own language. Computers were less in evidence in the Reception classes. Parents contribute to children’s knowledge and understanding of the world when

p.24

Commentary

they visit to make and share food from their way of life. For example, parents made prawn cakes for children to try. The pots in the outside area contain herbs and children picked these to add to the pizzas they made. One Reception class planted bulbs so that the children could develop their knowledge of how things grow and realise the awe and wonder in the world.

p.25

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT

Provision in physical development is very good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Teachers overcome the limitations of the outside area to make very good provision for this area of learning.

p.25

Commentary

61. The curriculum in the nursery and Reception classes gives children the chance to develop their dexterity by moulding their name in malleable materials, rolling out and shaping pastry, dough or clay and writing and constructing models from a wide range of materials and toys. They handle tools, such as scissors and other objects with increasing control. The outside area is not immediately accessible to each class. Time is set aside for groups of children to work outside on different tasks. Sometimes these are mathematical, such as working with large dominoes or playing What’s the time Mr. Wolf? Ball games, building with large blocks, riding on tricycles help children to develop their coordination skills so that they meet the early learning goals at the end of the Reception year.

p.25

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

Provision in creative development is very good.

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many activities to enhance children’s creativity, develop independence and initiative and to practise developing skills in speaking and listening.

p.25

Commentary

62. The nursery has different role play areas that resourced very well with clothes of different characters or from around the world. In this way, children can use their imagination to play in a home corner, become a prince or princess or act out the story of The Gingerbread Man. Construction toys, railway tracks, computer games, workshop, writing, painting water and sand play, all present children with the chance to choose what they want to do and express their ideas confidently. In the Reception classes, role play areas include a café and shop and promote literacy and numeracy skills as well as promoting the chance for children to use their imagination.

p.25

Commentary

63. Listening to music, including opera, singing and playing instruments, helps children to explore and understand different sounds and the pleasure music making brings. Often, children use information and communication technology to draw pictures or play games to enhance their knowledge in other areas of learning in a creative way. Bounds Green Infants - 26

p.25

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Good teaching which takes account of the different needs and abilities of children in the class. • Lively lessons with an emphasis on spoken English. • A very strong programme of additional activities which support children’s learning and capture their interest. • Management and leadership in English is very good. • Teachers do not have sufficiently detailed information about the precise English needs of early English learners. • Too little use is made of information and communication technology to extend the children’s English work.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

64. Most children face the challenge of learning English as their second or additional language. While some achieve good levels of competence by the time they transfer to the junior school, many are still are an early stage of learning English. The school roll also includes a minority of more fluent children, for many of whom English is the mother tongue. Their main challenge lies in extending their spoken language skills into reading and writing. Overall, the standards of speaking, reading and writing reached by the age of seven are below the national average. This is lower than at the last inspection, but is explained by changes in the characteristics of the school community since then and the high level of mobility affecting the school. Set against their English skills on entering the school, most children achieve satisfactorily and some, especially the brighter children, make particularly good progress. Children with special needs also make good headway.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

65. These findings are better than the results of national tests suggest. The tests indicate standards well below average. They also show that the proportion of children reaching higher levels of attainment in English is better than in most schools with children from similar backgrounds. Test results are gradually improving year by year, with a further improvement in 2003.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

66. The school has undertaken several lively and effective initiatives to raise standards in English. The national literacy programme has been interpreted sensibly to meet the needs of the children and helps ensure a good level of challenge in lessons. An excellent in-school reading project was implemented last year and has had an immediate effect on raising standards in this area. A well-supported home/school reading programme further increases the amount of reading children undertake each day. Older children enjoy a weekly “Writers’ Workshop” where they have a chance to produce extended pieces of writing, of good quality. When professional writers visit to share their books and skills with children and parents, they have a dramatic impact on book ownership and literary interest. They add to the vibrant language ethos of the school.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

67. The school rightly sets great store on extending children’s competence in speaking and listening, as a foundation for other work. Lessons in all subjects emphasise the correct use of language, the importance of using a full vocabulary and of giving answers in a full, extended form rather than in single words. By the age of seven, most children are confident in speaking to people they know and ask and answer questions in class with enthusiasm. Some however, still have difficulties in finding the words they need, in explaining a point of view, or putting forward an argument.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

68. Most children approach reading with confidence and an expectation that they will enjoy their books. They use their knowledge of sounds to help with hard words, but many are easily thrown by irregular or less common words. In some cases children can read a text perfectly, but have minimal understanding of what it conveys. This said, a substantial proportion of the children, including some Bounds Green Infants - 27 for whom English is not a first language, read fluently, with evident enjoyment, lively expression and full understanding of the text.

p.26

Main strengths and weaknesses

69. Brighter children children write fluently and accurately. A strength of the programme is that it encourages expressive writing and an honest personal voice. Some children already write with an awareness of what their reader might expect of them, a sophisticated awareness at this age:

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

First I went to Turkey. We celebrated my birthday. We stayed in a hotel. Most of the time my Dad drove us up the mountains. If you want to know why my Mum wasn’t driving it’s because she can’t drive…..

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

70. Children have been introduced to a good range of different types of writing and can produce simple poems, stories, instructions and anecdotes. For many children however, writing is a struggle. By the age of seven, few are able to join their letters in a running script and many still have problems with the sizes and shapes of letters. Their spellings of less common words, while usually phonetically logical, are often wrong.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

71. English is well taught. No unsatisfactory lessons were seen and several were good. A strength is the way teachers plan and lead lessons to ensure all the children can benefit. Sometimes this means providing extra tasks, for the brighter children or those with special educational needs for example and sometimes it consists of having good support for children from classroom assistants. This ensures all the children can make steady progress. Teachers often use imaginative and motivating activities, such as playing a simple board game following written instructions. These help sustain children’s concentration and they learn better as a result. Tasks provided are challenging and never too easy for the children. There are however some weaknesses in lessons. Because teachers do not have a sufficiently precise indication of the language needs of individual early English as an additional language learners, they cannot work directly to meet these

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

needs. Such children benefit from English lessons, but not as fully as they might. As yet, teachers have not made sufficient use information and communication technology to extend learning in English.

p.27

Main strengths and weaknesses

72. Leadership and management are very good. The subject leader for English brings vision and commitment to raising standards. Enthusiasm, and the provision of a very good practical example of English teaching for colleagues, is enabling this. There is a clear view of the strengths and weaknesses of teaching across the school and careful checks are made on the progress of the children. The school has good books and equipment for English, but its attractive, well-stocked library was not used much during the inspection.

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Language and literacy across the curriculum

73. Teachers encourage children to use their literacy skills across the curriculum. Much emphasis is placed on speaking and listening rather than recording in other subjects. Where the children are required to write, they find it hard to write fluently.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Many practical activities to make learning real. • Children’s very good attitudes. • Very good teaching in Year 2. • Very good leadership. Bounds Green Infants - 28

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Commentary

74. Results of national tests in mathematics at the end of Year 2 were well below those normally found when compared to all schools. They were similar to those found in schools with children from similar backgrounds. The school’s results are impacted by poor attendance of some children and the number of children moving in and out of the school. In the 2003 year group taking the tests 40 per cent of the children did not start at the school. Brighter children do well as do those who start at the school and stay until Year 2. The school took determined steps to enable children to achieve as well as they could in the tests as 38 per cent of them were identified as having special educational needs.. For one lesson a week, children were taught in ability groups and a lot of support was given to the lower ability groups. The teacher responsible for children with English as an additional language worked full-time in the Year 2 classes.

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Commentary

75. Teachers cover the full mathematics curriculum and involve children in investigative and practical work that makes learning interesting for them. The children’s very good attitudes to learning do much to enhance their achievements. They listen carefully to their teachers, take pride in presenting their work well and are confident to suggest answers to the problems teachers pose. Their confidence means that they are unafraid of making a mistake.

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Commentary

76. Teaching is mostly good. It is very good in year 2, where teachers use a variety of strategies that take into account the different ways children learn. The mental and oral starter is an important part of the lesson and children count confidently in twos, fives and tens, forwards and backwards up to 100. Teachers provide good resources to help them, such as one hundred squares so that they have something visual to remind them. The use of computer programmes and a multi media projector makes learning real for the children when teachers demonstrate addition and subtraction by moving coloured buttons across the screen. Teachers are enthusiastic about mathematics and they convey this clearly to the children. They also give children the feeling that they ‘can’ do it. Teachers remind children to form their numbers correctly and explain errors noted in the work from the day before. This helps to take the children forward in their learning.

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Commentary

77. Teachers in all classes deploy additional adults very effectively throughout the lessons and this is particularly helpful for children with special educational needs and those for whom English is not their first language. Tasks are matched to needs as far as teachers are able to make them. They do not have sufficient precise advice as to the best ways to help children at an early stage of learning English. They have taken into account recent training from the local authority, using many visual aids and modeling the mathematical vocabulary correctly.

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Commentary

78. At the end of each lesson, teachers reinforce the knowledge, skills and understanding children have been gaining during the lesson. They provide additional problems and encourage the children to solve them and explain their strategies. This helps the teacher to assess what the children have learned and alter the lessons the following day if necessary.

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Commentary

79. Leadership is very good and has influenced the improving results in comparison to similar schools. Rigorous analysis of national tests results has identified areas for development. Children found it hard to complete sums with missing numbers, recognise symbols and calculate problems with ‘two steps’ accurately. Action has been taken to improve this. Assessments of children’s progress during lessons and over time are providing useful data for teachers to use to enhance the rate of children’s progress.

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Mathematics across the curriculum

80. Mathematics is used appropriately in design and technology and art and design as well as in science. Teachers throughout the school involve children in counting activities in whatever they are doing. For example, ‘ How many times can you hop on one leg or bounce a ball ? Bounds Green Infants - 29

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Science teaching is good. • Standards have been maintained since the last inspection despite changes in the school population. • Teachers are careful to ensure all groups of children benefit from their science lessons. • There is not enough good quality equipment for science. • Children’s weak writing skills hinder their ability to record their findings.

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Commentary

81. The standard of science children reach by the age of seven is typical for children of this age and the same as at the last inspection. This is very creditable in view of the marked increase in the proportion of children whose first language is not English and the much higher pupil mobility affecting the school. Children’s’ achievements in science are good, because they often start from a low base of previous knowledge in the subject. They also make good headway in lessons. Children with special educational needs and those learning English as an additional language also achieve well. However, weaknesses in writing limit children’s ability to record their learning clearly and sometimes mask their real understanding. The standards reached are better than those recorded in their national assessments of science.

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Commentary

82. By the time they transfer to the juniors, children have extended their knowledge and skills in all the required areas of the science curriculum. They know, for example, that pushing and pulling are example of forces used in daily life and that light comes both from natural and from man-made sources. They know many of the materials in daily use and what they can be used for. Recently they have learned from their experiments that seeds need water to germinate and that plants suffer without sufficient light. They have set up simple experiments under teacher guidance, observed the results accurately and recorded their findings in drawings and writing.

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Commentary

83. The quality of science teaching is good. Teachers rightly give a high priority to the language used in lessons. They stress correct vocabulary, question and explain with great clarity and provide very good opportunities for children themselves to discuss their work. This promotes children’s literacy development, as well as helping them to an understanding of science. Children with special needs and the brighter children, usually have specially adapted work suited to their abilities. Children from all ethic minority groups and those learning English as an additional language are fully included in the lessons because extra help from classroom assistants is on hand when needed. Teachers plan interesting work for the children. Year 2 work on animal life cycles, for example, involved the use of excellent visual material about the development of frogs. The children were transfixed by the photographs of emerging spawn, with an audible gasp of wonder. Lessons as absorbing as this

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Commentary

capture and hold children’s concentration, ensuring good rates of learning. As yet, teachers make too little use of information and communication technology facilities to extend work in science and especially to help children record their observations.

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Commentary

84. Leadership and management of science are very good. The subject leader teaches in the Foundation Stage at some distance from the infants’ classes and has little opportunity to observe her colleagues’ science lessons. However, children’s progress is evaluated well and there is a good action plan for improving areas of weakness. The subject leader is aware of some inconsistencies in the way the school checks children’s learning in science and has an initiative in hand to improve the position. The budget for the subject is insufficient and the range, quantity and quality of equipment is unsatisfactory. Bounds Green Infants - 30

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INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Provision in information and communication technology is unsatisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The coordinator has produced an effective action plan in collaboration with the local education authority. • Poor resourcing amounting to only one or two working computers per class. This impedes the children’s opportunities for developing proficiency with information and communication technology. • Lack of confidence in subject knowledge by several staff.

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Commentary

85. At the time of the last inspection, provision in information and communication technology was judged satisfactory. However, the school has not been able to maintain these standards. Children’s achievements and standards are well below average for their age. The new building plans did not make any provision for computers to be installed and this delayed children’s progress. Children’s opportunities to use information and communication technology are very limited because of a shortage of computers and a lack of staff expertise. The coordinator has had very little non- contact time to monitor the subject, but has produced a detailed action plan in collaboration with the local education authority. The school is aware of its weaknesses in the provision of information and communication technology and is now in a position to overcome them.

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Commentary

86. All staff undertook training last year, but several say that they still lack confidence in teaching information and communication technology. Two lessons were observed during the inspection, but very little use of information and communication technology in other subjects was seen. Teachers were observed using multimedia projectors and a digital camera to enhance children’s learning in literacy. One teacher used a multimedia projector to provide a very good demonstration of how to use a graphics program, but the children did not use it immediately afterwards.

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Commentary

87. Few children were observed working successfully on computers. In discussion, a group of children found it hard to talk about their use of information and communication technology with real understanding. However, in a Reception class, a child with special educational needs was able to select a game, play it successfully and shut it down again without assistance. He could explain what he was doing and why and was achieving particularly well for his age and ability.

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Commentary

88. Evidence of other work on computers was seen in class displays. Computers had been used to word process children’s names, help children learn about mathematical shapes, draw pictures, label parts of the body and to record a taste experiment. The school has only just been connected to the Internet and so the children have yet to learn about e-mail.

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Commentary

89. Leadership is unsatisfactory. Since the subject leader’s appointment nearly two years ago time has been spent ensuring that there is a working computer and printer in each class, but the school is still a long way from achieving its target ratio of one computer to eight children. Resources, including roamers, multimedia projectors, a robot and software have been purchased and are in use. A detailed action plan has only recently been drawn up in collaboration with the local education authority, but funding and timescales are unclear. One of the priorities is to buy laptops for use by whole classes of children so that they can apply new skills as soon as the teacher demonstrates them. The school shares technical support on a fortnightly basis with the junior school. Bounds Green Infants - 31

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Information and communication technology across the curriculum

90. Although some teachers use computers for their own work and to present lessons to capture children’s interest, information and communication technology is not used often enough by the children to enhance their achievements across the curriculum.

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Geography

Provision for geography is satisfactory .

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The children have good knowledge of different places because of the variety of countries represented by the families in the school; • Good use of the locality supports teaching and learning; • Resources are inadequate due to lack of funding;

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Commentary

91. Geography was not taught in Year 2 during the inspection. One lesson was observed in Year 1 and it was satisfactory. The children were describing places where they had been on holiday. Their knowledge and understanding of places was above average for their age, but they found it hard to show this in their writing. Children make good comparisons between Britain and other countries, based on their own experience and this make learning meaningful. Displays reflect the work children have done linking places on a world map to the holiday destinations of children in the class and to the homes of families also of children within the class. These range from Jamaica to Bangladesh, Turkey and America.

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Commentary

92. Other aspects of the geography curriculum are linked directly to the local area and an investigation into the different types of local housing was undertaken last year. The local park is used a lot to help children learn about the environment. The children’s views were sought on the refurbishment of the school playground based on their knowledge of the kind of environment they would like to play in.

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Commentary

93. Topic packs linked to the programme of work are being prepared as resources for teachers to use. At present, children are being encouraged to bring artefacts from home to support the geography curriculum. The school also uses topic loans from the local authority’s central resource bank to supplement these. The library contains a number of books about different places to help children develop their research skills. That said, resources are inadequate due to lack of funding.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• The single lesson observed in Year 2 was very good. • Emphasis is placed on history that reflects the cultures of the children. • Resources are inadequate, due to lack of funding.

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Commentary

Bounds Green Infants - 32 94. The lesson observed in Year 2 was very good because it made learning really purposeful for the children. An elderly visitor talked about his seaside holidays as a child. The children asked good questions and learned a lot. This meant achievement within the lesson was very good in relation to children’s prior attainment. The questions and discussion revealed children’s very good understanding of the comparison between seaside holidays in the past and now.

p.32

Commentary

95. The school celebrated Black History Month and this was reflected in classroom displays. Mary Seacole, Samuel Coleridge Taylor and Bob Marley are among the personalities children learned about. Last year, the children visited Bruce Castle Museum and photographs show that this visit enlivened and enriched the history curriculum.

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Commentary

96. The school is beginning to increase its resources, including ‘big books’ for use in literacy and history lessons, and uses topic loans from the local authority’s central resource bank, but overall, resources are unsatisfactory.

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Commentary

97. Geography and history have not been priorities for development as the school has been focusing on raising standards in reading, writing, mathematics and science. As a result, teaching and learning in these subjects have not been monitored. Leadership and management in the subjects are now good as subject responsibilities have been taken on by senior members of staff and developments to improve resources and the curriculum are underway.

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Religious Education

Provision in religious education is satisfactory.

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Main strengths and weaknesses

• Programmes of work rightly place emphasis on discussion and getting children to think. This helps them to begin to grasp difficult concepts. • Children’s knowledge and understanding is built up in a systematic way and, from a low base, they often achieve well over time.

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Commentary

98. Standards at the end of the infants are broadly in line with those expected in the Haringey agreed syllabus. This is a similar finding to that of the last inspection.

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Commentary

99. Only one lesson was observed during the period of the inspection and it is not possible to give an overall judgement about the quality of teaching. Other evidence was obtained through discussions with children, scrutiny of past work and an examination of teachers’ planning. This shows that sufficient time is given to the subject and that programmes of work meet the requirements of the locally agreed syllabus. A strong emphasis is rightly placed on discussion and challenging children to think hard. They sometimes find this difficult, but their knowledge and understanding is built up in a steady way. From a low starting point, their achievement over time is often good, including those with special educational needs or English as an additional language. This is because they are motivated well, have positive attitudes towards the subject and do their best to succeed.

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Commentary

100. Children learn about a variety of religions and are becoming sensitive to the range of beliefs and practices in the local community. They celebrate a range of festivals through assemblies and special events, for example Easter Parades and Harvest Festival. Occasional visits are made to places of interest, such as to a local Greek cathedral. Currently, much of the work around the school focuses on Christianity. Children in Year 2 have considered The Ten Commandments. They have also studied important events in the life of Jesus, including a number of his miracles. They show a growing understanding of the importance of caring and sharing and of being a good friend. In this regard, they have studied the parable of The Good Samaritan. Children’s learning is also Bounds Green Infants - 33 supported through the use of visitors, for example from The Salvation Army. However, there are few visitors representing religions other than Christianity and the school intends to change this.

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Commentary

101. The single religious education lesson seen, in Year 2, was taught satisfactorily. It centred on the theme of caring for others. Discussions were linked successfully to Harvest Festival and taking produce to the elderly. The teacher ensured there was a satisfactory mix of practical work and discussion. The children identified people important to them in their lives and enjoyed creating a caring tree full of examples of how they help others.

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Commentary

102. Currently, the coordinator for religious education is absent form school and the subject is overseen by the headteacher. Resources are satisfactory and readily available for use.

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Art and Design

Provision in art and design is very good.

p.33

Main strengths and weaknesses

• The school uses the subject very well to celebrate its cultural diversity. • The leadership provided by the coordinator is of high quality. • Programmes of work are thoroughly planned and provide a wide range of interesting and exciting activities. • Children’s achievements over time are very good. • Very good use is made of visiting artists to enrich children’s learning experiences. • Very good opportunities are provided for children to make choices of their own. • Examples of children’s work are displayed very well.

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Commentary

103. By the end of Year 2, children mostly reach standards well above that typical for their age. The subject plays a very significant part in the life of the school. This is reflected in the many high quality displays and framed examples of children’s work in shared areas and classrooms. These help children’s visual awareness and encourage their creative development. Teachers’ records and planning show a programme of activities that captures children’s imagination because it is often lively and interesting. It successfully draws on the varied cultural experiences of the children and includes clay work, collage, observational drawing, computerised pictures, printing and child directed photography. Very good use is made of visiting artists to enrich the work in lessons. Children’s achievements over time are very good, including those with special educational needs or English as an additional language. This is a significant improvement since the previous inspection and has

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Commentary

come about mainly because care is taken to ensure children’s knowledge, skills and understanding are built up in a systematic way.

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Commentary

104. Children generate very interesting ideas and their work shows growing confidence in experimenting with different materials and media. They show very good skills in drawing, painting and colouring. This often supports their work in other subjects, for example when illustrating poems and when drawing plants as part of their science studies. Scrutiny of children’s work shows that by Year 2 their observational drawings are often very pleasing. They include a growing understanding of the importance of line, size and shape, for example when drawing a range of natural objects. Children explore ideas with one another and successfully advance their ability to represent what they see and feel through pictures and three dimensional work. Teachers’ records show the use of pictures by well-known artists as a stimuli. This is good practice because it helps children to be more aware of how images can be represented in different ways.

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Commentary

Bounds Green Infants - 34 105. The teaching is often very good. It benefits considerably from the enthusiasm and expertise the teachers bring to the lessons. Activities are thoroughly prepared and learning moves forward at a brisk pace. There is a good mix of teacher input and practical work. Opportunities are provided for children to discuss and try out ideas as well as to make decisions for themselves. In a lesson on collage work, for example, children could choose from a range of different colours and types of paper. Such opportunities help build their sense of responsibility and make a valuable contribution to their personal development. Children’s attitudes towards the subject are very good and they behave really well. This has a positive impact on their progress.

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Commentary

106. The coordinator provides vibrant and dynamic leadership of a high quality. Resources are good. A scheme of work has been produced that adapts national guidelines to the needs of the school. The local authority has been helpful in its production. There are picture packs and lesson plans to support less confident teachers.

p.34

Design and technology

Provision in design and technology is satisfactory.

p.34

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Programmes of work successfully reflect the cultural diversity of the school. • Not enough opportunities are provided for children to consider how they might improve their products.

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Commentary

107. There are examples of good work, but by the end of Year 2, children mainly reach standards typical for their age. No lessons in the subject were seen during the period of the inspection because it alternates with art and design on a half termly basis. Judgements were informed by discussions with children, scrutiny of past work and an examination of teachers’ planning. Children say they enjoy the subject and in discussion they demonstrate positive attitudes towards it. Programmes of work are linked to national guidelines and are varied and interesting. They successfully reflect the many cultural experiences of the children. Their achievements over time are satisfactory, including those with special educational needs or English as an additional language. This is a similar finding to the last inspection.

p.34

Commentary

108. Scrutiny of work shows that children use materials and equipment with growing confidence. A satisfactory range of opportunities is provided for them to use their initiative to design and make products, such as glove puppets, masks, fruit fabrics and model houses. Some of their products include moving parts, such as pop-up cards and model vehicles with wheels that turn. They sometimes work in pairs or small groups and the outcomes show they do so satisfactorily. Children consider the purpose of their products, the materials and tools required to make them as well as the order in which tasks will be carried out. Their cutting, folding and sticking skills are satisfactory and the results are often pleasing. However, they do not always spend enough time considering how to adapt, refine and evaluate what they have designed and constructed in order to bring about improvements.

p.34

Commentary

109. The deputy headteacher is the coordinator, but has only very recently taken over responsibility for the subject. Consequently, she has not yet had time to make an impact. However, she has the knowledge and ability to lead well. Resources are satisfactory and easily available when required. Some examples of children’s work are displayed around the school. This celebrates their efforts and helps foster their creative development.

p.34

Music

Bounds Green Infants - 35 110. Very little music was observed during the inspection. In discussion with the curriculum coordinator, the subject has not had a high profile in the school recently. This is due on part to lack of resources and expertise in this subject. Children sing songs and rhymes, especially for assemblies and concerts. A new programme of work, that supports teachers who are not specialist music teachers, has been purchased recently.

p.35

Physical education

Provision in physical education is good.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

• Standards are good and better than at the time of the last inspection. • There are too few opportunities for the subject leader to check children’ progress.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

111. Little physical education was seen during the last inspection, but the report considered standards to be in line with those found nationally. Standards are now above average in the areas of work seen, gymnastics and games. Children achieve well in physical education because lessons build skills up well on a week by week basis, using a good programme of work. They try very hard and this too helps them progress well. Children from ethnic minority groups and those with special educational needs also do well.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

112. By the time they reach the age of seven, most of the children are well coordinated for their age and can hold a balance both in stillness and in movement. They demonstrate a range of well- controlled movements in the hall. In addition to jumping, skipping, hopping and turning, they can invent their own ways of travelling and refine these by practice. They throw and catch well and most have learned how to use space thoughtfully during lessons. They put great energy into their work, but always conduct themselves safely.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

113. Teaching is good. The strongest feature of the lessons is the very good use of vocabulary by the teachers, ensuring that physical education also makes a good contribution to literacy learning. In one lesson children explored the movements of snakes and snails, using words beginning with “s” such as “slither” “slide” and “squelch”. Planning is good and teachers make good use of a scheme of lessons to ensure that each activity builds carefully on the one that went before. All lessons begin with some vigorous activity and this contributes to children’s health and well-being. An area of weakness in all the lessons seen was the lack of opportunity for children to evaluate orally their own and others’, work.

p.35

Main strengths and weaknesses

114. Until recently the school has found difficulty in providing a full physical education programme. It has no grassed area for games and outside hard surfaces have been shared with the neighbouring school. However the school now has its own outside area and is in the process of equipping it with climbing and other apparatus. The leadership and management of the physical education programme are satisfactory. The subject leader for physical education is experienced in her role and very enthusiastic. She gives good support to her colleagues. However, at present she has little opportunity to see other teachers at work, or to check the progress children make.

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PERSONAL, SOCIAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION AND CITIZENSHIP

115. Personal, social and health education permeates the whole curriculum informally. Although there is no formal policy or scheme of work, classes do hold Circle Times. One good ‘Circle Time’ lesson was observed in Year 1 about sharing and taking turns. Rules based on respect are shared with the children and they are regularly reminded of them. The school is part of the Healthy Food Scheme and lunches have a healthy option. Children are encouraged to eat fruit and there are posters around the school advertising fruit from all over the world. The sex and relationships education policy appears in the school prospectus. Bounds Green Infants - 36

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PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS

The overall effectiveness of the school 3 How inclusive the school is 2 How the school’s effectiveness has changed since its last inspection 3 Value for money provided by the school 4

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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 6 Attitudes 2 Behaviour, including the extent of exclusions 2 Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development 2

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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 2 How well the school seeks and acts on pupils’ views 3 The effectiveness of the school’s links with parents 2 The quality of the school’s links with the community 4 The school’s links with other schools and colleges 4

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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 4 The leadership of the headteacher 3 The leadership of other key staff 3 The effectiveness of management 4

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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).

p.36